Bei Dou "North Star" 2023 (Mid-High Roast)

Bei Dou, aka "North Star", is another lesser known varietal, grown from the clippings of one of the five Da Hong Pao mother trees. 

This Beidou grown and harvested from a garden close to north of the ecological reserve's center. Crafted in the traditional dark roast style (left to rest for a year now), with three successive rounds of roasting over longan fruitwood each lasting around 15 -18 hours. 

The body is on the thicker side from a higher roast. This 2023 harvest was a little bit more difficult to work with. The finished tea has very subdued characteristics of Beidou characteristics (not as fragrant as a Mid-Roast), a mid-textured body, with a slight bite of bitters at the end.

This tea is best enjoyed by traditional brewing of Gong Fu Cha, "brewing tea with mastery" in a small clay vessel of 100ml - 120ml , using 4-6 grams.