Any way to salvage old tea?

[beanbag]

Hello,

My brother has a very old pack of taiwainese high mountain tea. I'm not sure what type it is exactly, but it does have a bit of that high mountain floral taste. It was a vacuum sealed pouch from 2004, which just got opened recently. The tea is rolled up into these little clumps like the green oolongs usually are. However, they look kinda shriveled and dried out. There is that inital floral taste and smell, but then there is the sensation that something is very old. Like the liquid is a bit brown-ish and feels like something was not roasted or oxidized right.

Since it was vacuum-sealed, I can't see how anything physically went away. Is there some way to either restore / revive this tea, or perhaps roast it or something?

[Tead Off]

Refreshing an older tea can be done by gently roasting the leaves to both reduce moisture, odor, and to give an enhanced flavor profile by the amount of roasting done. This is a delicate procedure and some experimentation may be called for. Do 5-7g at a time. Yuuki-cha.com sell a Hojike that you can use. This is a specific ceramic product used for refreshing on the stove top. You can do a search on teachat for roasting teas and refreshing teas and get more into.

[AdmiralKelvinator]

Three things worth noting before taking the step into re-roasting . One is that if a tea has been vacuum sealed for a long time, if you drink it straight after opening the bag it will often taste thin, vegetal and/or bitter. If you give it a little air, after a few days the true flavor of the tea should start to reveal itself.

Second is that all tea will naturally change in flavor and color over time and eventually morph into something comepletely different from what it started as. This change can be highly desirable and well-aged oolongs can command a high price on the market. In the end it's up to you if you like the taste of aged oolong, but it does have its own dedicated following (especially within Taiwan ). In the grand scheme of things tho, ten years isn't really all that old, and if it was well roasted originally the tea will continue to change into its second decade. You may have caught it at an awkward "adolescent" stage.

Third thing to consider is the original roast level of the tea. If it was given a medium to high roast, then it will potentially age well. On the other hand, it's often said that "greener" oolong with only a very light roast will go stale rather than "age". High mountain oolongs typically fall on the green end of the scale, but not always.

Up to you of course but I recommend sitting on it for a little while and sampling a few times before deciding to roast it or whatever.

[beanbag]

I think based on the taste, it "was supposed" to be a lightly roasted tea.

I looked at a couple of videos involving roasting of tea, but those teas were flat leaves. This tea is little pea-sized clumps. Would I have better luck "baking" instead of cooking in a pan?

[Tead Off]

I think based on the taste, it "was supposed" to be a lightly roasted tea.

I looked at a couple of videos involving roasting of tea, but those teas were flat leaves. This tea is little pea-sized clumps. Would I have better luck "baking" instead of cooking in a pan?

Depends on your skill level, but professionals use a pan.

The hojiki I recommended to you is a ceramic item made just for this kind of thing. Made for medium to low heat. Do it slow and evenly at first, just enough so you begin to smell the aroma of the tea with a minor color change. Less is better.

[PuerhCollector]

Hello Beanbag,

If you have a clay teapot such as one that is no longer in use because you may have dropped the lid (I have plenty ), I would suggest putting the leaves in the teapot and roasting it over an open flame. The size should be ideal for small experiments with roasting. Additionally as you twirl the leaves around inside the teapot you can smell it from time to time. When the tea starts getting nice and fragrant and hopefully not burnt then that is generally the time to stop.

VP

[Tead Off]

Hello Beanbag,

If you have a clay teapot such as one that is no longer in use because you may have dropped the lid (I have plenty ), I would suggest putting the leaves in the teapot and roasting it over an open flame. The size should be ideal for small experiments with roasting. Additionally as you twirl the leaves around inside the teapot you can smell it from time to time. When the tea starts getting nice and fragrant and hopefully not burnt then that is generally the time to stop.

VP

Personally, I wouldn't suggest this because a teapot, unless it has a very large surface area on the bottom, cannot roast tea as evenly as a dedicated hojiki or pan. The chances of uneveness in the roasting are very high. Using the right tool helps a lot.

[BioHorn]

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=20095
A google of "horoku tea" will get you images of a number of kinds.

These two look interesting:

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/sunn ... nd_item_en

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/sunn ... nd_item_en

You can also roast ginko seeds! They are quite good and thin your blood.

[Tead Off]

I use this.

[Puerlife]

I use this.

Can I use one hojiki for greens, oolongs, puers, etc?

[Tead Off]

I use this.

Can I use one hojiki for greens, oolongs, puers, etc?

Why not?

[MacGuffin]

Cold-brew it. Seriously. 8 g/l of room-temperature water, cover the jar, and refrigerate overnight. It's delicious. I can't tell you how many old teas I haven't had to toss with this method.