Aug 19th, '08, 20:13
Posts: 1633
Joined: Feb 15th, '08, 10:15
Location: Pennsylvania
Aug 19th, '08, 21:05
Posts: 529
Joined: Jul 23rd, '08, 17:07
Location: The Isle of Malta
Puerh only seems expensive because you're compelled to buy so damned many of them. Individually, they're a bargain.
Fifty a pound doesn't go so far in terms of obtaining good green or oolong tea. Even a beeng pushing $100 isn't as dear as the asking price of some the the top oolongs and greens. And you don't have to drink it all up this month, to boot.
Fifty a pound doesn't go so far in terms of obtaining good green or oolong tea. Even a beeng pushing $100 isn't as dear as the asking price of some the the top oolongs and greens. And you don't have to drink it all up this month, to boot.
Aug 19th, '08, 21:19
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Yeh, I don't bat an eye about paying more for a little bag of sencha than for most whole bings of sheng. And then you've got that damn green tea staring at you saying, "Hurry up, you fool, I'm getting old." Commitment! Sheng, on the other hand, is just easy; it says, "love me or leave me, whatever you want today ... I'll still be here waiting for you tomorrow." What a set up!tony shlongini wrote: Puerh only seems expensive ...
So are these LAO BAN ZHANG CAKES really such a big deal? I feel like I need to become very selective about what I buy cause I have so much already. Blame the free love attitude of these sweet cakes.
Aug 19th, '08, 22:11
Posts: 1936
Joined: May 22nd, '06, 11:28
Location: Trapped inside a bamboo tong!
Contact:
hop_goblin
Actually Shogun, it is not good for the beeng. If one considers the mark-up from the factory to the vendor who then marks up the product to sell we may be talking about a "cut" beeng instead of a beeng of just pu-erh being pu-erh LB. The economics are just not there for it being a pure LB. That is what folks have to consider.shogun89 wrote:Very appropriate Sal! here is the popcorn, cheers mate!nada wrote:The price for '08 Spring Lao Banzhang maocha is 600RMB/kg, at least it was a couple of months ago.
Nada, thanks for the price, that translates to about $90 per kg. so those cakes are a pretty darn good price!
So you're saying you think it's likely not pure lao ban zhang because the price is too low?hop_goblin wrote:Actually Shogun, it is not good for the beeng. If one considers the mark-up from the factory to the vendor who then marks up the product to sell we may be talking about a "cut" beeng instead of a beeng of just pu-erh being pu-erh LB. The economics are just not there for it being a pure LB. That is what folks have to consider.
Aug 19th, '08, 22:29
Posts: 1936
Joined: May 22nd, '06, 11:28
Location: Trapped inside a bamboo tong!
Contact:
hop_goblin
Well, what I am saying is that Nada was just in Lao BanZhang and personally witnessed the price of the Mao Cha. These farmers are in just like the factories and vendors to make money. All I know is that traditionally, Lao Banzhang Spring Maocha is super nutz in terms of price. It just doesn't make good logic or business sense to be selling a processed (speaking of the kilo basket) item from a vendor that is at the current price for spring Maocha directly from the farmer . This is what leaves me puzzled.Smells_Familiar wrote:So you're saying you think it's likely not pure lao ban zhang because the price is too low?hop_goblin wrote:Actually Shogun, it is not good for the beeng. If one considers the mark-up from the factory to the vendor who then marks up the product to sell we may be talking about a "cut" beeng instead of a beeng of just pu-erh being pu-erh LB. The economics are just not there for it being a pure LB. That is what folks have to consider.
Last edited by hop_goblin on Aug 19th, '08, 23:04, edited 1 time in total.
I understand. I guess the only way to empirically see is by comapring this cake to a puerh that you're sure is pure Lao banzhang. I can't do this, but I'd love to read the results from someone who can.hop_goblin wrote:Well, what I am saying is that Nada was just in Lao BanZhang and personally witnessed the price of the Mao Cha. These farmers are in just like the factories and vendors to make money. All I know is that traditionally, Lao Banzhang Spring Maocha is super nutz in terms of price. It just doesn't make good logic or business sense to be selling a processed (speaking of the kilo basket) item from a vendor that is at the price of the current price for spring Maocha directly from the farmer . This is what leaves me puzzled.
Aug 19th, '08, 23:07
Posts: 1936
Joined: May 22nd, '06, 11:28
Location: Trapped inside a bamboo tong!
Contact:
hop_goblin
Well, the truth of the matter is that even if the beeng is made of mostly Lao BanZhang, it will be difficult to 100% authenticate the beeng as LB since even a cut of 60% will give it enough characteristic to make appear like LB IMHO of course.Smells_Familiar wrote:I understand. I guess the only way to empirically see is by comapring this cake to a puerh that you're sure is pure Lao banzhang. I can't do this, but I'd love to read the results from someone who can.hop_goblin wrote:Well, what I am saying is that Nada was just in Lao BanZhang and personally witnessed the price of the Mao Cha. These farmers are in just like the factories and vendors to make money. All I know is that traditionally, Lao Banzhang Spring Maocha is super nutz in terms of price. It just doesn't make good logic or business sense to be selling a processed (speaking of the kilo basket) item from a vendor that is at the price of the current price for spring Maocha directly from the farmer . This is what leaves me puzzled.
Don't always believe what you think!
http://www.ancientteahorseroad.blogspot.com
http://englishtea.us/
http://www.ancientteahorseroad.blogspot.com
http://englishtea.us/
Just to clarify, Scott did not claim those cakes are Lao BanZhang. He just names his product that way because the leaves are from a remote area near BanZhang. I tried the small brick and it's got good umph. The tea trees survived the cultural revolution, so it's gotta be 'tough'.
I noticed the nei fei is written in 'Traditional Chinese' characters, which may suggest that the producer is from Taiwan or Hong Kong...perhaps someone who focuses on quality and traditional methods? Who knows. I'm definitely adding one to my collection though.
I noticed the nei fei is written in 'Traditional Chinese' characters, which may suggest that the producer is from Taiwan or Hong Kong...perhaps someone who focuses on quality and traditional methods? Who knows. I'm definitely adding one to my collection though.
Aug 20th, '08, 00:47
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Aug 20th, '08, 07:55
Posts: 1936
Joined: May 22nd, '06, 11:28
Location: Trapped inside a bamboo tong!
Contact:
hop_goblin
teakid wrote:Just to clarify, Scott did not claim those cakes are Lao BanZhang. He just names his product that way because the leaves are from a remote area near BanZhang. I tried the small brick and it's got good umph. The tea trees survived the cultural revolution, so it's gotta be 'tough'.
I noticed the nei fei is written in 'Traditional Chinese' characters, which may suggest that the producer is from Taiwan or Hong Kong...perhaps someone who focuses on quality and traditional methods? Who knows. I'm definitely adding one to my collection though.
I have to disagree. The advert states that it is comprised of 100% Ban Zhan, Wild Ancient Arbor material". If it was meant to be a product made of "near Lao BanZhang" mao cha then wouldn't it just be Bulang Shan since LB is located adjacent to Bulang Shan? Although he does alternate the discription with "lao" and just "BanZhang" which are not the same IMHO. Perhaps it is just clever advertisment.
Intersting take on the Nei Fei.
Aug 20th, '08, 13:02
Posts: 1483
Joined: Mar 19th, '06, 12:42
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: On the couch
Contact:
Proinsias
Aug 20th, '08, 16:28
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida