Tea Review: Liubao Laochapo - Unroasted (White2Tea)

Liubao Laochapo (Unroasted)

White2Tea
Type: Heicha
Origin: China, Guangxi Province
Product Description:

Liubao heicha, also known as dark tea, a post fermented tea from Guangxi province in China.

This laochapo was a commisioned production of the late autumn, early winter coarse leaf style popular in Liubao.

This tea can be brewed gongfu style with long steeps or even simmered to release the flavors from the older leaves and stems. A very rustic style of tea, some of the bricks may have naturally occurring jinhua(eurotium cristatum), as well as all manner of odd bits one can expect in a rural, lower grade heicha.

Not the typical mass produced and pile fermented dark liubao. Raw may be a misnomer, but calling it green doesn’t quite seem right either, and some folk have even suggested this tea qualify as a yellow tea or some hybrid unfermented heicha. In China people often call it nongjia or farmer style, though it is rarely sold on the open market due to small production sizes and lack of proper accreditation. You will find similarities in this tea that spans genres – green tea, yellow tea, heicha, raw Puer – there is a reason you can’t pin it down easily. 

Temperature: 208° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have a light aroma of bark and moss.

The pale yellow-green infusion has an aroma of vegetables, fresh sawdust, and sun-warmed wood.  The taste is light and woody with light notes of pickles and pumpkin seeds in the finish.

The aroma of this heicha reminded me of garden sheds and woodworking projects.  The flavor remained at full-strength throughout three infusions.

This tea review was written in 2021. This tea was included in a monthly paid subscription box.

Tea Review: 2021 Spring Raw Liubao (White2Tea)

2021 Spring Raw Liubao
White2Tea
Type: Heicha
Origin: China, Guangxi Province
Product Description:

Liubao heicha, also known as dark tea, a post fermented tea from Guangxi province in China.

This tea was made on commission for white2tea in early spring of 2021 for our wonderful tea club. We did not have enough left for baskets, but had a little loose tea left for our new heicha section.

Not the typical mass produced and pile fermented dark liubao. Raw may be a misnomer, but calling it green doesn’t quite seem right either, and some folk have even suggested this tea qualify as a yellow tea or some hybrid unfermented heicha. In China people often call it nongjia or farmer style, though it is rarely sold on the open market due to small production sizes and lack of proper accreditation. You will find similarities in this tea that spans genres – green tea, yellow tea, heicha, raw Puer – there is a reason you can’t pin it down easily. 

Bright aromas and sweetness with a hefty huigan (returning sweetness) that is sticky and refreshing. Lovely to drink now or age as you desire. 

Temperature: 190° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of cocoa and wood.  

The light peach-yellow infusion has a savory and nutty aroma with notes of baked squash and a hint of cocoa.  The taste is nutty with notes that remind me of bitter chocolate.

I thoroughly enjoyed this heicha (my tasting notes say, "Yum!"), especially the cocoa notes that made an appearance throughout three infusions.  Though the third infusion had mellowed quite a bit, it was still quite nice.

This tea review was written in 2021. This tea was included in a monthly paid subscription box.

Tea Review: 7 Star 2009 Tian Jian Anhua Heicha (Bitterleaf Teas)

7 Star 2009 Tian Jian Anhua Heicha

Bitterleaf Teas
Type: Heicha
Origin: China, Hunan Province
Product Description: 

This 2009 Tianjian heicha has been our go-to post meal tea ever since it arrived. It has a gentle and warming smoky flavour that doesn’t overdo it. Having undergone pine-smoking during as a result of processing it also has some very pleasant pine and spice notes.

The soup is smooth and enjoyable, coating the mouth and leaving a cooling sensation in the throat after it’s gone.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have a spicy aroma with notes of moss and antique wood.

The liquor is copper-orange with a spicy, mossy, and almost minty aroma.  The taste is savory and broth-like with moss, mushroom, and wood notes.

This reminded me of a particularly flavorful vegetarian broth.  The savory mushroom-like notes became lighter by the second infusion and moved to the front again by the third. 

This tea was received as a gift from a third party.

Tea Review: Anhua Heicha (Gao Ma Er Xi)

Anhua Heicha
Gao Ma Er Xi
Type: Heicha
Origin: China, Hunan Province
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have a dark and savory aroma with notes of dried wood, dark bread crust, and salt.

The amber liquor has a savory aroma of dried mushrooms and wood.  The taste is rich and earthy with notes of mushroom, wood, and minerals.

While this was enjoyable when prepared with a cupping set, it really shines when prepared gongfu-style with more leaf in a smaller brewing vessel.  The liquor color became coppery-orange by the second infusion and I particularly enjoyed how the flavor and aroma developed more shiitake mushrooms and dashi broth-like notes.

This tea was received as a gift from a third party.

Tea Review: Lively Tea Instant Fuzhuan Heicha (Zhenxi)

Lively Tea/轻轻茶 Instant Fuzhuan Heicha

Zhenxi/臻溪
Type: Heicha
Origin: China, Hunan Province
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 208° F
Tea Amount: .5 gram (single packet)
Water: 6 ounces

The red-brown liquor is clear with an aroma that is rich with notes of roasted chestnuts and a hint of earthiness.  The taste is roasty with notes of nut shells and a mild bitterness toward the back that reminds me of coffee.

Per the company website, this instant fuzhuan heicha is a concentration of 8 grams of leaf into 1 gram of powder containing approximately 2.1 million cfu of jin hua (golden flower/Eurotium cristatum) probiotics. There is no stirring necessary and no residue. Unlike some of the other instant teas I've tasted, this does have some of the heicha character. While I much prefer loose leaf heicha, this is a very handy mess-free and travel-friendly alternative that I would drink again.

I received this sample during a presentation at World Tea Expo. At the time of this review, it is not available in the North American market.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Instant Dark Tea (Hua Lai Jian)

Instant Dark Tea/速溶黑茶
Hua Lai Jian/湖南华莱健黑茶
Type: Heicha
Origin: China, Hunan Province, Anhua
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 208° F

Tea Amount: .5 gram (single)
Water: 6 ounces

The dry powder has a sweet aroma of heavily roasted nuts.

The red-brown liquor is clear with a sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts.  The taste is mild with wood and caramelized sugar notes at the back and a long roasty finish.

The powder required no stirring.  The smell was unusual for heicha, yet nice.  The taste was very mild, though the notes at the back of the mouth were intriguing.  It's quite handy, packaged in single servings with no stirring and no cleanup necessary, ideal for a quick and easy cup of tea on the road.  While I have my doubts that heicha enthusiasts would enjoy this, I'm glad to see continued innovation.

I received this sample during a presentation at World Tea Expo.  At the time of this review, it is not available in the North American market.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Lotus Fuzhuan Heicha (Phoenix Tea)

Lotus Fuzhuan Heicha
Phoenix Tea
Type: Heicha
Origin: China, Hunan Province
Product Description: 

This fuzhuan is scented with lotus blossoms during processing, giving the hei cha a characteristic floral aroma and taste, complementing the post-fermented, compressed tea leaves. Plentiful jin hua (golden flowers) gives the tea a pleasantly thick mouthfeel and sweetness. You'll get a 100g bag of tea taken from a larger brick. Produced by Axiangmei factory.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-5 minutes

The dry leaves have a light aroma of sweet rice and wood.

The copper-orange infusion has an aroma of camphor wood and sweet cinnamon.  The taste is smooth with wood, mushroom, and herbal notes and a hint of pepper and cinnamon near the end.

The flavor deepened with each sip and the wood notes became more prominent after the first infusion.  Following the initial 3 minute steeping, I steeped the second infusion for 3 minutes and for 5 minutes.  While the 3 minute infusion was flavorful and aromatic with more wood and mushroom notes at the front, the 5 minute infusion had a more prominent sweet cinnamon-like aroma with stronger pepper notes at the end of each sip.  Adding a minute or two to each subsequent infusion helped to bring out more flavor and aroma.

Please note that fuzhuan cha is not celiac-safe.  The light speckling of jin hua (golden flower) that makes this style of dark tea unique is Eurotium cristatum, a potentially beneficial probiotic fungus which is sometimes encouraged to develop with a light dusting of flour.  

This tea was purchased by me.

The Chinese Tea Shop 2018

The Chinese Tea Shop opened in Vancouver's Chinatown in 2004 under the name Arts De Chine (Arts of China).   To better reflect owner Daniel Lui's focus on tea, the shop interior was reconfigured and the name changed to The Chinese Tea Shop in 2009.  The tea shop is located prominently on the corner of East Pender and Columbia Street, less than one block away from the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

My previous visit to The Chinese Tea Shop was in 2012 and a return visit to Vancouver and to the tea shop had been long overdue.  While attending the Vancouver Tea Festival last November, I was able to visit the Chinese Tea Shop booth where Daniel was preparing tea throughout the weekend and to break away for a visit the tea shop itself where Jennifer Lui was our gracious host.

As the name suggests, the Chinese Tea Shop offers an impressive range of Chinese teas including green, white, yellow, oolong, black, puerh, and heicha.  Their selection of aged teas including, but not exclusive to puerh, is especially intriguing.

The teaware selections are no less impressive and include Yixing, glass, and porcelain teapots as well as gaiwan, tea cups, and more.

Address: 
101 East Pender Street, Vancouver,B.C. V6A 1T6

Hours: 
1:00pm to 6:00pm (Wednesday-Monday)

Closed Tuesday

Treasure Green Tea Company

Treasure Green Tea Company was Vancouver's first Chinese tea shop, opening for business in 1981 at 275 East Georgia Street under the name Super Fine Tea Co.  Original owner and tea merchant Mr. Kwok Sun Cheung passed along his knowledge of tea to his daughter Olivia who expanded her studies, becoming a tea master and taking over the family business.  In 2003, the tea shop moved less than a block away to its current location at 227 East Georgia Street between Main Street and Gore Avenue under the new name of Treasure Green Tea Company.

Treasure Green offers a comprehensive selection of teas and tisanes as well as tea oils and teaware.

Guests can enjoy tea prepared hot or iced, in-house or to-go.  There are also worthwhile opportunities to attend a tea tasting session or tea ceremony class hosted by Olivia.

Address:
227 E Georgia St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1Z6

Hours:
Monday & Wednesday-Friday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Closed Tuesday

Phoenix Tea Shop 2018

In 2016, Phoenix Tea Shop moved to its new location in Burien on SW 152nd Street near 6th Avenue SW, less than half a mile from their previous location.  I've visited the new tea shop many (many) times since the move and an update has been long overdue.  

The tea shop is spacious and well-lit with a wide variety of teaware and supplies, as well as fascinating and beautiful not-for-sale pieces, on display throughout the space.  

The tea selection is extensive and ranges from standards to unusual and rare teas from around the world.  

100 Taels (3.625 kilos) of Bai Liang Hunan Heicha

Among the teaware available for purchase are incredible pieces by artists such as Richard Brandt, Mark Mohler, and Christopher Shaw. 

Richard Brandt

Mark Mohler

Christopher Shaw

While on the topic of art, Scarlet Ibis Art Gallery is located within the tea shop, and features the work of established and rising artists alike.  Their current exhibit (at the time of this entry) is Contemporary Japanese Prints.  Follow Scarlet Ibis Art Gallery on Facebook for the schedule of exhibits and receptions.  

Luxe Night by Judith Rayl

Phoenix Tea Shop also holds monthly tea tasting events that are free to the public.

Burien Tea Tasting Club takes place monthly on Sunday mornings and is an opportunity to taste and learn about a variety of teas with other tea lovers. 

Tea & Sound takes place on the last Sunday of each month at 6pm when the shop closes.  During this event, conversation and electronics are discouraged.  Guests can then decompress and relax while listening to music and drinking tea.  

Follow Phoenix Tea on Facebook for updates on tea and tea events!

Address:
447 SW 152nd St, Burien, WA 98166

Hours:
10:00am - 6:00pm Wednesday
10:00am - 8:00pm Thursday
10:00am - 6:00pm Friday-Sunday
Closed Monday - Tuesday

Tea Fest PDX 2018

The 2nd annual Tea Fest PDX took place on July 21st at the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon.

The weather was beautiful and everyone was in good spirits.  Before the festival opened, people in the will call line received their commemorative bags with tasting cups and wrist bands and were allowed to queue at the festival entrance which helped shorten the check-in lines. 

The outdoor vendor layout was a huge improvement over last year with good flow and no bottlenecks.  There were also many more vendors both indoor and outdoor with an impressive range of tea and teaware.  The workshop and tea tasting spaces had expanded, most notably with the addition of a British Tea Tent.  The meal options also expanded slightly with a food truck near the festival entrance and I learned that the Cascade Grill at the Oregon Zoo was a reasonably short walk away (and doesn't require zoo admission).

Since I would be attending workshops and tastings the latter half of the day, I spent much of the morning visiting vendors, tasting tea, and enjoying the live music performances.  This year's festival was a veritable Who's Who of the West Coast tea scene, so I also got to catch up with quite a few tea friends.

Phoenix Tea serving Jani Dhahabu, a Kenyan oolong

Fly Awake's The Lunatic, a night-plucked tea from Yunnan

Zuo Wang Tea preparing a 2017 Ripe Puerh

Floating Leaves teaware

 

Stages of tea processing at the Minto Island Tea Growers booth

Dressed in style for the Dressing the Regency Lady for Tea workshop presented by Nora Azevedo (A Baronets Daughter Designs)

Musical performances throughout the day included taiko, nyckelharpa, acoustic guitar, and erhu.

Morning Cream Tea Time hosted by Marilyn Miller (Delights of the Heart)

One of the welcome new additions to Tea Fest PDX was the British Tea Tent.  There were two Cream Teas during the festival and I attended the morning tea time which was accompanied beautifully with music by Celtic harpist Jini O'Flynn.

Our tea was served by Michele who created the stunning reproduction of an 1885 Victorian gown that she wore for the event.

Guests at the Cream Tea had the options of Chai Rooibos and Earl Grey tea (my choice) served with delicious scones from Newberg Bakery.  

Dong Ding Documentary Clip Premiere + Tasting with Shiuwen Tai (Floating Leaves)

This event was held as part of an ongoing fundraiser for the filming of a documentary about Taiwanese tea, specifically the tea growers and producers of Dong Ding Mountain.  There is more filming to be done, thus the fundraising, but the 8 minute clip we viewed was very engaging.  I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the full documentary!

Following the viewing, attendees had the opportunity to taste multiple infusions of two teas produced by the people in the clip, Mr. Su's Dong Ding Traditional and Charcoal Master Zhan's Dong Ding 3 Roast (which are both fantastic).  During the tasting, Shiuwen explained how to notice throat sensation, the spread of warmth in the throat and downward, to add to our appreciation of the tea.

Visit the Tea Documentary Project page for more information and opportunities to provide support.

Esoteric Teas with Charles & Laurie Dawson (Whatcom Tea Enthusiasts Association)

The Dawson's have a formidable (in the best way) collection of tea and tea knowledge and are generous with both.  If you have the opportunity to sit in on one of their tasting sessions, do it.  

2010 Ten Tael Heicha from Hunan Province

Also known as Huajuan cha or "flower rolling tea", this type of heicha is compressed into 10, 100, or 1000 tael logs.  This 10 tael log weighs approximately 500 grams.

Xinhui citrus-aged Gongting Pu'erh from Yunnan (tea) and Guangdong (citrus)

Gongting or ripe pu'erh is packed into citrus and aged.  The resulting steeped tea has prominent citrus notes.

Cha Gao Pu'erh from Yunnan Province

Liquid is extracted from tea leaves and then solidified in a highly concentrated tea gel, ready to be dissolve into water (~500ml water for a tiny piece like this).  We learned that tea gel resembles a certain illicit substance, so it would be wise to avoid putting it in your carry-on luggage.

Chanoyu - Japanese Tea Ceremony Demonstration with Marjorie Yap (Issoan Tea School)

Marjorie Soya Yap has been studying chado for over thirty years and has been teaching for over twenty years.  

Japanese tea ceremony originated during the time of samurai when warriors studied warrior arts as well as cultural arts to balance yin and yang.

There are hundreds of tea ceremony forms which can vary with guests, time of day, season, and occasion (graduation, first snowfall, flowers in bloom, etc).  A full tea gathering can take four and a half hours and include a nine-course meal, three servings of sake, and two servings of matcha (koicha/thick tea and usucha/thin tea) with a ten minute break, all while sitting on tatami.  There are five forbidden topics within the tea room:  politics, gossip, religion, money, and sons-in law (no bragging, no complaining).  

All elements of the tea room are intended to put you in the mood to receive the tea.  The Shokyaku (first guest) generally has the most experience and will do most of the talking with the other guests passing their questions for the host through the Shokyaku to keep the flow of the tea ceremony uninterrupted.  The quiet of the tea room is filled with the sounds of rainfall, footsteps on tatami, water splashing into the bowl, and the tea being whisked.  The weave of the tatami is 1 centimeter apart and this measure is used for mindful placement of tea implements.  The fukusa (silk tea cloth) used for purification by the host can be folded in about thirty five different ways, exposing different surfaces.  Within traditional tea ceremony schools, women will use a fukusa in a yang color (orange/red) and men will use a fukusa in a yin color (purple).

Tea ceremony consists of three "acts".

Act 1:  Purify tea utensils

Act 2:  Making and drinking tea

Act 3:  Closing

For this demonstration, the scroll reads "Seifu" or "pure breeze" which can also mean the teachings of Buddha among other things.  The bamboo kekkai in front of the furo (brazier) is used to create a separation between the real world (the audience) and the tea room.  

The host (Teishu) for this demonstration was Gabi Blau and the guest (Kyaku) was a member of the audience.  

Thanks and congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to make Tea Fest PDX a success in its second year!  I'm looking forward to 2019!