Xiong Feng 2013 Yue Chen Yue Xiang (Shu Pu'er)

General

Shu pu'er is the second main type of pu'er tea, alongside naturally aged sheng pu'er. The Shu pu'er production process was invented in the 1970s to create a tea that could mimic the taste of naturally aged sheng pu'er in a shorter fermentation time. Before the leaves are pressed into cakes, they are spread out on the factory floor in large piles, which are watered and covered with cloths. This piling stage accelerates biochemical and microbiological changes in the leaves, effectively composting them. The piling stage can last from several weeks to months. Shu pu'er is available in many different forms, pressed cakes and also loose leaf.

This tea

This tea is produced by the Lincang Tea Factory in Yongde District. The tea is produced under the Xion Feng brand. The tea material is from 2013. The producer has named this shu pu'er with the somewhat clichéd name Yue Chen Yue Xiang, meaning The Older, The More Fragrant. In this cake, the leaf material is medium-sized and slightly larger. This type of leaf gives a slightly more pungent taste and can develop in exciting directions during fermentation and aging. The tea offers a rather succulent fermented tone and spiciness. The weight of the entire cake is 357g and we also offer a smaller 50g bag, detached leaves from the cake.

Taste

The dry tea has an oily, succulent and sweet fermented aroma. The aroma in the cup is fruity, woody and minerally spicy. The taste is fruity, fresh, slightly cocoa-like and sweetly spicy.

Infusion

The leaves need to be detached from the pressed tea with a sharp tool for brewing. You can use a table knife, for example. The spike-like shape works best, as it breaks the leaves less. Pu'er tea is brewed with boiled water. You need about 4-6 grams of leaves, or a generous tablespoon of loose tea. The tea leaves are rinsed first. Hot water is poured over the tea leaves and allowed to brew for about 10 seconds. This rinsing water is poured off. This rinsing helps to make the tea clear and reduces the stronger fermentation taste and smell on the surface of the leaves. The tea can be infused with so-called gongfu technique, using a teapot of less than 300ml and infusing the leaves several times. In this case, the length of the steeping should be about 30-60 seconds. The number of leaves can also be increased, in which case the steeping time can be reduced to 10-20 seconds. If you are using a larger teapot or want to make only one infusion, the steeping time should be 3-5 minutes. Adjust the amount of leaves to achieve the desired strength.