This was from JakeB quite a while ago – thanks so much! Since this is a cake, I’m assuming these are supposed to be aged black/red teas? YS has a black cake from 2014 listed on their site, so I’m assuming these cakes are supposed to age a bit. One can dream anyway, for my aging cupboard. But since JakeB sent four cakes (have since rehomed one of the four) it would take me quite a while to get through these cakes! The leaves in the cake are fairly compact. The first steep’s flavor is very light and bland, probably because the water was too cool to properly unravel the compactedness of these leaves. The second steep was VERY dark and deep and more of what I’m looking for in a black tea — the leaves had also fully unraveled by then. I wonder where the “drunk” in the name comes from, because I could swear there was a boozy quality to this second steep, that I normally wouldn’t notice in black tea… This is fine, an the only black/reds I have within full cakes. So I guess I will have to be content with that novelty, as it stands this just tastes like BLACK TEA to me at the moment.
Steep #1 // 20 minutes after boiling // rinse// 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 2 minutes after boiling // 3 1/2 minute steep
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No really, someone please tell me if an eight year old black tea cake is intended to be enjoyed aged, like a puerh?
I wish I could answer with certainty! I know I have seen aged white and aged oolong cakes. Not sure about aged black but someone will know!
Ask and ye shall receive. Today’s email from Verdant is about aged black tea! If you go on their site or blog, you can probably find it. I don’t know how to link to an email…
I usually get Verdant’s e-mails but don’t see this one yet! I will seek out the info on the site if the e-mail doesn’t show up soon, thanks ashmanra. :D
I think there is nothing bad with ageing black tea as long it is not some fannings, or some low quality material! This one was cake, so I think it was intended to age, maybe not that much though :)
I think this one will be fine to age. Being pressed into a bing cha type would suggest that it was made to age. I would just brew it in a way that you enjoy it and go from there.
Martin – Yeah, aged “not that much” is what I was worried about. haha.
mrmopar – thanks for the reassurance!
No really, someone please tell me if an eight year old black tea cake is intended to be enjoyed aged, like a puerh?
I wish I could answer with certainty! I know I have seen aged white and aged oolong cakes. Not sure about aged black but someone will know!
Ask and ye shall receive. Today’s email from Verdant is about aged black tea! If you go on their site or blog, you can probably find it. I don’t know how to link to an email…
I usually get Verdant’s e-mails but don’t see this one yet! I will seek out the info on the site if the e-mail doesn’t show up soon, thanks ashmanra. :D
I think there is nothing bad with ageing black tea as long it is not some fannings, or some low quality material! This one was cake, so I think it was intended to age, maybe not that much though :)
I think this one will be fine to age. Being pressed into a bing cha type would suggest that it was made to age. I would just brew it in a way that you enjoy it and go from there.
Martin – Yeah, aged “not that much” is what I was worried about. haha.
mrmopar – thanks for the reassurance!