Description

“Bing”-pressed Ming Feng Shan Gushu Sheng Pu Erh Tea

Ming Feng Shan Gushu Sheng Pu Erh Tea

Ming Feng Shan Gushu Sheng Pu Erh Tea is an unripened Pu Erh tea from Yunnan’s Lincang district. There, the large-leaved tea trees providing the basis for producing this tea, thrive on “Ming Feng Shan” tea mountain. Our Ming Shan Gushu Sheng Pu Erh comes from an ancient tea garden with tea trees between 150 and 400 years old. As a regional characteristic, the unripened (“sheng”) Pu Erh tea comes as (here: 200g) flat cakes or “Bing”. And just like in ancient times, several bings are packed in a “tong” made from palm leaves.

one “tong” contains several “bings”

The harmonious balance and mild taste of this tea are almost unusual for such relatively young “sheng”. At this, a roundelay of light, fruity-fresh notes elevates the complex mineral-earthy basis composition significantly from the mass of unripened Pu-Erh teas. While the potential for maturation is an integral part of most sheng pu erh tea experiences, our Ming Feng Shan Gushu imparts a feeling of immaculate perfection “as is”.

unpacked tea flat cake (“bing) – Ming Feng Shan Gushu Sheng Pu Erh Tea

The Location – Ming Feng Shan (Lincang, Yunnan)

Ming Feng Shan is one of the classic pu-erh tea mountains in Yunnan’s Lincang district. This means that indigenous large-leaved tea tree varieties, the leaves of which provide the basis for the production of pu-erh tea, have thrived here since ancient times. To this day, the mountain holds true treasures in natural tea gardens with ancient, seed-grown tea trees.

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 is “Gushu”?

“Gushu” means as much as “old tree”. However, it remains undefined from what age exactly a tea tree is “old” and thus “gushu”. While there’s a widespread idea that “gushu” requires at least a three-digit age of the tea trees, the term also finds use used for the age group below. The term’s use is even more difficult with natural tea tree occurrences, with trees naturally being of individual age.

150-400 years-old tea tress in the Ming Feng Shan tea garden

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The age of a tea tree plays a decisive role in the taste of the tea made from its leaves. There are various reasons for this. On the one hand, the roots of the tree reach deeper into the ground with increasing age and thus get ever closer to the supply sources of active ingredients. On the other hand, old tea trees grow only very slowly. Accordingly, every centimeter of growth and the formation of every new branch or leaf come with a higher intake of active substances than would be the case with a younger tree .

Picking and Processing

The “royal” picking standard of “2+1” applies to the picking of our Ming Feng Shan Gushu Sheng Pu Erh. This means one young, still unopened bud each with thes two youngest leaves attached to it qualify for picking.

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

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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” .

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.

After the washing steep, pour 3g tea leaves/100ml with bubbly hot water (90°-100°C). Then let infuse for 30-50 seconds, according to personal preference, for a delicious first infusion. After this, Ming Feng Shan Gushu Sheng Pu Erh Tea produces a good series of tasty follow-up infusions. For these a brewing time of 10-20 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