My first foray into pu, a "07 Dayi Yue Chen Yue Xiang" from Pu-Erh shop.
When I brewed it I took it straight from the small ziplock back it came in. Overall I enjoyed it but there was this subtle lingering taste, which could almost be described as "fishy". This was the one part I didn't enjoy as much. Am I tasting the "fermentation" taste so many others have mentioned?
I see a lot of talk about "airing out" pu prior to steeping it. How do others do this? Do you leave it in a loose fitting container? Should the cake be broken up? If so, how broken up should the tea be? How long should I leave it to air out?
May 31st, '09, 14:37
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May 31st, '09, 16:23
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May 31st, '09, 16:44
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How loose would you think I should flake the peices? Chunks, or try to get it really loose?shogun89 wrote:Yes, you experienced wodui, or fermentation. The cake should be stored in only its wrapper to air over time, but if you are anxious to air it out, flake some of the cake off, about 7 grams, and let it air on a paper towel or something for a few days.
My current strategy is using a 200ml gaiwan half full with broken up chunks with the lid slightly off.
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May 31st, '09, 17:48
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The thinner the pieces you flake the faster it will air out, but dont make fanings, Just stick the knife in the middle of the cakes side and pry, that should be sufficient. And your gaiwan method will work just fine.hooksie wrote:How loose would you think I should flake the peices? Chunks, or try to get it really loose?shogun89 wrote:Yes, you experienced wodui, or fermentation. The cake should be stored in only its wrapper to air over time, but if you are anxious to air it out, flake some of the cake off, about 7 grams, and let it air on a paper towel or something for a few days.
My current strategy is using a 200ml gaiwan half full with broken up chunks with the lid slightly off.
May 31st, '09, 18:08
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May 31st, '09, 23:08
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Hi Tony,tony shlongini wrote:Ah, I see you've already mastered lesson #1- most shu is crap.
I believe that it would be a generalising too broadly to mention that most shu is crap. I've come across many Shu, pressed with good quality tea leaves and kept under the correct condition which tasted as good as any Sheng... even aged ones can taste as good, some even better.
Cheers!!
May 31st, '09, 23:20
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Great shu can taste a good as sheng but great shu will never taste as good as great sheng.oldmanteapot wrote:Hi Tony,tony shlongini wrote:Ah, I see you've already mastered lesson #1- most shu is crap.
I believe that it would be a generalising too broadly to mention that most shu is crap. I've come across many Shu, pressed with good quality tea leaves and kept under the correct condition which tasted as good as any Sheng... even aged ones can taste as good, some even better.
Cheers!!
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May 31st, '09, 23:31
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Hi Hop,hop_goblin wrote:Great shu can taste a good as sheng but great shu will never taste as good as great sheng.
Generally yes, I agree that we can find more great sheng than great shu out there. But never the less... the experience of tasting a great shu, aged, is an experience you'll fine very hard to get off your mind and pallettes.
Cheers!
I'm going through a bit of a shu phase at the moment and am greatly enjoying it.
They are different creatures, aged shu and aged sheng, and I would hesitate to compare them.
For example, I have a rather old sheng, around 30 years old, and a rather old shu, of about the same age. They are each almost magical in property, and would I compare them? No...
It's a bit like wine, once again to borrow a tedious analogy when it comes to tea, and I offer my apologies for lacking the sense to do any better. In vinophile terms, I'd liken the experiences to a dry or ripe riesling, wooded or unwooded chardonnay, early or late harvest burgundy... same base materials in each grouping, but radically different product at the end of the day.
They are different creatures, aged shu and aged sheng, and I would hesitate to compare them.
For example, I have a rather old sheng, around 30 years old, and a rather old shu, of about the same age. They are each almost magical in property, and would I compare them? No...
It's a bit like wine, once again to borrow a tedious analogy when it comes to tea, and I offer my apologies for lacking the sense to do any better. In vinophile terms, I'd liken the experiences to a dry or ripe riesling, wooded or unwooded chardonnay, early or late harvest burgundy... same base materials in each grouping, but radically different product at the end of the day.
Jun 1st, '09, 11:26
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You guys must have very good eyesight to see the words "there is no such thing as good shu" buried within the sentence "most shu is crap".
Better than 99% of all wine produced is not intended for long term storage. Does that mean that folks who spend fortunes on aged Burgundy and Bordeaux are deluding themselves? Of course not. Those are treasures for the ages.
Even within the world of tea enthusiasts, pu'er is often looked upon with disdain. This can often be traced to the undeniable fact that many a first experience with pu'er is with a bad shu. Sometimes it will take years to overcome that experience, if ever.
At the high end, I can't imagine foraging the woods, discovering untouched, ancient trees, harvesting the very best leaves, and throwing them onto a compost heap. Since wo dui was developed to mimic the long term, naturally occurring aging process, and tends to blur any differences that would otherwise be displayed, it's the perfect medium for using less than perfect leaf. That's why hop is probably correct when he says that great shu shouldn't be expected to compete with truly great sheng. The best materials are used for sheng, where their character can shine in the final product.
Can great shu be produced? Of course. It's just a statistical matter.
I'll give you a pass.
Better than 99% of all wine produced is not intended for long term storage. Does that mean that folks who spend fortunes on aged Burgundy and Bordeaux are deluding themselves? Of course not. Those are treasures for the ages.
Even within the world of tea enthusiasts, pu'er is often looked upon with disdain. This can often be traced to the undeniable fact that many a first experience with pu'er is with a bad shu. Sometimes it will take years to overcome that experience, if ever.
At the high end, I can't imagine foraging the woods, discovering untouched, ancient trees, harvesting the very best leaves, and throwing them onto a compost heap. Since wo dui was developed to mimic the long term, naturally occurring aging process, and tends to blur any differences that would otherwise be displayed, it's the perfect medium for using less than perfect leaf. That's why hop is probably correct when he says that great shu shouldn't be expected to compete with truly great sheng. The best materials are used for sheng, where their character can shine in the final product.
Can great shu be produced? Of course. It's just a statistical matter.
Yee, if you'd like to start an argument, I'd suggest you do a little research to see what you'll be getting yourself into.yee wrote:It is not that shu is crap it that just girls dont like it... girls or those who dont know how to brew it properly.tony shlongini wrote:Ah, I see you've already mastered lesson #1- most shu is crap.
Anyway, callyng anything crap is kind of immature.
I'll give you a pass.
tony shlongini wrote:You guys must have very good eyesight to see the words "there is no such thing as good shu" buried within the sentence "most shu is crap".
Better than 99% of all wine produced is not intended for long term storage. Does that mean that folks who spend fortunes on aged Burgundy and Bordeaux are deluding themselves? Of course not. Those are treasures for the ages.
Even within the world of tea enthusiasts, pu'er is often looked upon with disdain. This can often be traced to the undeniable fact that many a first experience with pu'er is with a bad shu. Sometimes it will take years to overcome that experience, if ever.
At the high end, I can't imagine foraging the woods, discovering untouched, ancient trees, harvesting the very best leaves, and throwing them onto a compost heap. Since wo dui was developed to mimic the long term, naturally occurring aging process, and tends to blur any differences that would otherwise be displayed, it's the perfect medium for using less than perfect leaf. That's why hop is probably correct when he says that great shu shouldn't be expected to compete with truly great sheng. The best materials are used for sheng, where their character can shine in the final product.
Can great shu be produced? Of course. It's just a statistical matter.
Yee, if you'd like to start an argument, I'd suggest you do a little research to see what you'll be getting yourself into.yee wrote:It is not that shu is crap it that just girls dont like it... girls or those who dont know how to brew it properly.tony shlongini wrote:Ah, I see you've already mastered lesson #1- most shu is crap.
Anyway, callyng anything crap is kind of immature.
I'll give you a pass.
That is funny! You even think ill be arguing with you!You guys should understand that shu and sheng are different teas. You cant compare them.
