Carolyn

Organic Pu-Erh Mini Tuo Cha from Upton Tea Imports

Carolyn drank Organic Pu-Erh Mini Tuo Cha by Upton Tea Imports

It’s a “be brave” day. I’m trying pu-erh again. This time it’s the cute looking little tuo cha nests. I have followed the directions rigorously. I’ve boiled my water to 212 degrees. I rinsed it in boiling water then steeped it for six minutes.

The pu-erh tea is thick and black. It smells of leather and grass with a slight sweetness. I added creamer to it as I do to all of my black teas. It isn’t too bad, which is not to say that it is all that good either. Still, it doesn’t smell or taste like dung, which is my previous pu-erh benchmark. There is a slight saltiness and the leather smell carries through to the taste. It still turns my stomach over, though.

I think this is a pretty definitive test. I am a failure at pu-erh appreciation. Does anyone want the rest of the pu-erh sample?

2009-10-04 16:30:29 -0400

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takgoti 2009-10-04 22:40:50 -0400

It took me some time to get used to pu-erh, but now I quite like it. You might want to try something that’s got some other flavor to it – I’m a big fan of Samovar’s Blood Orange Pu-erh, myself.

Cofftea 2009-10-04 23:08:04 -0400

boiling water is only 212 degrees.

Nicole Martin 2009-10-05 00:12:26 -0400

Puerh definately takes getting used to. Try skipping the creamer next time though. What did you brew it in? I prefer making my puerh in a gaiwan so that the steep times are much shorter.

Oh Cha! 2009-10-06 17:18:24 -0400

Sometimes the problem with a pu-erh is that is has not aged long enough. Throw it on your shelf and come back to it in 5 years.
No, I’m not kidding!
http://teamasters.blogspot.com/2006/02/what-pu-erh-will-age-well.html

Oh Cha! 2009-10-06 17:21:05 -0400

P.S. Good pu-erh will not take getting used to. :)

Ones I’ve tried and would recommend include Rishi’s Green Pu-erh Tuo Cha, Pu- erh Ginger, and their new Pu-erh Vanilla Mint.

TeaCast 2009-10-06 21:22:24 -0400

Pu erh I have found is def. hit or miss, and once you find one, savor it all you can, you may not be able to find it again!

Carolyn 2009-10-06 22:33:55 -0400

Thank you all so much for your advice. This latest pu-erh tasted ok, but I had the same problem I do with almost every pu-erh: I drink it and then I throw up. The only one that worked out ok was a pu-erh combined with black tea, cocoa, and spices. My guess is that the quantity of pu-erh was small enough that I didn’t react that way.

If I am to throw the remaining pu-erh on a shelf and come back to it in five years, how should I store it? Does it want to breathe or be sealed up tight?

Carolyn 2009-10-06 22:35:33 -0400

Thanks for the advice Oh Cha. I may try the Pu-erh Ginger since I currently use ginger tea to settle my stomach. So maybe the combination will work well together.

Welcome to Steepster, an online tea community.

Carolyn

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