Just got my shipment- thoughts and recommendations welcomed!

[ejs811]

Just got a few samples from PuerhShop.com.
Ordered from there my first time a few years ago, and recently rediscovered my love of puerh.
Super fast shipping and I was very overwhelmed with the selection, so essentially, considering my ignorance to puerh, I blindly picked the following trying to get some green and some cooked.
To my surprise I also got two free samples!
Hoping to taste these and order some full cakes of what I enjoy, and of course some more samples!

2009 Old Tree Cha Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler
2004 CNNP 7542 Green Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler
Organic Coin Rolled Fu Zhuan Tea
2000 Mini Pu-erh Tea Brick
2007 Rongzhen Tribute Ripen Pu-erh Tea Cake Sampler
and the two free ones are:
2009 Imperial Court
2003 Old Chatou

Any thoughts or suggestions on brewing/reviews of these are greatly appreciated.
I also got a wrapper from a cake, but I don't think it was one that I ordered-still very nice. I think Ill hang it on my wall!

[ejs811]

Anyone?

[Drax]

To my recollection, I have not had any of the ones you listed.

As for general brewing, I usually shoot for 1g of tea for every 1oz of water. Depending on the density of the leaves, I would do an initial rinse of "flash" to 45 seconds ("flash" if completely loose, 45 if rock-like density). Then first infusion ~10-20 seconds, depending on how strong you like your tea. And then adjust the time for following steeps (often something like 10s, 20, 30s, 60s, 2m, 5m, 10m -- depending on the strength of the tea, you will hover in the lower numbers longer).

You should be able to get on the order of 10-15 steeps out of raw pu'erh, and probably 5-7 out of cooked pu'erh.

[ejs811]

Anyone have recommendations on more samples to try?
Also, which vendor is the best for samples, seems alot only sell whole cakes which I am not ready for yet.

[Tea_Rex]

I recently got 7 samples from Puerh Shop. (I agree on the fast shipping.) The two best of the four I have tried were the 2004 Old Youle Ripe Pu-erh Tea Brick Sampler and 2001 Golden Melon Tribute Tuocha Sampler - I reordered both of them (brick and tuo). I also got a sample of the Fu Zhuan tea brick which was strange. Started with the taste of hot concrete just as rain hits it. Then the finish was really sweet and wonderful. With the order they sent a sample of the two American Hao products. I tried the American Hao 1005 Puerh Tea Brick and ordered one. I haven't tried the other one yet.

Yunnan Sourcing offers samples but they don't seem to be as clearly marked as they are at Puerh Shop - I don't see a Samples link as there is at Puerh Shop. But do a search on "sample" and you'll get a list of the teas that they has sample sizes of.

[entropyembrace]

Yunnan Sourcing offers samples but they don't seem to be as clearly marked as they are at Puerh Shop - I don't see a Samples link as there is at Puerh Shop. But do a search on "sample" and you'll get a list of the teas that they has sample sizes of.

Actually I don´t think that will show all the samples only the older ones. Most of their teas you just goto the page for the tea and can select a sample size from a drop down menu now.

[heatwaves]

Anyone have recommendations on more samples to try?
Also, which vendor is the best for samples, seems alot only sell whole cakes which I am not ready for yet.

For the fastest samples, you can buy domestic from Puerh Shop, Jas e Tea or Hou Dea (a little pricier). Or internationally from Yunnan Sourcing, Red Lantern Tea, or Essence of Tea.

They're all reputable and have good selections.

[Tea_Rex]

Yunnan Sourcing offers samples but they don't seem to be as clearly marked as they are at Puerh Shop - I don't see a Samples link as there is at Puerh Shop. But do a search on "sample" and you'll get a list of the teas that they has sample sizes of.

Actually I don´t think that will show all the samples only the older ones. Most of their teas you just goto the page for the tea and can select a sample size from a drop down menu now.

O, I hadn't noticed that. Thanks for the information.

[ejs811]

Anyone have recommendations on more samples to try?
Also, which vendor is the best for samples, seems alot only sell whole cakes which I am not ready for yet.

For the fastest samples, you can buy domestic from Puerh Shop, Jas e Tea or Hou Dea (a little pricier). Or internationally from Yunnan Sourcing, Red Lantern Tea, or Essence of Tea.

They're all reputable and have good selections.

Indeed- any specific selections?
Considering these for my next sample batch from puerhshop
90s Songpin Hao Pu-erh
90s Blue Dingxing Pu-erh
2004 Old Youle Ripe
2002 Keyixing Ripen
8681 Tangerine
2003 Golden Sail Brand

[maxman]

Pu erh drinkers generally don't care for mini bricks but I have had the 2000 Mini Pu-erh Tea Bricks and liked then very much.
I'm not familiar with the others you've bought, but I never got anyhting from them that was bad. Like you, I just pick and choose what looks good.

[heatwaves]

Anyone have recommendations on more samples to try?
Also, which vendor is the best for samples, seems alot only sell whole cakes which I am not ready for yet.

For the fastest samples, you can buy domestic from Puerh Shop, Jas e Tea or Hou Dea (a little pricier). Or internationally from Yunnan Sourcing, Red Lantern Tea, or Essence of Tea.

They're all reputable and have good selections.

Indeed- any specific selections?
Considering these for my next sample batch from puerhshop
90s Songpin Hao Pu-erh
90s Blue Dingxing Pu-erh
2004 Old Youle Ripe
2002 Keyixing Ripen
8681 Tangerine
2003 Golden Sail Brand

I've tried the top two cakes. Dingxing (it's actually from 2001, not 1990s) is a benchmark cake. Many have sung the praises of it on popular tea blogs and forums. I have one and it's truly a favorite. The Songpin is nice, but at the same price as the Dingxing, I'd much rather purchase another Dingxing.

I posted about some of my other recent personal faves on this thread: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14991

Enjoy the sampling experience, it's fun!

[MarshalN]

Who claimed the Dingxing is from the 90s?

[nickE]

Who claimed the Dingxing is from the 90s?

Jim at Puerhshop