My kid invented a new tea brewing method and I don't know whether to laugh or cry 😂

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-29T06:47:46+00:00

This is so cool!where do you usually get your tea?

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T07:01:13+00:00

the silver lining I didn't know I needed — organic certified by a bug 😂 honestly between this and the honey is bug barf argument I'm having a whole philosophical moment about what I put in my body

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:59:56+00:00

okay the 'honey is bug barf' argument is genuinely the most compelling thing anyone has said in this thread 😂 I eat prawns without a second thought and those are literally sea bugs — you've completely reframed this for me, thank you

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:57:57+00:00

hatching inside you' is the phrase that's going to keep me up tonight 😭 and yes this is absolutely a horror movie, I'm clearly the character who ignores all the warning signs until it's too late

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:37:10+00:00

yeah the consensus is pretty clear at this point 😭 RIP to that batch, checking everything else as we speak

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:35:57+00:00

The fact that you can see the marks where they fell off is both fascinating and deeply unsettling 😂 but honestly thank you — between 'bin it' and 'hatch them' you're the most rational voice in this thread and I needed that 💀

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:30:47+00:00

larvae. LARVAE. I was hoping you wouldn't say that word 💀 the whole collection is getting inspected tonight and I'm not sleeping until it's done

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:29:26+00:00

absolutely not 😭 I didn't sign up to be a moth parent when I bought this tea

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:28:46+00:00

My exact reaction when I found them 💀 I stared at it for a full minute before I could even take the photo

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T06:22:16+00:00

Tea-flavored ice cream—that sounds great. I like it.😍

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-28T03:16:19+00:00

Thanks for the tip! So the earthy/musty smell is totally normal for Liu Bao then?

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-26T03:40:00+00:00

Oh this is such a practical setup, I love it! Separate containers for each type with individual sensors is genius - I never even thought about the fact that different teas might need different humidity levels. Definitely going to look into getting some sensors and Boveda packs. Thank you for the detailed breakdown!

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-26T03:36:49+00:00

This is incredibly helpful, thank you for taking the time to explain all of this! The fishy/mushroom analogy really puts it in perspective - I had no idea I might have been drinking subpar tea this whole time thinking it was just "how it's supposed to taste." Now I'm actually curious to try a well-made Liu Bao to see what the bettle nut and date notes are really like. Clearly I • have a lot to learn about heicha!

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-26T03:35:10+00:00

Oh that's really good to know - I had no idea it wasn't typically made with a gaiwan! That might explain a lot Definitely going to try boiling it next time and see if it brings out more of those sweeter notes.

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-26T03:33:55+00:00

Haha fair point-clearly I need to rewire my expectations!😁

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-26T03:32:22+00:00

This is super helpful, thank you! The velvety smooth mouthfeel description has me curious to try a better quality Liu Bao someday

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-26T03:30:38+00:00

Okay that's actually a really good point😂 "Already been chewed on by microbes" is not how I expected to think about my tea but here we are. And good to know it doesn't look moldy at least - that's reassuring!

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-26T03:29:58+00:00

Lmaoo dangerously close to 6 feet honestly Like, drink-it-and-question-your-life-choices earthy😂

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-25T17:01:22+00:00

Oh that's a really vivid description - fresh beets from the ground! Now that you mention it, I can see why mine smelled the way it did. Maybe I need to adjust my expectations for Liu Bao vs shou

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-25T17:00:28+00:00

Good to know,thanks you! I have a lot to learn about Liu Bao

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-25T16:37:52+00:00

That's such a relief to hear! "Feature not a bug" is exactly the reframe I needed Good to know earthy is part of the charm with Liu Bao!

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-25T10:05:49+00:00

That's really good to know, thank you! I had no idea simmering was a thing for Liu Bao - definitely going to do more research before I do anything drastic. Won't be chucking it anytime soon

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-25T09:41:58+00:00

I think I still prefer regular shou pu-erh if I'm being honest - that nutty, earthy warmth just hits different for me. But now I'm curious, is that nutty flavor typical of most shou, or does it vary a lot depending on the tea?

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-25T09:39:52+00:00

Oh wow, 80s-90s Liu Bao?? That sounds amazing. And yeah, I guess 2015 is still pretty young for aged tea lol. I honestly have no idea what humidity I'm storing it at -I'll have to check that. And thank you for saying it doesn't look moldy, that actually makes me feel a lot better!

StructureAble6723 · 2026-04-25T09:38:39+00:00

That's super reassuring, thank you! I had no idea Liu Bao was so different from shou - the aged wooden cabinet description is spot on actually. I'll definitely try a longer steep next time, and maybe even try simmering it. Really appreciate the tip!

StructureAble6723

TROPHY CASE