Young Sheng sweet first but bitter now?!

[VanFersen]

Ahoi there,

I noticed a very strange transformation within one of my cakes. In March I ordered two cakes from YS the He Bian Zhai and the Da Hu Sai both from Lincang 2017 Wild Arbor. Especially the first one I felt so much in love with as I tasted it the first time within those Lincang samplers last year. Last week for the first time I broke some pieces of the He Bian Zhai and I was confused. It felt like a complete different cake. Then I also broke off 6g of the Da Hu Sai and in this case it's transformation is as it should be and more comprehensible.

The fresh sample of the He Bian Zhai last year was very sweet and floral taste and scent-wise with a nearly none existing bitterness. It was nearly impossible turning this buddy bitter and now it is nearly impossible to not get it bitter.

I always thought that raw Shengs might be bitter in the beginning but getting smoother while aging and not the opposite around. Nearly every aspect within its profile changed. What once was a magical masterpiece of a raw Sheng is now nearly unrecognizable. But beside that it is also quite hard on the stomach now even if you ate a lot. I am drinking it now for the second time and it is the same as it was last week. Because I thought first that maybe it was just a "Day mood thing" but it isn't.

Beside the new massive bitterness also a certain sourness came up - this mix reminds me a bit of grapefruit. And it leaves a very very strong burning feel behind especially within your throat and lungs. Like if you chew on a fresh bunch of Indian burn.

Is it normal that a cake could reach such a totally awkward stage within its aging process? I know that the first couple of years could turn a Sheng into a very strange new profile but this change in this particular case is really strange - the difference is like day and night. Also its scent isn't as vibrant as before more like hay with a certain herbal touch to it. I store both cakes the exact same way and within the same space and the Da Hu Sai seems to transform much more normal and how you would imagine it.

I mean I know that the whole transformation of a Pu-erh cake is a constant breaking of those cells within its leaves and releasing different types of juju which makes changes every stage of its aging while some add a more smoother character to it other transformations might make it sweeter but is there also a stage in between where it could turn from sweet floral into bitter? Like I said I always thought it is the opposite around.

[mr mopu]

Ahoi there,

I noticed a very strange transformation within one of my cakes. In March I ordered two cakes from YS the He Bian Zhai and the Da Hu Sai both from Lincang 2017 Wild Arbor. Especially the first one I felt so much in love with as I tasted it the first time within those Lincang samplers last year. Last week for the first time I broke some pieces of the He Bian Zhai and I was confused. It felt like a complete different cake. Then I also broke off 6g of the Da Hu Sai and in this case it's transformation is as it should be and more comprehensible.

The fresh sample of the He Bian Zhai last year was very sweet and floral taste and scent-wise with a nearly none existing bitterness. It was nearly impossible turning this buddy bitter and now it is nearly impossible to not get it bitter.

I always thought that raw Shengs might be bitter in the beginning but getting smoother while aging and not the opposite around. Nearly every aspect within its profile changed. What once was a magical masterpiece of a raw Sheng is now nearly unrecognizable. But beside that it is also quite hard on the stomach now even if you ate a lot. I am drinking it now for the second time and it is the same as it was last week. Because I thought first that maybe it was just a "Day mood thing" but it isn't.

Beside the new massive bitterness also a certain sourness came up - this mix reminds me a bit of grapefruit. And it leaves a very very strong burning feel behind especially within your throat and lungs. Like if you chew on a fresh bunch of Indian burn.

Is it normal that a cake could reach such a totally awkward stage within its aging process? I know that the first couple of years could turn a Sheng into a very strange new profile but this change in this particular case is really strange - the difference is like day and night. Also its scent isn't as vibrant as before more like hay with a certain herbal touch to it. I store both cakes the exact same way and within the same space and the Da Hu Sai seems to transform much more normal and how you would imagine it.

I mean I know that the whole transformation of a Pu-erh cake is a constant breaking of those cells within its leaves and releasing different types of juju which makes changes every stage of its aging while some add a more smoother character to it other transformations might make it sweeter but is there also a stage in between where it could turn from sweet floral into bitter? Like I said I always thought it is the opposite around.

Pull your temperature back a bit and do very short steeps to see if that helps That tea being a Spring production is probably now just getting its legs under it. Spring tea always seems to have the hard hit to it. I remember Hekai productions being like this as well.

[Puerh3]

Ahoi there,

I noticed a very strange transformation within one of my cakes. In March I ordered two cakes from YS the He Bian Zhai and the Da Hu Sai both from Lincang 2017 Wild Arbor. Especially the first one I felt so much in love with as I tasted it the first time within those Lincang samplers last year. Last week for the first time I broke some pieces of the He Bian Zhai and I was confused. It felt like a complete different cake. Then I also broke off 6g of the Da Hu Sai and in this case it's transformation is as it should be and more comprehensible.

The fresh sample of the He Bian Zhai last year was very sweet and floral taste and scent-wise with a nearly none existing bitterness. It was nearly impossible turning this buddy bitter and now it is nearly impossible to not get it bitter.

I always thought that raw Shengs might be bitter in the beginning but getting smoother while aging and not the opposite around. Nearly every aspect within its profile changed. What once was a magical masterpiece of a raw Sheng is now nearly unrecognizable. But beside that it is also quite hard on the stomach now even if you ate a lot. I am drinking it now for the second time and it is the same as it was last week. Because I thought first that maybe it was just a "Day mood thing" but it isn't.

Beside the new massive bitterness also a certain sourness came up - this mix reminds me a bit of grapefruit. And it leaves a very very strong burning feel behind especially within your throat and lungs. Like if you chew on a fresh bunch of Indian burn.

Is it normal that a cake could reach such a totally awkward stage within its aging process? I know that the first couple of years could turn a Sheng into a very strange new profile but this change in this particular case is really strange - the difference is like day and night. Also its scent isn't as vibrant as before more like hay with a certain herbal touch to it. I store both cakes the exact same way and within the same space and the Da Hu Sai seems to transform much more normal and how you would imagine it.

I mean I know that the whole transformation of a Pu-erh cake is a constant breaking of those cells within its leaves and releasing different types of juju which makes changes every stage of its aging while some add a more smoother character to it other transformations might make it sweeter but is there also a stage in between where it could turn from sweet floral into bitter? Like I said I always thought it is the opposite around.

Pull your temperature back a bit and do very short steeps to see if that helps That tea being a Spring production is probably now just getting its legs under it. Spring tea always seems to have the hard hit to it. I remember Hekai productions being like this as well.

Hi!

I read that you are not suppose to drink young sheng puerh. You need at least 10 years old.

[mr mopu]

Ahoi there,

I noticed a very strange transformation within one of my cakes. In March I ordered two cakes from YS the He Bian Zhai and the Da Hu Sai both from Lincang 2017 Wild Arbor. Especially the first one I felt so much in love with as I tasted it the first time within those Lincang samplers last year. Last week for the first time I broke some pieces of the He Bian Zhai and I was confused. It felt like a complete different cake. Then I also broke off 6g of the Da Hu Sai and in this case it's transformation is as it should be and more comprehensible.

The fresh sample of the He Bian Zhai last year was very sweet and floral taste and scent-wise with a nearly none existing bitterness. It was nearly impossible turning this buddy bitter and now it is nearly impossible to not get it bitter.

I always thought that raw Shengs might be bitter in the beginning but getting smoother while aging and not the opposite around. Nearly every aspect within its profile changed. What once was a magical masterpiece of a raw Sheng is now nearly unrecognizable. But beside that it is also quite hard on the stomach now even if you ate a lot. I am drinking it now for the second time and it is the same as it was last week. Because I thought first that maybe it was just a "Day mood thing" but it isn't.

Beside the new massive bitterness also a certain sourness came up - this mix reminds me a bit of grapefruit. And it leaves a very very strong burning feel behind especially within your throat and lungs. Like if you chew on a fresh bunch of Indian burn.

Is it normal that a cake could reach such a totally awkward stage within its aging process? I know that the first couple of years could turn a Sheng into a very strange new profile but this change in this particular case is really strange - the difference is like day and night. Also its scent isn't as vibrant as before more like hay with a certain herbal touch to it. I store both cakes the exact same way and within the same space and the Da Hu Sai seems to transform much more normal and how you would imagine it.

I mean I know that the whole transformation of a Pu-erh cake is a constant breaking of those cells within its leaves and releasing different types of juju which makes changes every stage of its aging while some add a more smoother character to it other transformations might make it sweeter but is there also a stage in between where it could turn from sweet floral into bitter? Like I said I always thought it is the opposite around.

Pull your temperature back a bit and do very short steeps to see if that helps That tea being a Spring production is probably now just getting its legs under it. Spring tea always seems to have the hard hit to it. I remember Hekai productions being like this as well.

Hi!

I read that you are not suppose to drink young sheng puerh. You need at least 10 years old.

You can drink it but it can be harsh. Sometimes it takes longer than 10 years to settle down. Storage condition has a lot to do with time needed. And yes the young stuff can be hard on the stomach.

[VanFersen]

Generally I really enjoy and love drinking young Sheng - Maybe it is just a strange and different transformation with this one. Time will tell. I guess this is going to be my "for later" cake

[bagua7]

The Qi is what makes young raw cakes so appealing!

That transformation is normal in puer, they go through various stages. Enjoy them while they age slowly.

[12Tea]

I've experienced some young shengs becoming somewhat sour in the first 3 years of aging, which I didn't mind at all. It was a pretty interesting taste, which reminded me of berries and apples. If you don't like it, don't worry, normally sourness will disappear when it ages further.

I've never experienced cakes turning more bitter as it ages though, that's kinda weird.

[zesk]

I've heard from a tea shop I frequent that some pu erhs might go through an awkward phase from their 3rd to 5th year and be a bit bitter. I won't be able confirm this as I've just started drinking tea recently, but might be the reason.