Lightly fermented factory shou. Not bad but strong fermentation flavor, especially the first few steeps. Actually more fermentation flavor than expect from a 3 year old shou. Drowns out the finer notes. A bit too medicinal for my preference, but the aftertaste is nice. I will probably steam the rest of this tuo and let it air out, but I think a few more years is needed on this one. If you are reading this in the future, this tuo is certainly worth checking out.
The tea soup is light and red-brown, never turns really dark even when pushed.
I brewed 10 gram in 100 ml of water at boiling 100 C. Might want to play around with the parameters. Lasted quite a few steeps. The first few it was a bit harsh, peaked around steep four or five for me.
Flavors: Chocolate, Mushrooms, Nuts
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At another session I pushed the tea really hard and that renders interesting results. If you can cope with the resulting bitterness, you get some good complexity and the fermentation flavor is less disturbing.
And another comment after more sessions: the tea does grow on me. I still feel it need some more storage, and it is not very accessible, but there is some really interesting things going on. I suppose I might say that I am not wild on how it tastes I do like how it makes me feel.
The 2009’s and 2010’s are getting good now. I would sit on it a while.
Thanks, I suspected it needed some time on it. I actually have a tong in the mail so I will stick that one in the back of a cupboard for a couple of years :)
Only better with age.
At another session I pushed the tea really hard and that renders interesting results. If you can cope with the resulting bitterness, you get some good complexity and the fermentation flavor is less disturbing.
And another comment after more sessions: the tea does grow on me. I still feel it need some more storage, and it is not very accessible, but there is some really interesting things going on. I suppose I might say that I am not wild on how it tastes I do like how it makes me feel.
The 2009’s and 2010’s are getting good now. I would sit on it a while.
Thanks, I suspected it needed some time on it. I actually have a tong in the mail so I will stick that one in the back of a cupboard for a couple of years :)
Only better with age.