I am not sure about this one. It smells like chocolate and…dirt. I know, I know, I’ve read the tasting notes, too. People say pu-erh has a lovely earthy aroma. Well, now that I’ve smelled it for myself, I’m thinking it’s really just a polite way of saying dirt, and I don’t find it lovely. So I guess if I’m going to delve at all into the world of pu-erh, that might be a problem. =)
The brew tastes like chocolate with a bit of cinnamon, maybe. It’s not bad, but I can’t get the smell of dirt out of my nose! Honestly, it is so much like hot chocolate, that I think if I wanted hot chocolate, I would just make hot chocolate, calories be damned.
I reckon I’ll leave the rating off, for now. I’m sure it’s lovely for what it is, and those who like what it is will probably love this. It’s just not my taste. That said, I plan to experiment with a few more bags to see if I can make a concoction that’s more palatable; if not, there’s always the swap bin!
Tea amount: 1 bag
Water amount: 6oz/~175mL
Additives: 1ish tsp Demerara sugar
Preparation
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haha yeah i’m finding the same thing. If you find a nice pu-erh that you enjoy let me know. I’m just now starting to try some of them to see what all the fuss is about. Matcha was a fun experiment…pu-erh seems…less so lol
you could also try raw puerh, which doesn’t taste like dirt. :)
Nice honest review, Nik! I think for most, Puerh is an acquired taste. I garden a lot, & crazy as it may sound, I love the smells of leaf mulch, compost pile (sometimes more than others), & just the soil itself. Feel free to call me a wierdo, LOL!
Thanks, all! I am not giving up, yet. I think there was a pu-erh and a pu-erh chai in the Golden Moon sampler box. If I remember correctly, I really liked them both. I’m sure there is as much diversity there as with any other tea. Instead of getting hung up on this one, I’ll give it another few goes and then just move on to something else. (Easier said than done, given my stubborn nature, but I’ll try to move on.)
Bravo for giving it a go. I have yet to give any pu-erh a try so I’ve been sorting through reviews for suggestions that might appeal to my taste. I appreciate your honest review as someone delving into the world of pu-erh, perhaps I will join your ranks someday. :)
@canadianadia, thanks! When I tried the Golden Moon ones, the pu-erh and the pu-erh chai, I had no idea what pu-erh was (not that I really do now, but I didn’t even know it was a Thing). I think it was really good for me to go into it completely blind; perhaps if I’d known that “earth, mushrooms, fish” are often associated with it, I mightn’t have been brave enough to try. =) I don’t remember buying this tea, so I’m wondering if I won it from Numi or something. I wouldn’t buy two boxes of a tea I’d never even tried. See, if I kept a journal like Terri started, I would know exactly how it ended up in my cupboard. Ah well, it’s there now, may as well play with it. =)
LOL, Nik! I am a crazy journaler!
I do wish I tried pu-erh before learning anything about it. The fishy descriptions are the ones that scare me off the most. One day I’ll stop being a chicken and just give it a try. :P
If I end up getting the Golden Moon ones before you try it, I’ll send you some. Neither their pu-erh nor their pu-erh chai had even the faintest hint of fishiness. If they did, I probably would’ve dumped them both straight in the bin. Blech!
haha yeah i’m finding the same thing. If you find a nice pu-erh that you enjoy let me know. I’m just now starting to try some of them to see what all the fuss is about. Matcha was a fun experiment…pu-erh seems…less so lol
you could also try raw puerh, which doesn’t taste like dirt. :)
Nice honest review, Nik! I think for most, Puerh is an acquired taste. I garden a lot, & crazy as it may sound, I love the smells of leaf mulch, compost pile (sometimes more than others), & just the soil itself. Feel free to call me a wierdo, LOL!
Thanks, all! I am not giving up, yet. I think there was a pu-erh and a pu-erh chai in the Golden Moon sampler box. If I remember correctly, I really liked them both. I’m sure there is as much diversity there as with any other tea. Instead of getting hung up on this one, I’ll give it another few goes and then just move on to something else. (Easier said than done, given my stubborn nature, but I’ll try to move on.)
Bravo for giving it a go. I have yet to give any pu-erh a try so I’ve been sorting through reviews for suggestions that might appeal to my taste. I appreciate your honest review as someone delving into the world of pu-erh, perhaps I will join your ranks someday. :)
@canadianadia, thanks! When I tried the Golden Moon ones, the pu-erh and the pu-erh chai, I had no idea what pu-erh was (not that I really do now, but I didn’t even know it was a Thing). I think it was really good for me to go into it completely blind; perhaps if I’d known that “earth, mushrooms, fish” are often associated with it, I mightn’t have been brave enough to try. =) I don’t remember buying this tea, so I’m wondering if I won it from Numi or something. I wouldn’t buy two boxes of a tea I’d never even tried. See, if I kept a journal like Terri started, I would know exactly how it ended up in my cupboard. Ah well, it’s there now, may as well play with it. =)
LOL, Nik! I am a crazy journaler!
I do wish I tried pu-erh before learning anything about it. The fishy descriptions are the ones that scare me off the most. One day I’ll stop being a chicken and just give it a try. :P
If I end up getting the Golden Moon ones before you try it, I’ll send you some. Neither their pu-erh nor their pu-erh chai had even the faintest hint of fishiness. If they did, I probably would’ve dumped them both straight in the bin. Blech!