Donna A

Mengku Arbor Tree Ripened Puerh Cake Tea ZhenMu LingYa 2007 from Teavivre

Donna A drank Mengku Arbor Tree Ripened Puerh Cake Tea ZhenMu LingYa 2007 by Teavivre

Its been awhile since I’ve had a pu-erh. I like to take some time with them since you can get so many steepings-16 for this one, according to Teavivre. So today, I have the time, and I’m motivated since my husband used my other sample yesterday, not realizing I was saving it for the right time. I start out in a conventional way using a gaiwan. Following the instructions on the website, I rinse 10 gms twice and start out with quick steepings, as follows: 10s, 10s, 10s, 5s, 5s, 5s, 10s,10s,10s,and 10s. I give my husband some of the later ones and he says, “Now that’s some good tea.” We’re in agreement on that. The first cups taste thick and rich, but all the steepings are nice. After ten 3-oz steepings, I do a final? two minute steeping for my husband with 10 oz of water, which he says still has plenty of flavor-so maybe we’re not done yet after all. The liquor is dark, the color of cola, with a pleasant earthy aroma. Sweet, earthy, and smooth are good overall descriptions, and importantly, there is no fishy taste, bitterness or astringency. So, for pu-erh lovers, or if you haven’t had pu-erh and want to give one a try, get a sample of this one. The pu-erh teas I’ve had from Teavivre do fine with either gongfu or Western style brewing.

2013-03-06 18:23:49 -0500

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Bonnie 2013-03-06 23:39:31 -0500

Agree the puerh is good every day drinkable tea without odd flavors.

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Tea has become a recent passion of mine. I fell into it almost by accident, but now I would say it has captured me. Tea is more than something tasty to sip on, it is an experience-it helps create a mood and is quite interesting to read about and study. I discovered loose tea at the tea store at my mall. I was looking for alternatives to Coke Zero and white wine. Say what you will about that mall chain, but I’m sure it has raised awareness about tea where I live, in the land of bagged mass produced black tea prepared with lots of sugar, Atlanta, Georgia. That’s what happened with me, and then I started perusing the internet and found Steepster.

When I take on an interest or a hobby, I go into it full force and become a little obsessive about it in the beginning. I have always been adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, and once I discovered there was so much more out there than the Lipton tea I saw my mom drinking when I was growing up, I started trying many different varieties of loose tea. I have discovered I like all kinds of tea. Some of the teas I seem to be craving the most are good black teas, but it depends on my mood. I love something like Golden Fleece, a Dian Hong from Verdant. I also appreciate quality greens and oolongs and have enjoyed some pu-erh as well. Whites are often a little too mild for my taste, unless flavored. I still drink flavored teas quite often, but lately, I have veered a lot toward straight teas. I like flavored matcha lattes too. I don’t consider myself qualified to judge quality. When I rate a tea, it’s just my personal taste, so I don’t tend to post on things I don’t care for. Also, I tend to sweeten my tea with natural stevia (a no no for some!) I am a married Registered Nurse, with two kids in college and one in medical school. Two of them enjoy checking out my teas when they are home, sometimes with their friends. My husband is not hooked like I am, but he often enjoys a cup with me. I enjoy many other interests, including reading, gardening, the arts, and the outdoors. Anytime I can include tea in these pursuits, I do! It has become a bit of an obsession for me.