Help identifying a few cakes

[PurplePotato]

All you have to do is get a cheap factory tea and overbrew it. Voila, bitterness.

That's actually a good point. While I wouldn't recommend overbrewing cheap factory tea to get the effect (although who knows, you might like it), pushing a tea that is otherwise fine but not that bitter might get you a good result.

[Nighttrain]

i've been playing around with quantities and steeping times with the teas I have, and there's definitely a point where you've pushed too far and your taste buds can't even deal. Just flooded with bitter. That's NOT what I'm looking for. I'm not just bitter bitter bitter. But solid bitterness has been an important component to the ones I've had so far that I've really liked.

[Proinsias]

I'm looking for a very young Sheng. I like BITTER up front. very bitter. I can take it.

Just flooded with bitter. That's NOT what I'm looking for.

Ninja level skills are useful when brewing young sheng to prevent it biting.

With well stored old sheng you can go for a nap while it's brewing.

[Nighttrain]

ha! but who can sleep when you're so close to tea?

[Nighttrain]

Another question (I'm needy I know but I'm going nuts waiting for all my tea to arrive in the mail...) - I'm coming from the world of coffee, and am used to waking up with a strong caffeinated and flavourful jolt.

Can anyone recommend a strong shou with a nice positive energy that's flavourful and interesting enough for gong fu but that will also work as my daily 1st cup of the morning western style.

I'm not really looking for mild and smooth. Earthy is good.

Any recommendations? (And don't say just drink coffee )

[Proinsias]

If you're starting out with shou anything from Menghai with a few years on it is pretty safe. It takes a few years, and sometimes a few rinses to get the past the processing.

Personally I wouldn't be reaching for shou to get me going of a morning, it's more of a friend on long dark nights or when stuffed up with the cold and feeling poorly.

Other morning coffee alternatives: a good strong dark roasted Wuyi oolong or a bowl of matcha.

[Nighttrain]

thanks! I'm not crazy about green tea. Oolong is an interesting idea - but it generally lacks the oomph I'm looking for. What's hei cha like? is that an option?

[Proinsias]

Heicha's a bit of a hazy category for me http://teadrunk.org/post/137/#p137

My feelings about li bao are pretty much the same as shu but I've only tried it a few times. I had a liu an years back, it was around 5yrs old, and was still bitter enough to make toes curl, put many a bitter young sheng to shame. Would love to try the old stuff but it is not cheap.

Matcha is more like a tea soup, you actually consume the tea as opposed to brewing it and it gives quite a kick. Qimen hongcha is damn tasty imo and delivers a reasonable caffeine hit, plenty other nice black teas and breakfast blends to try.

A good cup of Wuyi oolong is not lacking much in oomph for me, a very different beast to a lot of the greenish/buttery/floral oolongs that are popular but to each their own.

[stevorama]

Another question (I'm needy I know but I'm going nuts waiting for all my tea to arrive in the mail...) - I'm coming from the world of coffee, and am used to waking up with a strong caffeinated and flavourful jolt.

Can anyone recommend a strong shou with a nice positive energy that's flavourful and interesting enough for gong fu but that will also work as my daily 1st cup of the morning western style.

I'm not really looking for mild and smooth. Earthy is good.

Any recommendations? (And don't say just drink coffee )

Honestly, there's lots of enjoyable shou out there. Some better than others. I find most have decent caffeine and energy. Except for some older and/or larger leaf stuff. Gong ting might have the most caffeine. Get something with a couple years on it if you are adverse to fermentation taste/aroma. Most anything from Yunnan Sourcing, Bana, Crimson Lotus, Mandala Tea, White2Tea (to name a few) should be good. Maybe try some of Yunnan Sourcing's house brand. 2012 Yong De Blue, 2013 Hui Run, 2014 Red Horse Gong Ting, etc.

[nada]

My feelings about li bao are pretty much the same as shu but I've only tried it a few times.

If your Liu Bao is tasting like shu puerh, you're drinking the wrong ones. Try some Wuzhou tea factory teas for example & you'll see they're quite different.

The more you drink Liu Bao, the more obvious the differences become. In the end, they're both very different teas.

[Proinsias]

It looks like you have quite a selection in now Nada, will aim to give them a try soon.

[LouPepe]

Liu Bao (and liu an) can be quite a refreshing change from shou. You drink a good one and it changes your view completely. There's even some young/brash ones out there that are very exceptional. Almost like bitter hongcha/shou hybrid.

If you don't care for green tea (which might likely change if you are new to quality loose leaf tea), then hongcha and higher oxidized wulongs are the way to go for a morning jolt. I'm a "former" coffee in the morning drinker and now I find myself very fond of good red tea. It's a perfect substitute, with many of the same variations in flavor/mouthfeel as there is with quality coffee beans. From fruity to floral to malty and even some a bit earthy.

And yeah, shou is not a pick me upper whatsoever

[nada]

It looks like you have quite a selection in now Nada, will aim to give them a try soon.

Haha, I admit it... I'm hooked, what can I say! Whenever I have some spare cash, I go looking for other nice Liu Bao.

[jayinhk]

Nada, any recommendations for new liu bao baskets? I'm in Hong Kong and wanted to pick one or two up for aging. I was looking at Three Cranes' Taobao store earlier and considering picking up their priciest cellar-aged basket.

[Nighttrain]

thanks everybody - I've been curious about that big leaf black tea from Yunnan - wondering if that will give me that punch I'm looking for with a bit of that delicious puer taste... We'll see - it's on its way!