Description

 

(unpressed) Da Xue Shan Ye Sheng Pu Erh Tea

Da Xue Shan Ye Sheng Pu Erh Tea

Da Xue Shan Ye Sheng Pu Erh Tea is an unripened Pu Erh tea from wild tea trees. These thrive at altitudes around 1900 meters in the forests of Da Xue Shan in Lincang’s Yong-de district. The wild growth character is responsible for the age range of the large-leaved Yunnan tea trees, ranging from a few years to a few centuries .

wild tea trees in the forests of Da Xue Shan, Lincang, Yunnan

The tea surprises with a pronounced, highly pleasing orchid note and an unusually creamy texture. As a post-fermenting Pu Erh tea of high picking and processing standards, it not only has a potentially unlimited shelf life. Rather, the ripening processes also contribute to desirable developments in the tea’s taste over time. Here, we offer this tea in its unpressed loose leaf form.

What is “Sheng” Pu Erh Tea?

We basically distinct between “sheng” and “shou”, unripened and ripened Pu Erh tea. Both these types share the same initial processing, which largely corresponds to that of green tea. In contrast to green tea processing, however, pu erh tea processing omits withering the tea leaves after picking. Another distinguishing and characteristic feature of pu-erh tea processing is the tea leaves’ final drying under the sun.

What means “Ye Sheng”?

“Ye Sheng” means as much as “wild”. In the case of tea trees, this refers to growing from the seed and in their natural biodiverse environment. That natural environment is usually a foresty or similar vegetation. Both factors make a real difference! Because only the input of a natural biodiverse environment creates the best soil for a tea that is particularly rich in flavor and active ingredients. And only the roots of a seed-grown tea tree reaches as deep as 2 meters into the ground, this way making the abundance of the soil available for the tea plant. Among others, this is responsible for this tea’s particularly high antioxidant content.

Da Xue Shan “Ye Sheng” Pu Erh Tea – Picking and Processing

Picking “ye sheng” (= wild) tea is particularly laborious. On the one hand, the tea trees lying deep in the otherwise largely untouched forest are difficult to access. On the other hand, they often have to be laboriously climbed in order to enable picking. Also, implementing the proper picking standard becomes a challenge under these conditions. For our Da Xue Shan Ye Sheng Pu Erh, the “royal” standard of “2 + 1” basically applies. This means that one young, still unopened bud together with the two youngest leaves that are attached to it qualify for picking.

The best time to pick this tea is early in the year in March. Because Yunnan’s dry and sunny climate at this time offers the best conditions for producing Pu Erh tea.

picking standard / heating of tea leaves in wok pan over wood fire / rolling / sun drying

– klick picture to enlarge –

The processing takes place according the the standard for Pu Erh Tea processing. That is, the leaves undergo heating immediately after picking to stop the enzymatic oxidation processes in the tea leaf. The subsequent rolling of the tea leaves serves to break-up the cell walls and promote the even distribution of juices in the tea leaf. Then, the final drying of the tea leaves typically takes place outdoors under the sun.

The result of this final drying is called “Mao-Cha”. This in turn provides the raw material for further processing to ripened (“shou”) or unripened (“sheng”) Pu Erh tea. In both cases, the tea leaves can be pressed into one of the characteristic shapes. This can be brick, mushroom or, as here: flat cakes. The Pu Erh tea pressed as flat cake is often referred to as “Bing Cha”. Alternatively, the tea can also be left in loose leaf form, as we offer here.

Preparation

The preparation of Pu Erh tea usually begins with a “washing steep”. This is disposed off again a few seconds only after moistening the tea leaves with bubbling hot water. As the name suggests, this preparation step on the one hand serves to remove dust and impurities from the tea leaves. On the other hand, it “awakens” the tea leaves, which is beneficial to the ensuing proper first steep.

Pour 3g tea leaves/100ml with bubbly hot water (90°-100°C). Then let infuse for up to 1 minute, according to personal preference, for a delicious first infusion. After this, Bing Dao Gushu Sheng Pu Erh Tea produces a good series of tasty follow-up infusions. For these a brewing time of 20-30 seconds initially suffices, but can be extended accordingly with fading flavor intensity.

For more ripened and unripened Pu Erh teas @ Siam Tea Shop please follow this link:

Shou and Sheng Pu Erh Teas @ Siam Tea Shop

Da Xue Shan Ye Sheng Pu Erh Tea – unripened pu erh tea from wild growing tea trees at Da Xue Shan, Yong-de district, Lincang prefecture, Yunnan, Southern China