Fangchun Tea Market - Some Observations

 I was in Guangzhou last month.  My readers would know that I have stopped buying Chinese tea in quantities every time I am in Guangzhou. I really have too much tea and I am happy with my stash. 

I  picked up some tea during this trip.  I had purchased the tea few years ago and had left the tea with a tea shop buddy. My buddy was moving to a smaller shop and requested that I clear out my tea I had stored with him. 

Here are some observations I had of Guangzhou and the Fangchun tea market during this trip. 

The shopping malls were crowded even on weekdays. However, the make up of the shops have changed dramatically. Retail shops selling personal items from cosmetics, clothes and personal wear have been replaced by food related shops. There are more coffee and bubble tea shops, fancy pastries, dessert shops and more eateries. This change of shop front reflect the more astute spending character of the local shopper. They could buy many things online which offer wider and cheaper options. For food choices, these options are restricted that certain food taste best when eaten at the eateries itself. 

This change is also indirectly reflective in the Fangchun tea markets. Chinese tea buyers have more choices and could even make price comparisons on the same product online.  I was told that many tea dealers now conduct their tea purchases online without actually making a trip to Fangchun. Tea samples are now commonly delivered directly to the buyers.   In turn, larger tea factories had also reduced their minimum per order limits for their dealers in Fangchun. With the tightening economy worldwide, there were hardly any tea speculators now at the tea markets.  Shop rents have fallen and I found that bigger shops have reduced their shop and warehouse spaces to save costs; either relocating to a smaller shop or getting better discounts on their rent. 

More significantly, the next generation of younger Chinese tea drinkers only make up a small number. They mainly drink coffee and bubble tea at malls and fancy cafes. 

I foresee Fangchun tea markets will get smaller every year. There is less demand and many tea dealers' children are not interested in taking over their parents' tea business.  The outlook for the traditional Chinese tea market is dim.

 

2004 Nanqiao Tea Factory Bulang Pu erh

 

This is a 22 year old raw pu erh tea cake from my own collection. Never heard of Nanqiao tea factory? The recent good reviews online about the Double Lions pu erh was produced by none other than this Nanqiao factory. This factory specialised in Menghai and Bulang region pu erh. 

This tea when brewed is nice and strong. Good complicated taste and aroma. There are hints of camphor and mint, a lighty bitter and spicy herbal taste with a faint long fruity finish in the aftertaste. I had a sweaty sensation after the tea session. A good and strong tea. With more than 20 years of storage, this tea amplified the 'aged mellow and smooth' taste and storage that can only be found in old pu erh tea. This tea gently reminded me that pu erh should be drunk best when old. 

The Mysterious Patina

 What is a patina when a Chinese tea or coffee drinker talks about patina. 

When a Chinese tea drinker uses a clay teapot to brew his tea, the interior wall of that teapot will develop a patina afte

What does the patina do?  Many Chinese tea drinkers had claimed the tea taste more smooth and even mellow. I myself do find that my Chinese tea actually do taste better than if I had used a porcelain gaiwan or teapot. When you are sampling Chinese tea at a teashop, you will notice porcelain tea vessels were used for the sampling sessions as porcelain are considered  taste neutral in sampling sessions. 

What about coffee? if you use a moka pot for your coffee brewing.  You only rinse out the moka pot with water after use. You do not use detergents to wash the moka pot as coffee drinkers believe that a coffee patina will form on the inside of the moka pot after prolong use. They claimed the patina reduces the metallic taste and make the coffee taste fuller and nice. 

Is this an old wives tale or some urban legend?  Yes the taste and aroma from such patina vessels are subtle but it's there. 

Cheung Hing Tie Lo Han

 

I had started drinking this Tie Lo Han more than 10 years ago and this tea had remained one of my favourite oolong today.  This tea is produced by Cheung Hing tea shop located in Hong Kong. The shop had hand wrapped the tea in small paper packets and bundled these packets in a small plastic bag. 

Many older tea drinkers that enjoyed Hong Kong oolong would have their favourite shop to purchase their tea.  I get my 40 hour roast Tie Kuan Yin from Fukien Tea, another tea shop in Hong Kong.  I love visiting Hong Kong for its food and exploring the traditional Chinese tea shops there. 

I would normally store away the Tie Lo Han for a few years before I drink the tea. I had just opened a 2019 pack and I am happy with the taste and aroma of the tea. I brew this tea strong to enjoy the Chinese medical herbal sensation in the tea. Time to brew up this Tie Lo Han. 

2012 Mengku Origin Fragran Raw Pu erh

One of the less popular Chinese tea factory is Mengku tea factory. I credited them for introducing their pu erh offerings with exotic names like Da Shue San (snow mountain and Bingdao (ice island). Such exotic names for their puerh actually led to a higher demand and higher prices for their tea about 12 years ago.  Today, I do see pu erh tea from lesser known regions given fancy names being marketed this way as well. 

I opened a 2012 Mengku Origin Fragran brick last week. This large 400g brick was, according to the wrapper, came from the Lincang region. 

I found this tea to be straight forward. No complicated taste or aroma. Non smoky. This tea is fragrant and has a hint of sweetness. Long aftertaste. Simple and good. 

But I digress. A tea buddy recently did a tea exchange with me. I was gifted a May dated pu erh cake from a well known tea factory.  He said this was a spring harvest from that same year. I told him it might not be the case as such big factories have lots of harvested tea stored away in their warehouses. Producing such a cake in May did not meant it was a newly spring harvested tea unless specified on the tea wrapper. It is important for Chinese tea drinkers to be aware that production dates on the tea does not imply that the tea used was harvested recently. Food, or tea for thought.    

2005 Xiaguan Xiaofa Ripe Tuo

 

This ripe 100g tuo was primarily produced for the European markets.  It was a surprise for me,  that ripe pu erh tea was enjoyed in Europe and It was Xiaguan factory that made inroads in offering this pu erh to Europe.   

I opened a 2005 tuo and it was not too difficult to pry open the tea with a tea pick.  This 100g tuo was wrapped in brown paper and placed in a paper box.  

Xiaofa tuos were not date stamped pre 2006. However my Xiaguan distributor buddy in Guangzhou  told me that Xiaguan for those years pre 2006, had certain markings like logo colour or text changes for the various years of production. I have a list of these markings and I will put them up for my readers when I locate my notes. 

This tea is already 20 years old. There is a slight old taste and aroma in the tea. I would recommend that you 'push' this tea; add one more gram and lengthen the infusion times. The tea would be more aromatic and nicer with this push. 

The Price Of Tea

Rambling about tea today. ;

The war.  Because of the war, everything is expensive now. Food, medicine, fuel and related transport costs had risen dramatically.  But I am wary that these elevated prices would remain elevated even when there is a resolution to the war.  

Chinese tea? Yes, it would cost more now.  You can mitigate this cost increase but drinking more from your tea stash. I know many Chinese tea drinkers own a stash of tea. It might be a small amount to a larger stash that can last a couple of generations. It is a good idea if we allocate our funds now for other more noble purposes than buying tea. 

The future of Chinese tea?  Chinese tea is considered a luxury and there a shift or evolution in drinking Chinese tea.  In my travels especially in China, it seemed to me that a traditional tea house or tea shop is a rare sight. A common phenomena would be tea cafes literally popping out in every corner like a convenience shop. Have your tea chilled with fruit flavours, fresh milk, boba or even have a cheesy foam top on your tea. High mountain fresh milk oolong with bubbles? Place your order and you be presented with a fancy cup, straw and even a pretty paper bag to take away your drink. People are drinking more Chinese tea but not with the gaiwan and teapot we are used too.  

I hope to travel to China soon. I can imagine many small tea shops in Fangchun, Guangzhou would have folded up in view of the higher costs of running a tea shop.  I will update my readers after this trip.