Twelve months at 65% RH: the cake is finally doing something

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Question or objective: track change without pretending one year is “aged”
Tea category: young sheng storage log
Exact product: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake
Vendor: Cloudstep Tea
Origin: Lincang, Yunnan
Cultivar, if known: assamica
Harvest season/year: spring 2024
Processing or roast: stone-pressed raw puer
Cake/batch number, if relevant: cake/lot noted above where applicable; otherwise N/A
Purchase/opening date: purchased 2026-06-23; opened 2026-08-21
Storage since purchase: as described in the storage experiment below; temperature/RH logged where relevant
Style: gongfu
Vessel: 100 ml porcelain gaiwan
Vessel material: porcelain
Nominal and actual filled capacity: 90 ml filled
Filter or strainer: lid gap
Kettle: basic variable-temperature kettle
Vessel preheated: no
Dry leaf weight: 6 g
Water volume: 90 ml
Water temperature: 95°C
Water source or mineral profile: filtered tap water, 60 ppm
Rinse: 5-10 s where noted by the recipe; otherwise none
Infusion schedule: 8/10/12/18/25/40 s
Agitation: none
Was each infusion completely decanted?: yes
Aroma: apricot and hay
Sweetness: higher than start
Bitterness: medium
Astringency: medium
Body/texture: medium
Flavour: apricot, hay, green wood
Aftertaste: longer than start
Number of satisfying infusions: 8
Exact problem: 12-month storage log at measured 65% RH
Desired result: track change without pretending one year is “aged”
Variable changed: storage duration
Previous value: month 0
New value: month 12
Result: less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young
Dry-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Liquor photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Wet-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Video if pouring or drainage is relevant: not relevant

This is a dated storage note rather than a declaration that I have solved aging. The comparison is storage duration: month 0 versus month 12. less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young.

Climate and measurement matter here. If your storage is in a different humidity range, please label it. Failure reports are useful too; I would rather know what went wrong than build a shrine to survivorship bias.

[Wire And Gloves]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with month 12.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: measured storage in a similar climate.
Change: repeat the session with month 12.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward track change without pretending one year is “aged” if that variable is causal.
Observed result: less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Comparable tea
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with month 12.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: firsthand use of a comparable young sheng storage log with similar parameters.
Change: repeat the session with month 12.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward track change without pretending one year is “aged” if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Inference
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: inference from the posted parameters, not a test of this exact tea.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Original-poster update
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with month 12.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: follow-up on the author’s own Stone Path 2024 sheng cake.
Change: repeat the session with month 12.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward track change without pretending one year is “aged” if that variable is causal.
Observed result: less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Inference
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: inference from the posted parameters, not a test of this exact tea.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Comparable tea
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with month 12.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: firsthand use of a comparable young sheng storage log with similar parameters.
Change: repeat the session with month 12.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward track change without pretending one year is “aged” if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Original-poster update
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: follow-up on the author’s own Stone Path 2024 sheng cake.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Inference
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: inference from the posted parameters, not a test of this exact tea.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: measured storage in a similar climate.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Comparable tea
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with month 12.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: firsthand use of a comparable young sheng storage log with similar parameters.
Change: repeat the session with month 12.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward track change without pretending one year is “aged” if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Inference
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: inference from the posted parameters, not a test of this exact tea.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with month 12.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: repeat the session with month 12.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward track change without pretending one year is “aged” if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wire And Gloves]

Inference
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: inference from the posted parameters, not a test of this exact tea.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil-Seamstress]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Stone Path 2024 sheng cake / young sheng storage log in a setup close to 100 ml porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: measured storage in a similar climate.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: less sharp, more integrated, still clearly young.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

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