XiaGuan's 2016 "Zhen Cang - Da Bai Cai - Ban Zhang" (Collectible - Big White Cabbage - Banzhang Tea Region) comes as a 357g cake of ripe (shou) puerh.
About the name: "Da Bai Cai" (Big Cabbage) is borrowed from the famous Big Cabbage puerh of the early 2000s. Those original cakes were made from Ban Zhang area leaf, commissioned by the He brothers (later the founders of Fu Jin Tea) at Menghai Tea Factory from about 2000 to 2004. They got the nickname from the green organic certification logo printed on the wrapper, which looks like a head of cabbage. The name is a tribute to that series; it does not describe how this tea's leaf looks.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2016 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 357g cake · XiaGuan Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: Compressed 357g cake of ripe leaf.
- Liquor: Clear deep red.
- Taste: Deep, rich, smooth and mellow, blending earthiness and sweetness with a subtle hint of dried fruit typical of well-fermented ripe puerh. Consistent and deep through many infusions.
- Mouthfeel & body: Thick, full-bodied and silky.
- Aftertaste: Mild, lingering sweetness.
- Best for: improving your tea experience — there is more here to notice from steep to steep. A good next step after your first few puerh cakes.
Brewing Guide
Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
- Warm the pot and cups, then add about 5g of leaf per 100ml.
- Rinse twice with boiling water, then cover and let the leaves rest 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. Ripe 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.
- 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.
