Breaking Pu-erh question

[GG1]

When breaking up a cake of Pu-erh (in any of its various forms) do you break off only what you need at that time, or do you break it up all at once?

 

[Carlin]

I like many others believe in breaking off only enough for one pot at a time.

What cake did you get?

 

[kimble22]

I like many others believe in breaking off only enough for one pot at a time.

What cake did you get?

In HK, it is customary to break the entire cake up and store it in an appropriate conatiner, i.e. yixing or other clay jar. This will help to stimulate the qi, as well as even out any inconsistencies in the cake- such as outer leaves being more aged than the inner leaves.

IMHO, I think it is worth doing a few experiments with storage- Teamasters recently did a nice post on this- and then determine for yourself which way best fits your enthusiasm/budget.

 

[silvertip beard]

When breaking up a cake of Pu-erh (in any of its various forms) do you break off only what you need at that time, or do you break it up all at once?

Yes.

 

[tea goober]

I tend to break up about half of a cake at a time and store it in a yixing jar. I dont always have time to play with my tea so I choose to have a jar of already seperated leaves at hand.

 

[Erik]

I tend to break up about half of a cake at a time and store it in a yixing jar. I dont always have time to play with my tea so I choose to have a jar of already seperated leaves at hand.

How many 'half cakes' do you have lying around?

 

[ouch]

I pry off a solid piece big enough for three or four sessions and keep them in baggies for short term storage. I must have twenty or thirty such baggies laying around. When it's session time I further subdivide, and when it's gone I refill it with enough for another few rounds.

 

[tea goober]

How many 'half cakes' do you have lying around?

Maybe 6 or 7 at a time. When it gets to where I have too many cakes halves I try to use restraint and not break into any new cakes untill Ive finished what Ive already started.

 

[arghblech]

i pry off a solid piece big enough for three or four sessions and keep them in baggies for short term storage. I must have twenty or thirty such baggies laying around. When it's session time i further subdivide, and when it's gone i refill it with enough for another few rounds.

+1

 

[GG1]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll look for Teamasters thread.
I was breaking some up and wondered if it was best to do this every time or not. I saw a video about how to do it and the man (Chinese) broke the whole cake up.

Carlin, I haven't got to a whole cake yet. In the fall I bought samples from Steve, some were 25g while 3 were 100g which are 2008 Menghai "Hong Yun" Ripe Pu-erh Mini tea cake, 2008 Menghai V93 Premium Ripe Pu-erh tea, and 2008 Xiaguan FT "Happy Tuo" Raw Pu-erh. I still have some of these 3 left. I know, I'm slow lol

 

[Carlin]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll look for Teamasters thread.
I was breaking some up and wondered if it was best to do this every time or not. I saw a video about how to do it and the man (Chinese) broke the whole cake up.

Carlin, I haven't got to a whole cake yet. In the fall I bought samples from Steve, some were 25g while 3 were 100g which are 2008 Menghai "Hong Yun" Ripe Pu-erh Mini tea cake, 2008 Menghai V93 Premium Ripe Pu-erh tea, and 2008 Xiaguan FT "Happy Tuo" Raw Pu-erh. I still have some of these 3 left. I know, I'm slow lol

Asides from two 100g tuo's I haven't ordered any cakes myself! I'm still sampling it up! Im looking to pick up my first few cakes in maybe 1-3 months.

How do you like that Happy Tuo btw?

 

[netsurfr]

I generally break up a whole cake at a time and store it in a paper bag or clay jar. I use the method that you may have seen on utube videos that Cloud has done.

 

[GG1]

Yes Steve, the Cloud video is the one I was referring to.

Carlin, I haven't had it in about a week or more. Thats part of my problem is that I'm too infrequent and I don't take notes. I like it but I can't say how much or compare it until I have it again. Maybe tomorrow or Wed.

 

[hkshane]

I asked a local shop here in Hong Kong which sells tea how to store it. Its an old local shop. One of my students family owns it. They said put it in jar and break off what you need. They had clay jars and what looked like aluminum or tin jars. They just said dont let air in as humidity is high here.

I'll try and get photo of the shop and post it.