I'm quite new at the Pu Erh's and really love them. In my excitement I went ahead and purchased a big brick of Pu Erh for 20 bucks from a pretty well known tea shop called Teavana, they only had one kind and its so hard preset that I can't make out any leaves and last night when I tried to brake off a piece it was like pulling someones tooth, very very difficult to cut. I used a hammer and thick knife and then tried sawing at it with another knife. It was sold to me as black Pu Erh so I am assuming that it's cooked, but is Pu Erh generally this difficult to handle? And what level of quality do you think this is? The brick has Chinese words but nothing in English and the Teavana staff didn't know anything about this tea.
Damon
Feb 18th, '09, 22:29
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
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Location: Gainesville, Florida
Here is a video from Puerhshop about how to break up a tuo ... a shape that is traditionally very highly compressed as your brick seems to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2WFx-oG ... annel_page
In another video, Cloud shows how to break up a less tightly compressed bing (tea cake). Maybe some of his technique will help attack your brick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th86Ge4f ... annel_page
I have found a hammer and chisel helpful at some times in the past.
Another, more daring approach is to steam the brick or a part of it to get it to fall apart. Guang of Hou De describes that process HERE -- scroll down to the photo of the two tuo cha sitting in the bamboo steamer in a wok.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2WFx-oG ... annel_page
In another video, Cloud shows how to break up a less tightly compressed bing (tea cake). Maybe some of his technique will help attack your brick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th86Ge4f ... annel_page
I have found a hammer and chisel helpful at some times in the past.
Another, more daring approach is to steam the brick or a part of it to get it to fall apart. Guang of Hou De describes that process HERE -- scroll down to the photo of the two tuo cha sitting in the bamboo steamer in a wok.
Feb 18th, '09, 22:33
Posts: 727
Joined: Dec 22nd, '07, 21:02
Location: the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the galaxy
Pictures of the Brick
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmuldavin/P ... 8721437170
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmuldavin/P ... 9524154642
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmuldavin/P ... 0378351954
Not sure how to post pictures directly to my posting so above are some links too my new Brick!
Salsero thanks for the links, that first video was funny. But it looks like what I have is even more packed than that.
I do wonder how good the quality is, by the third steeping it has a subtle sweet finish to it which I quite enjoy. But I am still hungry to experience better and or different Pu Erh's. I think I will probably invest a little money and get a few different kinds. Any suggestions on a good starting set of Pu Erh's? I'm thinking I want to stay within a $75 limit at least for starters.
I think I may become a Pu Erh snob yet tenuki.
D
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmuldavin/P ... 9524154642
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmuldavin/P ... 0378351954
Not sure how to post pictures directly to my posting so above are some links too my new Brick!
Salsero thanks for the links, that first video was funny. But it looks like what I have is even more packed than that.
I do wonder how good the quality is, by the third steeping it has a subtle sweet finish to it which I quite enjoy. But I am still hungry to experience better and or different Pu Erh's. I think I will probably invest a little money and get a few different kinds. Any suggestions on a good starting set of Pu Erh's? I'm thinking I want to stay within a $75 limit at least for starters.
I think I may become a Pu Erh snob yet tenuki.
D
Thanks Tom for you input I went ahead and ordered 4 puerh's from Hou De:
1 x * 5th Intern'l Puerh Tasting* 99 BLK-labelled Green Big Tree 20g $30.00
1 x 2001 MengKu "Yuan Yieh Xian" of MengSa, Thick-papered 1oz $7.50
1 x 70's Aged Liao Fu San Cha, Loose Uncooked 2oz
- Size: Sample 20g $12.50
1 x 2000 Zhong-Cha Kumming "Lan Yin" Tie Beeng, 1oz sample $9.50
Sub-Total: $59.50
Flat Rate (US Postal Service): $5.00
Total: $64.50
I guess Ill just use this TeaBrick as a foundation to rest all of my other teas on LOL. But it doesn't taste all that bad, just more like a mild black tea.
So much to learn about Pu Erh.
1 x * 5th Intern'l Puerh Tasting* 99 BLK-labelled Green Big Tree 20g $30.00
1 x 2001 MengKu "Yuan Yieh Xian" of MengSa, Thick-papered 1oz $7.50
1 x 70's Aged Liao Fu San Cha, Loose Uncooked 2oz
- Size: Sample 20g $12.50
1 x 2000 Zhong-Cha Kumming "Lan Yin" Tie Beeng, 1oz sample $9.50
Sub-Total: $59.50
Flat Rate (US Postal Service): $5.00
Total: $64.50
I guess Ill just use this TeaBrick as a foundation to rest all of my other teas on LOL. But it doesn't taste all that bad, just more like a mild black tea.
So much to learn about Pu Erh.
Congrats. I know you'll have a few "tea moments" when they arrive.DamonM wrote:I went ahead and ordered 4 puerh's from Hou De:
1 x * 5th Intern'l Puerh Tasting* 99 BLK-labelled Green Big Tree 20g $30.00
1 x 2001 MengKu "Yuan Yieh Xian" of MengSa, Thick-papered 1oz $7.50
1 x 70's Aged Liao Fu San Cha, Loose Uncooked 2oz
- Size: Sample 20g $12.50
1 x 2000 Zhong-Cha Kumming "Lan Yin" Tie Beeng, 1oz sample $9.50
Sub-Total: $59.50
Flat Rate (US Postal Service): $5.00
Total: $64.50
And please share with us your thoughts on them...
I have always been happy with the pu-erhs I have received from Yunnan Sourcing. And, I have ordered a pretty good variety of them. Some cooked ones to enjoy currently, and some raw ones to age.
Even the most tightly compressed ones I have don't need a hammer and chisel! I have a special letter opener that I use to pry the cakes apart.
Even the most tightly compressed ones I have don't need a hammer and chisel! I have a special letter opener that I use to pry the cakes apart.