Yesterday, I cut the top off of my sample pouch of ZH25 Organic China Leaf
Pu-Erh from Upton. Upon first reading about it on some website last year, my
thought was, "Why in the world would anyone want to drink something like
that?" But, reading the posts here convinced me to at least try some.

Using boiling water, I brewed 1 tsp. in 8 oz. for 5 min. and found that it
tastes interesting, but weak. Brewing for 6 min. tasted better, but there
was a definite "dirt" smell to it. There was an extremely fine dusty feeling
that made me understand why some say that it's like drinking dirt. It didn't
have a bad flavor, just different. In fact, I enjoyed it. It was more robust
than delicate, reminding me of Irish Breakfast in some respects, but with
better flavor and surprisingly sweet. Yes, the catalog said that it leaves a
sweet aftertaste, but I was surprised anyway - go figger. I found that
brewing for 5-3/4 min. is just right for me.

At this point, I'm not sure about reordering. It's still a novelty for me
and I don't see it becoming a regular drink. I would because it's good but
for the earthy aroma and texture. Perhaps I'll order in sample sizes to cope
with any urge that may develop. Does it get better with age? Should I go
ahead and order a regular tin now and dip into it occasionally for years to
come?

On the whole, I'm glad that my first experience with Pu-Erh has been as
positive as it's been.

Thanks to all for your posts and any further guidance. If not for them, I
might have never tried it.


--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

"Bluesea" > wrote in message
...
> Yesterday, I cut the top off of my sample pouch of ZH25 Organic China Leaf
> Pu-Erh from Upton. Upon first reading about it on some website last year,
my
> thought was, "Why in the world would anyone want to drink something like
> that?" But, reading the posts here convinced me to at least try some.
>
> Using boiling water, I brewed 1 tsp. in 8 oz. for 5 min. and found that it
> tastes interesting, but weak. Brewing for 6 min. tasted better, but there
> was a definite "dirt" smell to it. There was an extremely fine dusty
feeling
> that made me understand why some say that it's like drinking dirt. It
didn't
> have a bad flavor, just different. In fact, I enjoyed it. It was more
robust
> than delicate, reminding me of Irish Breakfast in some respects, but with
> better flavor and surprisingly sweet. Yes, the catalog said that it leaves
a
> sweet aftertaste, but I was surprised anyway - go figger. I found that
> brewing for 5-3/4 min. is just right for me.
>
> At this point, I'm not sure about reordering. It's still a novelty for me
> and I don't see it becoming a regular drink. I would because it's good but
> for the earthy aroma and texture. Perhaps I'll order in sample sizes to
cope
> with any urge that may develop. Does it get better with age? Should I go
> ahead and order a regular tin now and dip into it occasionally for years
to
> come?
>
> On the whole, I'm glad that my first experience with Pu-Erh has been as
> positive as it's been.
>
> Thanks to all for your posts and any further guidance. If not for them, I
> might have never tried it.
>
>
> --
> ~~Bluesea~~
> Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
> Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

I find that puerh is perfect for when I have a cold. For some reason it
helps strengthen my system better than pretty much anything else. I also
like it on rainy days, or when I'm feeling fluish. Now that you've tried
it, you might want to try some of the other puerhs out there. Enjoy!


>
>

"Bluesea" > wrote in message
...
> Yesterday, I cut the top off of my sample pouch of ZH25 Organic China Leaf
> Pu-Erh from Upton. Upon first reading about it on some website last year,
my
> thought was, "Why in the world would anyone want to drink something like
> that?" But, reading the posts here convinced me to at least try some.
>
> Using boiling water, I brewed 1 tsp. in 8 oz. for 5 min. and found that it
> tastes interesting, but weak. Brewing for 6 min. tasted better, but there
> was a definite "dirt" smell to it. There was an extremely fine dusty
feeling
> that made me understand why some say that it's like drinking dirt. It
didn't
> have a bad flavor, just different. In fact, I enjoyed it. It was more
robust
> than delicate, reminding me of Irish Breakfast in some respects, but with
> better flavor and surprisingly sweet. Yes, the catalog said that it leaves
a
> sweet aftertaste, but I was surprised anyway - go figger. I found that
> brewing for 5-3/4 min. is just right for me.
>
> At this point, I'm not sure about reordering. It's still a novelty for me
> and I don't see it becoming a regular drink. I would because it's good but
> for the earthy aroma and texture. Perhaps I'll order in sample sizes to
cope
> with any urge that may develop. Does it get better with age? Should I go
> ahead and order a regular tin now and dip into it occasionally for years
to
> come?
>
> On the whole, I'm glad that my first experience with Pu-Erh has been as
> positive as it's been.
>
> Thanks to all for your posts and any further guidance. If not for them, I
> might have never tried it.
>
>
> --
> ~~Bluesea~~
> Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
> Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

I find that puerh is perfect for when I have a cold. For some reason it
helps strengthen my system better than pretty much anything else. I also
like it on rainy days, or when I'm feeling fluish. Now that you've tried
it, you might want to try some of the other puerhs out there. Enjoy!


>
>

You might try tuo chas and the large pu-er bricks. Those are great because
they'll keep forever. They all have different tastes. The bricks are neato
too because they've been using them in the East for nearly a zillion years.




"Bluesea" > wrote in message
...
> Yesterday, I cut the top off of my sample pouch of ZH25 Organic China Leaf
> Pu-Erh from Upton. Upon first reading about it on some website last year,
my
> thought was, "Why in the world would anyone want to drink something like
> that?" But, reading the posts here convinced me to at least try some.
>
> Using boiling water, I brewed 1 tsp. in 8 oz. for 5 min. and found that it
> tastes interesting, but weak. Brewing for 6 min. tasted better, but there
> was a definite "dirt" smell to it. There was an extremely fine dusty
feeling
> that made me understand why some say that it's like drinking dirt. It
didn't
> have a bad flavor, just different. In fact, I enjoyed it. It was more
robust
> than delicate, reminding me of Irish Breakfast in some respects, but with
> better flavor and surprisingly sweet. Yes, the catalog said that it leaves
a
> sweet aftertaste, but I was surprised anyway - go figger. I found that
> brewing for 5-3/4 min. is just right for me.
>
> At this point, I'm not sure about reordering. It's still a novelty for me
> and I don't see it becoming a regular drink. I would because it's good but
> for the earthy aroma and texture. Perhaps I'll order in sample sizes to
cope
> with any urge that may develop. Does it get better with age? Should I go
> ahead and order a regular tin now and dip into it occasionally for years
to
> come?
>
> On the whole, I'm glad that my first experience with Pu-Erh has been as
> positive as it's been.
>
> Thanks to all for your posts and any further guidance. If not for them, I
> might have never tried it.
>
>
> --
> ~~Bluesea~~
> Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
> Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.
>
>

You might try tuo chas and the large pu-er bricks. Those are great because
they'll keep forever. They all have different tastes. The bricks are neato
too because they've been using them in the East for nearly a zillion years.




"Bluesea" > wrote in message
...
> Yesterday, I cut the top off of my sample pouch of ZH25 Organic China Leaf
> Pu-Erh from Upton. Upon first reading about it on some website last year,
my
> thought was, "Why in the world would anyone want to drink something like
> that?" But, reading the posts here convinced me to at least try some.
>
> Using boiling water, I brewed 1 tsp. in 8 oz. for 5 min. and found that it
> tastes interesting, but weak. Brewing for 6 min. tasted better, but there
> was a definite "dirt" smell to it. There was an extremely fine dusty
feeling
> that made me understand why some say that it's like drinking dirt. It
didn't
> have a bad flavor, just different. In fact, I enjoyed it. It was more
robust
> than delicate, reminding me of Irish Breakfast in some respects, but with
> better flavor and surprisingly sweet. Yes, the catalog said that it leaves
a
> sweet aftertaste, but I was surprised anyway - go figger. I found that
> brewing for 5-3/4 min. is just right for me.
>
> At this point, I'm not sure about reordering. It's still a novelty for me
> and I don't see it becoming a regular drink. I would because it's good but
> for the earthy aroma and texture. Perhaps I'll order in sample sizes to
cope
> with any urge that may develop. Does it get better with age? Should I go
> ahead and order a regular tin now and dip into it occasionally for years
to
> come?
>
> On the whole, I'm glad that my first experience with Pu-Erh has been as
> positive as it's been.
>
> Thanks to all for your posts and any further guidance. If not for them, I
> might have never tried it.
>
>
> --
> ~~Bluesea~~
> Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
> Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.
>
>

Bluesea wrote:

> On the whole, I'm glad that my first experience with Pu-Erh has been as
> positive as it's been.
> Thanks to all for your posts and any further guidance. If not for them, I
> might have never tried it.

You may feel differently here pretty soon when mold starts growing
out of your ears, and you have difficult brushing all the mildew off
your teeth.

:-)


Randy

That depends. "Green" Pu-erh bricks will indeed keep ad infinitum (and
get better as they go), but I have had some "Black" cakes fade on me...
ZBL

That depends. "Green" Pu-erh bricks will indeed keep ad infinitum (and
get better as they go), but I have had some "Black" cakes fade on me...
ZBL

Do not be si sure.
Puerh, if not stored properly is known to get moldy and/or dusty and lose
its taste.
If stored within reach of kitchen smells it will absord them and the liquor
will smell as a dish wash. IMHO 90% of cakes in Chinese homes are stored
that way and are spoiled after several years. The smell of the congut oil in
unbearable in tea.
True masters allow puerh to be moved from more humid to less humid
environmens periodically so the cake "breeth" some humidity in and out.
Certainly I know only "of" and not "how".

Sasha.


"Zephyrus" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> That depends. "Green" Pu-erh bricks will indeed keep ad infinitum (and
> get better as they go), but I have had some "Black" cakes fade on me...
> ZBL
>

Do not be si sure.
Puerh, if not stored properly is known to get moldy and/or dusty and lose
its taste.
If stored within reach of kitchen smells it will absord them and the liquor
will smell as a dish wash. IMHO 90% of cakes in Chinese homes are stored
that way and are spoiled after several years. The smell of the congut oil in
unbearable in tea.
True masters allow puerh to be moved from more humid to less humid
environmens periodically so the cake "breeth" some humidity in and out.
Certainly I know only "of" and not "how".

Sasha.


"Zephyrus" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> That depends. "Green" Pu-erh bricks will indeed keep ad infinitum (and
> get better as they go), but I have had some "Black" cakes fade on me...
> ZBL
>