This was such an interesting session. I broke it into two days, with a whole (refrigerated) day in between when I went to work. I probably brewed 4-6 steeps on the first night; these were tasty but lacking much sweetness or huigan; mouthfeel was full and the character was bold in like a… craft beer kind of way? It wasn’t really bitter, but the presence was commanding and felt like it was holding something that I needed to wait for.
Fast forward 36 hours to this morning… I pulled my ceramic pot out of the fridge, warmed it from the outside, and continued on my merry way. Must have gotten 10-12 more steeps, and herrrrre came the break. The beautiful full mouthfeel held, and creamy apricot sweetness gently crept in. No bitterness, really, regardless of how hard I pushed.
There are so many shengs Iike this, that absolutely pique my curiosity and make me wonder how they’ll taste in 5-10-15 years. This one, for instance — without some big brash bitterness, does it have enough oomph to go anywhere else? Or is this — happily — its peak? I know nothing about the processing here — maybe this is boutique-style that isn’t meant for patience.
Anyway. Always learning. Thank you for the lesson, derk. <3
