Just getting started:Need Recomendations for Puerhshop Sampl

One of the intentionally aged teas, Pu-Erh has a loyal following.


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Sep 28th, '08, 10:45
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by shogun89 » Sep 28th, '08, 10:45

HI,

I recomend these things to a begginer,

2000 Bulk Mini Pu-erh Tea Brick Sampler
2006 Old Tree Banzhang Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler
2003 Keyixing Yiwu Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler

huh, not a whole lot of samples there, to tell you the truth, most of the samples there I dont like the look of. Personally I think you should start as I did and get one of these
http://www.puerhshop.com/index.php?main ... cts_id=191 Its a pretty good, inexpensive cake that will teach you alot not to mention then you get a whole cake to play with. The samples that you recieve are flakes/chunks off the real cake. Not saying this is the right way to go but its what I did and would do again.

good luck.

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Sep 28th, '08, 12:09
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by shogun89 » Sep 28th, '08, 12:09

I dont know your price range but, you may also like this one,
http://www.puerhshop.com/index.php?main ... cts_id=153, its a great cake at a pretty good price, heres a review I did on it,
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=5842

Sep 28th, '08, 14:16
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by edkrueger » Sep 28th, '08, 14:16

I preemptively cancel any recomendation of Aged Premium Pu-Erh Tea Tasting Sample. Its only 2004 has a ok, but over sweet, gan, but is otherwise disgusting.

I recomend, as young, drink-now, shengs:
King of Pu-erh
Premuin Calabash

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Sep 28th, '08, 15:59
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by insanitylater » Sep 28th, '08, 15:59

http://www.puerhshop.com/index.php?main ... cts_id=289
they used to have a 2oz sampler but they seem to have gotten rid of it

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Oct 23rd, '08, 15:00
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Puerh shop recommendations

by Jeremy » Oct 23rd, '08, 15:00

They have 2 categories of samples.

the Samples link (I think 20grams)

then there are 2 oz samples.

I liked the HTC 2000 puerh 2oz sample

I also went with some of the cheapo touchas. Like $2-4 each.

Here are the name. The touchas are all young sheng. Whether they are all in the "drink now" category I dont know. Im just a beginner.

Touchas I have tried
2006 Qinyin Pu-erh Tuocha (200g) $5.89
2006 Arbor Yinhao Tuocha $3.98
2006 Yunnan Silver Tuocha $4.20

Samples I liked
1 ea. 2000 HTC Pu-erh Tea Cake 2 oz $9.00
1 ea. 2003 CNNP Grand Yellow Label Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler $6.99
1 ea. 2006 Tongxing Hao Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler $2.99
1 ea. 2004 Yue Chen Yue Xiang Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler $3.49
1 ea. 2004 CNNP Grand Red Label Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler $3.89

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Oct 23rd, '08, 16:53
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by eanglin » Oct 23rd, '08, 16:53

I second the tecommedation for the Mengku premium calabash sampler. It and its sister brick are yummy and leave a wonderful sweetness rising in the throat.

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Oct 23rd, '08, 22:13
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by tony shlongini » Oct 23rd, '08, 22:13

Can't help ya.

I think a bing is a sample.

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Oct 23rd, '08, 23:13
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by zacstill » Oct 23rd, '08, 23:13

I just ordered:

2007 Premium Calabash Shaped Tea 2 oz
2005 Private Reserve Yiwu Arbor Pu-erh Tea Brick Sampler
2006 King of Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler

I'll post some feedback (w/ pics! hopefully) when it all gets here / I taste it all

I've tried the '05 Menghai 7542 sample, it's great

I've also tried the '03 Keyixing sample. It's drinkable but not as sweet as the 7542, it tastes more hay-like. It's being discussed at http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=5992
Last edited by zacstill on Oct 24th, '08, 01:30, edited 1 time in total.

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Oct 24th, '08, 00:52
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by Salsero » Oct 24th, '08, 00:52

zacstill wrote: I've tried the '05 Menghai 7542 sample, it's great
I found the 7542 light, aromatic, but awfully rough on the mouth. It seems like something that will age well. I have had two sessions with it so far ... both times with 6 gr to 120 ml and boiling water. It lasts for many infusions. I ordered a cake, because I have a feeling the astringency and multiple infusions bode well for its ageability.

I am in the second infusion of some of the Keyixing now and I am enjoying it quite a bit. It has fairly low astringency and some weight in the mouth... it could be that combination that leads some to find it soapy. It certainly is not strong flavored. I think I can see the accuracy of both pro and con viewpoints on this tea. I am curious to see if it will age into something more or something less.

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Oct 24th, '08, 01:26
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by zacstill » Oct 24th, '08, 01:26

Salsero wrote:I found the 7542 light, aromatic, but awfully rough on the mouth. It seems like something that will age well.
I definitely agree. The first few infusions are pretty harsh, but around the 4th or 5th infusion it becomes very sweet and aromatic. I recommend rinsing this one twice to anyone who tries it.

I tend to only drink one small cup of the initial infusions, as they aren't too great, pouring the rest into an excess pitcher, then toss that in the fridge for iced pu. It tastes pretty good, and I can share with my roomies. Once the tea starts to mellow out and taste better (infusion 4 or 5), I will enjoy more of it, still pouring some into the excess pitcher so that the iced tea isnt too harsh and smokey.

Only drinking a portion of each brew allows me to taste 10-15 infusions without getting too full, and if I have a particularly good infusion, I can decide to enjoy all of it (conversely, I can skip the not-so-good infusions).
------------------------------------------------
youngteadrinker, I would definitely try both the 03 keyixing and the 05 menghai 7542, they are very different tastes. The '03 keyixing thread has descriptions/comparisons of both teas if you wanna check it out.

I'm sure you will have samples you like and dislike (or you may just like or dislike all of them), the important thing to do now is to try all differrent kinds so you have an idea of what good pu tastes like to you. I'm tempted to buy the '05 7542 because I like it alot, but since I am also new to the pu world I'm gonna try out some more samples before I go and drop 30 bucks on just one cake. Hope this helps

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Oct 24th, '08, 02:17
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by Salsero » Oct 24th, '08, 02:17

Those are some great ideas, Zacstill. I just plod along through the whole session. I will have to incorporate some of your techniques into my habits.

Do you put sugar in the iced pu?

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Oct 24th, '08, 08:29
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by zacstill » Oct 24th, '08, 08:29

Salsero wrote:Do you put sugar in the iced pu?
Nope. I've only done this with the '05 7542, which didn't need sugar. Other teas may. Honey would be great too. If you're going to sweeten it, do it while it's hot. Trying to dissolve sugar in a cold drink can be... frustrating. Or you could make a simple syrup (boil together 2parts sugar to 1 part water) to keep separately.

The iced pu is actually almost as good as the hot stuff.

This is my hypothesis as to why the harsh pu tastes better cold: The cold temperature balances out the initial smokeyness, but you still get the sweet backend once the tea warms up in your mouth a bit.

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