Affordable Sheng for Newbie?

[kasey]

I'm new here and relatively new to the art of tea but please bear with me.

A year and a half ago, when I was first getting into this, I bought a box
of Green Tuocha (actual loose tea, not flakes) in teabags. I was familiar with the cheap $5 Bing Cha that you find in most Chinatown supermarkets so I thought I'd try it. Brewed it the way I usually did, didn't care for it, stored it the way I usually do in an airtight glass jar in
a dark cool place, went on to other things and forgot about it.

I recently dug it up and, after several brews, settled on 175 degrees for
90 seconds. I was amazed to find that it still had full flavor, which is complex and delicious and has me yearning for more.

So I've been hanging around here, learning what I can about sheng pu'erh.

I really don't want this to take over my life! I notice that there are some people here who seem obsessed with this kind of tea. I'm hoping to hear from some of them.

Is it because it is always somewhat dissatisfying but because it changes
as it ages that it offers a promise (?) that it might someday be perfect?
Is that what the lure is?

I love tea but I don't have money right now to blow on a collection.

Can anyone recommend an affordable aged sheng pu'erh that is ready
to enjoy? Especially one with Chi! The only tea that I've found that
consistently offers this is Sencha, but vegetal is not my favorite flavor.
Maybe steaming is the best way to preserve nutrients, but I would LOVE
to find a pu'erh that leaves me with that same feeling of well-being.

[oldmanteapot]

Hi Kasey,

I'm new here and relatively new to the art of tea but please bear with me.

Welcome to TC!... Let's learn together. This will be a very interesting journey that you're embarking in.

I recently dug it up and, after several brews, settled on 175 degrees for 90 seconds. I was amazed to find that it still had full flavor, which is complex and delicious and has me yearning for more.

Most Sheng, kept away from light, away from odour (note that fragrance of any type, pleasant or otherwise is considered odour in the world of pu) and under proper conditions will either remain as it was or age accordingly. Very few will actually fade in flavour.

I really don't want this to take over my life! I notice that there are some people here who seem obsessed with this kind of tea.

LOLz... that remains to be seen. I'd guess "obsessed" is an understatement for some...

Is it because it is always somewhat dissatisfying but because it changes as it ages that it offers a promise (?) that it might someday be perfect? Is that what the lure is?

"Perfection" is somewhat subjective in PuWorld. One man's Pu, might be another's Poison... good luck figuring that out... I've given up eons ago...

I love tea but I don't have money right now to blow on a collection.

You don't have to own an entire collection to enjoy Pu. I know some others who enjoys pu just by samples alone. So, it all depends on your budget and also your preferences.

Can anyone recommend an affordable aged sheng pu'erh that is ready to enjoy? Especially one with Chi!

"Affordability" differs from individual to individual. It would help to be more specific. I don't mean to be rude here, but, IMO, Shengs which are ready to be enjoyed are what we call matured ones, which are above 12 years aged. A 1999 Special Selection BLUE Labeled Lue Da Shu (Big Green Tree) Wild Abor by MengHai Tea Factory would easily set you back beyond US$400 per Beeng. That's a nice Beeng which satisfies your criteria above. Good feeling of wellbeing, good Qi and just about ready to be enjoyed, though I'd prefer storing for another year or two.

Again, welcome aboard!

Cheers!

[oldmanteapot]

This is how the BLUE Label I mentioned above looks like...



And it's priced at US$475 per Beeng.

[entropyembrace]

I suggest looking for aged tuochas from reputable vendors like Jing Tea Shop, Yunnan Sourcing and Hou De. They're usually smaller than the beengs (100-250g) and seem to have less collectors value so if you shop around you can usually find some aged at least a few years that won't break your bank account. That can give you more tea to play around with than a sample and it's not going to be a major purchase like an already aged beeng.

[betta]

This is how the BLUE Label I mentioned above looks like...



And it's priced at US$475 per Beeng.

Is it the same genre as the yiwu lao shu pressed by xiaguan starting from 08?

[beecrofter]

Although aged a few years tou cha may be had at a price that seems a bargain in comparison to beeng cha keep in mind that their high compression makes them take longer to age.

[kasey]

Beecrofter, you raise a good point about compressed tea taking longer to
age. These teas were originally made into cakes because they had to be transported over the mountains and across China on horseback and they needed to last the journey.

We don't need to store them as cakes! We westerners should break these up and learn to store them so they can age in a reasonable time.

Paper bags? (horrors!), burlap?
Where do we find bamboo boxes?

Any ideas?

[oldmanteapot]

We don't need to store them as cakes! We westerners should break these up and learn to store them so they can age in a reasonable time.

Breaking up a Beeng doesn't speed up the ageing process. But it allows the Pu to smoothen out by airing it, which in turn will result in a smoother tea broth and a more distinct taste and aroma. This is often misconstrued as the aging process. It's just like decanting wine. It allows the wine to breathe. Same applies here.

How fast the Pu ages depends on factors like air circulation, humidity and temperature.

Paper bags? (horrors!), burlap? Where do we find bamboo boxes?

I would keep my Pu in a clean brown paper envelope with some small holes punctured at the sides. Brown paper envelopes are often used as they are not air tight and at the same time, doesn't absorb moisture into them.

But if broken up, why not consider a yixing jar? Some bamboo boxes tend to carry a strong smell which will be absorbed by your Pu.

Cheers!!

[kasey]

Thanks!

What about a simple cardboard box?

[oldmanteapot]

Thanks!

What about a simple cardboard box?

Hi Kasey,

That would also work. But make sure the cardboard box doesn't have any foreign smell or was used to transport any items with strong smell e.g. incense, perfume or herbs.

Cheers!

[Salsero]

Actually, I think cardboard boxes are Cloud's preferred storage.

http://www.cloudsteacollection.com/html ... 017_e.html

[oldmanteapot]

Actually, I think cardboard boxes are Cloud's preferred storage.

http://www.cloudsteacollection.com/html ... 017_e.html

Yes. It's one of his preferred medium of storing Pu.

[odarwin]

is $30 for 100grams affordable for you?....
id recommend the precious aged raw pu erh...

http://www.cloudsteahouse.com/index_e.html

[kasey]

A bit out of my range right now Odarwin, but thanks for showing me
the nice site!
Since I'm new here, I'm sure I'll find all kinds of exotica I'd never
see otherwise. All the tea in China.....

I confess though, that I still don't get this aging thing.
If a cake ages faster on the outside than on the inside, doesn't it
make sense that it would age faster if packaged loosely, thereby
yielding a smoother cup with greater variation over time?

[AdamMY]

Kasey,

While that logic makes sense, you also need to think of it as a "food" at the same time, where it looses oils, aroma, and flavor if overly exposed to air. So while when broken apart it might appear to age faster, it could be detrimental to the taste of the final product.

If you have a chance try and get your hands on some loose leaf sheng, and a cake from around the same time, and do a taste test. To me the loose leaf even though it can still be good, lacks somehow in overall appeal.