auhckw: KLP 1 - 2005: Golden Award Liu-Pao 85122

[Drax]

*sniff* still waiting...! I'm hoping it comes soon...

As for brewing parameters, for either the Liu-pao/bao or the 1997 raw, I would start around 1-1.5g per 1oz of water. All boiling water.

Depending on density of leaf, I would start with a 5-30 second rinse (longer for tighter packed leaf). Then do ~5-10s infusions and go from there. Again, the looser the leaf, the shorter you can start the series of infusions.

[auhckw]

As for me...

1g: 20ml

2 flash rinse (in and out)

1st brew: 10 sec
2nd brew: 10 sec
3rd brew: 15 sec
4th brew: 20 sec
5th brew: 30 sec
6th brew: 45 sec
7th brew: 1 min
8th brew: <add extra 30 seconds>

[JRS22]

Thanks for the steeping suggestions. The first 5 steeps were excellent. The tea tastes better than it smells, which is often not true with green tea.

[Drax]

Ah, my package finally came yesterday, and I was able to pick it up today. As seems to be usual lately, somebody tried to crush the box, but fortunately it survived (makes me nervous about my next package, though...).

Anyway, I broke into the Liu Bao this evening. It had the typical 'bright' quality to the aroma that I have come to expect from this type of tea. I'm currently on the 4th cup, as shown below in my Sendai hagi cup:



Very excellent, I am really enjoying it. I am looking forward to trying the YiWu tomorrow.

[JRS22]

I enjoyed the tea for 3 days and a total of 23 steeps! I didn't collect adjectives so I can just say that there were a variety of flavors and aromas, all enjoyable.

[auhckw]

I enjoyed the tea for 3 days and a total of 23 steeps! I didn't collect adjectives so I can just say that there were a variety of flavors and aromas, all enjoyable.

23 steeps

I will be bloated

[JRS22]

I enjoyed the tea for 3 days and a total of 23 steeps! I didn't collect adjectives so I can just say that there were a variety of flavors and aromas, all enjoyable.

23 steeps

I will be bloated

There is definitely a serious danger of bloat with such delicious tea! That's why I took care to use a small gaiwan, just 70 ml, and spread the wealth over 3 days. Next time I may use my mini-yixing.....

[Drax]

I stopped around 11 steeps, though I could have easily kept going... I really wanted to move on to the CNNP.

Here is the tea at steep number 10, done for 5 minutes (6g in 4oz gaiwan):



It was quite enjoyable, and I am looking forward to how it changes over time!

[auhckw]

I enjoyed the tea for 3 days and a total of 23 steeps! I didn't collect adjectives so I can just say that there were a variety of flavors and aromas, all enjoyable.

23 steeps

I will be bloated

There is definitely a serious danger of bloat with such delicious tea! That's why I took care to use a small gaiwan, just 70 ml, and spread the wealth over 3 days. Next time I may use my mini-yixing.....

U mean you brew the same tea for 3 days resting in between. U sure it is ok to do that?

[JRS22]

U mean you brew the same tea for 3 days resting in between. U sure it is ok to do that?

I put the tea leaves in the fridge overnight. I figure that the boiling water will restore them. I suppose I just don't perceive puerh as being delicate.

[David R.]

No need. Flash rinse with boiling water and you're good to go. It is also important to warm up the vessel. I've tried the fridge ones and the result was very disappointing.

Old puerh can give so many brews that it doesn't seem possible to me to drink it in one session, plus the fact that I enjoy very looong brews in the end which last several hours, even a day.

[Drax]

I've done pu'erh sessions over several days as well, but I don't bother with refrigeration (I live dangerously!!).

I gave up with the 1997 CNNP on brew 15 yesterday... in a 4oz gaiwan, that adds up to a lot of tea! I'll re-attack today.

If for some reason I want to go the full distance with a pu'erh in one shorter session (i.e. less than 2 hours), I'll use my 40 mL yixing pot, which is a great way to do 20+ sessions. The 15 minute steeps, however, still quickly tack on a lot of time...!

[JRS22]

I take the middle road. I refrigerate the tea but not the pot. I don't have AC in my kitchen, and I won't reuse tea that's been sitting out, especially if I'm going to skip a day.

I won a set of fancy mustards at a holiday grab-bag. Nobody understood why I was so pleased, but I saw immediately that the 3 sturdy little glass jars would be perfect for storing Puerh after a trip through the dishwasher (the jars, not the tea).

Today I'll try it in my 40 ml pot.

[auhckw]

I've finished my buffer stock at home and is going to topup at the shop cause there are additional request.

Whoever wants to buy / wants to repeat order do let me know so that I can proceed and buy more.

[twinofmunin]

Tasty tea already; goes well with the current interminable rain we're getting here... Thanks again for putting this together!