First created in 1975 by DaYi (Menghai Tea Factory), the 7572 recipe centers on grade 7 leaf blended with other grades, steadily fermented. Over time it became the reference point everyday shou drinkers use to judge other ripe cakes. This is the 2024 first batch.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2024 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 357g cake · mainly grade 7 leaf, blended with other grades · Menghai Tea Factory · 1st batch
- Compression & dry leaf: The tea comes as a 357g cake, tightly pressed. Breaking it open reveals mainly grade 7 leaf and visible buds.
- Liquor: Expect a bright, reddish-brown to bright-red cup, with a thick look.
- Taste: It opens mellow and pure from the first steep. Once the leaf opens up, expect hints of caramel in a sweet and rich cup.
- Mouthfeel & body: The body comes across as thick, full-bodied and smooth.
- Aftertaste: Look for a lingering sweetness after each cup.
- Best for: everyday drinking without fuss. Suitable for those new to puerh as well as regular ripe puerh drinkers.
Tasting Notes
- 1st Infusion: The tea soup is bright red; the caramel aroma is rich; the tea soup is sweet, smooth, and mellow; the bottom of the cup has a pronounced caramel aroma.
- 2nd-4th Infusion: The tea soup is reddish-brown; the caramel aroma is strong; the taste is thick and full, sweet and smooth, full of the Meng Hai flavor; the bottom of the cup has a rich caramel aroma.
- 5th-7th Infusion: The tea soup is bright red and dense; the caramel aroma is pure and delightful; the tea soup is thick, the taste is full and balanced, sweet and smooth, comfortable; the bottom of the cup has a lasting sweet aroma.
- 8th-10th Infusion: The tea soup is bright red; the sweet aroma lasts; the taste is sweet, smooth, and mellow, with a lingering aftertaste.
Brewing Guide
- Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
- How to brew:
- Add around 5g of tea for every 100ml.
- Give the leaves two quick rinses — cover with boiling water for about 5 seconds and discard. Then put the lid on and leave the leaves to open up for about 10 minutes.
- Start with 10–15 second steeps, lengthening by about 5 seconds each round.
- Pour the liquor into a sharing pitcher.
- Serve and resteep — ripe puerh goes many rounds.
- Think of this as a starting point rather than a rigid method. Try pouring high or low, fast or slow, and adapt to the season until it suits you. Brewing one tea at its best in any year, season, weather or place is a skill built over time — and that is the real goal.
Storage
Keep it in a ventilated, cool, dry spot, shielded from sunlight and strong odors (cooking spices, cigarette smoke). If you plan to age it long-term, paper or clay containers breathe better than airtight plastic.
A Note on Appearance
Not all cakes develop these — the chances simply rise with longer storage.
- Bamboo powder (zhu fen): a natural sign of traditional bamboo-husk packing. In Guangdong's warm, humid climate, tiny bamboo insects can make their home in the husk, nibbling the husk and cotton paper wrapper while leaving the tea itself untouched. What they leave behind is a fine powder, seen only on certain teas and more often on aged ones. It is harmless to hygiene; a few strokes with a clean toothbrush or soft brush before brewing is all it takes.
- Tea oil spots: yellowish spotting can occur from natural tea oils. This is not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: minor tears or holes in the cotton wrapper sometimes happen in storage and transit. The tea itself is unaffected.
