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2005 Xiaguan Bao Yan "Tibetan Flame" Raw Pu-erh Brick from Yunnan Sourcing
90

Thank you Roughage for this tea Sample!

This morning I’m challanged with a raw Puerh that’s been produced for almost 50 years by the Xiaguan Tea Factory primarily for use as in Churned Yak Butter Tea.
Roughage or David Duckler (can’t remember which one) said that Yak butter is bitter which is probably why salt and sometimes hemp seeds are added to the brew. Yum…Yum…what a way to start the day!
I’m a bit short on Yak butter!

Here’s the recipe for ‘regular’ Butter Chai if you want to try it!
This recipe courtesy of Roughage!

Butter Chai
5 cups water
1 tablespoon black tea leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk

Boil water in pan and then lower the flame. Add a heaping tablespoon of tea leaves to the water and bring the water to a boil again for several minutes.

Pour tea, salt, butter and milk into a big container that can be covered and shaken. Or use a blender. (The blending makes the flavor savory and exciting)

Serve the tea right away since po cha is best when it’s very hot.

(I’m going to try this recipe during the Olympics for my granddaughters as one of the international tastes of tea we’ll be doing).

Regular Brewing:
I went to the Yunnan Sourcing website to see how to brew this Pu-erh and there were no instructions. I’m winging this…without much experience with raw Pu-erh’s. Oh boy.

I decided to do 2 rinses.
This was big and chunky Pu-erh that looked like the muddy clods on a farmers boots after they’ve dried… with bits of grassy looking stuff packed in.

The steep was about 30 seconds (I went a couple minutes the first time and that was a mistake…oh my).
The liquor was a gorgeous gold and very pretty. It smelled smoky and mildly earthy.

The flavor was also smoky and peppery with a bit of astringency under the tongue and a little salty.

I decided to try the butter, tea, milk…salt…
WOW it was sooooo good!
WOW! WOW!

This was how the tea was meant to be…butter tea!

Thank you Roughage….! It tasted like buttered toasted bread or garlic bread without adding garlic. How could that be?

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Comments

Skulleigh
Skulleigh 2012-07-20 12:13:58 -0400

I am so nervous to further try Pur-ehs now, after an old review I read this morning mentioned all the yucky stuff people have found in Pur-Eh cakes. turns green

But I think I will try this with a regular black tea. With plain old butter. But I will mention that I have always wanted to try yak butter, ever since I read about it in a story when I was a little girl.

Amy oh
Amy oh 2012-07-20 12:16:39 -0400

Very interesting! Did you try drinking it plain?

Skulleigh
Skulleigh 2012-07-20 12:16:54 -0400

Plus, it’s just fun to say “yak butter.” Try it…
Yak butter.
Yaaaak butter.
Yaaaaaaaak buuuuuutterrrrr!

:D

Bonnie
Bonnie 2012-07-20 12:27:01 -0400

Amy…the part about smoky peppery was plain. A tiny bitter if you’re not careful and strong too! (As in country pu’erh)

ScottTeaMan
ScottTeaMan 2012-07-20 14:47:04 -0400

Recipe sounds good, and maybe I’ll try it with a strong Asaam tea, but I wouldn’t add it to a Puerh or other teas. I even like my Chai unsweetened, sometimes adding a dash of milk to tame it if needed.

I like Chai tea I’ve had in Indian restaurants, but usually too much milk is added, or it is too sweet, and I can’t taste enuff of the tea.

What I’m saying is I like my tea & the natural flavor. I do like some flavored teas, but only if the flavors don’t mask the tea or taste artificial.

Bonnie
Bonnie 2012-07-20 15:03:44 -0400

This would suit you Scott, no sugar and no spice so almost like a tea broth or soup.
This is tribal puerh and inexpensive!!! Qualifies as Black tea and would be more authentic but another smoky tea could do. Might send you a little to try this with.

ScottTeaMan
ScottTeaMan 2012-07-20 15:17:02 -0400

By tribal Pu-erh you mean Puerh with that recipe, right?

ScottTeaMan
ScottTeaMan 2012-07-20 15:17:43 -0400

Or any black tea??

Bonnie
Bonnie 2012-07-20 15:45:18 -0400

Yes the one I specifically used and yes you could use any ’other ’ black. (You would imagine a rural setting…. a yak and this inexpensive puerh ….salt, water and milk (probably yak too) .

ScottTeaMan
ScottTeaMan 2012-07-20 16:04:13 -0400

As long as it isn’t too buttery I think I’d try it.

Hesper June
Hesper June 2012-07-20 16:25:21 -0400

I was just looking into Butter Tea the other day!
Now I have a recipe, thanks Bonnie:)

Bonnie
Bonnie 2012-07-20 17:41:19 -0400

Scotttttt….you are making the teaaaaaa~ so youuuuuu control the butterrrrrr!

Skulleigh
Skulleigh 2012-07-20 20:19:45 -0400

yaaaaak buttterrrrrr! See I have you doing it now! :D

Kittenna
Kittenna 2012-07-21 04:46:52 -0400

Hahaha, Skulleigh :P

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Profile

Bio

Colorado Grandma
http://www.teaandincense.com
Grandmother to 3 tea drinking teenaged girls and 3 young tea drinking boys. I began teatime as in the Summer over 30 years ago when my children were little. We took a break from play for tea and snacks and to chat every day. They loved tea time.
We have several tea houses close to my home and a Tea Festival in Boulder. Fort Collins is a bit of a foodie town. We brew lots of Beer (Fat Tire is one brand) and have several Spice Shops (Savory is the one featured on Food Network).
Colorado State University is a mile from my home and the Rocky Mountains climb higher at the end of my block. The climate here is semi-arid with LOTS OF SUN AT 5000 feet. (Heavy Winter snows start in the higher elevations). After living my whole life in Northern California (Silicon Valley) I have to admit that I LOVE IT HERE!!!
I attend a wonderful Greek Orthodox Church and enjoy cooking ethnic foods (all kinds). I am disabled with Migraines and Fibromyalgia!
My family is Bi-racial ( African-American, Scots) and Bi-cultural, (Peruvian, Cyprus, France, Mexico, Native American)
I’ve worked at a Winery, was a Special Ed. Major, Telecom and System Analyst, Won Cooking Contests, been an Athlete and Coach, Artist, Pianist, Vista Volunteer. I love to travel and have been to Italy, Greece, Peru, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Malta, Canada, Croatia and Turkey! If you check the bio page below…the photo is one from my trip to Santorini, Greece. I took the photo. OPA!

Location

Fort Collins,Colorado

Website

http://www.teaandincense.com

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