海湾茶业创始人：邹炳亮

January 9, 2025

Founder: Zou Bingliang

Zou Bingliang was born in 1943 in Menghai County, Yunnan Province – the birthplace of Pu’er tea. He started working at the Menghai Tea Factory in 1958, when he was only 15 years old, and began to learn the art and science of tea making.

After working in the industry for many years, Zou Bingliang has created many famous Pu’er tea recipes, such as 7542, 8582, 8592, 7572, which have stood the test of time. Finally, Zou Bingliang improved the quality and efficiency of the Wodui process, which is a key step in the production of ripe Pu’er tea. We will discuss this process later in this article.

Gulf Tea Industry

In 1999, Zou Bingliang left Menghai Tea Factory and founded his own company, Gulf Tea, with his wife Lu Guoling. He hopes to preserve the traditional production methods and standards of Pu’er tea, while innovating and experimenting with new recipes and techniques. His goal is to promote Pu-erh tea to a wider market and educate consumers about its health benefits and cultural values. The company has two main production bases: one in Anning City and the other in Menghai County. The logo of the factory is the image of three sunflower flowers, and its motto is “Tea for the whole world”. Mr. Zou registered the “Old Comrade” brand in memory of his former colleague and mentor at Menghai Tea Factory.

Old gay brand

There are 4 main brands in the bay tea industry: Lao Gay, Jia Jia, Qianfu and Gui Zhixiang, of which the Lao Gay brand is by far the most popular. In fact, it is also one of the most popular Pu-erh tea brands in China. It reflects Zou Bingliang’s philosophy and vision to make high-quality Pu’er tea that everyone can afford and easily access. This brand name refers to his former colleagues and mentors at the Menghai Tea Factory, as well as his respect and admiration for them. He respects the traditional values and standards of Pu-erh tea, while innovating and experimenting with new recipes and techniques.

The Lao Gay brand includes a wide range of products, including raw and cooked Pu’er tea cakes, brick tea, tuo tea, mini tuo tea, loose tea and tea bags. The brand uses high-quality large-leaf tea leaves from Yunnan Province, the origin of Pu’er tea, as raw materials, and follows strict quality control and hygiene standards during the production process.

Some of the most popular Pu-erh tea products among the old gay brands are:

Struggle: This is a unique ripe Pu-erh tea product that uses different grades of tea leaves to create a sense of layering. It has a smooth and balanced palate with nutty and milky aromas. There is also a version of raw pu-erh.

7578 Recipe (Ripe Tea): This is a classic ripe Pu’er tea recipe created by Zou Binliang in 1975. The taste is smooth and mellow, and the aroma is rich and sweet. Suitable for daily drinking and aging.

Recipe 7548 (Raw Tea): This is a classic raw Pu’er tea recipe created by Zou Bingliang in 1975. It has a strong bitter taste with floral and fruity notes. Suitable for long-term storage.

9978 Recipe (Ripe Tea): This is a special recipe for ripe Pu’er tea created by Zou Bingliang in 1999. On the palate it is smooth and soft, with woody and earthy aromas. Ideal for use in cold weather or after meals.

Deep Mountain Old Tree (Raw Tea): This is a high-quality raw Pu’er tea product, using the tea leaves of the old tea trees in the deep mountains of Menghai County. It has a rich and complex flavor with aromas of honey and orchid. A sought-after product among collectors and connoisseurs.

Deep Mountain Old Tree (Ripe Tea): This is a high-quality ripe Pu’er tea product, using the tea leaves of the old tea trees in the deep mountains of Menghai County. On the palate it is smooth and full-bodied, with aromas of chocolate and caramel.