This tea is a literal staple of the Tibetan diet. Xiaguan is the largest supplier of tea to the people of Tibet. This brick is cheap and affordable and a great source of energy. It is primarily used to make Tibetan Yak Butter Tea. It is consumed daily with barley powder. These bricks are called "Baoyan" (宝焰) which means "Holy Flame". Like our previous offering we purchased these from Tibet, but the material comes from Yunnan. This isn't a fancy tea. It is however unique and cheap. It is meant as a daily drinker for people living in the highlands of the Himalayas. This is a very strong tea. It will be smoky with hay and alfalfa notes. It brews smooth but with bitterness and astringency. It pairs perfectly with yak butter. The Chinese characters stamped into the face of the brick say Xiaguan (下关). "Like being hit with a big thick hard-packed brick. Of sheng. And you like it."--buddhamomtea.com Brewing Instructions Use 5-10 grams of leaves and brew with 75-150ml ( 2.5-5oz ) of water at or near boiling. Rinse once for a few seconds. Start with quick steeps under 10s. With each re-steep adjust the steep time to your taste. Samples are not available.
