Sheng and Shou TTB?

I would be interested if you guys get this going. I’d have some to contribute. It’s steadily growing but is still a modestly small collection.

So another thing I’m thinking is that if whole cakes and touchas end up in the box, some people don’t know how to break them up properly or re-uploaded it right. Some people who might be interested don’t even own a puerh pick. One of the boxes I did had a toucha in it that came back pretty beat up

I would be highly interested if the ball truly starts rolling. I have a few shou and a couple shengs (all in sample packet, cake, loose, or in tuocha or cake form). Thank you, Dr. Jim, Stacy, MzPriss, and everyone else!

OK. It looks like we’re going to do this. I went through this thread and found we already have 10 people who have expressed interest, so I think for now I’ll just stay in this thread and let people find us. I will warn you all that based on past experience, I won’t just take people first come first served; you need to have a fairly strong presence on Steepster to make the cut. This also means that the sign-up is not yet closed.

If you are interested in participating in the TTB, please follow me and provide the following info, either in this thread or via PM:
1. What state do you live in?
2. Preference: sheng or shou? Do you enjoy both or only drink one type? Also, thinking about the tea that you have: which type are you likely to add. Confession: I prefer sheng, but will be putting a lot of shu into the box :)
3. How many grams of tea do you use when drinking pu-erh?
4. Are there any times between now and Memorial day when you know you will be gone for a week or more?
5. Go right away or wait for my shipment?

I’m still looking for feedback on how to run the box. Here is my current thinking:
1. I think we should try to move the box quickly. People can just take samples, add an equivalent amount of tea to replace them, and get it back into the mail.
2. DO NOT take more than 10 grams of any given tea. This is contrary to the usual rule for TTBs, but I think we need to at least start out this way. If we start with a small box, we won’t want to reduce the variety too much.
3. Should we start ASAP or wait for my TuochaTea order (10 more teas)? I sharpened my pencil and decided I can actually have about 20 teas (plus 3 from Stacy) if I include small quantities of some. Several would run out within 1 or 2 samples, but would mean the first couple of people get decent variety. This would still be a pretty small box, totaling on the order of 25 oz. The TuochaTea order would add 10 oz (1 oz of each tea, before I even drink it!). MzPriss has also offered to add some tea, which could add some delay but make the box bigger.
4. Otherwise, pretty much follow the standard procedure.

Thanks in advance for you feedback. Please don’t hold back; I will view it as help, not criticism.

Maybe consider a lower limit? 10 grams will wipe out some things pretty quickly. I’ve been looking and need to finish, but I will be providing a decent amount/variety. I think we should wait for your order to arrive as I will need to get tea to you as well.

I’m in Texas. I drink both sheng and shou and I won’t ever use more than 5 grams of any sample for purposes of this box. Also not going anywhere for a week.

Alabama, I prefer shou but would also like to try more sheng, use about 4g to 90ml of water, I’m moving to Maryland in March.

I would wait until you get your tea order to start.

Cookies has a point – maybe a 100g maximum add? I’m assuming we’d use a large flat rate shipping box.

OK. The votes are in.
The consensus is that we should wait until my China order arrives. If it is not here within 2 weeks, I will re-open the question. Stacy (of Butiki teas) and Mzpriss are going to contribute to the box before I send it out (supplementing my otherwise meager supplies).

Sometime in the next couple of days, I’ll put together a list of people on the box and probably start a new thread, which will permit me to edit the initial content. I’m still waiting for responses from a couple of people.

Hmmm, what about blended pu’er?

If the box swings my direction, I could swap in pu’er blends (loose shu blended with fruit/whatever).
I also have sheng and shu cakes that have been pressed with flowers. Not quite crazy as a blend, but still not all pu’er. Of course, there will need to be good wrapping on these teas to avoid contamination.

Or will this be strictly unflavored?

I can participate too. I have enough to add.

My feeling though is I would prefer less than 10 teas, one reason is puerh can steep for days. Takes forever to steep out. But the good part about that is people could take out what they want and put in more and send out the box sooner. Having 10 samples can take a month or more to try.