Beginner Puerh
I have produced two videos that explain HOW to prepare pu’er tea, and also how Pu’er Tea is produced here in China. We have a wonderful product ourselves and are happy to chat tea. Give Shou Chaa a shot and Sheng Chaa.
Prepare Pu’er (or other teas) video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmNZ3Mqi5F4
Processing from start to finish, video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSvTbp_TlcI
Good luck on your first purhcase Kamyria
Very nice video’s! Different from other’s I’ve seen.
I believe that having video’s really helps a beginner (which I will always be). I’ll add you to my list of videos that I recommend to people new to Pu’er along with Mandala, Verdant and Teavivre’s video’s.
Yes those videos were good. Proper prep for both kind of pu. I think the more people have access to they can hopefully find a way to do this with a way they are comfortable with. I have big hand so the yixing is my choice but i have ordered an easy pour gaiwan as I really want to experience tea in this manner. I know different prep can mean different results sometimes.
Videos that are also helpful can be found on mandala tea website,verdant tea and teavivre. These have been my first models for how to prepare puerh and all sell puerh too including sample sizes. Yunnan Sourcing USA is another place to buy from (I’d ask mrmopar for a recommendation) . The puerh sold by butiki tea by the piece(mini tuochas and coins) are tasty starters. mandala has mini starter paks for sale.
Thank you kindly for the comments, more videos to come.
Kamyria, it is great that you are trying different suppliers and seeing what they offer and what you like. When I first started drinking Pu’er, I tried literally dozens of them each day, and drank a lot of poor quality Pu’er. If I could humbly make a recommendation, I would suggest trying as many as you could get your hands on…but really only dive into the more quality Pu’ers, as this will quickly allow you to acquire your taste to quality.
Also, Pu’er is a really tricky tea in that a lot of its wonderful characters are not standard to our Western Pallet(i.e. the astringency of Sheng Chaa or the Camaphor/Aged taste of a Shou Chaa). Sampling a tea that is of poor processing or material could, sadly, turn you off to this wonderful tea that could otherwise become a sure favorite. Doesn’t mean you need to try great teas, but maybe stick to the teas that have good reviews or a good history instead of looking for the teas that are cheapest or most readily available.
Enjoy the hunt for the perfect tea, and find wonders in all of those in between.
Good advice. I began by looking at the puer ratings under the tea tab, reading reviews…then trying several…and now (after some time and lots of puer) I’m a puer addict! I haven’t had many puers that were not very good (some average though).
Great advice Misty Peak, thank you! I always read reviews before purchasing tea and I would suspect this is even more important to do in case of pu’erh teas since they are so different.
I second both of these comments. Pu-erh can be very different to our western tastes. There are a lot of differences between the types as well as the differences of the same “recipe” between the different years and harvest time. I think pu-erh may be under appreciated by the western society. Pu-erh has many hidden taste, flavors and aroma. Best advice read reviews, learn proper prep(crucial to good results) try some samples if possible before getting a large amount. If you do happen to get one you do not like don’t give up there are a lot of very good ones out there. There are a lot of sites and info out there read read and read some more. That is how i have gained knowledge on this. Good luck in your quest we are always glad to help just follow and shoot a message. I just followed you.
i was ignored and baised to tell the world that I didn’t like pu-erh, based on a badly stored (and rotten:()! shou of inferiour quality. smell and taste were just horrible.
And, silly me, thought that that was every pu-ehr tea was like, so I didn’t bother again, until recently.
I met a kind person who was (and still is :0) willing to teach me about pu-ehr.
He showed me how the various stages of fermentation would affect taste & appearance by letting me smell & taste and drink, starting with a young sheng from 2012, then a 2011 all the way back until back to 2003 from various factories/regions, etc., same with shou pu-ehr, and in the meantime, let me get away with the silliest questions a person can possibly ask about pu ehr.
a few rules basics I learned to start your journey with:
buy sheng from small producers – they make good quality pu-ehr, shu from the large established factories;
try various cakes to see what you like and what you don’t, don’t steer blindly on reviews alone, pu ehr, like tea, is personal when it comes to taste and there are many, good, and reasonably priced pu ehr cakes on the market;
young sheng is not always bitter and undrinkable, in fact, I love young sheng! I have a few that taste like nuts and apricots and honey and have a lovely anise, woody smell. (very short steeps, 10s. building up..)
my journey is just beginning, and so far, I enjoy it very much.
and to make things easier, I am waiting for a 2007 WHITE pu ehr cake to try, lol. / yes, there are whites too!
personally, i prefer (young) sheng (1/2yrs.)- < 5 YRS) for now, but the days when I said pu ehr is not for me are long gone, I love pu ehr tea, and drink it most of the day.
(feel another addiction coming…)
I would suggest Numi Teas (www.numitea.com) they seem to have some very good pu-erh teas like Emperor’s Pu-erh; Cardamon Pu-erh; Chocolate Pu-erh;I was fortunate to try their teas and found them amazingly true to their brand. I am only sorry for not sampling or following them more exclusively. I not employed and so spending is impulsively sporadic on my part which makes me poor/broke.
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