teawing

1999 Vietnamese Cooked Loose Puerh from Canton Tea Co

teawing drank 1999 Vietnamese Cooked Loose Puerh by Canton Tea Co

On a challenge from my benefactor, QuiltGuppy, I steeped a cup of this today.
The dry aroma is dusty, like the dirty actors in a Sergio Leone Western. While steeping, visons of gardening danced in my head. Freshly plowed soil with hints of fertilizer mixed in. The first sip was a perfect blend of the dusty odor, heavy earth notes and a touch of peat bogginess. A 1999 vintage, it is not as old as dirt. It does however, taste like it.
Thank you QG, for helping me reach a conclusion today. With so many fine Oolongs, Blacks, and Greens out there, I am giving up on Puerh. If I get the urge for some, I will simply move some furniture, collect a little dust, add a dash from a vaccum cleaner bag, and use a potting soil base. I think I could come pretty close.
No offense to you Puerh lovers, but to reuse an old and tiresome expression, this is not my cup of tea.

2011-05-16 11:33:11 -0400

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teawing 2011-05-16 14:24:19 -0400

I would like to add, the texture was sans grit. As surprising as that may seem.
:)

QuiltGuppy 2011-05-16 14:39:14 -0400

I’m so glad I’m not the only one to have this result… as badly as I feel for your taste buds. It did receive some higher ratings, some very high, from other reviewers. I think it’s a situation of to each his own… Love the review, though! :)

KeenTeaThyme 2011-05-16 15:10:28 -0400

I have a strawberry blended puerh (the My Name is Bruce blend) if you want to try it. I don’t think I’ve tried all that many and honestly they are mostly forgettable. I tend to like green tea anyway so something strong like this wouldn’t sit well with me either. Don’t feel bad! ;)

I agree with QG – love the description, especially, “dusty…like the dirty actors in a Sergio Leone western.” :)

LiberTEAS 2011-05-16 16:58:38 -0400

I had this experience the first time I tried Pu-erh as well, but now, I have learned that proper brewing is essential with Pu-erh. What were your brewing parameters?

teawing 2011-05-16 20:08:52 -0400

Just off the boil, about 3 minutes. Not much different than some of the higher ratings.
I can’t believe it is even the same tea some have described.

gmathis 2011-05-17 08:44:24 -0400

Love the vacuum cleaner dust analogy!

teawing 2011-05-17 10:14:37 -0400

gmathis: thanks!
LiberTEAS: was that too long?

teawing 2011-05-17 10:17:09 -0400

KiTT: Thank you too! I would try a blend, if you can spare some, but I doubt straight Pu-erh’s are going to be in my future.

Angrboda 2011-05-17 11:52:27 -0400

Generally with this type I use 30 seconds at the most for the first steep. But I also use a lot of leaf, so it might not easily translate into anything useful for you. It is a type that steeps really fast though

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