8592 is the coarse-leaf character of the DaYi family — grade 9 material since 1985, all wood and warmth. The 2016 first batch.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2016 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 357g cake · grade 9 leaf · Menghai Tea Factory · 1st batch
- Compression & dry leaf: The tea comes as a 357g cake. The leaf itself shows grade 9 leaf and an even, dark fermentation.
- Liquor: The liquor is red.
- Taste: From the first steep the taste is mellow. As the session goes on, it shows woody notes and a sweet profile. The flavor shifts a little from steep to steep.
- Mouthfeel & body: The body comes across as mellow.
- Aftertaste: The finish is calm and rounded rather than sharp.
- Best for: everyday drinking without fuss. Suitable for novices as well as regular ripe puerh drinkers.
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.
- Small dark specks: naturally stored puerh can develop tiny dark specks on its wrapper or edges. They are harmless and brush off easily before brewing.
- 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.
