2014 Loose Gong Ting Shu

Produced By Dongsa Cooperative

The Zhenyuan Dongsa Cooperative was established to be a steward to the oldest tea forest in the world, finishing every leaf using hand processing and traditional techniques.

Tasting Profile

VERY SAVORY – pastry, roasted barley
FLORAL – vanilla
SPICY – sandalwood, fir tree bark
FRUITY – kumquat

DATE OF PICKINGMarch 2014

QianjiazhaiMt. Ailao, Yunnan

ELEVATION1900

V. AssamicaTea Varietal

Qianjiazhai Gong Ting Shu Pu'er is still a very new practice, made only by one of Master Zhou's students in the cooperative. Using the giant buds of QIanjiazhai's wild trees between 100 and three hundred years of age, this tea is carefully and slowly pile fermented to bring out a deep rich sweetness unlike any other shu pu'er out there. Master Zhou was so excited by this experiment he is sharing the technique across the cooperative and encourage more members to keep developing the craft.

Master Zhou, the head of the Dongsa Cooperative in Qianjiazhai doubles as the middle school teacher for the region. He has partnered with several of his students families to produce some of the cooperative’s first ever shu pu’er. The leaves are hand-foraged from 100-300 year old trees deep in the Ailao National Forest Preserve and traditionally fermented without added moisture under tarps for several months before final drying and finishing. This fermentation speeds up the aging process and yields a dark and foresty brew.

Steeping Instructions

Western

4 g.6-8
oz.use 205° watersteep 30 secondsresteep many times
add 15-30 sec. each infusion

Gongfu

4 g.6 oz.use 205° watersteep 10 seconds
add 10-30 sec. per steepingenjoy many steepings

Iced/Cold

4 g.12
oz.use room temp. waterrefrigerate overnight
(8 to 12 hours)add ice & enjoy