I have developed quite a liking for these. Just brewed up a couple Pu
Erh Special Grade Mini Tuo Chas from Upton, which appear to be exactly
the same as the ones I was getting at the local co-op (for about the
same price). Anyway, these come wrapped in kind of a tissue paper. Do
you leave this on or take it off? The first cup I ever brewed, I just
plopped them in the cup and ended up with a mess (I don't have anything
in the office to strain out loose leaves). Then I started putting the
wrapped balls in a tea bag. Then Unwrapped balls in a teabag. i can't
tell much difference, but is there a preffered way?

"Justin Holmes" > writes:

> I have developed quite a liking for these. Just brewed up a couple Pu
> Erh Special Grade Mini Tuo Chas from Upton, which appear to be exactly
> the same as the ones I was getting at the local co-op (for about the
> same price). Anyway, these come wrapped in kind of a tissue paper. Do
> you leave this on or take it off? The first cup I ever brewed, I just
> plopped them in the cup and ended up with a mess (I don't have anything
> in the office to strain out loose leaves). Then I started putting the
> wrapped balls in a tea bag. Then Unwrapped balls in a teabag. i can't
> tell much difference, but is there a preffered way?

There are lots of ways of keeping the leaves out of your mouth, but I
wouldn't steep the wrapper with the leaves if I were you. I don't
think they make any representation about it being food-grade paper.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

Thanks.I think unwrapped and in a tea bag will be the strategy from
here on.

Justin Holmes wrote:
> I have developed quite a liking for these. Just brewed up a couple Pu
> Erh Special Grade Mini Tuo Chas from Upton, which appear to be exactly
> the same as the ones I was getting at the local co-op (for about the
> same price). Anyway, these come wrapped in kind of a tissue paper. Do
> you leave this on or take it off? The first cup I ever brewed, I just
> plopped them in the cup and ended up with a mess (I don't have anything
> in the office to strain out loose leaves).

Get a "UtiliTEA" from Adagio or a "Perfect Tea Maker" from Teavana
(both basically the same device). It's especially nice for teas that
you want to infuse multiple times.

Oh, and take the paper off before you brew.


stePH

Justin Holmes wrote:
> I have developed quite a liking for these. Just brewed up a couple Pu
> Erh Special Grade Mini Tuo Chas from Upton, which appear to be exactly
> the same as the ones I was getting at the local co-op (for about the
> same price). Anyway, these come wrapped in kind of a tissue paper. Do
> you leave this on or take it off? The first cup I ever brewed, I just
> plopped them in the cup and ended up with a mess (I don't have anything
> in the office to strain out loose leaves). Then I started putting the
> wrapped balls in a tea bag. Then Unwrapped balls in a teabag. i can't
> tell much difference, but is there a preffered way?

I would recommend crumbling the Mini-Touchas before infusion. Rinse
once with fresh boiled water, then infuse 2 or 3 times.

Adrian

1/3/06


>
> Justin Holmes wrote:
>> I have developed quite a liking for these. Just brewed up a couple Pu
>> Erh Special Grade Mini Tuo Chas from Upton, which appear to be exactly
>> the same as the ones I was getting at the local co-op (for about the
>> same price). Anyway, these come wrapped in kind of a tissue paper. Do
>> you leave this on or take it off? The first cup I ever brewed, I just
>> plopped them in the cup and ended up with a mess (I don't have anything
>> in the office to strain out loose leaves). Then I started putting the
>> wrapped balls in a tea bag. Then Unwrapped balls in a teabag. i can't
>> tell much difference, but is there a preffered way?
>
> I would recommend crumbling the Mini-Touchas before infusion. Rinse
> once with fresh boiled water, then infuse 2 or 3 times.
>
> Adrian
>

Adrian,

I dunnoh. I sort of like the dynamic deterioration of the lump as it takes
on water and disintegrates before my eyes. Might take a steep or two to
bring them to complete destruction, but that's part of the pleasure. Just a
thought.

The tea sleeve somebody mentioned previously would on the one hand save
cleaning time and trouble, but on the other hand you'd miss half the show.

Michael

Michael Plant wrote:
> I sort of like the dynamic deterioration of the lump as it takes
> on water and disintegrates before my eyes. Might take a steep or two to
> bring them to complete destruction, but that's part of the pleasure. Just a
> thought.
>
> The tea sleeve somebody mentioned previously would on the one hand save
> cleaning time and trouble, but on the other hand you'd miss half the show.

By "tea sleeve" do you mean the IngenuiTEA or Perfect Tea Maker? I
believe both are transparent -- my IngenuiTEA certainly is; I can watch
leaves of gunpowder or oolong slowly unfurl as they steep. Or chunks
of raw puer brick for that "dynamic deterioration" of which you speak.

stePH
--
in cup: Ahmad Earl Grey
later: 2003 sheng brick pu-er (from Tao of Tea)
Yes, I know I'm drinking it young but it's so damn tasty.

1/4/06


> Michael Plant wrote:
>> I sort of like the dynamic deterioration of the lump as it takes
>> on water and disintegrates before my eyes. Might take a steep or two to
>> bring them to complete destruction, but that's part of the pleasure. Just a
>> thought.
>>
>> The tea sleeve somebody mentioned previously would on the one hand save
>> cleaning time and trouble, but on the other hand you'd miss half the show.
>
> By "tea sleeve" do you mean the IngenuiTEA or Perfect Tea Maker? I
> believe both are transparent -- my IngenuiTEA certainly is; I can watch
> leaves of gunpowder or oolong slowly unfurl as they steep. Or chunks
> of raw puer brick for that "dynamic deterioration" of which you speak.
>
> stePH

I'm talking about those ong paper rectangles
that form a pouch for the tea and are long
enough to drape over the side of the mug.
You can put in any amount of tea and leave
the sleeve in the mug as long as you like.
When finished, you can disgard the wet
and expanded sleeve. (Sounds a bit like a
do-it-yourself you-know-what, right?)

> in cup: Ahmad Earl Grey
> later: 2003 sheng brick pu-er (from Tao of Tea)
> Yes, I know I'm drinking it young but it's so damn tasty.

Young sheng Pu'erhs can be damned
tastey IMHO, and are a class of their
own, quite different from aged ones.
They present fruits and flowers and
mustiness that the aged ones don't.
It's all a matter of taste, is it not?

For me there are two big issues: First,
making good sheng choices since most
are not to my liking, and second avoiding
their awkward adolescences since they
take a lot of time to soften into mint and
plum and camphor and before they lose
that cigary smokiness, when that's present.

Michael

I use something like that, mini minit one cup filters. They have a hole
in the top and a little swizzle stick, and you put the stick across the
top of the cup and hang the bag from it. Works like a charm.

I'm only starting to discover pu'erhs. I was kind of surprised when the
stuff I got from Upton was exactly what I had already had from the
Co-op. That said, I really like it, and wish the sample had been more
than 4 cakes. I'll have to get some different samples next time I
order.

Michael Plant wrote:

> I'm talking about those ong paper rectangles
> that form a pouch for the tea and are long
> enough to drape over the side of the mug.
> You can put in any amount of tea and leave
> the sleeve in the mug as long as you like.
> When finished, you can disgard the wet
> and expanded sleeve. (Sounds a bit like a
> do-it-yourself you-know-what, right?)

Never seen those. I have some small cloth you-know-whats that I bought
before I got my first teapot; I don't use them any more.

> Young sheng Pu'erhs can be damned
> tastey IMHO, and are a class of their
> own, quite different from aged ones.
> They present fruits and flowers and
> mustiness that the aged ones don't.
> It's all a matter of taste, is it not?
>
> For me there are two big issues: First,
> making good sheng choices since most
> are not to my liking, and second avoiding
> their awkward adolescences since they
> take a lot of time to soften into mint and
> plum and camphor and before they lose
> that cigary smokiness, when that's present.

I've only tried three or four shengs, all from Tao of Tea -- a couple
in brick form, plus the "mini tuocha" and the loose-leaf. At worst
they put me in mind of the gunpowder that I'm drinking as I type this,
but the 2003 brick has that "cigary smokiness" that you mention. (the
smaller "Jing Mai" brick is marked 2004, but came sealed in plastic so
it's technically 2005 as I consider it)
I thought the "smokiness" was a feature of its aging; when I first
tried this brick I was pleased that unlike the other raw puers it had
some of the "earthiness" that I tasted in the cooked types. So this
attribute goes away with time, does it?

stePH
--
in cup: pinhead gunpowder from Wild Oats (aka Natures)
2nd infusion -- the first always goes down the sink upon brewing.