Question about selecting ripe puehr

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Nov 6th, '12, 19:42
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Question about selecting ripe puehr

by teanovice78 » Nov 6th, '12, 19:42

Hello,
I was going to by some more puehr cakes/bricks/toucha and was looking for something cooked . I have tried a few and I like the sweeter tasting puerh/sweeter aftertaste. Any suggestions for something along those lines? Thanks a lot! :)

Nov 6th, '12, 20:04
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Re: Question about selecting ripe puehr

by shah82 » Nov 6th, '12, 20:04

Most shu with especially sweet aftertastes tend to be low grade leaves. Think a Dayi 8592. A good 7581 like the Tan Mei '07.

Some buddy shu, like Golden Needle White Lotus has a kind of sweet flavor. I think the Secret Fragrance shu '07 can be nicely sweet aftertaste, especially late, but it doesn't have that broad sweet flavors. Tippy shu sweetness is more delicate when it's there.


I think broadly speaking, what I would do is look for high quality, light fermented and non-tippy Lincang shu. Why don't you sample some of those MangTang lincang shu over at Yunnan Sourcing? If you want to try something a bit more expensive, the CGHT Yiwu Shu Huang '09 or Bannacha's Da Ye Hong (which probably needs a number of years to sweeten up, but still...) might be okay ideas. At Mandala teas, perhaps the Yongde Organic '07, Dayi Gongting tuo (yellow box), Royal Court, Ziyun, '06 Haiwan Mavin, and '10 Nanjian brick.

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Nov 6th, '12, 22:09
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Re: Question about selecting ripe puehr

by teanovice78 » Nov 6th, '12, 22:09

How can someone tell the difference between good and bad ripe puerh? How can you tell what is high quality?

Nov 7th, '12, 00:08
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Re: Question about selecting ripe puehr

by shah82 » Nov 7th, '12, 00:08

Shu is generally pretty easy to tell grade...

First, any shu that has good qi wins. Most shu do not have any energy. So if a shu is making you feel good, it's probably a winna!

Second, shu should be smooth and thick. Typically, shu just doesn't taste like all that much, nor is it complex tasting. So before taste...is it thick? Is it smooth, like yo mama's chicken soup?

Then there are shu that sports a good coating finish--sweet, earthy, vanilla, milk, fruity, whatever, so that after you swallow, you're left with a pleasant taste of some kind in your mouth.

Next, especially when we're talking about older, more humid-stored shu, does it have a dense and dark aroma?

Lastly, some shu aren't fully fermented, so you'll have to wait 5-10 years for it to be truly bitter-free and ready to drink.

There is, of course, taste. However, most sheng will be tastier than any shu. If you really want taste, and you're not bothered by the green-ness of it all, then drink sheng.

Now, your taste is your own, and you'll juggle the desired qualities above as you sample and buy your way to happiness. Enjoy.

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Nov 7th, '12, 09:32
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Re: Question about selecting ripe puehr

by jayinhk » Nov 7th, '12, 09:32

Or you can do what I (and many HKers do): mix sheng and shu for the best of both worlds. :)

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