Official Pu of the day

[rickardg]

Today's pu'er is White2tea's 2015 Pin

I tend to get too much astringency for my taste, should I back down on temperature or steeping time? Or perhaps just try to get something more aged?

[Xeractha]

Hi!

I tried again a 2005 Haiwan Lao Tong Zhi Yellow Label (ripe). I bought 50g sample from Awazon (dry stored). The first time I tried this tea it felt strange, like drinking dust and not the usual earthy flavour. Actually I tasted it right after opening the box that I received, after that I left the bag a little bit opened and now 3 days later it tasted way better. I don't know if these few days did something good for the tea or I just wasn't in a good shape for tea earlier but now I really like it. Most shus I drank before tasted earthy and a little bit like dark chocolate but this is the first time that a shu had a nice sweet aftertaste, at least I hope it wasn't something that I ate this morning.

So far I like the shus from this store unlike the shengs. I checked again what I ordered and it seems the shengs were kinda low quality. One of the cakes costs only 12USD. I should have checked the cake's price first and not just the sample's. Actually I'm glad it turned out like this because I could tell without bias that prices on this site reflects the quality. Probably I should have gone with the Xiaguan Canger instead, but maybe next time.

[Rui]

2015 Lao Shu Bai Cha (C.Taliensis)

Surprisingly complex and dynamic - pretty fruity (mainly berries), spicy and woody, a thick, almost oily soup and not overly dominating cha qi. One chameleon of a tea and excellent bang for the buck.

Actually I am a big fan of this tea as I have bought a cake for the past couple of years.

Gorgeous tea cake too.

Glad you like it, Rui. I've been torturing a loosened up, moisturized sample at constant ~35°C in a sealed porcelain vessel for some weeks now and if everything turns out fine I'll prolly get a tong of that stuff.

Sipping William's 2016 Jingmai Miyun (kryptonite) right now, one of my favorite bannachas this year but I somehow missed the Gulan you've recommended.

Hopefully it works out.

Miyun is also a very nice tea so I would not worry much if you missed Gulan.

You say "moisturized sample at constant ~35°C in a sealed porcelain vessel". Wow that is some serious temperature. Where do you live?

[kuánglóng]

2015 Lao Shu Bai Cha (C.Taliensis)

Surprisingly complex and dynamic - pretty fruity (mainly berries), spicy and woody, a thick, almost oily soup and not overly dominating cha qi. One chameleon of a tea and excellent bang for the buck.

Actually I am a big fan of this tea as I have bought a cake for the past couple of years.

Gorgeous tea cake too.

Glad you like it, Rui. I've been torturing a loosened up, moisturized sample at constant ~35°C in a sealed porcelain vessel for some weeks now and if everything turns out fine I'll prolly get a tong of that stuff.

Sipping William's 2016 Jingmai Miyun (kryptonite) right now, one of my favorite bannachas this year but I somehow missed the Gulan you've recommended.

Hopefully it works out.

Miyun is also a very nice tea so I would not worry much if you missed Gulan.

You say "moisturized sample at constant ~35°C in a sealed porcelain vessel". Wow that is some serious temperature. Where do you live?

Usually on Gran Canaria but lately in some swampy area 200 miles NEE of you (East Frisia - broken Assam stronghold). Damn family business - can't wait to fly back home.
As to the constant 35°C I get that on top of the old hot water tank in the cellar - express composting guaranteed, helps a lot to tell the wheat from the chaff.

[Rui]

Usually on Gran Canaria but lately in some swampy area 200 miles NEE of you (East Frisia - broken Assam stronghold). Damn family business - can't wait to fly back home.
As to the constant 35°C I get that on top of the old hot water tank in the cellar - express composting guaranteed, helps a lot to tell the wheat from the chaff.

East Frisian Tea is yummy but that is serious heart attack stuff. For me there is another reason why I do not drink much of it: black tea can cause kidney stones formation and I have had enough of those in the past.

My problem with doing that express composting would be the lack of humidity in my cellar.

[Rui]

Today I have been sipping 2010 Zhi Zheng Song Nannuo shan gushu tea which I got from TdC. Sweet and smooth this tea.

[kuánglóng]

East Frisian Tea is yummy but that is serious heart attack stuff. For me there is another reason why I do not drink much of it: black tea can cause kidney stones formation and I have had enough of those in the past.

I remember your kidney stones, Rui and I'd stay clear of the local brew (+ ...loads of sugar and cream) as well if I had such issues. I really don't mind a cuppa of that stuff here and there but in the meantime three of my local amigos have turned their backs to Assams and into die-hard pu addicts, hehehe.

My problem with doing that express composting would be the lack of humidity in my cellar.

I'm just experimenting with some moisturized samples in hermetically sealed caddies and jars on that tank - my stash rests somewhere else.

[Rui]

Today I have been sipping 2016 Yiwu Huangie gushu sheng from Pu-erh.sk. A very nice and aromatic young sheng.

[Haddemall]

Bought a sample of the 2003 Feng Qing Jia Ji Er Deng but got a very astringent brew. Maybe I went too heavy, 10g to a 150ml pot. Taste was great though.

[Rui]

Today I have gone back to the 2000 Gu Green Mark Qi Zi sheng to introduce pu'er to a new colleague.

Back to this one today. All else fails I go back to reliable teas.

[kuánglóng]

Bought a sample of the 2003 Feng Qing Jia Ji Er Deng but got a very astringent brew. Maybe I went too heavy, 10g to a 150ml pot. Taste was great though.

This tea seems to be a little challenging to brew right but whenever I get it nailed it's really, really tasty. Same with the aroma in the sniffing cup - if everything goes right it's one of the most complex, intense and long lasting (up to 4-5 days) I've yet experienced but sometimes I don't get much at all.

Back to some 2012 Shuangjiang Miao Dao Chan Cha. Amazingly perfumy and seems to age pretty well. I wonder what it'll be like in 10 years.

[Haddemall]

Thanks kuánglóng. I put 5g into my gaiwan and will try again today. As I said, loved the tea.

[jayinhk]

Bought the following today:

Three tongs of shu produced for a Hong Kong tea company (2016 stuff) under their own label

10 x 2016 7581
10 x 2014 7562
1 x 2013 Xiaguan FT Peacock cake (organic)
5 x 2010 7542
5 x 2014 7572
10 x 2007 Xiaguan Horseback tuos (100g)
2 x 2007 Dayi Hou Pu ripe cakes (500g)
8 x 2007 Xiaguan 8653

Drinking 2008 Menghai Hong Yun Yuan Cha...so incredibly soft and floral after a year in HK. Best example of high grade shu I've had yet!

[mr mopu]

Bought the following today:

Three tongs of shu produced for a Hong Kong tea company (2016 stuff) under their own label

10 x 2016 7581
10 x 2014 7562
1 x 2013 Xiaguan FT Peacock cake (organic)
5 x 2010 7542
5 x 2014 7572
10 x 2007 Xiaguan Horseback tuos (100g)
2 x 2007 Dayi Hou Pu ripe cakes (500g)
8 x 2007 Xiaguan 8653

Drinking 2008 Menghai Hong Yun Yuan Cha...so incredibly soft and floral after a year in HK. Best example of high grade shu I've had yet!

The Hou Pu ,Thick Ripe Cake is a good one.

[ethan]

Drinking 2008 Menghai Hong Yun Yuan Cha...so incredibly soft and floral after a year in HK. Best example of high grade shu I've had yet!

I did not know pu could be soft & floral. Is it also sweet?