The best compressed shape for aging puerh.

[glenbo]

I had a discussion on the topic with a vendor we work with in Kunming. He insists that the best shape for long term aging of puerh was large rectangular bricks 1 to 2kg in size. I know Xiaguan swears by the tuo form factor. What are your thoughts or experiences in the matter?

[bankung]

In my opinion, large tuo is better given that you have a right equipment and process to make it dry throughly when forming the tuo.

[Cwyn]

I plan to tell my son this when I buy the 500 g melon at chawangshop.

[Tead Off]

I had a discussion on the topic with a vendor we work with in Kunming. He insists that the best shape for long term aging of puerh was large rectangular bricks 1 to 2kg in size. I know Xiaguan swears by the tuo form factor. What are your thoughts or experiences in the matter?

Technically speaking, I don't know which form is best for aging. However, the best quality puerh teas come in cake form, in general. Tuos and bricks are usually not the best leaves and an inordinate amount of them are smoky. Xiaguan is one of the worst offenders in this area. Never had smokier teas than their tuos. Personally, I have given up on tuos and bricks. Far too many are of inferior quality.

[mr mopu]

I kind of like the cakes personally. I think the looser the compression the better they age. I have drank 10 year old cakes as well as bricks and tuos and the cakes get my thumbs up.

[PuerhCollector]

I had a discussion on the topic with a vendor we work with in Kunming. He insists that the best shape for long term aging of puerh was large rectangular bricks 1 to 2kg in size. I know Xiaguan swears by the tuo form factor. What are your thoughts or experiences in the matter?

Hello Glenbo,

That's very interesting.

Did the vendor you mention say why he believes large rectangular bricks (1 to 2kg) are best for long term ageing? I’m sure he must have his reasons.

Personally I think it should be more about the level of compression than the shape.

Best, VP

[bankung]

From my experience, with the comparable amount of "aging", those teas that age slower tend to be more lively and have more complex flavour. With the cake pressed very hard, and especially in tuo form, the tea would oxidise in a much slower rate than the post-fermentation. Its my feeling that this kind of tea is the best for long term aging. However, we are not gonna live that long to enjoy these tea at its peak right? A cake pressed loosely like today's trend would age faster (because of more oxidisation) and would be delicious in a shorter time but its peak period will also come faster than those tightly pressed.

[glenbo]

Technically speaking, I don't know which form is best for aging. However, the best quality puerh teas come in cake form, in general. Tuos and bricks are usually not the best leaves and an inordinate amount of them are smoky. Xiaguan is one of the worst offenders in this area. Never had smokier teas than their tuos. Personally, I have given up on tuos and bricks. Far too many are of inferior quality.

I'm with Mr Mopar I have a fondness for some Xiaguan now and again. There is a savory quality that reminds me of scotch. Would I drink it every day, probably not. But now and again they hit the spot.

As far as compressed shape being an indicator of quality I have some very high quality puerh compressed in both tuo and brick form, so I don't think I can agree with you there. Let's take generalizations out of the equation altogether. Given the same high quality base material, compressed with the same compression, which shape would be the best shape?

[glenbo]

Hello Glenbo,

That's very interesting.

Did the vendor you mention say why he believes large rectangular bricks (1 to 2kg) are best for long term ageing? I’m sure he must have his reasons.

Personally I think it should be more about the level of compression than the shape.

Best, VP

He quoted anecdotal evidence from personal experience. That's all the info he gave. His bricks are generally highly compressed. Not iron cake level compression, but a high machine compression.

[glenbo]

From my experience, with the comparable amount of "aging", those teas that age slower tend to be more lively and have more complex flavour. With the cake pressed very hard, and especially in tuo form, the tea would oxidise in a much slower rate than the post-fermentation. Its my feeling that this kind of tea is the best for long term aging. However, we are not gonna live that long to enjoy these tea at its peak right? A cake pressed loosely like today's trend would age faster (because of more oxidisation) and would be delicious in a shorter time but its peak period will also come faster than those tightly pressed.

That's been my understanding as well. All of our cakes were pressed with a moderately loose machine compression. Somewhere close to the level of stone pressed cakes. My idea was that I wanted them to mature quicker. I never put much thought into the best shape to use. Though I have noticed that it is a lot easier to transport rectangular bricks. Round cakes take up more room in the same size box. Round cakes also almost always get edge damage in transport. Bricks are sturdy like, well, bricks. Visually I like round cakes though. So symmetrical.

[kyarazen]

I had a discussion on the topic with a vendor we work with in Kunming. He insists that the best shape for long term aging of puerh was large rectangular bricks 1 to 2kg in size. I know Xiaguan swears by the tuo form factor. What are your thoughts or experiences in the matter?

the best leaves are always made into tuos historically...

whilst the crudest leaves are always made into bricks...

tea cakes are in between, i.e. surface are higher grade leaves sandwiching a coarser cruder interior...

[glenbo]

the best leaves are always made into tuos historically...

whilst the crudest leaves are always made into bricks...

tea cakes are in between, i.e. surface are higher grade leaves sandwiching a coarser cruder interior...

Let's put history aside for arguments sake. Take modern material of high quality then compress the same amount into different shapes with the same level of compression. What benefits and/or disadvantages would shape alone have? That's what I am curious about.

[kyarazen]

the best leaves are always made into tuos historically...

whilst the crudest leaves are always made into bricks...

tea cakes are in between, i.e. surface are higher grade leaves sandwiching a coarser cruder interior...

Let's put history aside for arguments sake. Take modern material of high quality then compress the same amount into different shapes with the same level of compression. What benefits and/or disadvantages would shape alone have? That's what I am curious about.

but without historical samples, everything will just be an educated guess. there isn't any grade 7-8 melon nor tuo of 30-40 years and above for us to sample now, neither is there a grade 1-2 tea bud chabing from those eras.

if you are fixing at the same level of compression, do you mean the same amount of pressure that was used in pressing all shapes or the same degree of "hardness"/density after pressing? because using 80-100 kg to press a mini cake versus a larger cake will give different out comes,. the larger cake will be more "loose". also grade 6-7 and above leaves, with increasing lignification (being twiggy), it will be harder to crush it into an iron like hardness versus grade 1-3 leaves which can be easily crushed into a gooey amalgam.

if you are sticking to a single grade of leaves, and are able to compress to the same density then its all up to the shape to dictate. the larger the compressed tea, the more shielded/anaerobic the core, the lesser the exposed surface area. slower aging in the core.

[BioHorn]

Seems to me the most popular disk shape is so for a reason.

[Drax]

the larger the compressed tea, the more shielded/anaerobic the core, the lesser the exposed surface area. slower aging in the core.

I've always wondered about this idea... in some cases, like those "iron bings," they seem pretty dern solid. But at the same time, do we really know what the permeability of that tea is to air? Oxygen can pass through barriers that seem impermeable...