Dex's Questions re Sheng Olympics
I don’t want to clutter the Sheng Olympic thread with my ignorance and stupid questions.
I really want to thank LP for all his hard work in putting this group buy together. I would also like to thank vendors for their input and in some cases donations.
I really don’t know much about sheng, and would really like to learn from this wonderful opportunity but I’m really feeling overwhelmed and so far out of my comfort zone that I don’t even know where to start.
I’ve opened a couple of packages to breathe and while I’m waiting for that to happen, I’m hoping someone can answer some of my questions…..
(If anyone else has questions, please feel free to ask – hoping we can all learn together…)
My first question is:
What’s the difference between these:
2014 Laos Ban Komaen Black
http://www.chawangshop.com/index.php/2014-laos-ban-komaen-black-gu-shu-raw-puerh-cake-200g.html
2014 Laos Ban Komaen Blue
http://www.chawangshop.com/index.php/pu-erh-tea/2014-laos-ban-komaen-blue-gu-shu-raw-puerh-cake-200g.html
Other than the color of the stamp on the wrapper…. :))
Is this difference about leaf quality? or Processing?
They seem to be from the same area and same year….
I will help you on this and any more I can.
The Blue was made by a man from near Gua Feng Zhai. They left the older leaf, Huang Pian, the yellow ones you can see in the cake and the maocha before pressing. The Huang Pian gives a bit of citrus sweet to the tea but the leaf will not take as many brews as tea without it.
The black doesn’t seem to have it in there from the picture. It was also made made from one couple. I would say they would pick and process it from start to finish by themselves. The blue was probably done as a village cooperative type thing I would assume.
This area of Laos is just over the border from Yunnan, so rightly these teas cannot be called puerh as this name has been trademarked for Yunnan, China teas. But the trees don’t know politics, and they are similar in character to Yiwu area trees just over the fence in China. So to speak.
I purchased a tong of the cheaper production, the Ban Payasi. This tea was delicious when fresh. However it is currently in the fermentation phase and has lost that fresh floral character. Yiwu teas likewise may not taste their best from year 2-10. So, before that or after is the best time to drink them. I’m not sure what you can do with a sample other than try it and make some notes.
Several reviewers covered these teas, including Hobbes the Half Dipper. I think the far less expensive Ban Payasi actually is the best of the three.
No question in the quest for knowledge is ever stupid. I feel the same way. I don’t really know where to start on these. I did one but since I did’t actually pick these i am at a loss also. They are all going to be good as they were carefully picked. Now we just have to drink them and enjoy them.
I can relate in thinking more than I normally would about which order to taste these samples and agree with your reasoning. I started with the white tea cake as an outlier and quickly had a box arrive from WP, so I’m off to a fine start!
As mrmopar said, no question is stupid for this journey :)
I’ll try to sum some of what I picked out:
2001 Silver Needle pu’erh because it isn’t common to come across this variation aged so I wanted to see why that is or is not with collective analysis of the product.
The purple variation from Yunnan Sourcing was included because it is also a product that many might not have tried.
Yunnan Sourcing You Le cakes: These were selected because it’s the same area and same person pressing between a nice range of time 2015, 2009, and 2005.
Laos cakes from Chawang because they are direct sourced from an interesting place that many may have not tried yet; I know very little of these.
Crimson Lotus Tea comparison between the two Bai Ying because I have found Crimson Lotus Tea to have such delicate and light sheng that it would help compliment the overall 2016 Sheng Olympics.
Verdant because of the difference in tree age. I bought these when they were announced with no knowledge behind 110% of what has/will be said.
Tea Urchin selection was recommended after I asked for cakes I could use for vertical tasting (same tea different years) and that is why the 2011 and 2007 Ban Wei was selected.
The gift I included was not only unique, but what an awesome way to provide others a taste of a tea that just came out right? aka Moonlight Sonanta from Whispering Pines.
That’s kind of my thoughts on what this years Sheng Olympics was about. Providing different material to compare from similar while introducing some interesting teas; such as moonlight, purple variation, and an aged silver needle puerh. Overall I wanted to provide some fun comparisons because I find it enjoyable to try three teas that are ‘related’ and see which I prefer or the differences.
Now, as it has been pointed out on Reddit (by a dick), I am still quite new to puerh myself so I understand the intimidation. Regardless of what you read as others make remarks on the tea such as remarks to tasting notes that you thought were only existent in science fiction novels or relating to a tea that had 10 years ago… we are all participating to have fun and drink tea so whatever you post is your experience. You may like something someone says should be used as a paperweight or dislike something someone says took them to nirvana in sip number one. We all taste tea differently and also experience them differently as well.
Brewing method can change a lot just as storage does. Once you find out what you like in sheng, let us know and I’m sure we can help point you to places to make your wallet cry :)
I hope many pictures and questions emerge to spark conversations. Drinking tea is great in itself, but sparking a desire to learn about all the interesting details about the teas is what makes me smile. It’s one thing to like the product that someone spent time on, but a completely different thing when someone becomes interested enough to find out how the person made it and what makes it unique. I believe it’s important that people like you and I actually picked these teas and used methods that were either passed down, taught, or invented which is a process itself that is easily forgotten. I really enjoy seeing the questions pop up because that means there is more than just the taste that someone is interested in; or being tea drunk.
Hope you find the 2016 Sheng Olympics to be a valuable introduction to what is to either come or not come in your future as a pu head :p
WE are all newbs in puerh. No one will ever be the know all end all in that matter. So much can change. Rain , temperature, drought, processing or a number of variables will affect any given production. All in all drink what you enjoy and you will enjoy what you drink. This is a broad spectrum of teas so when you find what you want grab it. Well no maybe don’t so I can get it for me…..as I need more……
Input and more input as it will help all on the journey!
Thanks LP !!! That actually really helps me. Gives me some perspective between the different samples.
I totally agree with you about sparking questions/thoughts/conversation. There are no wrong impressions – how you view a tea might be totally different than how I view it. OR we might both find the same flavor notes – you might like those note and I might not. It’s all personal preference.
I am hoping to learn a little so that the next time I’m looking through a site like YS, I’m chosing sheng for reasons other than the wrapper is pretty or the name sounds fun. I’m hoping for a starting point for MY preferences.
Thanks again for your lengthy reply, it really does help me.
Thanks for starting this thread! I’m also a puer newbie hoping to learn a lot from the process of trying all these samples. :)
Me too, I had never even heard of puerh until I joined steepster. And i always ask newbie questions. But, unlike some other forums, I have always had really nice replies.
It takes a while to get used to pu but its worth it. I am finally, after forcing myself to drink it this last year, getting to like shou, for example.
I love shou – I’m not saying I KNOW a lot about it but I’ve got several here that I really enjoy.
Sheng I don’t understand and am hoping to learn from these samples.
Please feel free to ask/discuss the sheng from the Olympics here. Other peoples questions often make us think about things we hadn’t thought of. :)
Im the opposite, I took to sheng quite quickly, also steepster helped because I dont think I own a bad sheng, & all of mine are good drinkable now ones.
For what they are worth; some thoughts from someone who mostly drinks pu-erh (although, no expert by any means)… This cool opportunity is no reason to feel overwhelmed, but you do have a lot of teas to try. That is a good thing because the shotgun approach can be helpful at the stage (sheng-wise) you describe for yourself. Diving in and sampling many different teas will help you understand your preferences. Focus on good preparation and maybe take some notes to help make comparisons for yourself. Also try to form your own thoughts before reading other opinions; and above all, have fun!
What I’m hoping to understand is the why – why do I like this one – why don’t I like that one. I want to really understand what each tea is. Do I like this region – do I like this vendor – do I like younger vs older etc.
I’ve actually tried quite a few sheng and I don’t like most of them. But there are those few that I do. I would like to be able to narrow the search for the ones I like. At this point I’m just randomly buying samples with zero understanding of what I’m buying – what it should be like – how to tell – etc.
I’m hoping to LEARN from this.
Or I’ll decide that I don’t like sheng and walk away…. :)
I would advise following Liquid Proust’s lead in drinking at least some of the teas. Drink the Verdant teas in close succession and see how they compare to one another (learn about tree age). Then drink the You Le and Tea Urchin verticals as sets and see how aging affects the tea. Hopefully you’ll be able to see differences. The other unique teas: just enjoy.
I should probably confess that I came to tea after a long history as a wine snob. Vertical tastings are a big thing in wine (5 or 6 vintages from the same chateau spread over a decade). You can really see how the wine develops in the bottle. I suspect you’ll see some of the same effect with the puerh.
Here’s my question:
Cwyn did 30 to 40 second steeps on the Verdant and AllanK did 7 seconds, while James (teadb) did about 3 or 4 seconds. Normally, the longer I steep sheng the more bitter it becomes. When approaching these teas, which I have one shot at, is there a risk on authentic taste if I alternate between 30 second and seven second steeps?
With short steeps you will see more of the tea progressing. If it were me and I did all vertically I would give it a rinse and leave it alone for 30 minutes. Then I would come back and brew it with short steeps. The tea will almost double in weight after a 5 second rinse. Allowing it to rest will allow more of the moisture to soak in the tea and therefore, at least for me a better result.
I usually start timing the second the water covers the tea I am brewing.
In the spirit of open discussion – and I truly don’t understand – so I’m not saying right or wrong (I know nothing…. who am I to question your steeping methods).
The rest doesn’t make sense to me. I get the rinse and sometimes if it’s highly compressed I’ll rinse a couple of time trying to get it to open up. Letting it sit for a long time doesn’t that “over steep it”? The leaves would be sitting in any tiny residual water steam?
If I’m gong fu steeping any tea and take a break – walk away and leave the leaves for awhile – then come back to it – even if it’s only for 20 minutes, half an hour, I will always rinse again before continuing to steep. I feel that little bit of water makes for a really strong steep after a break.
Am I doing this wrong? or am I misunderstanding and that you rinse again after the rest?
LOL I think I said that I was confused?
Let it sit after you drain it out. Once you do the rinse and drain it let it sit and the moisture left will continue to work in as well as the steam if you use a gaiwan. This is just my method. I would adapt or use what you are familiar with. This is just something I worked out to get the results I want. The steam left will actually cool rather quickly. The water will still work its way in like a sponge.
And yes if I let them sit too long as in overnight I always give a really quick rinse before starting again.
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