From MengKu — a 2006 sheng (raw) puerh cake in the Qing Bing line.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2006 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 145g cake · MengKu RongShi Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: It is pressed into a 145g cake. Breaking it open reveals visible buds.
- Liquor: The liquor is orange, bright, with a thick look.
- Taste: Early on you get only a light bitterness and slight astringency, balanced by a natural sweetness. As the session goes on, it shows honey over an aged background and a sweet and balanced profile. New details keep appearing in the later steeps.
- Mouthfeel & body: With age, the texture of a sheng like this can become softer, depending on storage.
- Aftertaste: After each sip there is a quick, clear hui gan, salivation (sheng jin) and a long finish.
- Best for: improving your tea experience. Brew it attentively and follow how it changes; a natural step up for a novice who wants to go further.
Brewing Guide
Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
- Warm the pot and cups, then add about 5g of leaf per 100ml.
- Rinse the leaves once with boiling water and let them rest, covered, for about 10 minutes.
- Steep the first rounds for 10–15 seconds, adding about 5 seconds with each round.
- Pour every steep into a fairness pitcher before serving.
- Serve. Sheng puerh resteeps well for many rounds.
Treat these as starting points rather than fixed rules. Try high or low pours, fast or slow, and brew in different seasons to find the method that suits you. Brewing the same tea well in any year, season, weather or place takes practice, and that skill is the real goal.
Storage
Keep the tea ventilated, cool and dry, away from sunlight and strong odors (kitchen spices, smoke). For long-term aging, paper or clay containers breathe better than sealed plastic.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur, especially in teas with more years of storage.
- Small dark specks: tiny dark specks may appear on the wrapper or tea edges of naturally stored puerh. They are harmless and can be brushed off before brewing.
- Tea oil spots: yellowish spots may appear and can come from natural tea oils. They are not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: small tears or holes in the cotton paper may happen during storage and handling. The tea inside is unaffected.
