Hi there, friends. May this post find you in vibrant health, your heart filled with joy.

At the time of this writing, the brand new Moon Song mini ripes have arrived here at HQ. As you can imagine, we are always excited when one of our private label creations is finally in our hands. While Moon Song was steamed and pressed for us only a month ago, it still has a ways to cure as the post-pressing moisture clears from the leaves and the flavor beefs up and rounds out, the same thing that happens with every new pressing. It is always a good reminder to never judge a ripe tea right out of the gate when it is this young, as the moisture still in the leaves makes for a slightly thinner tasting tea. One may resolve some of this by adding some Trace Minerals into the water, but allowing for longer curing time is most beneficial.

That being said, I’d like to write just a bit about how to maximize the experience when brewing a mini-ripe tuocha, regardless of its age.

While one does not need to pry the leaves apart prior to steeping, it is an option and some folks do choose to do so, especially if they want to brew in a more gongfu cha fashion. To begin, pour boiling water over the mini to cover it, let it sit 10 seconds then pour that rinse off. Place the lid back on the gaiwan or pot and allow some time for the primed mini to relax. If it is a very tight compression, do two such rinses and then let the mini rest for a few minutes more. Remember to smell the leaves once they open a bit and enjoy that experience.

Once ready to brew, fill the brewing vessel and perform your first infusion/steep. Try 30 seconds up to a minute, decant and enjoy. For the next steep, try another 30 seconds and increase times from there as you progress in your steepings. If you want the full-on blast of flavor right out of the gate, try a five to ten minute steep after your rinses. Experiment with the various minis and see how you enjoy each one.

Mini ripes are so convenient and we love taking them wherever we travel. No need to worry about the leaves getting crushed as they are neatly bundled up within each little tuocha!