Well, I took a pu plunge - got my first pu-erh tuo cha (Xiaguan Gold Tuo
Cha) from Teaspring. Before I try it, I have a question: the one I got is
from the 2004 harvest. If I whack off a chunk to taste it and then decide
to age it for a few more years, does cutting/breaking the cake affect the
aging, good or bad? Or is this tea not worth worrying about in this regard?

Thanks,
Dean

DPM wrote:
> Well, I took a pu plunge - got my first pu-erh tuo cha (Xiaguan Gold Tuo
> Cha) from Teaspring. Before I try it, I have a question: the one I got is
> from the 2004 harvest. If I whack off a chunk to taste it and then decide
> to age it for a few more years, does cutting/breaking the cake affect the
> aging, good or bad? Or is this tea not worth worrying about in this regard?
>

Hey Dean,

Just go for it. Break off enough for one sitting and you can still age
the rest if you so choose, it's not a problem.

Mike
http://www.pu-erh.net

"Mike Petro" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> DPM wrote:
> > Well, I took a pu plunge - got my first pu-erh tuo cha (Xiaguan Gold Tuo
> > Cha) from Teaspring. Before I try it, I have a question: the one I got
is
> > from the 2004 harvest. If I whack off a chunk to taste it and then
decide
> > to age it for a few more years, does cutting/breaking the cake affect
the
> > aging, good or bad? Or is this tea not worth worrying about in this
regard?
> >
>
> Hey Dean,
>
> Just go for it. Break off enough for one sitting and you can still age
> the rest if you so choose, it's not a problem.
>
> Mike
> http://www.pu-erh.net
>
Mike,

Thanks. I'll do just that.

Regards,
Dean

You can widdle a cup from your Tuo by reaming the bird's nest with a
spoon edge. I do this for every cup till I break through the top and
peel the soft top edge for subsequent cups till you are left with a
hard ring which will need to be broken.

Jim

DPM wrote:
> Well, I took a pu plunge - got my first pu-erh tuo cha (Xiaguan Gold Tuo
> Cha) from Teaspring. Before I try it, I have a question: the one I got is
> from the 2004 harvest. If I whack off a chunk to taste it and then decide
> to age it for a few more years, does cutting/breaking the cake affect the
> aging, good or bad? Or is this tea not worth worrying about in this regard?
>
> Thanks,
> Dean

Jim,

More good advice. I'll try it.

Thanks,
Dean

"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> You can widdle a cup from your Tuo by reaming the bird's nest with a
> spoon edge. I do this for every cup till I break through the top and
> peel the soft top edge for subsequent cups till you are left with a
> hard ring which will need to be broken.
>
> Jim
>
> DPM wrote:
> > Well, I took a pu plunge - got my first pu-erh tuo cha (Xiaguan Gold Tuo
> > Cha) from Teaspring. Before I try it, I have a question: the one I got
is
> > from the 2004 harvest. If I whack off a chunk to taste it and then
decide
> > to age it for a few more years, does cutting/breaking the cake affect
the
> > aging, good or bad? Or is this tea not worth worrying about in this
regard?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Dean
>

"Mike Petro" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> DPM wrote:
> > Well, I took a pu plunge - got my first pu-erh tuo cha (Xiaguan Gold Tuo
> > Cha) from Teaspring. Before I try it, I have a question: the one I got
is
> > from the 2004 harvest. If I whack off a chunk to taste it and then
decide
> > to age it for a few more years, does cutting/breaking the cake affect
the
> > aging, good or bad? Or is this tea not worth worrying about in this
regard?
> >
>
> Hey Dean,
>
> Just go for it. Break off enough for one sitting and you can still age
> the rest if you so choose, it's not a problem.
>
> Mike
> http://www.pu-erh.net
>
Well, I tried my pu tonight. I tried to replicate your "wrongfu" method:
1. Heat water to 190. Measure 2 heaping tsp of dry tea.
2. Pour 1/2 cup over tea, immediately drain and discard.
3. Wait 1-2 minutes.
4. I then made 6 infusions of 4 oz each: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 seconds.
5. Tasted. With all six the predominate flavor I get is wood smoke. Steeps
4-6 begin to show a little astringency, but still smoke more that "tea".

Is this to be expected? It certainly looks like green tea in the pot, but
the smoke is not abating. Shall I keep going?

Thanks for your help.

Dean

DPMAWb4g.4238$Sh.3579@trnddc064/27/06

>
> "Mike Petro" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>
>> DPM wrote:
>>> Well, I took a pu plunge - got my first pu-erh tuo cha (Xiaguan Gold Tuo
>>> Cha) from Teaspring. Before I try it, I have a question: the one I got
> is
>>> from the 2004 harvest. If I whack off a chunk to taste it and then
> decide
>>> to age it for a few more years, does cutting/breaking the cake affect
> the
>>> aging, good or bad? Or is this tea not worth worrying about in this
> regard?
>>>
>>
>> Hey Dean,
>>
>> Just go for it. Break off enough for one sitting and you can still age
>> the rest if you so choose, it's not a problem.
>>
>> Mike
>> http://www.pu-erh.net
>>
> Well, I tried my pu tonight. I tried to replicate your "wrongfu" method:
> 1. Heat water to 190. Measure 2 heaping tsp of dry tea.
> 2. Pour 1/2 cup over tea, immediately drain and discard.
> 3. Wait 1-2 minutes.
> 4. I then made 6 infusions of 4 oz each: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 seconds.
> 5. Tasted. With all six the predominate flavor I get is wood smoke. Steeps
> 4-6 begin to show a little astringency, but still smoke more that "tea".
>
> Is this to be expected? It certainly looks like green tea in the pot, but
> the smoke is not abating. Shall I keep going?
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Dean


Hi Dean,

With some Pu'erhs, the smoke *is* the tea. By all means, keep on going, but
realize that for some Pu'erhs, the smoke quality is dominant. Personally,
too much wood smoke kills the joy of the tea for me. However, they say a
smoked up young Pu'erh will age well and turn into something spectacularly
lovely in fifty years. I'll be 111 then. See ya!

While Mike is undoubtedly responsible for broadcasting "wrong-fu" into the
world, he is not the father of "wrong-fu," an honor that goes to Joseph
Kubera who named if not invented it. Credit where credit is due. (As Mike
would be the first to admit)

Michael

>Well, I tried my pu tonight. I tried to replicate your "wrongfu" method:
>1. Heat water to 190. Measure 2 heaping tsp of dry tea.
>2. Pour 1/2 cup over tea, immediately drain and discard.
>3. Wait 1-2 minutes.
>4. I then made 6 infusions of 4 oz each: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 seconds.
>5. Tasted. With all six the predominate flavor I get is wood smoke. Steeps
>4-6 begin to show a little astringency, but still smoke more that "tea".
>
>Is this to be expected? It certainly looks like green tea in the pot, but
>the smoke is not abating. Shall I keep going?
>
>Thanks for your help.
>
>Dean
>


Hi Dean,

This is certainly not unusual in a young green puerh. Smoky notes are
fairly common, quite often the smokiness fades with age. Also Xia Guan
has a stronger smokiness than many other mainstream factories. The
flavor of a Xia Guan green is so unique that many experienced drinkers
will recognize the factory's flavor sight unseen.

Maocha is the dried leaf that used to make puerh cakes, bricks, etc.
After picking it is dried and then bagged up and traded as a commodity
much like tobacco leaf used to be traded here after it was cured. The
source of this smoke flavor comes largely from the processing methods
used to make the maocha . The best maocha is sun dried but many
processors will used ovens to speed up the process. Unfortunately
baking the maocha is becoming more and more common with the
increasingly heavy market demand for puerh leaf. Some processors will
only use the ovens when it is overcast or raining because they simply
cant stop production due to the weather, while other processors use
the ovens for all of their leaf.

It is my understanding that Xia Guan intentionally uses a blend of sun
dried and baked maocha in most of their product line. That is part of
the reason that their product's flavor is so recognizable.

Do continue the steeps though. You may find that the strong notes fade
in later steeps. Since it does sound like this is a tad strong for you
I would also suggest that you try less leaf. Try half of what you are
using and then work your way up.

--
Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net

>While Mike is undoubtedly responsible for broadcasting "wrong-fu" into the
>world, he is not the father of "wrong-fu," an honor that goes to Joseph
>Kubera who named if not invented it. Credit where credit is due. (As Mike
>would be the first to admit)

Agreed, However let it also be noted that *I* never claimed credit for
it. I did not mention Joe's name specifically as I was unsure of his
stand on being referred to publicly. Here is the first time I
mentioned the practice in public. http://tinyurl.com/n8q9g
--
Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net

"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> DPMAWb4g.4238$Sh.3579@trnddc064/27/06
>
>
> Hi Dean,
>
> With some Pu'erhs, the smoke *is* the tea. By all means, keep on going,
but
> realize that for some Pu'erhs, the smoke quality is dominant. Personally,
> too much wood smoke kills the joy of the tea for me. However, they say a
> smoked up young Pu'erh will age well and turn into something spectacularly
> lovely in fifty years. I'll be 111 then. See ya!
>

Michael,

Thanks - I'll be 104, so hang around.

At this point, too much smoke for me, too.

If I decide to age it, in what type of container should I store it? I have
a cool, dry, dark odor-free location, but the tuocha is wrapped with beige
paper in a cardboard box. Can I leave it like that, or should I re-wrap and
package it?

Thanks for your help.

> While Mike is undoubtedly responsible for broadcasting "wrong-fu" into the
> world, he is not the father of "wrong-fu," an honor that goes to Joseph
> Kubera who named if not invented it. Credit where credit is due. (As Mike
> would be the first to admit)
>
> Michael
>

Speaking of whom, I don't recall seeing Joseph's comments here recently.
Has he left rfdt for a more congenial neighborhood?

Dean

>

"Mike Petro" > wrote in message
news
>
> >Well, I tried my pu tonight. I tried to replicate your "wrongfu" method:
> >1. Heat water to 190. Measure 2 heaping tsp of dry tea.
> >2. Pour 1/2 cup over tea, immediately drain and discard.
> >3. Wait 1-2 minutes.
> >4. I then made 6 infusions of 4 oz each: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 seconds.
> >5. Tasted. With all six the predominate flavor I get is wood smoke.
Steeps
> >4-6 begin to show a little astringency, but still smoke more that "tea".
> >
> >Is this to be expected? It certainly looks like green tea in the pot,
but
> >the smoke is not abating. Shall I keep going?
> >
> >Thanks for your help.
> >
> >Dean
> >
>
>
> Hi Dean,
>
> This is certainly not unusual in a young green puerh. Smoky notes are
> fairly common, quite often the smokiness fades with age. Also Xia Guan
> has a stronger smokiness than many other mainstream factories. The
> flavor of a Xia Guan green is so unique that many experienced drinkers
> will recognize the factory's flavor sight unseen.
>
> Maocha is the dried leaf that used to make puerh cakes, bricks, etc.
> After picking it is dried and then bagged up and traded as a commodity
> much like tobacco leaf used to be traded here after it was cured. The
> source of this smoke flavor comes largely from the processing methods
> used to make the maocha . The best maocha is sun dried but many
> processors will used ovens to speed up the process. Unfortunately
> baking the maocha is becoming more and more common with the
> increasingly heavy market demand for puerh leaf. Some processors will
> only use the ovens when it is overcast or raining because they simply
> cant stop production due to the weather, while other processors use
> the ovens for all of their leaf.
>
> It is my understanding that Xia Guan intentionally uses a blend of sun
> dried and baked maocha in most of their product line. That is part of
> the reason that their product's flavor is so recognizable.
>
> Do continue the steeps though. You may find that the strong notes fade
> in later steeps. Since it does sound like this is a tad strong for you
> I would also suggest that you try less leaf. Try half of what you are
> using and then work your way up.
>
> --
> Mike Petro
> http://www.pu-erh.net

Mike I went to 9 infusions (60, 90, 120 seconds); pretty much the same
result. The last two were a little smoother, but still smoke was the
predominant flavor.

Please see my comments to Michael - I think I'll age it a few years and see
what develops. Any other advice on aging?

Thanks for your insight.

Dean

>If I decide to age it, in what type of container should I store it? I have
>a cool, dry, dark odor-free location, but the tuocha is wrapped with beige
>paper in a cardboard box. Can I leave it like that, or should I re-wrap and
>package it?

I would leave it in it's current box, there are many tuocha stored
exactly like that for decades.

For more info see http://www.pu-erh.net/sections.php?Choice=How_To_Age

--
Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net

DPMNE95g.2428$c%5.675@trnddc024/30/06



>> With some Pu'erhs, the smoke *is*
>> the tea. By all means, keep on going,
>> but realize that for some Pu'erhs, the
>> smoke quality is dominant. Personally,
>> too much wood smoke kills the joy of
>> the tea for me. However, they say a
>> smoked up young Pu'erh will age well
>> and turn into something spectacularly
>> lovely in fifty years. I'll be 111 then.
>> See ya!

> Thanks - I'll be 104, so hang around.

Ok, I'll wait for you.

> At this point, too much smoke for me, too.
>
> If I decide to age it, in what type of container should I store it? I have
> a cool, dry, dark odor-free location, but the tuocha is wrapped with beige
> paper in a cardboard box. Can I leave it like that, or should I re-wrap and
> package it?

In paper and box (preferably non-reactive such as acid free)
in a relatively dry environment free of extraneous odors. I'd
think the cake's original paper would be fine.

> Speaking of whom, I don't recall seeing Joseph's [Kubera] comments here
>recently. Has he left rfdt for a more congenial neighborhood?

He comes and goes. I suspect he'll be back
when he catches a moment.

Michael