"Old tea lump(lao cha tou)" refers to the Pu-erh tea chunk which is hard to loosen because of the temperature, humidity and stirring during pile fermentation. They are picked out by tea factories as tea lumps.
Being a lump, its outer layer has been completely fermented while its core is not. This gives lumps a unique tastes -- the mellow fragrance of fermented tea and freshness of raw tea. In subsequent brews, the fresh and sweet taste of raw tea is more evident. Its flavor is far better than that of assorted raw and processed tea or the flavored tea liquid of the two.
The tea cakes made from the lumps through compressing and the not-compressed lumps are the special "old tea lumps." The tea liquid is red as wine, smooth, fragrant and has a sweet aftertaste. It tastes good and is endurable.
Old tea lumps are compact and hard to loosen. Be careful not to hurt yourself when loosening it with a pu-erh knife.
Old tea lumps compressed into a brick.
Dry tea: Same as processed tea. There are no clear striations
Color and taste: the liquid is dark red and tastes smooth, fragrant and sweet.
Brewed leaves: Reddish-brown, some with a dark green center due to the incomplete fermentation within the lump.
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