Are any of these worth trying?

[trenchrun]

this store is my only real option right now (unless i order online) check these out...what do you think?

http://www.theteaemporium.com/Pu-ehr-Tea.html

[MarshalN]

Short answer -- you're better off mail ordering

[TwoPynts]

Those are some of the worst product descriptions I've ever seen.

[trenchrun]

Short answer -- you're better off mail ordering

ok, thanks...whats the long answer?

[trenchrun]

what about these?

http://www.theteaemporium.com/Pu-Ehr-Beeng-Cha.html

http://www.theteaemporium.com/Pu-Ehr-Brick.html

[rabbit]

Why do they have maple leaves as the background on that website? It doesn't have anything to do with tea... you can't even USE them in a drink!

[entropyembrace]

what about these?

http://www.theteaemporium.com/Pu-Ehr-Beeng-Cha.html

http://www.theteaemporium.com/Pu-Ehr-Brick.html

overpriced and poor descriptions...probably poorly made and not good to drink. The Tea Emporium obviously doesn´t know anything about puerh...would not buy puerh from them. I´d say it could even be a health risk, poorly made shu puerh can make you sick.

check the teavendor guide for puerh on this forum for some ideas of where to order good quality puerh tea

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=11929

[trenchrun]

what about these?

http://www.theteaemporium.com/Pu-Ehr-Beeng-Cha.html

http://www.theteaemporium.com/Pu-Ehr-Brick.html

overpriced and poor descriptions...probably poorly made and not good to drink. The Tea Emporium obviously doesn´t know anything about puerh...would not buy puerh from them. I´d say it could even be a health risk, poorly made shu puerh can make you sick.

check the teavendor guide for puerh on this forum for some ideas of where to order good quality puerh tea

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=11929

ok thanks

[Mr. Usaji]

I've been to that store. I didn't try their pu'er but I recall that their tieguanyin was mediocre and overpriced. (However, I think it's absurd to think that you'll get sick from bad tea--the worst that could happen is it won't taste good.)

If you want mysterious no-name pu'er, go to Chinatown. You're in Toronto, right? There are probably like 10 Chinese grocery stores and herb stores within a few blocks of Spadina Ave. & Dundas St. where you can get the same stuff, or better, for a much lower price. It's always a bit of a gamble when you pick some random box of tea off the shelf, but they're cheap, so buy a few different kinds and you may find something you like.

Also, what about Ten Ren? What about Tao Tea Leaf?


Edit: never mind, I just had a look at Tao Tea Leaf's pu'er selection and it looks a lot like The Tea Emporium's. Go to Chinatown first.

[entropyembrace]

I´ve gotten sick from drinking bad shu puerh...it´s piled up and fermented and it´s certainly possible to get some bad microbes growing in it under those conditions.

If it smells like mold it´s moldy so don´t drink it is the lesson I learned.

[gingkoseto]

Part of my family is in Toronto. But I haven't been there since last winter, so don't know about any new tea places. And I agree you usually get better deals buying online.

I think Tea Emporium is a decent, upscale (price is high) store that mainly caters to people less serious on tea than the crowds in this forum but more serious than average tea drinkers But it's always nice to have a few local stores.

The All Things Tea on Bloor St. is a more down to the earth tea place, I think. But I don't remember seeing puerh there. I didn't buy tea home from them, but they have very nice tea lounge and pretty good prices ($3-5, as many infusions as you want) for drinking in.

Don't hold high hope on Chinatown stores. I guess it's the best if you spend sometime around TeaChat gathering information first. Don't buy a whole cake or tuo that you don't know which factory it's from. Very rarely I see decent-looking puerh cakes in Chinatown stores, and almost all the time they are from companies I've never heard of. But sometimes I see Chong Qing Tuo (which is a green tea tuo though) and Jin Fan (Gold Sail) Tuo (Cantonese style shu) in TNT. Both are fairly inexpensive (at few dollars level) and not bad at all if they fit in your taste.

There is also a newer store in Chinatown on Dundas street (I forget the address though) with some official background. They sell puerh and lots of acupuncture and diet supplement stuff. Some of their puerh are big factory products. But I remember they sold them expensive, as it's a tourists area there. Besides, I didn't take down their store name and didn't check how official their title is.

Ten Ren, you can take a look at their tea ware and grab a free herbal tea drink in their store

[trenchrun]

wow great info thanks!

[tingjunkie]

Why do they have maple leaves as the background on that website? It doesn't have anything to do with tea... you can't even USE them in a drink!

Red Oak. Sorry, I'm a Park Ranger. Couldn't let it slide.

Maybe it's a seasonal background?