Lao Cha Tou (老茶頭)

tea imagery: Roots

Lao cha tou are dense nuggets of ripe pu-erh formed during wet-pile fermentation, or wo dui. Water penetrates them gradually, so they often infuse more slowly than loose leaves. Possible flavours include wood, nuts and dried fruit, with a mellow, full-bodied brew.

History

When making ripe pu-erh, moistened maocha is piled and fermentation is managed, including by turning the leaves. Some leaves bind into clumps, which are separated and sorted after processing. Cha tou may be sold as loose nuggets or pressed into bricks. This is a form of ripe pu-erh, not a distinct tea cultivar. Lao in the name does not tell you an exact age: ask about the fermentation year and storage.

The unusual shape offers a glimpse of how leaf changes in ripe pu-erh production. Brew loose ripe tea and cha tou side by side using the same leaf weight, and compare how quickly their flavour develops.

Terroir

Yunnan; check leaf origin and fermentation location for the batch. Varies between gardens. Depends on the leaf’s origin. Growing conditions, fermentation management and later storage all matter. Nugget size, density and age vary. Choose through a sample and batch information rather than assuming older is better.

Leaf

dry leaf: Irregular brown to dark-brown nuggets of different sizes, sometimes pressed together.

aroma in a warmed vessel: Wood, nutty or dried-fruit notes.

aroma after brewing: Woody, sometimes sweet-smelling.

taste: Mellow and woody, possibly nutty or fruity. Early cups can be light, becoming fuller as the nuggets soak.

finish: Compare lingering sweetness and the smoothness of the brew.

Properties

Traditional descriptions: Ripe pu-erh is traditionally described as warming; this is a cultural description.

What to know: Fermentation changes leaf composition. Nugget shape does not establish special benefits compared with other ripe tea.

Over a cup of tea: For a few unhurried infusions, noticing how the body develops.

Caffeine: Contains caffeine. Slow flavour release does not make cha tou low in caffeine; count the whole volume you drink.

How to brew

A warmed 150 ml teapot or gaiwan. 5 g per 150 ml at 100 °C. Choose several small nuggets. Time for each infusion: 30 s, 30 s, 45 s, 60 s, 90 s, 120 s.

When to drink

Morning or daytime. Especially welcome in cool weather. When there is time for several infusions. Dates or walnuts, if you like. For conversation around a shared teapot

What to notice

Compare the first and third infusions.
Look at how the nuggets have soaked without forcing them apart.
Finish when you stop enjoying the flavour, regardless of the number of steeps.

Questions and answers

How do you brew Lao Cha Tou?

A warmed 150 ml teapot or gaiwan. 5 g per 150 ml at 100 °C. Choose several small nuggets. Time for each infusion: 30 s, 30 s, 45 s, 60 s, 90 s, 120 s.

What does Lao Cha Tou taste like?

Mellow and woody, possibly nutty or fruity. Early cups can be light, becoming fuller as the nuggets soak.

How much caffeine is in Lao Cha Tou?

Contains caffeine. Slow flavour release does not make cha tou low in caffeine; count the whole volume you drink.

What else should I know about Lao Cha Tou?

Fermentation changes leaf composition. Nugget shape does not establish special benefits compared with other ripe tea.