Menghai Tea Factory (berylleb on ebay)

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Recent Tasting Notes

83

alrighty, this is a tea i’ve had for months, just waiting for the right moment to break it out and try it – i have only a sample size, so gently pried a clump off the larger clump. using my glass gaiwan, i’ve given it 2 quick washes, and with each wash, the fragrance got better, and the color became a deeper golden. this time, first steeping, i gave it about 30 seconds (including pour time), since the color wasn’t what i was hoping for.
taste – oh WOW this is grassy! not green-grassy like a sencha, but more of a fresh hay kinda flavor! quite refreshing and i’m quite enjoying. i don’t know why i was expecting more earth-shroom flavor, i guess because of the shou i have been drinking for the last couple of days. this one is not. like. that. which is not at all a bad thing!
second steeping: about 30 seconds again, this is turning more golden-y, as in a little additional harvesty-looking orange tint to the liquor, just gorgeous. this steeping is sharper, and looking back on it, i think the water was too hot (just off boiling). steeping again, a little before boiling…MUCH smoother. i don’t know if i should have started completely over, though…anyone know? this brewing is once again hayfresh and crisp fall harvest-y. i do like this raw puerh. i think i’ll keep going on this one all weekend, or until i need the gaiwan for an emergency oolong…

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Dry Grass, Hay

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec 3 tsp 4 OZ / 130 ML
mrmopar

The tight" compression makes these age very slowly. Good endurance factor.

juliebeth

well it is still lovely today, on my fourth steep and still going strong….although it’s getting on towards evening, i may have to stop if i want to sleep tonight. but it is so smooth and tasty…

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85

finishing up my last clump of this – some good stuff. once again, washed 2x, as first wash barely seemed to take any of the tea with it. 2nd steeping now, same procedure as before (glass gaiwan, just before boiling, 15 secs, plus 10 each new steep) and still enjoying. debating whether to get more or just try another one.

mrmopar

These bricks always benefit with about 2 years aging to allow them to settle a bit. They do steep for it seems like forever these little nuggets.

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85

i have had this one for a while, just waiting to be opened…well, this is the day! er, actually i’m anticipating the week. brewed in a gaiwan, water just at boiling, 2 brief washes, then first steep at 10…15…20…30 seconds before the stuff looked like anything much! that first steeping smelled amazing, tasted like nada. second steeping, i’m on now, took only the amount of time to fill the gaiwan then pour the tea into my cup – POW this is much better. smooth rich loamy mushroom, cool even while hot. i look forward to another couple of days out of this, i suspect.

not the greatest tea out there, but definitely a keeper.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 15 sec 1 tsp 3 OZ / 100 ML

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90

No notes yet. Add one?

Flavors: Almond

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 7 OZ / 200 ML

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This is thought of as a high-level ripe product from Dayi but I am underwhelmed by this particular harvest. It is a smooth drinking shou but I find the flavor profile quite boring. I do not see how it could mature into more flavor after more aging so I am unable to recommend it. Cakes using this formula from other years are much better.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 7 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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This is a rich, smooth and mellow tea and this premium shou does not disappoint. Easy to drink; smooth and mellow; full of flavor. The cake presents very dark leaves – on the smaller side; fairly tight compression. Double rinse and then multiple steeps yielding a perfectly clear dark reddish brown tea liquor. The flavor sits densely in the middle of the mouth, radiating sweetness and hints of tangy leather and dark chocolate. The tea never seems to get bitter even when pushed, and is consistently giving me the same quality right from the start to the end. Very much enjoyed my session with this tea and I am left alert, my lips buzzing.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 7 g 3 OZ / 100 ML
Luca Jooste

Hey, is it sorth buying even if I haven’t had a sample yet, I’m doubting to get it on dragon tea house, what do you recommend, 50, 100, or more grams!?!

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92

Farewell delicious sample. This is a puerh that i would gladly pick up again when i’m buying tea. By that time i’m sure it’ll be a bajillion dollars, but that’s ok. A few samples are off to friends who haven’t yet tried it but i’m going to enjoy an all day session with this one to eek out the last of it’s deliciousness.

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92

this has been my afternoon puerh for the day. I still have a mountain of puerh that i need to drink up as well as share with omg and dex and terri, so I should get cracking on that. this is smooth and delicious. so good.

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92

sipping on this one today while i do some house work. I may have one more session left once i break down samples for Dexter and omgsrsly but then i’ll consider picking up a cake of this one once i get through more of my cupboard. It really is an enjoyably smooth shou.

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92

i pulled this one out to enjoy throughout the day today. I don’t feel like writing complex notes on it, but needless to say, i’m super glad that boychik shared this one with me so i was able to purchase some for myself. This ie one that i’ll be sharing with dexter and a few others because it’s lovely. And then…i save for a cake! :)

Terri HarpLady

I really enjoyed this one too.

Sil

i want a cake. just not feasible these days :(

Terri HarpLady

yeah, I hear you. plus I need to start drinking the cakes I already have…

mrmopar

This is a really nice Dayi cake for sure.

boychik

Glad you still like it ;)

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92

mmmmmm boychik sent this one my way and ive been saving it for a day when i could drink it all day long! :) Rather than take a long series of notes on this, i wanted to just sit and enjoy it. Overall impressions – this is a fantastic puerh! I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a great journey.

this was a bold, strong tea to begin with and lasted for maaaaaaany maaaany steeps. Initial steeps were sort of earthy but also sweet and smooth. i picked up leathery notes and what i guess i would call sort of citrusy? i think i’m going to have to track this one down and pick up a cake. thank you so much boychik. I’ve really loved some of these fantastic offerings you sent my way!

boychik

yay! its an excellent pu. i got it fr Aliexpress, cheaper than on ebay. and its very good seller, mrmpar approved. let me know if you want a link ;)

mrmopar

I like this one a lot Sil. I have 3. One for me , one for me..oh I said that, and one for the grand-son. He likes it as well.

Sil

boychik – may take you up on that in a few weeks. lol i’m trying to get through more of my puerh since i still have a lot of samples kicking around and want to get through those so i can start picking up cakes lol don’t tell my other half haha

boychik

Just now ups truck was passing by and my hubby says : “oh look mommy getting new tea”. The truck didn’t stop. I demanded an apology ;)

mrmopar

Sil if you ever need to know where to get any puerh let me know. I know most of the sellers.

Sil

boychik – hahahaha
mrmopar – i will likely take you up on that eventually. esp if it involves aliexpress…that place overwhelms me like nobody’s business

mrmopar

boychick, I bet you had it forwarded to a neighbor (:

boychik

I need to find someone, mrmopar :D

mrmopar

Don’t feel alone. I have a box stashed in between the couch cushions that I haven’t had a chance to move in the tea room yet.

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81

A very light and refreshing shu. It resembles cola. Nothing special, but pretty good.

mrmopar

This will go many steeps.

juliebeth

oh my goodness, yes. it is infinite tea.

mrmopar

juliebeth I have gone 15 steeps with this one.

juliebeth

and are you done yet? i got between 7-9 steeps (can’t recall, exactly, was playing minecraft and steeping, resteeping…)(i have a 7 year old boy and i’m the one minecrafting!), and could have gone further, i’m sure, but then i needed some oolong, so had to switch out.

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87

Ahhhhh…..pure Dayi ripe goodness. Need I say more?

mrmopar

Yum! Good aged Dayi :) .

Rich

Indeed. I will buy a cake of this for sure. Trying the 2011 tomorrow for comparison purposes!

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90

I reviewed this tea a while back. My old review is below. I think I got a bad sample because it was bad. It was a strange experience at that time. My body told me ‘no way’ and to immediately instructed me to throw it in the garbage. But when the TTB box had a sample of this tea in it, I decided to give it another try since so many people seemed to love it. So I tried it today, and this time around, I found it to be one of the best Dayi ripes I have tasted. It is sweet and deeply fruity. I really loved the first few steeps. I got quite hopped up, so this is a good one if you are looking for caffeine. Later steeps were not quite as smooth, more bitterness came through. Then, it turned into that yeasty bread dough flavor. This is a great tea, and at around $40, it is one of the few semi-aged Dayi teas that are reasonably priced. I guess this particular tea does not have a hype factor built in. Both Berryleb and Dragon Tea House sell it.

OLD REVIEW
So I gave this try due to Allan’s very positive review. I found that it was not for me. It is kind of mushroomy, which I personally don’t care for. Otherwise it was earthy and deep. Very strong caffeine and cha qi, probably the highest kick factor I’ve ever experienced from a ripe pu erh.

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100

This tea made me so so so so so so so so so SO happy. Of happiness.

Only one rinse was needed and the color is deeper than ruby, like a garnet. And AllanK was right – zero fermentation flavor, no dirty flavors. This tastes like chocolate mushrooms. That may not sound appetizing, but I assure you, it’s the fucking BOMB, yo.

This is my new fave shou. Thanks for the sample, Allan!!!!

I did one session with three steeps, then another, then another. A total of 9 steeps, which got smoother as they went along.

From the start, I felt buzzy. At one point during the 2nd session, I realized that I dazed out. When I came to, I felt kind of dizzy and happy. Tea drunk, indeed!

I also kept staring into the cup, kind of mesmerized by the color.

To sum up: WOW. So yumz. Much happy. Wow. So garnet. Tea drunkies.

http://instagram.com/p/soFo2-vkcf/

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 15 sec 5 tsp 4 OZ / 118 ML
TheTeaFairy

Little sarsy is now shouing!!! Weehee!!

TheTeaFairy

And yo. Chocolate mushies!!

mrmopar

I am going to start calling you Shousique…

SarsyPie

LOL. Y’all are so funny! :)

AllanK

I told you it was good. I don’t get tea drunk from it though.

Cwyn

Nice!

SarsyPie

I had to buy some because the thought of life without it was sad. This is definitely a good one!

KiwiDelight

OOooooo this sounds magical! yay for getting tea drunk from shu!!

TeaBrat

It’s hard to go wrong with the Menghai tea factory.

Skulleigh

It sounds like an experience in a cup! :)

SarsyPie

I’m so excited to be getting more of this. I think it can definitely turn a frown upside down! LOL

mrmopar

Did you get it from Berylleb? If so message me and I can tell you a bit on how to save some $ from them.

SarsyPie

Thanks, mrmo! I did!

Thanks ZTJASFB! LOL Maybe I will call you Zen. I love the whole name, but its not easy to type on an iphone :)

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95

This tea has cleared. It has virtually no fermentation flavor left. It is among the very best of Puerhs. There is a slight, very slight bitterness in the early infusions. This soon goes away and you are left with a smooth ripe puerh with a little bit of natural sweetness. There are a plethora of flavor notes to this tea. I detected chocolate, and I am not sure if it was because I added a small amount of sugar, but I also detected caramel.

I steeped this 10 times in a 130ml Yixing teapot. I used 4.5g leaf and boiling water. I steeped it for 15 sec, 15 sec, 15 sec, 15 sec, 15 sec, 30 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 1 min, 2 min. Berylleb King Tea has done an excellent job with the storage of this puerh. I am considering buying a second so I have one for future years.

Flavors: Chocolate

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 4 g 4 OZ / 130 ML
Rich

I have a sample of this on the way. I look forward to trying it, especially as it is reasonably priced!

SarsyPie

10 steeps is decent! I’m excited to try a shou that doesn’t have that fermentation flavor!

AllanK

Your pallet might be sensitive enough to detect a little, but not very much because it just isn’t there. I would say it is 98% gone in this tea and 75 % gone in the 2010 Golden Needle White Lotus. It is also gone in the 2006 Lucky Dragon.

Tea and Cheese Lover

I’m thinking about getting a little bit of this tea to try out. On ebay it says that customs charges may be incurred separately. Is this something that you have to deal with in the US, or just a disclaimer to cover themselves in general?

AllanK

I think it’s a general disclaimer. I have never paid a customs charge on any package from China or for that matter from anywhere else. To incur a customs charge from China it has to be a pretty large sum in the US. Don’t know about Canada or other countries.

mrmopar

We are good in the USA. I know Spain, Italy and Argentina have stiff customs on incoming stuff.

AllanK

Even when I have had the tracking hit “Inbound Into Customs” they have never opened a package.

Tea and Cheese Lover

Awesome. Thanks, folks. I’m gonna get a couple ounces sent to me to see if I like it. Does the vendor have other decent stuff?

AllanK

I definitely recommend Berylleb in general. They sell a lot of good tea in general. I’ve gotten a lot that I’ve liked although nothing specific comes to mind. His Dayi products are all real.

mrmopar

Tell them you are from Steepster they may give you a little discount. As Allan said Berylleb is a trusted name around here for eBay buying.

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79

This is a nice basic ripe puerh. It has a nice somewhat sweet flavor with not off taste and still some fermentation flavor left. I didn’t give this the full gongfu route. I steeped it twice in a 10 oz mug for 15 sec at boiling. It is good.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 12 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML

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95

I thoroughly enjoy this tea. I bought a cake a couple years ago and went through it pretty fast. From what I remember it is a light shou, not too dark or earthy but with a light finish and uplifting energy. It is aptly named “Clouds”. My most memorable experience with this tea is that I brought it in a tea thermos during the birth of my first child. I went through several steppings as we waited nearly 11 hours from the time we got to the hospital until her birth. I ordered another cake and will likely keep it for storage until I can share it with my daughter and tell her that this is the same tea your dad was drinking on the day you were born. Obviously, this is a special tea for me.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 6 g 6 OZ / 185 ML
mrmopar

This is a good one for sure.

Cwyn

What a lovely memory!

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77

For me, this is a tea that changes dramatically depending on the vessel it is served in. I’m not a big fan of this tea in the traditional small tea cups. The flavor is deep and rich with not a lot of complexity when served in this manner. I’d give it a 64. However, when served in a standard american mug the flavor improves dramatically! A sweetness comes out to complement the richness of the tea. Dark, rich and sweet this tea is one of my favorites when I am on the go, such as in the car or at a seminar when I can do gong fu. I’ll still brew it using a yixing or chinese tea pot and combine 2 steepings in the mug. In this manner I’ll give it a 90. Not bad from one of the traditional Dayi recipes.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 30 sec 6 tsp 6 OZ / 185 ML
mrmopar

I enjoy this one also.

awilsondc

I talked to Daniel at thechineseteashop.com when I was there and he said the 7262 is one of his favorite shou’s. I bought a sample of a 2003 which I have yet to try… might have to pull it out here and see how 6 years of aging might change this tea!

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7g 180ml gaiwan 212F
rinse twice/pause/ 10/10/15/15/15/20/20/30/45/45sec
This shou is very pleasant. Sweet woody creamy with some wine notes. The brew is dark burgundy color, so pretty. Its mellow, no off putting smell or taste. very nice and relaxing. first couple steeps numbed my tongue.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 7 g 6 OZ / 180 ML
donkeyteaarrrraugh

numbed your tongue because it was too hot or because of the tea? :/

TheTeaFairy

I love that numb feeling you get from pu’erh sometimes…It seems I get that more often with sheng though I have noticed. Do you get it often yourself?

boychik

donkeytiara,its because of a tea. kinda like anesthesia.
TheTeaFairy, Not often, mostly with Menghai. sheng too but not often

Stephanie

tingly tonguely

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95

It has been months since I first tried this shu sample from boychik, but I have been thinking about it a lot lately, and remembering it as one of the best shu puerhs I’ve ever had. I only have a couple of servings left but I had to have some today to see if it is as good as I remember it…and also to ask if ANYONE knows how I can get more of this cake? I’ve searched online and I guess it is sold out. Sadness!

I know there will always be new puerhs to try and fall in love with though, maybe someday ones even better than this one.

I am only on steep #1 right now but it is all velvety smoothness and cocoa richness…ahhhhh :)

boychik

I’m so glad you still like it. I’ll pm you later

DigniTea

Have you purchased cakes from Aliexpress? You need to be careful of the sellers and look out for fake products. I did not purchase mine here but this particular seller has been a good one for me in the past and they still list the 100 Year Revolution shu on their site (although I notice the price has definitely increased).
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/8-PU-er-tea-memorial-tea-puer-cooked-tea-101-357g/1017561_1585655214.html

Stephanie

Thank you both! :)

DigniTea

Boychik’s seller offers a great price. If the tag on the back is authentic, definitely go for this one!

boychik

Looks authentic to me. But what do I know. I heard they are very creative with tags

mrmopar

Ada on the site boychick posted is agood seller. I would just email her and make sure she can get this at the same price as it has jumped since we bought it. She always has the real stuff in what I purchased from her.

mrmopar

Forgot to add, if she doesn’t have it available I still know a couple of other sources.

Stephanie

Awesome. You guys rock!

boychik

the price is the same as i bought in Feb

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