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Michael Plant

Mike 1/16/07

>
> Draconus wrote:
>> Been drinking Chinese tea, particularly Pu-erh and Fijian Oolong for just
>> over 12 months now (and loving it!). I am now beginning to notice that I
>> need to put more leaf into my pot or gaiwan than I did when I started to
>> obtain the flavour I desire.
>>
>> Is this the natural development of one's palate or is my tea degrading due
>> to storage ?
>
> Could be both. Although the Puerh generally wont degrade with age
> unless it is over 30 years old or so.

Bite your tongue, boy!

> Now greens, whites, and even reds
> to a lesser degree will all loose their essence over time, sometimes
> very quickly. It is mainly blacks (the Chinese definition of black)
> that actually improve over time rather than degrade.

To which we ought to add a properly roasted
Oolong from WuYi which will improve with
some age on it as witnessed by Jenn who
found a 2006 Bai Ji Guan wanting compared
to a 2005, a sentiment with which I totally
agree having tried both teas. If Jenn refers
to The Tea Gallery (NYC) BJG's, the 2006
is nice enough, but the 2005 is richer and
more nuanced, perhaps for the additonal
year, and perhaps 2005 was just a better
year, an idea that has wide circulation.Some
say that a well roasted Phoenix Mt. Oolong
will also enjoy some months stashed away.
In any event, a well roasted tea of most any
sort shouldn't be drunk immediately because
the roast quality will overpower and needs
resting time.

> On the hand your palate will also develop with time. Teas that I used
> to consider too bitter to enjoy are now quite enjoyable, greens that I
> used to think were bland are now quite flavorful.

No, not necessarily. I have proof. I am proof.

>> My tea is stored in double-lidded stainless steel canisters
>> in what is a relatively stable (temp and humidity wise) environment. Our
>> consumption rate for our loose leaf Pu-erh, for example, is approx 750grams
>> over the last 12 months. I buy my loose leaf Pu-erh in 500gram lots. My
>> brewing times have stayed relatively consistent.
>
> Again, loose puerh doesn't even need the precautions you are taking.
> Most puerhs benefit from being stored in breathable containers rather
> than airtight etc.
>
>> Right now I am drinking a Royal Grade B loose leaf Pu-erh I got from James
>> Banna and I am finding that I need to almost double the amount of leaf in my
>> 200ml pot than I originally used to satisfy myself.
>
> This sounds like a palate evolution to me. My taste in black puerh
> changed very similarly. I now drink my cooked puerhs very styrong in
> comparison to what I started out with. Assuming of course that we are
> talking about the exact same shipment. If it was two different
> shipments there is a high likliehood that the two teas came from
> different batches which could easily have differed in perceived flavor.

There are all kinds of balances to be struck.
Perhaps Oz is heading swiftly toward a
full Gung Fu frenzy. Personally, I don't see
demand for more Pu-erh leaf as a palate
development unless he were using too little
leaf to begin with.

> Sounds rather normal to me.....
> Might be time to start experimenting with raw puerhs, again, a normal
> evolution.....

Aha, your tastes ripen as you move to the raw.
But, as your tastes develop toward richer and
richer Pu'erhs, you will have to swim with the
sharks, of which there is no scarcity. You'll
see them swimming around Taiwan, Hong Kong,
and of late New York City. Tulip bulbs, anyone?

Michael