TEACUPPA Extravaganza Part II

This is the second part of my excursion into the unknown pu-erhs that were sent to me. Needless to say, they were again labeled with an alphabet letter. Here are my notes and identification guesses.



Sample (D) Identified as China Brand Blue Mark

I have a few beengs of CNNP KunMing Factory Blue Mark, and I was hoping it would taste the same. However, there was no resemblance.

Aroma - The aroma was fair. It had thin floral-honey notes, which were wrapped in hay and cooked pumpkin.

Taste - The taste was slightly floral, heavy metallic notes with a slightly pond finish. It lacks acidity with virtually no awakening of the taste buds. It did have a nice viscosity however.

Color - It had a pleasant hue, but unfortunately not very clear.


Overall Impression - I did not enjoy this sample. I did like the aroma some, however, it lacked in impact and was a bit too brassy for me with its unclean after taste.




Sample (E)Identified as Jiang Chen Ye Sheng

The leaves were a longer and thin than that of the other 2. I have personally never heard of this particular pu-erh, (assuming I am guessing correctly), however the leaves do resemble a few that I have tasted before.

Aroma - It's aroma was somewhat flimsy with a light airy floral note, wrapped in pronounced oxidation and grass.

Taste - The taste was not very inviting. It had a pungent mushroom taste with little to no acidity. Quite bland actually. However, it subsequent brews were a bit more tolerable.

Liquor - Was lightly cloudy at first but cleared in subsequent infusions.




Liquor - It's liquor was cleaner than Sample E.

Overall Impression - It was was tolerable and better than the previous sample. I would not recommend this beeng as IMHO there are many better quality beengs out on the market.




Sample (F) Identified as Simao Ye Sheng

My first initial impression was that it looked like a slightly aged example. Perhaps, 3-4 years old. I couldn't be certain as I did not have the wrapping.

Aroma - It had pleasant hints of hay, honey, and fruit. Ocassionally, I would take in a slight pond.

Taste - Nice balance between the sweetness and bitterness. Slight vegetal with a fickle hint of fruit. It had a nice lingering after taste with a nice viscosity. Descent.

Liquor - Finally a clear example. It was a nice gold with a slightly aged ting.








Overall Impression - I did like this beeng. I believe that it has potential as the indicators were there. Nice.

Conclusion - It was a nice tasting contest. I had fun! Unfortunately, the samples, for the most, part were not very exciting. In general, I felt that they were inferior, although the samlple that I identified as (f) was promising. I would not personally spend money on these as there are many 2nd tier manufactures that would run circles around these.

TEACUPPA Extravaganza Part I

A few weeks ago, I was confronted via e-mail with a proposition by David of the now well-known tea blog Half Dipper to participate in a pu-erh blind taste contest sponsered by TEACUPPA tea vendors. Being the tea admirer that I am, I humbly agreed. The samples arrived direct from Frankfurt Germany byway of China. As you can see there are 6 individual samples, where each are assigned a letter; 3 shupu(s) and 3 sheng(s). Luckily, TEACUPPA, the organizer of this global tasting event, (I do mean global as there are 10 others from around the world whom also have been tapped to participate) has included the names of the of each sample:


1. (Cooked) Menghai Tiandiren
2. (Cooked) Organic Luxi 8821
3. (Cooked) China Tea Brand
4. (Uncooked) Jiangcheng Yesheng
5. (Uncooked) China Tea Brand “Big Blue Mark”
6. (Uncooked) Simao Yesheng

My objective is to decide which pu went with which type and give my opinions for each. Of course I had no methodology to this maddens, so I have decided to proceed in alphabetical order. Samples (A) (B) (C) were obviously the 3 shupu(s) and the remaining where the Sheng(s). Below is my accounts of the shupu(s).



Sample (A) Identified as Organic Luxi 8821

Tasting Notes -- There was really nothing out of the ordinary when I first examined this shu. It did not have a pungent dry smell as some younger shu(s), and was quite gray looking IMHO.

Aroma - Dried grass, with a slight woodiness.


Taste - Virtually no layers of complexity. In fact, it was quite light an airy with a woody greeness to it. It's body was flimsy with a shallow aftertaste. Almost like a semi-ripe shu.


Liquor - Golden light maple syrup quality. Very light for shupu in my opinion.





Sample (B) China Tea Brand

This sample looked more like shu than sample A. It's dry leaf smelled faintly of molasses.

Aroma - Its aroma had undertones of dried wood, slight floral cooling notes, and a heavy presence of pecan nuts of which I enjoyed.


Taste - The liquor did have a nice viscosity, and was quite smooth. It had a soft touch of spice, and celery seed, which were wrapped in pecan. Unfortunately, none of these were lingering.

Liquor - The liquor was darker than sample A.

Overall Impression - It was a bit better that sample A, however, I would not waste my time drinking this particular example.




Sample (C) Identified as Menghai Tiandiren

The sample was a bit more dense than the previous 2. It also appeared that it was made of a higher grade mao cha as the leaves were considerably smaller.

Aroma - The aroma was light with fickle hints of melon, wood and currants.

Taste - The taste was somewhat surprising, unfortunately in a bad way. I have tasted MengHai Tiadiren before, however on this particular occasion, it was not the same (assuming it is the MengHai). The first thing I had noticed was this overwhelming sourness which was wrapped in a woody note with nothing more. Simply unpalatable.

Liquor - The liquor was beautifully clear and amber. Unfortunately, this was its high point.











Overall Impression - Just a huge disappointment. IMHO, age will not better this example.

Conclusion

I am just glad that the shupu samples were free. I really didn't care for any of them. However, If I had to choose one, it would be sample (B). It was more consistent with the other shupu(s) of my liking and did have its moments.

They gave no indication as to when the results will be posted. However, as soon as I am aware, I will post them. Wish me luck!


To Be Continued ...........

Playing Around

Well, I am working on a couple of reviews, however, finals week is taking up most of my time. But rest assure they will be posted soon. I just finished a gongfu session and had noticed that the sunlight was comming through my patio doors and decided to take a couple of pics and see how much sunlight really hightens a shot. I noticed that Tea Logic and a few others use the sun quite often to make their pictures look beautiful. Well, here is my effort. I know i'm not a pro, but I thought they looked cool and decided to share them with you. Notice how the sun made my cup of shupu a burnt orange. Lovely!

Tea drinkers may have lower skin cancer risk

People who unwind with a cup of tea every night may have a lower risk of two common forms of skin cancer, new research suggests.

In a study of nearly 2,200 adults, researchers found that tea drinkers had a lower risk of developing squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma, the two most common forms of skin cancer.

Men and women who had ever been regular tea drinkers -- having one or more cups a day -- were 20 percent to 30 percent less likely to develop the cancers than those who didn't drink tea.

The effect was even stronger among study participants who'd been tea fans for decades, as well as those who regularly had at least two cups a day, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

However, the findings do not mean it's okay to bake in the sun as long as you have a cup of tea afterward. The researchers found no evidence that tea drinking lowered skin cancer risk in people who'd accumulated painful sunburns in the past.

Nor did the study look at the relationship between tea drinking and malignant melanoma, the least common but most deadly form of skin cancer.

Still, the findings support the theory that tea antioxidants may limit the damage UV radiation inflicts on the skin, according to the study authors, led by Dr. Judy R. Rees of Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

In particular, a tea antioxidant known as EGCG has been shown to reduce burning on UV-exposed skin.

The current findings are based on interviews with 770 New Hampshire residents with basal cell carcinoma, 696 with squamous cell carcinoma, and 715 cancer-free men and women the same age.

Tea consumption was linked to a lower skin cancer risk, even with factors such as age, skin type and history of severe burns considered. However, tea drinkers who'd suffered multiple painful burns in the past did not have a lower risk of skin cancer.

It's possible, the researchers explain, that the antioxidants in tea are enough to limit skin damage caused by moderate sun exposure, but not the more extreme effects of sun exposure, such as cancer-promoting damage to the DNA in skin cells.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, May 2007.
(Yahoo News)

2007 MengYang Guoyan Yi Wu Zheng Shan Arbor Beeng 380g

The MengYang Guoyan Factory


Product Research

The Mengyang Guoyan Tea Factory, under the direction of Ms. Dong, produces some of the best pu-erh that Xishuangbanna has to offer for the price. Located in the village of Jinghong next to the famous Youle tea mountains, the Guoyan Factory has access to some of best pu-erh making materials. However, this particular product is made from leaves which were harvested from the famous YiWu tea mountain, which are regarded by some pu-erh collectors as the best in the world. If you will notice in the title, the the beeng was given the label of Zheng or "Original". In order for a beeng to recieve this label (in its orthodox usage), it must be made mostly of leaves from the given area - in this case, YiWu. - Of course there are dishonest producers -

- Interesting Factoid - The world famous pu-erh collector, Mr. Chen had commissioned the Guoyan Tea Factory to mold his mao cha into the now famous Xi-Zhi beeng.

The beeng is said to be made of 80% YiWu and 20% Nannou arbor leaves and produced in the traditional old method using a stone mold press. Stone molds creates a beeng that is loosley compacted, making it more permiable to oxygen, which ulimately faciliate the aging process. The picture above show's the factory's stone molds which are used for compression.


Initial Impression



The beeng is filled with fragrant arbor leaves of which are loosely pressed. Just a beautiful example. One unique feature of this beeng that I must mention is that each are assigned a hand written serial number on the neifei; truely a indication of pride and patience.

Brewing Parameters

Source - Dragon Tea House (Ebay Vendor)

Water-Bottled spring water. Source of water - Frontier Springs, PA

Amount – 5g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 3 breaths

Brewing Method - Gongfu

Brewing Vessle - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-16s
4-17s
5-19s
6-26s
7-34s

Tasting Notes

First Infusion

Aroma - Powerfully floral; cooling to honey and fruit; suprisingly no smoke.

Taste - Very nice palate; execeptionally sweet with a balanced bitterness. A subdued flutter of dried papaya and honey.

Second Infusion

Aroma - Even more floral in the aroma. Less honey however. No vegetation or metallic notes. Soothing.

Taste - Slightly more bitterness; it compliments the sweetness quite well. Taste is consistant with the first infusion.


Third Infusion

Aroma - The floral notes are starting to wane. It really smells like a cup of tea and honey, cooling to sweet grass. No young assertivness whatsoever.

Taste - Nice playful acidity that excites the sides of the tongue. A hint of chamomile with subdued fruit.

Color Liquor Differential First and Seventh Infusion

First



Seventh




As you can see, there is virtually no difference in change; really potent.

Spent Leaves




As you can see the leaves are definitely arbor leaves, which range from 3 to 4 inches in length and almost 2 inches in width.

Overall Impressions

This is possibly one of the most balanced examples in recent memory. Just a pleasant brew with all of the quality indicators for aging with its excellent durability. Although not as feminine in taste as other Yiwu teas, the Nannuo leaves provide a great oomph and complexity. Furthermore, this particular beeng is significantly cheaper than many YiWu Zhengs on the market, making it an attractive choice for those who would like to try a YiWu tea without the having to empty out the entire contents of their wallet. All in all it was a great find! I will drink a beeng now, and save the others for the future!

Special thanks to Gordon of Dragon Tea House who has given me fantastic business and has become a friend.

2002 Yunnan Tse Chi Beeng Cha - Yellow Label ZhongCha

Product Research

Tsi Chi Beeng Cha or "Seven Son Tea Cakes" are products of the China National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation (CNNP). The name Seven Son was chosen by the CNNP as a symbol of good luck and prosperity as both are considered to be lucky in the Chinese culture. CNNP products are unique products with a a rich and fascinating history which deserves anyones' attention. There are numerous factories and styles that will give any collector lots to maul over.

This particular ripe example was produced by the KunMing Branch of CNNP National Factories under the auspices of the Chinese Government. The tea leaves were harvested from the Simao area, whose leaves generally tend to be a bit more robust in flavor than other growing areas.

Initial Impression

The beengs smelled very rich and malty. The leaves were loosely pressed and it appears to have a considerable about of gold buds; very luxurious.














Brewing Parameters

Source - Awoono-Puerh (Ebay Vendor) Awoono-Pu-erh is relatively a new vendor. She is a great communicator and does have lots of interesting products. She is orginally from Simao and now is located in Vancouver Canada.

Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette
Springs, WS.

Amount – 5.5 gm

Water temp - Boil

Method - Gongfu/2 washes

Brewing Vessle - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-15s
4-18s
5-21s

I decided to go with 5.5 gm instead of the 5gm that I usually use for 150 ml. I generally tend to use this amount when the example's leaves can be easily broken off. It is in my opinion that loosely packed pu-erh will lose more of its aroma and essence over time as it is less dense.

Tasting Notes

CNNP products are very consistant and this example is no exception. However, since the beeng had been aging in "dry storage" in KunMing for 5 years, you can definitely taste the difference when compared to younger ripe pu-erhs. I think that Simao leaves are great for ripe pu-erh, and IMHO, produce ripe pu-erh which generally tends to be more complex and quite flavorful.

Its aroma was quite captivating which consisted of subdued honey, woody and chocolate notes.

The infusions which lasted 5 rounds. All had layers of chocolate and malt with its subsequent brews being laced in black pepper and currants.

It was a rich, sweet, velvety brew with a throat pleasing viscosity.

Liquor Color Differential

First Infusion & Fifth Infusion



Spent Leaves


Well, what can you really say about ripe leaves. However, the leaves do seem to have keeped some of its integrity.

Overall Impression

From my tasting notes you can probably assume that I enjoyed this product very much. It was much more velvety and smooth than what I thought it would be. I haven't enjoyed a ripe pu-erh session in quite a while. Great find!

For you Gaiwan Users Out There

Since some you tea lovers had found interest in the YiXing videos, I thought it would be nice to post a gaiwan video showing A Chinese minority woman making mao cha. Notice the traditional dress. Enjoy!

2006 NanQiao 753 Qi Zi Beeng Cha

Product Research

The NanQiao Tea Factory located in MengHai County was only established in 2004, but has already generated buzz in the pu-erh drinking community when its 753 won a gold medal in the green cake competition at the First Annual Pu-erh Tea Quality Assessment and Shopping Festival (Best Chinese to English translation) in Guangzhou China.

The NanQiao 753 Qi Zi Beeng Cha is by the local villagers utilizing old tree leaves and traditional methods under the supervision of Chairman Tang Jie of the "High Tea" Division of the NanQiao Tea Factory.


Initial Impression












As, I only examined a sample, I am unable to describe the entire beeng structure. However, with the 50g sample that I was able to inspect, the leaves had a lovely floral scent with virtually no smoke. It was easy to see from the pieces that the beeng was not heavily compressed and composed of bud and broad type leaves.

Brewing Parameters



Source - PuerhShop.com

Water-Bottled spring water. Source of water - Frontier Springs, PA

Amount – 5g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 3 breaths

Brewing Method - Gongfu

Brewing Vessle - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-16s
4-17s
5-19s
6-26s
7-34
8-40

First Infusion

Aroma - Slight Vegetable, muted smoke and a hint of honey. Floral and menthol as it cools.

Taste - Very sweet; slight bitterness in the back of the tongue; a hint of rubber. Silky mouth feeling.

Second Infusion

Aroma - The slight smoke is now totally gone, and unfortunately so is the menthol. On the upside, there seems to be a more pronounced honey. Very pleasing for a beeng so economically priced.

Taste - No increase in bitterness. Frankly, not even noticable when compared to other young beengs. Very very mellow for being so young. Just a flutter of rubber with a cooling fruit end note. Nice viscosity.

Third Infusion

Aroma - Still a very nice fruit that gets over powered with honey as it cools. Extremely pleasant!

Taste - Just a tease of honey which is suprising considering the aroma is honey laden. Still silky-sweet finish that lingers quite well.


Liquor Differential

First Infusion


Eighth Infusion


The liquor was very clear throughout the session with beautiful hues of yellow. As you can see there was very little change in color from the first to the eighth infusion.

Spent Leaves




As state previously, the leaves were a blend of bud and broad type leaves. There seems to be some slight foliage bruising on few of the leaves, however, it did not affect the flavor.

Overall Impression

Strong Points

I was very suprised with this particular beeng. It compared well with other beengs much higher in price. It is an economcial choice for everyday drinking for those who like to drink pu-erh in its greener state as it provides a satisfying and durable brew having gone eight rounds before ultimately cashing out.


Low Points

Its level of bitterness could be of a concern in terms for its aging potential. Most collectors will agree that a certain level of bitterness must be present for proper aging and future complexity. In addition, leaf quaility may further be a factor in the aging process.


Conclusions
Although there are leaf deficiencies, the liquor flavors and aromas surely made up for it. All in all, you can't really beat the quality for the price.

2004 CNNP "Old Tree Pu-erh"

This particular "Private Reserve" CNNP pu-erh is said to be a non-blended cake made of leaves from the Xishuangbanna area. What is unique about this beeng from other CNNP products is that its entire manufacturing processes (picking up to its final compression) is said to have been supervised by a well known pu-erh tea collector from Yunnan who went to MengHai specifically for this purpose, where upon its completion, was certified by the CNNP.

-Note- If you have any further questions please contact Jim of the Puerh Shop at puerhshop.com as I am unfamiliar with this particular Private Reserve product. Jim is always glad to answer any questions you might have about this pu-erh tea or any others he has in stock. Best of all he is in Indiana!-


Initial Impressions



The leaves are loosly compressed with no smoke or wildness; somewhat floral. The name of this pu-erh suggests that it is made of "old Tree" leaves. I can only assume what is mean't is "old plantation" leaves, possibly from plantations 50 years or older. Definitely not Ancient arbor leaves. It its appearance actually reminded me of a 8582 Menghai that I just recentely tasted.

Brewing Parameters

Source - Puerhshop

Water - Bottled spring water. Source of water - Frontier Springs, PA

Amount – 5g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 3 breaths

Brewing Method - Gongfu

Brewing Vessle - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-16s
4-17s
5-20s
6-26s


First Infusion


Aroma - A muted floral scent wrapped in a pronounced grain. Very rustic indeed. Actually reminiscent to maze or hominy. I wonder if it were stored next to grain or if it is natually occuring. I have not encountered this flavor before. I've tasted grainy before in pu-erh but only in much older examples. Nonetheless, interesting.

Taste - Virtually no bitterness. However, slightly sharp on the sides of the tongue. Touch of floral. It appears the grain is also present in the liquor.

Liquor - Nice and clear with the hues of yellow and gold.

Second Infusion



Aroma - The grain has waned considerably which has allowed the floral notes to come through. Slight undertone of honey with muted fruit.

Taste - Metallic now, but still not very bitter. Floral notes are less noticable, however, the fruit is more assertive although not very pronounced.

Third Infusion



Aroma - The grain is still noticable. Now the fruit and floral tones are muted, although honey is more noticable, but suttle.

Taste - Very low bitterness as in the former two. The fruit is comming through again with a nice sweetness with an attractive thick and lingering viscosity.

Liquor - The liquor is still as the former. Nice and clear! The color is consistent

Spent Leaves



As mentioned, I believe that they are not ancient arbor but possibly from older plantations. IMHO they are too gracile to be anything else.

Overall Impressions

This was definitely an interesting Gongfu session. I can only describe this pu-erh as masculine. Although it did have floral and fruity notes, there was nothing feminine about it. There is nothing static about this pu-erh as well. It takes you through many different palates and aromas that lasted for 6 rounds. Its almost as if I had drunk 4 diffent pu-erhs in one session! It has a very pleasing rustic quality to it.


-Note- As you will notice that the colors of the pictures fluctuate which makes hard to gauge with any degree of accuracy the true color of the liquor ( well as true as it can be over the computer). I have just bought a new camera and I am still unfortunatly getting used it. I promise I will get better! :)

Yi Xing Teapots

Mary R., a fellow tea enthusiast has just purchased a few YiXing teapots, so I thought that I would talk about them for just a bit :) I am sure that some of you who read my blog are well-seasoned (pun intended) on this topic. However, for those of you who are not, YiXing teapots are made of a special clay called Zisha which is only found in YiXing China, and thus the name.

What makes zisha clay so special?

Zisha clay is said to be seasoned when the clay has absorbed the tea essences as a result of the tea oils adhering to the teapot walls with continuous use. It this tea patina which is said to create the ultimate brew. In fact, some brewers suggest that this brewing method is so superior to that of others, they will exclusivly brew their teas only in YiXing teapots.

For further information on YiXing teapots, please refer to Guang's blog at houdeblog.com who is an expert on all things tea. Don't forget to also visit Mary R's blog PalaTabilitea, which is one of the most entertaining and cleverly written tea blogs out there at palatabilitea.wordpress.com

My YiXing Teapots




One very important note. YiXing pots must be well cared for. The clay is very porous and will absorb almost any smell that the pot comes in contact with, and in order for you to be able to use your pots for years to come, you must properly clean and store them. Keep them in an area away from foul smells and where oils may be lingering in the air such as in the kitchen. I personally keep mine in cotton bags in a closet. Furthermore, never use soaps or detergents to clean your YiXing. The videos below will show you a good way to "open" and clean your Yixing pots. For those of you who do not know what "opening" your teapot does, it removes the dust from the clay pores with the hope of filling them with tea oil. This is said to start the seasoning process much faster than it would otherwise. ENJOY!

-Note- As a consequence of the video being more than 5 minutes long, it abruptly cuts off. However, the person was shown placing a handful of tea leaves in the boiling pot and continues boiling the teapot in the leaves for another 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, she removes the pot, rinsing it and then placing it in a well ventilated area to dry.

"Opening" Your YiXing Teapot



Cleaning Your YiXing Teapot

MengHai Lao Cha Tuo (Old Tea Nugget) 250g

Comming across this product while reading a post in the
LJ Community, there seems to have been some indecision as to whether or no this product is worth drinking. This really aroused my curiosity so I decided to buy, try and make my own judgement.



Product Research

As a consequence of the heat and pressure generated during the wo dui (ripening) process, a percentage of the fermented leaves will amass and take the form of little nuggets, which are said to be found near and at the bottom of the pile. After the shou is compiled, it is then fed into a disperser that sorts the leaves according to size, which are then subsequently pressed in to zhuan cha (brick tea). MengHai states that the leaves used in this product are 2 to 4 years old.

Initial Impresssion



This example does not look like any ripe zhuan cha that I have ever examined. When you look at it closely, you can see the tiny "nuggets". Nice color, smell and very
hard in texture.

Brewing Parameters

Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette Springs, WS



Amount – 5g

Water temp - Boil

Method - Gongfu/2 washes

Brewing Vessle - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-15s
4-18s
5-21s


Tasting Notes



Aroma - The aroma was not lingering nor was it very intriguing. But of course you have to remember that it is shou.

Taste - The liquor was was somewhat malty with a sweet palate. Very smooth with virtually no bitterness. Not very complex however.

Overall Impresssions

Well to be frank, I was not impressed. It lacked the flavors, which I "personally" enjoy and felt that it was a little flat, with little viscosity. It is recommended that you use hot, and I mean hot water in order to extract any of the tea essence, as the nuggets are tightly formed. Perhaps I need to make the water boil for each infusion.

It is somewhat sweet, smooth with a hint of malt which could be a great choice for someone who wants to gradually enter the realm of shou. Would be ok for an everyday drinker. A delicate drink.

-Session Note-

As you can see, I did not give as an in-depth analysis on the product. I felt that it was not warrented as there was really no compexity to it and the taste did not develop, but only got weaker.