Question 1

Will it continue fermentation if I use it later and get better taste?

Accepted Answer

Yes, post-fermentation process never stops until tea if fully fermented. But the extent and results of such kind of fermentation are different for shu (ripe or black) and sheng (raw or green) pu-erh. This product is ripe pu-erh, so it was already post-fermented during wet-pile fermentation process. We fermented it to mid-high fermentatuon degree (80-85%) so aging of this pu-erh won't change it's taste dramatically as in case of raw pu-erh. Main sign of aged ripe pu-erh would be cleaner (brighter) brew and a bit milder taste with more pronounced woody notes.

Question 2

How do I use it. Drop it into boiling water or use a loose tea holder?

Accepted Answer

You can use both ways for brewing pu-erh tea. 
Just note that pressed tea becomes loose leaf in brewing process. 
So if you put pressed tea directly in boiling water you should think about of some kind of filter. 
For pressing and brewing convenience this very tea was pressed from tea leaf cut into small (approximately 3-5 mm long) pieces.    
Some more general recommendations:  
Water temperature for pu-erh brewing should be above 200°F and it can stand boiling in the water. 
As you deal with pressed form of pu-erh, so the first thing to do is break (smash) mini-cake into smaller, even pieces. 
It's recommended to rinse pu-erh before brewing: pour small amount of boiling water through the leaf (if using filter type brewer), or brew the leaf with a small amount of boiling water for 5-10 sec. and discard this "first" brew. 
After that you can brew it depending to your own taste and style. 1/2 of tablet is enough for 10-13oz of water 1-3 min steep, if you like stronger brew then use 1 tablet, longer steeping time.

Question 3

can you eat this tea?

Accepted Answer

Short answer is no. 
We understand that words "fermented" , "ripe" (another translation is cooked) and the origin of the tea are bit misleading. But post-fermented pu-erh is not intended for eating.
 Some minorities in Yunnan and Myanmar do eat tea leaf, but the fresh tea leaf is fermented using another process which is similar to the process of making sauerkraut but not tea. Besides ripe pu-erh leaf is almost fully oxidized and fermented so it is not tender/pleasant enough to be eaten like some green teas. For example, green Longjing tea is used for cooking fish in Hangzhou cuisine, but as far as we know no one is using ripe pu-erh in cooking.

Question 4

Is the bambo leaf meant to be tied back on?

Accepted Answer

Traditionally bamboo culm sheath was used as transportation package, it protected pressed tea from rubbing and excessive humidity. We didn't suppose it as package for everyday use, cause it can't protect tea from very stong odours. We recommend to use sealable bag or tin for minicake storage after removing this outside wrapper. On the other hand, if you keep this tea in a special cabinet, you can leave bamboo culm sheath, just fill the open end tightly with jammed paper.

Product Dimensions	18.8 x 4.06 x 4.06 cm; 201.28 g
Manufacturer reference	AAM/165
Weight	201 g
Units	201.2 gram
Storage Instructions	Keep Dry
Serving Recommendation	1/4 of the disk for one cup 240 ml
Brand	Jinglong Tea Factory
Format	Leaves
Caffeine content	Caffeinated
Package Information	Tube

Jinglong Ripe Puerh Tea «Pu-erh in Bamboo Leaf Tube» (100 Cups, 200g)

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