I figured that my recent experiences with a 2009 Menghai 7542 raw cake might be instructive, or at least mildly amusing. What follows is a kind of tea "journal."
I started with a portion of tea fairly well reviewed puerh cake, a certain dissatisfaction, and some free time. I'd sampled the 7542, based partially on reviews of enthusiastic fans; I, however, was less than enthused. To my palate, the tea was - frankly - rather boring. At 200F, and ended up with a scorched tea that was barely drinkable - at least to my jaded taste buds. At lower temperatures; the bitter taste disappeared, but I ended up with a personality-less green puerh. I liked the color of the liquor - the hue of a first flush Darjeeling. But somehow, it failed to excite. I contemplated tossing the remaining tea cake into a community compost heap, where at least it could be recycled responsibly.
But since I already had most of the tea cake remaining, albeit in pieces, why not use it on a science experiment?
I took a 60g chunk of tea (using a scale purchased for $5.00 on eBay), and moistened it with an atomizer. It took several hours to make sure the tea was thoroughly soaked. The tea was already to a certain extent oxidized, but I wanted some kind of added change.
The tea seemed moist and the color of spinach, with lighter green strands mixed in. I wrapped the bowl in plastic wrap, and let it to rest on my turntable.
LATER THE FIRST DAY
After all of the leaves were moist and separate, I'd hoped to cause additional oxidation to the leaves, if that were possible. For around a quarter hour, I put the wet leaves into a mason jar, and shook them vigorously. I'm not sure I noticed that much difference afterwards, but I let them rest for several additional hours.
I probably wasn't the first to realize what can and can't be done to change the flavor of a tea well after it's been harvested. But the fact is, I really disliked the "flavor" of the 2009 Menghai 7542 - personally, one of the more boring teas tea I've tasted in recent memory. Anything I could do to change it - and possibly improve it - could only be a step in the right direction. I had one last option: pan firing.
I retrieved a hugh cast iron frying pan, preheated the range, and dropped a clump of tea onto the pan. It sizzled in the background, but I always made sure the temperature was low. Soon, I started noticing changes. The amount of leaves now filled only half the pan. The colors of the tea changed from medium to deep green to various shades of brown. The smell changed from a wet tea aroma to that of a green oolong.
I could have taken it farther, but I reserved the leaves to a drying mat ma. I fiddled with the drying leaves for about an hour before going to bed and letting nature take its course.
THE SECOND DAY
Next morning, all the leaves were clearly dry. The tea had the feel of dry leaves, and looked like bold oolong. The aroma was clearly more pronounced; instead of a green puerh, the fired leaves were more assertive, somewhat sharper than before.
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With a digital scale, I measured 4.5g of the fired tea, and boiled water to around 180F - around the temperature of oolong. Instead of yixing ware, I opted to use a closed teacup for brewing; this gave me bit more control over the steeping process.
THE CONCLUSION
The verdict?
No effect that I noticed. The flavor of the tea did not change, which still had the flavor characteristics of a young sheng. It would have been great to snatch victory from near-certain defeat, but the leaves and prior oxidation had a greater effect than anything I could dish out.
I guess my compost heap is going to get extra fuel this week.
