Bounty & Prosperity Tea Stupa
Bulang Tea Mountain
Menghai County 2007

• Menghai County, Yunnan Province, China

• Sheng 'raw' Pu-erh

• Produced by Bulang Tea Factory

• Pressed in 2007

• Stupa-shaped gourd and melon compressed Pu-erh

This compressed and molded Pu-erh is a showpiece for your tea collection: place it on your tea table for inspiration and reflection or conversation. In Yunnan, almost every Pu-erh store features a Stupa-shaped Pu-erh ( most are much larger than this and have more pieces ! ) which symbolizes bounty and prosperity. The two pieces weigh 1 kilo ( 2.2 lbs ) and each piece is exquisitely molded. The gourd balances perfectly atop the melon, yet each piece looks just fine sitting alongside the other. We have not had the heart to break one open for tasting, but the aroma from the leaf is clean and fresh and suggests a good forest environment.

In most instances use 2-3 grams of leaf per 6 ounces of water,
which can roughly be equated as 2 teaspoons of leaf per 6 oz of water.

Pu-erh can steep for 3-4 minutes.
More water can be added to steep a second and sometimes a third infusion.
(This is the standard Pu-erh preparation for the beverage accompaniment at dim sum).

Use water that is 200 - 212°F
Asian description: ‘turbulent waters’
That’s just at the boil - Boil the water and pour it onto the leaves

Note: Pu-erh is always ‘rinsed’ before being steeped.
This is a quick application of hot water that is poured off immediately,
and then fresh water is used for the steepings that are drunk.