Sat down with LiquidProust yesterday to try my first sheng. We tried just about every brewing time known to man, so I feel like I got the full spectrum of what this tea can be. I also got a great lesson in playing with a tea to coax different flavors out of it.
Vegetable was the overarching flavor of this tea, no matter what temperature it was brewed at—specifically zucchini. When we did a longer steep on the leaves, it was unsurprisingly bitter. We did a couple of sessions where we let the water run straight through leaves and into the pot, and that was where the jasmine notes really shone through. After letting these short steeps cool a little, I got the slightest hint of a sweetness.
Overall, the flavor was pleasant, but not the darker, roastier, fermentier, deeper flavors I am used to. I think I’m still on the fence between simply liking and loving these “greener” teas. Time and experience will tell.
A HUGE “thank you” to LiquidProust for taking the time and the tea out of his schedule to come and educate me on puerh. I look forward to trying the others.
Flavors: Jasmine, Sweet, Vegetal, Zucchini
