Gong Ting Again

This will be very brief. I brewed more Gong Ting today. I intended to get some very good pictures of the leaves and color of the tea. The vendor's site describes this puerh as "the smallest (and most expensive) grade of fermented Pu-erh," and it makes me wonder if the 'smallest' refers to the leaves used. Indeed, the leaves are very small and fragile. In fact, after brewing they look like stems, still curled tightly. When I attempted opening a leaf or two, they simply fell apart in my fingers. So taking a picture for the sake of comprehension, I feel, is out of the question. Unless over-brewing will make the leaves turn too soft?

I broke off a nice 5+ gram piece this time, and put that into my pot. The first infusion (after the rinses, of course) was much lighter than subsequent steeps, but it was full of flavor. The second infusion was quite dark, though.



I was watching a movie at the time, tentatively, so I just kept going until the tea was well past finished and I was well past full of tea! As you can see with the final four infusions, side by side, there is a noticeable difference even with very long steeps. I had stopped timing them long before.





So that's my 2005 Gong Ting story.

Gong Ting

I'm finally breaking a cake. Since I already have a pot for Shu puerh, I decided to get into the 2005 Gong Ting Tribute Ripe Pu-erh. Of course when I opened the first of my two current pu storage boxes, it was the one with the Nan Jian. Its aroma is phenominal, and I'll probably just go for it with a gaiwan before too long. It's just too tempting, to wait for one of my new Yixing pots!






I can't really judge anything about the cake, since it was my first time even looking at one as a whole. Comparing to the sample of Pu Qing Hao (PQH now, to save time) I've previously posted about is my only option.

Since this is a new cake, of course I broke pieces from the edge. It was surprisingly less dense than the sample of PQH on the edge, but the center is more dense, it seems. And before anyone accuses me of trying to break it apart with that monstrosuty of a knife, I did not. I can explain, but later. So I broke off a sizable bit of the cake -- bits and all came out as 7.8 grams.

I didn't really follow a pattern when I brewed. After two rinses, I started brewing for 30 seconds, but the whole time I was also remembering reviews of other puerh teas with steeps of just a few seconds. So I played around with shorter and longer steeps. Surprisingly, the yield was still surprisingly dark and flavorful. I did not intend to break down the flavor this time, though, since I can revisit this tea many times and better appreciate the nuances. The liquor was more red than the PQH. And I will say I have no complaints about this tea.

OK, the knife. In several videos on breaking a cake, it is said to pry between the layers. But I saw no layers, and the knife is huge (I remembered too late to wash my letter opener) so I didn't want to damage anything. So I just used the "gentle bending method," which worked fine, especially considering it is a smaller cake (~100g).

Pu pending

The last time I posted, I reviewed a sample that I was sent in addition to an order. Though I tried to be thorough about my experience, I left out an important part. So I guess I should be fair, and at least show the two puerh cakes I bought recently.


One (Yes, I bought two of each but I mean 'one' as in type) is a 2006 Nan Jian raw cake.

The vendor has the following to say about it on the site:

2006 Nan Jian * Zhai Zi Po Mark * Raw Pu-erh Tea * 200 grams * recipe 0613 Nan Jian tea factory is one of the older Pu-erh tea factories in Yunnan with nearly a 30 years history. This tea factory is also based in Xiaguan and up until 1998 just produced 100 gram tuos of the Raw (生) variety. In 1998 they not only started to produce "bing cha" but also Ripe Pu-erh teas as well. This particular production is a new blend (0613) for 2006 and is specially made for the Zhai Zi Po label by the indigenous Yun Zhou tea factory. Translation of the enclosed "nei piao" follows below: Deep in the mountains lies a village named Zhaizi Po. Residents live in peaceful and contented harmony. Most puzzling is that villagers all seem to enjoy healthy and long lives. This was a mystery until 2004 when an outside tea authority explained that the village, surrounded by ancient tea trees and permeated by the fragrance of tea, has for many years been drinking tea made from the buds of these trees. "Zhaizi Po Small Cake" tea is made from the tender buds of Zhaizi Po's ancient tea trees and pressed into cakes using traditional high-heat steam methods. Featuring a distinctive flavor and enchanting fragrance, this tea nourishes and beautifies the body. Drinking it can stimulate health and longevity. This is a rare opportunity for tea drinkers to possess this exquisite tea. Produced by Yunnan, Yun County, Yunzhou Tea Factory Vintage: Fall 2006 Process: Sun-dried and compressed. Region: Zhai Zi Po Village of Lincang Packaging: 5 cakes per stack, 1 stack = 1 kilogram Shipping weight: 200 grams

It's the larger cake in the image above. This one, unlike the other, came with a paper describing the tea. The paper says, well, the exact same as the web site. so there's no reason to go on about that. The part about "a distinctive flavor and enchanting fragrance" makes me anxious to try this one. Of course, considering the recent extreme heat, and people saying that high temperatures can diminish the tea experience, I think I may let it rest at least until it's a little cooler out.

The other tea is a 2005 Gong Ting ripe puerh, also from the same vendor. This one ships in a 100g cake. Angelina's teas posts the following about this cake:

Highest quality "gong ting" tribute Pu-erh is fermented and then compressed into these mini tea cakes. Gong ting Pu-erh is the smallest (and most expensive) grade of fermented Pu-erh and is packed with flavor. These mini-beengs are inside and out gong ting leaves! The flavor is earthy and with a creaminess, not heavily fermented, but needs a few months to mellow, as this is Fall 2005 production. Vintage: Fall 2005 Region: Baoshan and Lincang Process: Fermented Producer: Ganquan Tea Factory * 甘泉茶厂

So it seems it may be a good idea, possibly, to age this one before I try it. However, it may also be a good idea to try it now, and note the mellow changes in time. The description of the flavor also makes this a very tempting cake to break into right away.

But I'll be sure to post my experience when I do finally try each! And possibly notes when I try them again. And again. And again. And as I learn to better appreciate every nuance of puerh.

Oh, Pu

A bit of a note before I continue:
This tea is no longer available on the vendor's site. The 2006 Pu Qing is a ripe puerh, and the only raw is the 2007. Also, the note that came with this sample says it came from a 200g cake. The available Pu Qings available now are both 357g. Clearly there is no description of what to expect from this particular batch. However, the two available are quite helpful, in retrospect. I plan to revisit this tea before long.

2006 Pu Qing Hao "Plum Blossom" Ripe cake - Like a fine wine, this ripe pu-erh masterfully fermented using high grade Yunnan varietal teas from Menghai produces a deep red brown liquor with a creamy and earthy flavor.

2007 Pu Qing Hao 7542 Raw cake 357 grams - This tea is pressed by the Guoyan tea factory and bears their sub-label "Pu Qing Hao". Ms. Dong Guoyan a master tea blender who worked for the famous Menghai tea factory for more than 8 years blended this cake according to the famous 7542 recipe. The brewed liquor is thick in the mouth, sweet in the throat. A great tea for aging, alot of interesting textures!

2006 Pu Qing Hao "Plum blossom", raw cake -- my first real Pu'er.
Tea: 4.2g in 120ml Gaiwan.
Infusions: 2 rinses, 12s, 10s, 13s, 15s, 20s, 30s, 30s, 35s, 38s, ~40s, 48s
Water: Bottled spring water, just off boiling (I made sure this time)


I'll be brief. Honestly, The entire experience was a bit overwhelming and I was going to work a bit from then (thus the late post in stead of shortly after experiencing the tea). It was m first 'real' pu. I didn't know exactly what to expect, and perhaps I allowed myself to be rushed a bit. I do not have a thorough detail of nuances. However, the entire experience was unforgettable.

The first rinse yielded tinted water. The second? Significantly darker. The first infusion yielded a nice, dark tea. Its flavor was earthy and a bit woody, of that could be a flavor. The aftertaste lingered longer than it took to prepare the second infusion, which was shorter, but the soup was thicker and much darker. The aroma was swelling from the teapot by that time, whenever the lid was removed. The flavor was much more pronounced. The tea was thick and smooth. And very pleasant. The aftertaste was better, still -- almost like the tea was still unswallowed.

Image: First infusion on the left. Second on the right.


As usual, I wanted to infuse this at least one time too many. The eighth infusion was noticeably lighter than previous takes, and had much less flavor. I thought perhaps it was time to stop. Perhaps that is a good time to stop with this puerh. So I went two more.

Earlier infusions were visibly dark, even in the stream of tea pouring into the vessel. This last infusion, the stream looked almost clear. The aroma is still earthy and rich, but it is light. The color of the liquor is very much muted.


The wet leaves? I did not examine them, due to a lack of time. But here they are for your viewing pleasure!

Two Brief Tea Reviesws and a Discovery

Pu'er Dante
Since first coming in contact with a source for loose teas and a community around it, I've been hearing about Pu'er (pu-erh, puer, etc. -- The only deliberately aged and oxidized teas) and its earthy goodness. Shortly after, I was labaling the tin lids from my Adagio sample packs (I ordered them all, perhaps more on that later) and realized I had a pu'er tea in the Black Tea sampler: Pu'er Dante.

So I decided what the hey, I'll give it a try. I'm getting used to gong fu brewing, and that's the most preferred method for pu'er. I learned more than I expected, and I think that even though it's not a high end pu'er, its an entry into the practice and a little into the flavors of pu'er. Of course, most peole say the higher end pu'er, Pu'er Poe, is a better introduction to pu'er teas than Dante. but I won't waste tea (unless I find one I really can't stand, but then I'd at least try to find someone who likes it and give them a free gift).

Any way, I've heard a lot that the first infusion can sometimes need to be a little longer than the second infusion, because the rinses do not reconstitute the tea as fully as we may hope. So the first infusion

was not nearly as full as the second infusion.


The flavor is not nearly as complex as many Pu'ers I've read about. that is, I probably missed a lot of subtleties considering my lack of experience with most kinds of tea. However, it gave me an idea of the earthiness to expect. Though it lacks the sweet element that many new and greener teas may have, it did posess more of a depth than I expected. It makes me look forward to more Pu'er down the road, when I decide I'm ready.

The tea was still running strong after 8 infusions of 110mL each. I might have continued, but that's a lot of water! After reading reviews of different Pu'er teas, I expected less color in this latest cup. Many pictures of late infusions are a mild amber. This came as a warm brown. I wonder what subleties I'll uncover next time!


Tea amount: ~4g
Water: Just off boiling
Infusions: 16s, 15s, 20s, 25s, etc., ~60s. at 8th Infusion


Sencha Overture
Pu'er was yesterday. Tonihgt, after my root canal, and my feeling and taste have returned, is Sencha Overture! The last Green I tried was Gunpowder. Several people told me that Adagio's Gunpowder is not as 'vegetal' as many other green teas. I honestly don't have a direct memory of my gunpowder experience, as it was my first loose green tea so I was simple immersed in its general impression than its total qualities. So i won't make any comparison at least until I've tried the Gunpowder again.

On with it! On with the blog, I say!

I brewed the Sencha in my Tokoname-style puffer fish pot, which has been showing itself as a worthy multitasker.



Four infusions, each a little less than three minutes to avoid bitterness early on. Each time the tea was a little lighter and the flavor a little weaker, but it was still quite nice.

I say the flavor was weaker, but I don't mean to say it had a weak flavor. There was a surprising sweetness underlying this tea. It's something to slowly savor, drawing it slowly to experience every drop, in stead of gulping it because it's cool enough to do so. There's a leafy goodness immediately present in every sip. Some may say it tastes like grass. At first, it was a little surprising. But then I noticed how it's more of a fresh taste. It is not the 'vegetal' people have mentioned so fondly of quality green teas, but I was far from disappointed. (Im currently limited to the green tea sampler from Adagio, and I'm not getting more until I'm at least mostly finished with them)



I read the comments on this tea on Adagio, and found that many green tea fans say it's good for an every day tea. I'll look around. There are many offerings by many vendors out there. And there are many, many price points. However, I do agree that this was a good tea for entry into the Sencha experience.


Honest TEA
I had a root canal today. That means that while the lower right side of my head was regaining feeling, I was going to the store to fill a prescription and find something to easily chew, in case I habitually let it slip to the right (my dominant side) and onto the bad tooth. Any way, I found an affordable bottled tea. Better yet, it's not overly sweet! Better than that, it's organic with real tea! And as I expected, the tea flavor is foremost in every sip. I was quite pleased.

It's Honest Tea. Enough said. Well, not quite. The tea is not as specific of whichever variety of Oolong, black, White, or Green tea is being used. However, it is indeed real tea! The web site shows seven varieties, but none of the exact varieties I found in the store. Also I noticed that the varieties listed on the site are mostly unsweetened. What I had was lightly sweetened, and sports a slightly different logo (it has Opus the penguin). It's very nice to see such offerings in a local store!


Uncited references from my last entry
Just a note: some inspiration from my previous entry was inspired by (original author) marshalln, and copied in full text to at least one other blog, "qft" as it may be. Credit goes where it is due.