Official Pu of the day

[bankung]

2013 Bingdao from Teadezhang. The initial smokiness seems to have dissipated quite a bit, however, the tea seems to have gone underground at this stage, unwilling to open its character. Astringent and drying, little flavor or aroma. Certainly quite different than my 2009 Bingdao from a different producer. Back it goes into the cave and will not reappear in the near future.

It seems to me that 2-3 yrs old puerh stored in BKK is not really the best period to drink. I also have a similar experience on so many teas of this age. freshness gone, flavour still not developed.

[shah82]

bankung, was the EoT Bingdao cedar/forest/spice or fruit/oil/brown sugar?

[bankung]

bankung, was the EoT Bingdao cedar/forest/spice or fruit/oil/brown sugar?

Its toward sweet fruity brown sugar as the round went on. The first couple of infusions were not as nice though. A bit rough and bitter.

[jayinhk]

2012 Dayi 201 Spring cake. This tea was cheap (38 RMB?) when I bought it on Taobao and was bitter and smokey (undrinkable, really). After only three years of storage in my home in Hong Kong, it brews red and is surprisingly pleasurable to drink. No smoke, much less bitter and has lovely floral aromas, with just a touch of wetness from storage. I've been so impressed with how my cakes have improved in the last two-to-three years that I just bought five more good cakes (Menghai and Yunnan Sourcing) for future consumption!

[Rui]

I just bought five more good cakes (Menghai and Yunnan Sourcing) for future consumption!

Wow Jay you are on a roll!

Is it possible to tell us which ones did you buy now?

[jayinhk]

Nothing too fancy--just cakes that sound interesting and/or have good reviews. I feel like buying older, dry stored cakes is a waste unless the base material is exceptionally good. Tea just comes along so quickly here, I'm better off buying good new cakes and letting them do their thing.

2013 Yunnan Sourcing "Hui Run" Ripe Pu-erh tea cake of Bu Lang Mountain
2013 Yunnan Sourcing "Jing Mai Mountain" Wild Arbor Raw Pu-erh
2008 Menghai Dayi *Nu Er Gong Bing* Raw Pu-erh - 200g
2008 *Menghai Spring* Raw Pu-erh tea cake
2008 Menghai *8582* Dayi Raw Pu-erh Cake

Taobao and SF Express don't seem to allow tea shipments from China anymore--seems like if I want to go cake shopping, I should head up to China. Maybe it's time for that trip to Kunming

[Rui]

Nothing too fancy--just cakes that sound interesting and/or have good reviews. I feel like buying older, dry stored cakes is a waste unless the base material is exceptionally good. Tea just comes along so quickly here, I'm better off buying good new cakes and letting them do their thing.

2013 Yunnan Sourcing "Hui Run" Ripe Pu-erh tea cake of Bu Lang Mountain
2013 Yunnan Sourcing "Jing Mai Mountain" Wild Arbor Raw Pu-erh
2008 Menghai Dayi *Nu Er Gong Bing* Raw Pu-erh - 200g
2008 *Menghai Spring* Raw Pu-erh tea cake
2008 Menghai *8582* Dayi Raw Pu-erh Cake

Taobao and SF Express don't seem to allow tea shipments from China anymore--seems like if I want to go cake shopping, I should head up to China. Maybe it's time for that trip to Kunming

Thank you very much for all the info. It is very useful to learn from people who has been drinking pu'er for a longer period than me.

Yes, it is my dream to go to Yunnan one day as well.

[jayinhk]

I really don't know all that much about pu erh really. I'm but an amateur and learning as I go. I think you probably know more than I do!

[gasninja]

I had a really good session with Wisterias 03 ZiPinHao.
I have been using a new water for my older Puerh lately. Mountain valley spring water. It is from Hot Springs national park in Arkansas. It is a little heavy for younger teas but it really works well with older stuff. It is pretty expensive though so I have only been using it for special teas.

[AdmiralKelvinator]

I had a really good session with Wisterias 03 ZiPinHao.
I have been using a new water for my older Puerh lately. Mountain valley spring water. It is from Hot Springs national park in Arkansas. It is a little heavy for younger teas but it really works well with older stuff. It is pretty expensive though so I have only been using it for special teas.

The ZPH is a tea I've enjoyed a lot as well, though I've had trouble nailing it down. There are times when it comes out incredibly smoky－like Islay Scotch levels of peaty smoke. Luckily I enjoy me a dram or two of the good stuff from time to time as well, otherwise I might be quite put off.

If you don't mind sharing, I would love to hear more about how you brewed this. Do you brew in a gaiwan or a yixing? By heavy water, you mean it has a high TDS yes? Might be worth a shot!

[Tead Off]

I had a really good session with Wisterias 03 ZiPinHao.
I have been using a new water for my older Puerh lately. Mountain valley spring water. It is from Hot Springs national park in Arkansas. It is a little heavy for younger teas but it really works well with older stuff. It is pretty expensive though so I have only been using it for special teas.

The ZPH is a tea I've enjoyed a lot as well, though I've had trouble nailing it down. There are times when it comes out incredibly smoky－like Islay Scotch levels of peaty smoke. Luckily I enjoy me a dram or two of the good stuff from time to time as well, otherwise I might be quite put off.

If you don't mind sharing, I would love to hear more about how you brewed this. Do you brew in a gaiwan or a yixing? By heavy water, you mean it has a high TDS yes? Might be worth a shot!

Admiral,

A good technique for dissipating smoke in Puerh is to shake or swirl the pot with boiling water for 30 sec or so. Sometimes twice is necessary. While it doesn't remove the smokiness totally, it will dissipate it enough to where the tea actually starts to introduce itself, some teas sooner than later.

[Rui]

At the moment I am sipping 2015 Chawangpu Hekai Gushu Xiao Bing. Since I bought it in May it has turned a very nice sweet aftertaste.

http://www.chawangshop.com/index.php/20 ... -200g.html

[jayinhk]

Got my YS order in two days...benefit of living in HK! Scott threw in a few samples. Tried the 2015 Bai Ni Shui and it wasn't much to write home about, although the leaves looked lovely in the teapot. I'm not writing the tea off just yet--I'm letting everything breathe for a week or two before my next attempt as I think the humidity here will wake everything up a little. Drinking 2005 7542 instead...lovely. Has a distinct HK taste to it after three years at home. The microflora here just tastes...familiar.

[gasninja]

I had a really good session with Wisterias 03 ZiPinHao.
I have been using a new water for my older Puerh lately. Mountain valley spring water. It is from Hot Springs national park in Arkansas. It is a little heavy for younger teas but it really works well with older stuff. It is pretty expensive though so I have only been using it for special teas.

The ZPH is a tea I've enjoyed a lot as well, though I've had trouble nailing it down. There are times when it comes out incredibly smoky－like Islay Scotch levels of peaty smoke. Luckily I enjoy me a dram or two of the good stuff from time to time as well, otherwise I might be quite put off.

If you don't mind sharing, I would love to hear more about how you brewed this. Do you brew in a gaiwan or a yixing? By heavy water, you mean it has a high TDS yes? Might be worth a shot!

I Enjoy Islay whisky quite a bit. So I have never really understood why people find smoky notes in Puerh troubling.

I brewed about 9 grams in 115 ml Zhuni pot.
The water that I used naturally contains
Calcium74ppm
Magnesium 7.3ppm
Potasium 1.0ppm
Total dissolved solids 220ppm
PH of 7.8
Luckily it gives me all that info on the bottle

[Tead Off]

I had a really good session with Wisterias 03 ZiPinHao.
I have been using a new water for my older Puerh lately. Mountain valley spring water. It is from Hot Springs national park in Arkansas. It is a little heavy for younger teas but it really works well with older stuff. It is pretty expensive though so I have only been using it for special teas.

The ZPH is a tea I've enjoyed a lot as well, though I've had trouble nailing it down. There are times when it comes out incredibly smoky－like Islay Scotch levels of peaty smoke. Luckily I enjoy me a dram or two of the good stuff from time to time as well, otherwise I might be quite put off.

If you don't mind sharing, I would love to hear more about how you brewed this. Do you brew in a gaiwan or a yixing? By heavy water, you mean it has a high TDS yes? Might be worth a shot!

I Enjoy Islay whisky quite a bit. So I have never really understood why people find smoky notes in Puerh troubling.

I brewed about 9 grams in 115 ml Zhuni pot.
The water that I used naturally contains
Calcium74ppm
Magnesium 7.3ppm
Potasium 1.0ppm
Total dissolved solids 220ppm
PH of 7.8
Luckily it gives me all that info on the bottle

I would think those parameters for water would not be a good fit with Puerh. Too soft and too many TDS. But, if it works for you, great.

I think the difference in smokiness between Islay Single Malts and Puerhs is quite different. Tea is a very delicately flavored drink. Whiskey is distilled and flavor becomes part of the drink from beginning to end. Smoke in Puerh dissipates as you drink it. To me, I couldn't compare the two.