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There is another thing that I am interested in finding out in your writing. You said the Lapsang Souchong was too strong for you. I am wondering since you have taken on the stronger Phoenix oolong, what is it that in the Souchong that makes the taste too strong? One thing in tea that mislead novices in the beginning is often the great differences in density, i.e. 3 gm of Souchong does look a lot less tealeaves than 3 gm of Phoenix. If it is not that, perhaps you can share the details in your tea experience so we learn too.
I am glad that you have progressed to a new level in tasting. It’s interesting that you mentioned balancing blood sugar with Phoenix. Back in the last century, one of my importers in Japan told me she was able to withdraw from her diabetic prescription since she began to drink Phoenix habitually. Once in a flight to Hong Kong, she almost fainted after eating the on board meal because she had not had any real tea that whole day. The attendants transferred her to rest in first class and asked if she had the needed medication. She gave them a small packet of Phoenix tea and asked them to make it for her. She was so energetic to tell me the story when she came into the office the next day, I could have thought that she lied about it had I not known the potency of the tea.
According to a number of reports, tea does have that capability of blood sugar regulation. It’s just wondrous to witness how potent certain Phoenix oolongs are. This is one of my research topics and I hope before long, some initial writings will appear in this site.@zachno, you really don’t need to drink green tea after food for the bowel assistance effect. I actually advise people green tea should not be the tea after proper meals. Try it in the morning or in the afternoon, or even with milk and sugar.
Other than puer, another tea great for the purpose is the category of greener oolongs, including green style Tieguanyin and Taiwan oolongs, bouquet style Phoenix, light fire Wuyi etc. No need to drink them gongfu way. The 1 to 100 desktop mug will do.Let me know if there is progress.I like it both ways! As Longjing 43 puts it well, the gongfu way is good when you are able to make yourself to make time for it. Otherwise, a good Longjing always has its place in the mug on my desk!
Spraying with such things, likely to be something with H2O2, is minor if you understand how some of such products are produced outside of official visits or invited tours. Some so-called properly matured products could be piled next to pig-sties and sprayed with dirty water for moulding. They are then sprayed with mould-killers, wiped with dirty wet cloths and then baked dry again. Whatever imitation old wrapping paper and labels are produced by a large army of proficient forgery industry. The margin for such products is simply ridiculous for the over-populated criminals on the Chinese soil not to do things nasty to get the bucks.
FYI, While the term Dancong refers to single bush processing, it has been so over-abused nowadays that even the most mass market imitation Phoenix oolongs are called by that name.
Three years ago when it happened it was due to an extreme fluctuation of weather, when it was warm in late March and early April so the leaves were growing faster than normal. Before they were ready for plucking a frost suddenly came to kill almost all shoots and young leaves. After the weather normalised young leaves on the whole mountains sprouted and opened almost simultaneously. Production through put speed could never have catch up for such an influx. Those leaves that were plucked but could not be processed in time simply got laid there to wither. The only tea processing these poor leaves could go through was that of the black, although none of the production masters there were proficient in it. Nor were they properly set up for it. That is why the black tea coming out that year were not properly rolled like other black teas and the fermentation depths were not even. I had a few samples of those even now. They are a constant reminder of how fragile agriculture is, and what miracles those fine quality teas actually are. When I witness the power of Nature over whatever human intelligence, experience or mastery, I can’t help but feel humble and grateful of whatever I am able to enjoy.
This is a great question. As some of you have already pointed out, as a shengcha pu’er comes into contact with the elements and begin to go through slowly the process of post-fermentation, it gradually turns into a dark tea, in the same category as shu cha pu’er. As to at which point it is a dark tea, initially I have wanted to work with scientists or perhaps if there are already existing datas, to come up with a definition. However, I do have some other things to ponder about too and would like to give a definition that covers a few perspectives.
Do remember that though, the post-fermentation process with which each batch of shengcha — be it in compressed forms or loose leaves — transforms, is very likely to differ dramatically to another. This, plus the different nature of the original leaves, is going to yield extremely varied final chemistry of the tealeaves.
The Taiwan study which datas I have quoted in this article: https://www.teaguardian.com/tea-health/puer-health-sheng-cha-or-shu-cha-1.html, reflects only a small fraction of the huge variety of products labelled as pu’er in the market. However, it does give a general idea as to the gradual change of chemistry as the tea slowly darkens.
It would be a bit irresponsible not to give a temporary solid answer to Sophie’s question, so I’ll say from a user’s point of view in judging whether a shengcha is TCM a bit milder. Not by the leaf colour, esp when it’s a compressed form. The infusion colour is a bit more reliable. Do a 3g to 150 ml 5-minute infusion test. The taste should be sweet, the colour should be very dark with refractions showing colours from deep brown to deep red. This is of course for tasting test; you can adjust the concentration in daily consumption.
