Questions Answered: Ripe/Raw Recs, Desert Island Pu'erh, Memorable Sessions & Much More [IBS 374]

[@iBuzzinga]

Casual 40-min inbetweenisode

[@SerpenTRyder]

Another thing about "dragon balls" tea: they float often, which brings complications in terms of uneven steeping, slower unfurling, probably some taste unevenness compared to pressed, etc.

[@jiahaotan696]

I recent acquired some dragon balls (this just keeps reminding me of the anime) and I just pour hot water directly on it for the first wash and I find that the next (first) infusion, the leaves already fall apart and expand into my teapot. Maybe yours have been more compressed, but you could give it a try, since the first rinse or wash isn't typically drunk. For the usual infusions you could simply pour hot water around the leaves at the side of your vessel if you're uncomfortable directly pouring on the leaf.

[@SerpenTRyder]

@@jiahaotan696 yeah, mine are usually tight. I have a particular Shou Mei that slowly unfolds at the top and very slowly sinks while the part floats half way.

[@douglasmichals7760]

Thanks James. What I should have asked is why are many western facing vendors taking price increases this year when per Donghe/Marshaln a lot of aged tea prices are falling at wholesale in China, the Yuan has weakened against the USD and China is in a tough recession which should cause some pullback in domestic demand?

[@TeaDB]

Hard to say. I would think this would trickle down to the western market at some point. There’s also the matter of Dayi vs the rest. Pricing dynamics are somewhat related but also kinda different. I would think Dayi should be available for less now or soonish.

[@sia1759]

Thanks for sharing your experience, thoughts and stories ✌️ always nice to hear from a true veteran

[@TeaDB]

Cheers!

[@burblingbarbacoa4944]

Cheers for answering man. I have some 69 and 72 percent bovedas and I've begun a bit of experimentation. I'm in Perth Australia, so not super dry, not super humid.

[@andreidumitrufocsanu2962]

Haha, great to hear those memorable tea sessions stories. Btw, no worries about butchering my name, I'm used to it. Cheers!

[@TeaDB]

No problem!

[@jiahaotan696]

Thanks for talking in depth about my comment! The suggestion about getting a sample home to try is novel and I will probably raise it up to this particular vendor should I feel like dropping by his shop again. I'd just buy samples off him to test at home first to be honest. Much better than having to gulp tea and sense some mysterious sensation while he watches you and there's the pressure of to buy or not to buy... He does indeed use boiling water, but does most of his brewing in a thick Ru ware gaiwan and with low leaf to water ratio, which is not my preference. Regarding water: living in Singapore, my tap water is inherently potable and soft with low TDS, and boiling it in a tetsubin just drives out the chlorine gas and adds a little bit of softness and sweetness. I don't overdo it and immediately brew my tea and/or pour the remaining water into clay vessels to cool for drinking or further reheat for later tea infusions.

[@TeaDB]

Makes sense. Even if someone is just brewing different it's hard to get a great grasp of the tea. Yeah my tap water here in Seattle is also very soft with low TDS.

[@ДаниилБабенко-х3и]

Great video. Very educational. I have a bit of a weird question, if you have a moment. At what point would you consider someone an "experienced" puer drinker? Not a specialist, but also not a beginner. Is there a certain point at all where you could say "this person knows puer"?

[@TeaDB]

Hmm good question. I'm not sure I really think about it in that way. I think a lot depends on how they learned. Quite possible to drink a lot (maybe even daily) and not know that much. By definition I suppose that person is experienced so I think it just depends.

[@alexmazin]

How many cakes are there in your collection?

[@TeaDB]

Hah good question. Between 200-300 I believe.

[@mrshou112]

I also wanted to ask - when you mention 'breaking up tea" I've heard people say to take a chunk off of a cake and leave it as is (whole), as breaking it up is somehow bad to do? Saying that it can make it more bitter etc. Is there any truth to this?

[@TeaDB]

I would say definitely break it up into small chunks . Always depends a bit on compression. Don’t want to make it into dust but one whole chunk is also very unideal brewing.

[@mrshou112]

@@TeaDB Awesome. Thanks again!!