I'm curious

[IPT]

I would like to post a question. I fear this may start a debate and that's not why I'm posting it. I'm honestly curious.

From what I gather, most Puer drinkers on this site do not drink new Puer. If you only drink aged Puer, do you not drink Puer often? I'm curious, because in China I never hear anyone saying they don't drink new Puer, and most people drink both Shengpu and Shoupu. Many people prefer one or the other, but everyone I know drinks both for the most part. The aged Puer, being rare and expensive, is usually saved for special occasions. Since most people want to drink Puer all day, they usually drink new Puer. That is what I do. Of course, I am very particular about the new Puer that I drink, but I still drink it. It has a flavor and experience very different from aged Puer, but I still think there is some wonderful new Puer out there.

Like I said, I don't want to start some huge arguement here, I just want to know what your drinking habits are.

[Proinsias]

From what I gather, most Puer drinkers on this site do not drink new Puer.

I've been here a few years and never got that impression. I'm amazed at the amount of new pu'er many here drink. I'm sure there are a few who only drink aged pu'er but I think that most here drink young sheng. I drink it pu'er a few times a month, sometimes older sometimes newer.

[IPT]

Thank you. I might be wrong. That's just the impression that I got.

[betta]

After drinking puerh for some time (nothing to mention about, it's very short compare to others) I realised that it has drilled a large hole in my wallet
I saw once in CCTV documentary telling about someone living during Qing dynasty, who was initially of a rich and well respectable family, became homeless because of his addiction to tea. He spent everything on tea, even the water he used to brew tea was prepared by firing clay kettle with olive seed.
No idea whether it's just fairy tale, but it's interesting to know that even during Qing dynasty tea was already expensive.

So...Can't drink good puerh tea all the time, I switched sometime to oolong, green as well as floral tea.
And I am happy with this balance between strong puerh, floral oolong, light-sweet green and healing floral tea.
As far as I know people drink old puerh because many young puerh teas are too "toxic" with all astringency and undesired taste. But young wild arbor is enjoyable at reasonable price, though.

[IPT]

Thank you Betta.

In China people have always drank new Puer. It was never made to be aged. It wasn't until fairly recently that people started drinking and buying the older Puer.

I might be wrong, but I believe that most people who do not like the new Puer haven't really tried the good stuff. It's pretty hard to get outside of China. Once Puer got popular, quality control was thrown out for quantity, especially in the name brand teas.

I really don't understand the Western market, that's why I made this post.

[TIM]

In China people have always drank new Puer. It was never made to be aged. It wasn't until fairly recently that people started drinking and buying the older Puer.

Interesting thoughts. Do you mind explaining this further? Thanks ~T

[gingkoseto]

Most Chinese drinkers I know don't drink new puerh either. I assume new means <2-3 years old? Or you actually mean <5-10 years?

Some people's reasons for not drinking new sheng is, besides it doesn't taste as smooth as older sheng, it's very stimulating to stomach and is considered "extremely cold" in terms of Chinese herbal medicine (not in terms of temperature). I can at the most afford sheng of about 5-7 years old (besides that affordability is largely because I don't drink puerh as often as most of you guys ), but I only dare to drink it during the days I feel very warm internally. But that's me. People with stronger stomach and stronger internal heat may cope with young sheng very well

Some people's reasons for not drinking new shu is, the wodui flavor will largely disappear after a few years. I guess it's the same reason why many western drinkers like older shu.

There is a current trend though, to make new sheng more drinkable.

[Zanaspus]

I drink young sheng virtually daily.

[shogun89]

I too drink young sheng everyday. Every now and then it is replaced by some shu, in which case its young still. Very rarely do I ever have a tea 5+ years. Give me 10 years, and I'll be drunk off of aged puerh everyday for the rest of my life

[IPT]

In China people have always drank new Puer. It was never made to be aged. It wasn't until fairly recently that people started drinking and buying the older Puer.

Interesting thoughts. Do you mind explaining this further? Thanks ~T

If I'm not mistaken it was not until the '90's that people really started to realize that Puer aged so wonderfully and that was mostly in Hong Kong and Taiwan when people started to find the old caches. On the mainland it was thought of as a farmer's tea. Even in 2004, it was very hard to find outside of Yunnan and the major cities. When I would ask for it, most people just gave me a strange look and wanted to know why I'd want that tea.

[IPT]

Most Chinese drinkers I know don't drink new puerh either. I assume new means <2-3 years old? Or you actually mean <5-10 years?

I mean 1 to 5 years.
I live in China and own two tea shops. I honestly do not know of a single person who doesn't drink new Puer. Of course they prefer the old Puer, but here people drink tea basically nonstop from morning to night and drinking only aged Puer would be too expensive and all of the aged Puer would be drank up and there'd be none left if everyone only drank aged Puer.

[Janine]

In China people have always drank new Puer. It was never made to be aged. It wasn't until fairly recently that people started drinking and buying the older Puer.

Interesting thoughts. Do you mind explaining this further? Thanks ~T

If I'm not mistaken it was not until the '90's that people really started to realize that Puer aged so wonderfully and that was mostly in Hong Kong and Taiwan when people started to find the old caches. On the mainland it was thought of as a farmer's tea. Even in 2004, it was very hard to find outside of Yunnan and the major cities. When I would ask for it, most people just gave me a strange look and wanted to know why I'd want that tea.

What I have been told is actually that puerh began as green tea. What happened as it traveled to Guangdong was what we know now when we think about puerh - it "aged", and the distinctive taste that we associate with the tea and aging the tea became something people on the other end of the trade lines became accustomed to and appreciated. I imagine, though, that for this to be so the custom began long ago, when trade routes depended on caravan and four-footed transport.

edit: this would explain its popularity among Cantonese drinkers long before it became a commodity others appreciated.

A similar story is true for Greek wine called "retsina" which some of you may know of. Retsina is named for its resin flavoring. In ancient times, the amphorae (ceramic "bottles") containing the wine were sealed with pine resin to prevent leakage on sea voyages. This resin seal would actually flavor the wine by the time it reached its trade destination, and the taste grew for this "resinated" flavor.

[IPT]

From my knowledge, Puer did start out as a Green Tea, but during its travels it started fermenting again due to the moist weather the tea traveled through. People liked this fermented taste and so the growers started fermenting the tea as part of the processing technique.

[gingkoseto]

What I have been told is actually that puerh began as green tea. What happened as it traveled to Guangdong was what we know now when we think about puerh - it "aged", and the distinctive taste that we associate with the tea and aging the tea became something people on the other end of the trade lines became accustomed to and appreciated. I imagine, though, that for this to be so the custom began long ago, when trade routes depended on caravan and four-footed transport.

edit: this would explain its popularity among Cantonese drinkers long before it became a commodity others appreciated.

Even though new sheng is usually not called "green tea", it's understandable if someone calls it green tea. In "killing green (enzyme)" procedure of making green tea, there are mainly 4 ways (steam, stir fry, roast and sun dry). Most sheng puerh is made with sun dried leaves.

But some people argue that sun dried green tea shouldn't count as green tea and should be put in puerh category. Some people argue puerh is not at all proper name for either sheng or shu puerh. I guess people can never find a proper way of naming all the teas

[TIM]

In China people have always drank new Puer. It was never made to be aged. It wasn't until fairly recently that people started drinking and buying the older Puer.

Interesting thoughts. Do you mind explaining this further? Thanks ~T

If I'm not mistaken it was not until the '90's that people really started to realize that Puer aged so wonderfully and that was mostly in Hong Kong and Taiwan when people started to find the old caches. On the mainland it was thought of as a farmer's tea. Even in 2004, it was very hard to find outside of Yunnan and the major cities. When I would ask for it, most people just gave me a strange look and wanted to know why I'd want that tea.

Wow.... I am very surprised how misinformed new puerh drinkers are in China.

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