Ghost Dance - 70s Shu Puer

Shu puer got its official start in the mid 1970s. Its purpose was to get rid of those lengthy storage times needed for sheng (naturally fermented) puer to be made ready to drink.  Think anywhere from 10 to 15 years shortened into 3 to 4 months. 

Prior to its creation, there were factories in Guangzhou and Hong Kong making moonshine versions of this tea. Using this knowledge, along with the force fermenting techniques developed a decade earlier for lui bao in Guangxi, the makers of shu puer set about to create a tea that would taste like a well aged sheng puer.  Finalized in 1973 and commercialized in 1975, shu puer busted out on the scene and began its ascent to hei cha dominance.  

Drawing inspiration from one of our favorite artists, Patti Smith, Ghost Dance is a tea that allows you to relive the journey of shu puer from its beginning.  For any fan of shu puer, having the opportunity to drink a tea this close to its original creation is like mana falling from the heavens. With notes of burlap, petrichor and ginseng, this tea captures much of what makes a well aged puer so special, all the while charting its own path. Drink and live again.

Location - Menghai, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China

Storage - Stored in Hong Kong through the late 90s before being brought to Taipei in 1998.

Process Time - Late 1970s

BREWING INSTRUCTIONS

• Gong Fu - This tea works great in both porcelain and semi porous vessels.  Since it is a medium leaf, we recommend filling a third to half of the vessel with dry leaf. Works wonderfully in grandpa style too.  
• Western - Use 1 heaping teaspoon per 8 oz of water.  Add 212F water and steep for 4-6 minutes.  Can be re-steeped a second time, adding 2-3 minutes to the original steep time.