Ba Da on the western edge of Meng Hai is known for a wild, grassy character that is firm and bitter when young and grows deeper with age; this tea is made from its leaf. At this age, sheng is often starting to soften, though storage plays a part. From ChenShengHao — a 2014 sheng (raw) puerh cake in the Ba Da Shan line.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2014 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · ChenShengHao Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: This tea is sold as a 357g cake.
- Liquor: The liquor is typically golden to amber at this stage.
- Taste: The first steeps are fresh, with only a light bitterness and slight astringency. The middle steeps bring out floral notes, with a sweet and rich taste.
- Mouthfeel & body: The body comes across as smooth and oily.
- Aftertaste: Swallow and you notice a returning sweetness (hui gan) and salivation (sheng jin).
- Best for: improving your tea experience. Brew it attentively and follow how it changes; a natural step up for a drinker new to puerh who wants to go further.
Brewing Guide
Water: 100°C (212°F), fully boiling.
- Preheat the vessel; add around 5g per 100ml.
- One rinse to open the leaves, then a covered rest of about 10 minutes.
- Steep 10–15 seconds at first, adding ~5 seconds per round.
- Always pour out completely into a fairness cup before drinking.
- Keep steeping — sheng rewards patience with many rounds.
These are guidelines to start from, not rules to obey. Experiment with your pour, your pace, and the season; the same leaf tastes different on a rainy day. The goal is the skill to brew it well whenever, wherever.
Storage
Give it air, coolness and dryness; keep it out of the sun and clear of potent odors (spices, smoke). For multi-year aging, paper or unglazed clay lets the tea breathe in a way sealed plastic never will.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur, especially in teas with more years of 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 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.
