Hide

Welcome to Steepster, an online tea community.

Write a tea journal, see what others are drinking and get recommendations from people you trust. or Learn More

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

Steepster Score 1 Rating Rate This Tea

79/100

2005 Xiaguan Bao Yan "Tibetan Flame" Raw Pu-erh Brick

Pu-erh Tea by Yunnan Sourcing

Xiaguan tea factory has been producing this brick for a long long time. It is consumed by the people of western Yunnan and Tibet as a staple. Typically it is brewed as a component of Yak Butter tea. The brew consists of Pu-erh tea, Churned Yak Butter, Salt, and a touch of Raw sugar also in brick form. Occasionaly hemp seeds are added to the brew for a nutty flavor. This tea is referred to as “brick tea” by the Tibetan people, not Pu-erh tea. The flavor is bold and stimulating, this brick also ages well. Xiaguan has been producing the “Tibetan Flame” brand for almost 50 years. Until the 90’s Xiaguan Tea Factory was owned by the government and was obligated to produce and deliver these bricks to the Tibetan people living in Yunnan and Tibet.

Vintage: 2005 (material is likely from 2002-2005)
Production area: Baoshan and Lincang

1 Tasting Note

Bonnie
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?