Coming from the “collecting market” and heading toward the “drinking market,” mid-aged tea has won the favor of many seasoned tea lovers with its cost-effectiveness and quality aging foundation. Sitting between new tea and old tea, mid-aged tea, with its unique advantage as a “transitional product,” has grown in just a few short years to become the backbone of the Pu-erh tea consumer market.
“Mid-aged tea” is a dynamic concept: the aging period is constant, while the production year is variable. As time passes, the aging period does not change, but the production year keeps moving forward. For example, the now highly sought-after “88 Qing” (1988 Spring) has graduated from “mid-aged tea” into the ranks of old tea. The age range for mid-aged tea varies from 5 to 20 years, but most industry practitioners and experienced tea drinkers agree on an aging period of 10 years or more. Because under appropriate natural storage, 10-year-old Pu-erh tea liquor has just transitioned from light green to orange-red, the green flavor gradually fading, sweetness and aged fragrance beginning to emerge. At this stage, the tea nature has just shifted from cold to warm, palatability increases, making it especially suitable for tea friends with slightly delicate digestion or a cold constitution.
Most mid-aged tea circulating in the market is raw Pu-erh, because in the traditional Pu-erh tea market, raw tea is valued for aging and improving with time. Freshly pressed raw tea is a “semi-finished product,” and during proper storage, the flavors expressed by the tea liquor at each time period undergo endlessly changing transformations. Ripe tea, on the other hand, is produced to be drinkable in the short term, and the market treats it as a consumable. Many ripe teas have not yet had the chance to enjoy the favor of time before they enter the teacup. Therefore, relatively few aged ripe teas with significant years remain in the market.
After being sculpted by time, mid-aged tea gradually reveals the true nature of Pu-erh tea — the older, the more fragrant. You can use the following brewing methods to enjoy the most authentic, mellow flavors of mid-aged tea.
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Author: Old Tea Head · Lin Shen (LamSam)
Zen Tea Manor ZENTEA MANOR
Tianying Supply Chain Company
www.zentea-shop.com
