TeaDB

Author: James

  • Nannuo Pu’erh [June 2014 Tea Drinking Report]

    Nannuo Pu’erh [June 2014 Tea Drinking Report]

    Every month, I dedicate it to one type of tea. This means I drink that genre of tea in some form at least once a day. This could mean gong-fu, grandpa, or even a cold-brew. I’ll still consume other teas, but the primary focus is understanding and building a palate for a specific type/genre/region of tea through repetition. This the most personal blogging type style of post for TeaDB, and the goal is to stretch my palate as well as give recommendations to interested parties. I had so many different teas this month that my notes were especially useful for this write-up.

    Vendors ordered from:

    Primary tea producers:

    • Mengyang Guoyan (Yunnan Sourcing)
    • Hai Lang Hao (Yunnan Sourcing)
    • Yunnan Sourcing

    Also featuring:

    • Ruiyuan, Taochaju, Yunhai, (White2Tea)
    • Mingsheng Hao, Nannuoshan Tea Factory, Changtai (Cha Wang Shop)
    • CNNP, Guan Zi Zai (Yunnan Sourcing)
    • Chen Yuan Hao (Origin Tea)
    • Supermarket Pu’erh (Tienxi/Uwajimaya)

    (more…)

  • 2007 Repave White2Tea Raw Pu’erh [Episode 61]

    The second episode on a White2Tea tea. This episode is a 2014 White2Tea production the freshly pressed 2007 Repave. The mao cha was aged for seven years before being pressed by TwoDog.

  • Pu’erh Factories: Why Buy from a Big Factory? Feat. Menghai, Xiaguan

    Pu’erh Factories: Why Buy from a Big Factory? Feat. Menghai, Xiaguan

    Pu’erh brands play an important role in the marketing and selling of samples, cakes and tongs of pu’erh tea. This is far more pronounced in the Yunnan-based pu’erh when compared with their Fujian-based Yancha selling counterparts or Taiwanese oolong selling merchants. This has resulted in some fascinating convolutions within the pu’erh scene… CNNP sold their name and wrappers to anyone willing to pay, seemingly every operations specialist at Menghai formed their own factory (1,2,3), and forgery continues to be a major issue. This is true for not only highly-priced gushu and expensive aged tea but Menghai plantation tea! The pu’erh market also has a tendency to attach itself to brands and certain recipes (see 7542 speculation) and even a brand that has been protective over their reputation like Menghai, has had their recipes blatantly copied until it was deemed illegal in 2005. (more…)

  • 2005/2014 Manzhuan White2Tea Raw Pu’erh [Episode 60]

    The first of a three episode series on White2Tea and their selection. This episode is a comparative tasting featuring TwoDog’s 2005 Manzhuan (Xiangming Factory) and 2014 Manzhuan (a White2Tea production).

  • 2014 Baiying Shan Crimson Lotus Tea Raw Pu’erh [Episode 59]

    Again joined by Crimson Lotus Tea. This episode we take a look at a tea hot off the presses. A recently pressed 2014 Baiying Shan Raw Pu’erh from Crimson Lotus Tea. This is a nice young raw pu’erh, it will be interesting to see how this evolves.

  • Ripe Pu’erh Concepts

    Ripe Pu’erh Concepts

    Depending on who you ask you will get dramatically different reactions to ripe pu’erh. Ripe pu’erh, also shu, shou, or cooked pu’erh, is preferred by many as an easy, smooth drink. It is also often shoved aside by tea people as an inferior or simply uninteresting tea. In Zhang Jinghong’s fantastic Puer Ancient Caravans and Urban Chic she draws the analogy between raw/ripe (cooked) pu’erh and raw/cooked food. In this analogy the wo dui process that ripe pu’erh undergoes is the cooking process and the aging of raw pu’erh can be likened to naturally slow cooking cooking the tea. Freshly pressed raw pu’erh is simply uncooked (and has even been classified by many as not pu’erh!). This article will explore some intermediate level concepts of ripe pu’erh and examine common variations in the “cooking” process of ripe pu’erh and how it might affect your cup. (more…)

  • 2008 Bulang Crimson Lotus Tea Ripe Pu’erh [Episode 58]

    In episode 58, Denny and James welcome back special guests from their sourcing trip in Yunnan, Crimson Lotus Tea. This episode showcases their 2008 Bulang Ripe Pu’erh.

  • Yiwu Pu’erh [May 2014 Tea Drinking Report]

    Yiwu Pu’erh [May 2014 Tea Drinking Report]

    Every month, I dedicate it to one type of tea. This means I drink that genre of tea in some form at least once a day. This could mean gong-fu, grandpa, or even a cold-brew. I’ll still consume other teas, but the primary focus is understanding and building a palate for a specific type/genre/region of tea through repetition. This the most personal blogging type style of post for TeaDB, and the goal is to stretch my palate as well as give recommendations to interested parties. I had so many different teas this month that my notes were especially useful for this write-up.

    Vendors ordered from:

    Primary tea producers:

    • Yong Pin Hao + Guan Zi Zai (Yunnan Sourcing)
    • Hai Lang Hao (Yunnan Sourcing)
    • Yunnan Sourcing
    • Taochaju (White2Tea)

    Also featuring:

    (more…)

  • 1979 Oriental Beauty J-Tea Aged Oolong [Episode 57]

    In episode 57, Denny and James revisit one of Denny’s favorite teas, Oriental Beauty. However, rather than a recent year production, this is a nearly 35-year old tea. A very interesting tea from J-Tea, with some elements of aged oolong and others of more traditional Oriental Beauty.

  • Pu’erh Vendor Guide

    Pu’erh Vendor Guide

    Pu’erh is a hot tea. In the past 15 years it has moved beyond its longtime audience in Hong Kong and Taiwan into mainland China, the rest of Asia and more recently the west. With Ebay, Taobao, and the ever-growing worldwide marketplace, options for buying pu’erh online have exponentially increased in the last ten years. Pu’erh is even sold as a dieter’s tea to more “ordinary” consumers in the west. This dynamic marketplace has spawned both monstrous creations as well as very high-quality tea. The specialized vendor scenes tends to be different for pu’erh compared with vendors for other teas, i.e. Taiwanese Oolongs. This guide will attempt to highlight the various options available to the western consumer. This guide disregards any offline options (i.e. Chinese supermarkets). (more…)