How do you decide on what to blend? Also. Do you age the blended material together for a little bit?
What Pu'er Are You Drinking
@OCTO
I wonder if you have noticed a trend to blend Sheng and shou puerh? I have only seen a few places do that outside of US. I do blend Sheng from different age and storage condition to expand the complexity. I tried a sample of 90s blend Sheng and shou recently, very intriguing experience.
Not too sure about a upcoming trend.... but my quirky blends tend to not sit well with the purist masters... hahahahaha..... but yeah, blending does expand the complexity of the tea and also enhance the experience. I would go beyond blending sheng and shou.... the outcome is often very pleasing, but at times.... "challenging"... hahahaha....DailyTX wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 4:30 pmOCTO
I wonder if you have noticed a trend to blend Sheng and shou puerh? I have only seen a few places do that outside of US. I do blend Sheng from different age and storage condition to expand the complexity. I tried a sample of 90s blend Sheng and shou recently, very intriguing experience.
I thought that sheng / shou blends were fairly traditional in Hong Kong.
Perhaps the new trend that you've created is by opening up Pandora's box of the limitless opportunities of having fun creating your own blends.
DIY pu er.
Andrew
Perhaps the new trend that you've created is by opening up Pandora's box of the limitless opportunities of having fun creating your own blends.
DIY pu er.
Andrew
Yeah... Sheng/Shou blends are pretty common. Hopefully the Pandora’s box brings us on an unforgettable journey....
The excitement is palpable. If someone has ten shou and ten sheng, and around a hundred different ratios to play with, then...
At the very least, you've inspired me. I always think that young sheng is poisonous to my constitution. Now I finally know what I can do with it.
Andrew
At the very least, you've inspired me. I always think that young sheng is poisonous to my constitution. Now I finally know what I can do with it.
Andrew
I'm glad to have inspired you to explore your tea and enjoy your journey of discovery.Andrew S wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 5:24 amThe excitement is palpable. If someone has ten shou and ten sheng, and around a hundred different ratios to play with, then...
At the very least, you've inspired me. I always think that young sheng is poisonous to my constitution. Now I finally know what I can do with it.
Andrew
Cheers!!
It has been the same for me - very much a 'why didn't I think of that' thing in retrospect, but very grateful for the inspiration. Was having a 50/50 mix of a smoky Xiaguan tuo and Yee On's Fulushou and it was great. It tones down the smoke and gut punch and aggressive side of the of the Xiaguan. Also while it already has a more complex taste than your typical shou it did also make the Fulushou taste richer and more complex, adds in some extra sweetness and the sheng smoke provides a bit of balance. It makes drinking sheng feel much more relaxing for me than before.OCTO wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:01 amI'm glad to have inspired you to explore your tea and enjoy your journey of discovery.Andrew S wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 5:24 amThe excitement is palpable. If someone has ten shou and ten sheng, and around a hundred different ratios to play with, then...
At the very least, you've inspired me. I always think that young sheng is poisonous to my constitution. Now I finally know what I can do with it.
Andrew
Cheers!!
@OCTO
You seem very comfortable blending your tea. To me, blending tea is like those masters making puerh recipes. One needs to have some vision of the end product. With enough knowledge of your tea and control, you make a blend that enhance the original product. I read people in China are still trying to replicate the puerh recipes from LQER era haha
@Andrew S
The Sheng/shou blend I tried was claimed to stored in Hong Kong. It would be fascinating to do some digging to see the origin as shou only existed for a little more than half century.
You seem very comfortable blending your tea. To me, blending tea is like those masters making puerh recipes. One needs to have some vision of the end product. With enough knowledge of your tea and control, you make a blend that enhance the original product. I read people in China are still trying to replicate the puerh recipes from LQER era haha
@Andrew S
The Sheng/shou blend I tried was claimed to stored in Hong Kong. It would be fascinating to do some digging to see the origin as shou only existed for a little more than half century.
@DailyTX: I think that @tealifehk sells some shou / sheng blends on his website, including some that have come from traditional storage warehouses. Perhaps he could offer some insight both on the history and the current practice in Hong Kong.
For my part, I'm thinking that a good blend would be the perfect tea for a big teapot at yum cha. The shou would offer sweetness and the sheng would last longer. So long as they don't refill the pot with jasmine tea before you can protest.
Andrew
For my part, I'm thinking that a good blend would be the perfect tea for a big teapot at yum cha. The shou would offer sweetness and the sheng would last longer. So long as they don't refill the pot with jasmine tea before you can protest.
Andrew
@Bok: I completely agree. Sydney may have no tea culture, but there are a few decent yum cha and other Chinese restaurants around, and I always bring some old wet stored pu er to keep myself happy. That's how old pu er was always meant to be enjoyed, at least until it got too expensive.
The only problem is the looks that I get from staff and other diners when I open an old sunglasses case to reveal a zip-lock baggie of strange leaves.
Thankfully, I don't care for social niceties, so it only makes those around me feel awkward.
Andrew
The only problem is the looks that I get from staff and other diners when I open an old sunglasses case to reveal a zip-lock baggie of strange leaves.
Thankfully, I don't care for social niceties, so it only makes those around me feel awkward.
Andrew
The last, stubborn remains of snow and ice on a nearby forest path has been thawing the last few weeks, and are now almost completely gone. Took a trip through the woods this morning and happened upon a pair of ducks in a small stream. Early spring is definitely a fact by now.竹外桃花三两枝，春江水暖鸭先知
The trip with all its signs of spring prompted me to go for raw puer today. This is a 98 production from Kunming Tea Factory (CNNP), with a decade of HK storage before moving to Taiwan. Camphor, faint notes of tobacco, a sweetness that lingers in the throat. Might be just on the border of what some would consider musty - but this is pretty much right up my alley. A very pleasant surprise.
