About 2005 Dian Hong:
This Dian Hong black tea cake was grown in 2005 at a small, organic tea farm in central Yunnan and has since been aging with us in Portland, Oregon. This part of Yunnan was once known as Dian, and the term “Dian Hong” is often used to distinguish Yunnan black teas. Through the years, this Dian Hong has developed into one of our finest black teas.
Making tea cakes (bingcha) is a traditional art form. Although it began as a way to preserve and transport tea (especially Puer teas), in recent times other teas have been made into cakes as well. First, the freshly plucked tea leaves are withered, roasted, and sun dried to make Maocha or “rough tea”. The rough tea is then steamed and molded into the tea cake shape using stone weights (traditional method) or a simple die press (modern method). Cakes are hand-wrapped in paper in the final step.
Green tea and black tea cakes are generally ready to be drunk soon after their crafting; however, if aged well, a green or black cake will come to life in new ways over time. We have found Portland to be an excellent environment for aging bingcha. The aging environment requires fresh air, moderate to warm temperatures, and humidity so that the tea will ferment over time developing new characteristics and complexity.
Ingredients: 100% Organic Black Tea Leaves.
Tea Cake Size: 5″ diameter
Weight: 150 Grams
Cup Servings per Cake: 80
Flavor Profile:
Smooth, full-bodied brew with notes of berry, camphor and citrus.
Brewing Instructions:
Every tea is different and can be brewed in different ways. The chart below is not a hard-and-fast guide for brewing this tea, but rather a place to get started. Steeping time may vary based on your personal taste or on how many infusions have already been done. Experiment with the brewing of your tea to discover its unique character.
Brewing the tea cake is fairly simple. Break off a small piece (equal to the size of a teaspoon), and brew as you would with loose leaf tea.
| Water Temp °F (°C) | Steep Time (minutes) | Number of Infusions | Quantity of Leaf (tsp / 8oz water) |
| 200°F (93°C) | 3-5 | 1-3 | 1 |
