Puerh tea

[Gerard]

Any regular puerh tea drinkers amongst the users of TB?

 

I find it a very special tea too drink with so many differences between years, labels and areas of production (mountains of Yunnan Province, China). Also how the tea changes from year to year. Two main types: raw (sheng) and ripe (shou). Tjialadt category is very Yin. The fermentation process is accelerated during production. It's a tea I keep for evening sessions. 

 

[Seatle185]

• Hello again friend, yes i am a fan of puerh too! I dont drink it nearly as much as high mt oolongs, but i keep it on hand. Its great for digestion and yes there are so many different factors in this special type. I drink it the most during the colder seasons. Some people dont really care for the shou puerhs but honestly those have been my favorite ones, but i do like the sheng too. From what i understand the king of puerh teas are the naturally aged ones that were kept for 50 + years. Unfortunately i havent had the chance to try them, they are harder to find than the fast fermented and alot more expensive !
• My first raw puerh brick i bought i have kept for a few years now and break off a peice every now and then and you can tell the difference that age will bring. Yes definately a great tea! I also love how with some of these you can get a good 8+ brews from them. 

Edited June 2, 2017 by Seatle185

[Miroku]

Puerh is simply the best tea. The only shame is that one has to have hours of free time in oder to fully enjoy it as from good puerh you can get so many brews.

[Gerard]

Hi J., aged shengs are simply prohibitive. It's not worth getting into them unless money is not an issue. Those teas normally belong to collectors' which have inherited them from their older relatives. BUT, quality young shengs are as enjoyable (not cheap either, unfortunately. since puerh tea is a commodity in modern China). Some shengs are simply mind-blowing. The depth and various notes that unfold with each brew is like discovering a hidden treasure. How on earth have the Chinese managed to develop so many puerh types according to the mountains they come from is something I still can't understand! Possibly from the trees themselves and the huge network they belong to, capable of absorbing the energy of the planet and the Earth itself: Dark chocolate, tobacco, plum, apricot and various other fruits, vanilla, mint, spicy, malt, mushrooms, etc. The depth of Yin transformed into Yang (sheng/raw puerh tea).

 

A Bulang mountain cake is so different from a Yi Wu one, same goes with the hard to find quality Jing Mai, which is one of the finest puerhs. Then we have tea from Da Xue Shan, Dayi cakes, teas from Bingdao and Yong De, Xiaguan Factory iron pressed cakes are a world themselves, and so many others. The list is almost endless.

 

I also drink shou pu as I mentiones earlier: dark red, heavy soups with very calming Qi (ideal for late afternoon and evening). Young Shengs on the other hand, are pure Yang. Very punchy. Ideal for when the "Wood Phase" is at its peak (early am hours to sunrise).

 

Miroku,

 

To me as well. Puerh tea is a very special one. My favourite tea by far. And the Cha Qi some can deliver is a very special experience.

 

 

 

[Miroku]

Gerard,

You seem to be more experienced on the Puerh tea field, would you care to give me some advice?
How do you prepare your puerh and in what? I personally go with really short steeping time in the beginning (like 10 seconds) and slowly increase the time (until even a few minutes) and use my gaiwan, although I think it might be a bit too large for such strong type of tea.

Speaking of Cha Qi, does such strong and energizing tea as puerh deplete jing like coffee does or does it just stuff you with its own qi?

Btw I am quite impressed by the amount of kinds of puerh you have tasted.  

[Gerard]

Hi Miroku,

 

Cha Qi doesn't deplete the Jing, it is very beneficial for Wood Qi as it energises it and as a result it calms the Heart/Shen (Wood mother of Fire).

 

The way you steep the tea is correct. Porcelain like your gaiwan or clay (Yixing or Chaozhou) are the best types of material to brew puerh.

 

Thanks for the compliment.

 

 

Edit: what's your gaiwan's capacity?

 

Here is a young sheng cake which you'll really enjoy. Very energetic:

 

https://www.essenceoftea.com/tea/puerh-tea/2012-eot-baotang-puerh-tea.html

 

 

Edited June 7, 2017 by Gerard

[Miroku]

Hi Gerard

Oh, thank you for this information! Would be a shame if tea did anything harmful to my body, doesn't mean that I wouldn't drink it, but still.

Oh thank you for this recommendation. That cake does look good, gonna have to try it when the weather gets cold again. Now I am in my green tea exploration part of the year.

Well the capacity of my gaiwan is I'd say bit too large. It is 175ml, whic I'd say is bit too much for puerh, I think I will look around for smaller one, because puerh can be bit too strong for in huge amounts and 1.5 liter is bit too much I'd say. :-) 

[Gerard]

Don't you worry puerh tea is very good for you

 

You are drinking the energy of a tree, nothing better than that as trees are a bridge between Heaven and Earth!

 

I'd say a bit too big. Best size is a 100ML one. You appreciate tea's nuances a lot more than with a larger sized gaiwan, unless you are serving many people; in that case, tea is served in large earth/clay pots.

 

 

 

 

[Miroku]

I thought it is bit too large for it. Well I always wanted to get one of those cute little gaiwans soo now I don't have to feel guilty when I go buy it.  

[Gerard]

Not a worry. Not fussed about simplicity:

 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/230400734276?redirect=mobile

 

If you are maybe you should consider upgrading to a more enjoyable vessel that won't scorch your fingers, allow for a faster pour and control it as well plus it will enhance the quality of the brew. Yixing pots do that but it's a very sneaky business. I can recommend you a legit one based in HK who sells good quality pots for very reasonable prices. Let me know if that's the case.

 

Here's two raw puerh cakes with plenty of kick:

 

https://yunnansourcing.com/products/2014-yunnan-sourcing-autumn-bing-dao-raw-pu-erh-tea-cake?variant=35011246726 

 

https://yunnansourcing.com/products/2015-spring-da-xue-shan-wild-arbor-raw-pu-erh-tea-cake?variant=33201075078

 

First is top class and the second...see if you can handle it!

[Miroku]

Man I will have to save some money for that because these cakes look amazing.

Thanks for your tips.  Especialy that gaiwan looks amazing.

Is there some way how to recognize good yixing pots?

[Gerard]

No, you can't unless you have handled the real ones in real life and then have a good trained eye to check them online. Best avoid unless you know what to look for. The faking of Yixing pots today is rampant. Certain people associated with the modern Yixing industry are responsible for this due to the quick/easy money mentality.

 

Yes those cakes are very good raw puerh. You (and anyone else keen) will certainly enjoy them.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Gerard

[Rara]

I have a very good tea merchant over in Leeds in England. I had some a couple of years ago but haven't in a while. Thanks for this thread, it'll be on the shopping list for next time.

[Chá Rén 茶人]

I second Gerard's recommendation of sheng cha. I am sipping on a 2013 tuo cha cake right now. As mentioned, the older sheng cakes cost far too much (when authentic) to drink regularly, or at all in my case. 

 

I have a little tea pet lady that pours tea from her breasts into your cup; I only use her for my sheng tea, along with a dedicated Taiwanese clay teapot (a lot cheaper that yixing but still very aesthetic and functional).

 

There is no better hangover cure than sheng pu'erh, kimchi, and a couple eggs. 

 

The Cha Qi gives the tea an extra kick/boost in a non-caffeinated way that lingers with you. 

[Gerard]

Here is a tutorial about setting up a gongfu tea station at home:

 

http://verdanttea.com/modern-gongfu/

 

Enjoy!

Edited October 14, 2017 by Gerard

[Pavel Karavaev]

Puer is the perfect drink in the winter. It really helps to warm up the body from the inside. I love black teas, they help a lot during prolonged cold weather.

[Seatle185]

I have been happy sipping on this raw blue stamp cake this winter  with nice notes of camphor. 

 

 

[Gerard]

Any ripe cakes you have been sipping too?

 

I’m waiting for an order placed on a Dayi 100 year old tribute ripe cake. Apparently is getting very high scores due to being exceptional. I believe them.

 

Ripe pu is the tea I drink in the evening right before meditation practice.

 

Another good combo is puerh tea + white (bai gong) or yellow (huang gong) crysanthemum leaves (Ju Hua). Very recommended for the warmer moths of the year (spring & summer).

 

The Chinese often mix Crysanthemum + Gou Qi Zi (wolf/goji berries) and sip the drink throughout the day. But this is unrelated to puer tea anyway.

 

There is also Kuding Cha but again a different tea. Very popular in Canton. 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by Gerard

[Kara_mia]

On 12/28/2017 at 6:52 PM, Pavel Karavaev said:

Puer is the perfect drink in the winter. It really helps to warm up the body from the inside. I love black teas, they help a lot during prolonged cold weather.

 

Actually, puer is unique i that it could be drank not only in winter time, but all over the year. It indeed helps to warm up and feel replenished.

[Pavel Karavaev]

Yes, sure, we can drink pu-er in any other season, it is not a rule.

I just meant that in winter it almost always  handy,  because of its warming nature.

[Gerard]

I think it's the other way round. I find it quite cooling, especially the cooked/ripe variety, shu puer. It feels warm initially but you quickly cool down.Very earthy and grouding. I leave this one for evening drinking whereas the green type (sheng) fits perfect for early morning sessions, ideal prior to training or sitting meditation practice.

 

One ripe puerh which I am enjoying quite a lot is the 2017 Rooster King:

 

Link

 

 

[Gerard]

A wonderful documentary about Taiwan's tea culture:

 

Tea—Taiwan's Golden Treasure

 

Enjoy! 

 

 

[cmpunk50]

On 6/12/2017 at 1:23 AM, Gerard said:

Not a worry. Not fussed about simplicity:

 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/230400734276?redirect=mobile

 

If you are maybe you should consider upgrading to a more enjoyable vessel that won't scorch your fingers, allow for a faster pour and control it as well plus it will enhance the quality of the brew. Yixing pots do that but it's a very sneaky business. I can recommend you a legit one based in HK who sells good quality pots for very reasonable prices. Let me know if that's the case.

 

Here's two raw puerh cakes with plenty of kick:

 

https://yunnansourcing.com/products/2014-yunnan-sourcing-autumn-bing-dao-raw-pu-erh-tea-cake?variant=35011246726 

 

https://yunnansourcing.com/products/2015-spring-da-xue-shan-wild-arbor-raw-pu-erh-tea-cake?variant=33201075078

 

First is top class and the second...see if you can handle it!

 

I am considering buying the two that you referred on the two links. I have some experience with this type of tea, but bought it in bulk from a local supermarket called wegman’s. They have a nice tea selection, and have an amazing sencha/matcha tea blend from japan. While I enjoy their Puerh tea, I’m not an expert, so not sure how good the quality is.

 

my question is this. If I were to buy the two bricks in your links, will they continue to age in the packet if I buy them and don’t open?

[Gerard]

Yes they age in their original packaging proving it is not foil or plastic, otherwise remove and wrap it up in butcher's paper asap.

 

What bricks did I link in my post? I don't see any.

 

Do you enjoy more sheng (raw) or shu/shou (cooked, ripe) puerh? I have some recommendations for you. I also need your budget per piece of puerh tea.

 

Cheers!

[cmpunk50]

I'm honestly not sure which one I enjoy more. I'll have to try and find out. It was these two from your post some time ago (see below). I'm thinking of buying both.

 

Here's two raw puerh cakes with plenty of kick:

 

https://yunnansourcing.com/products/2014-yunnan-sourcing-autumn-bing-dao-raw-pu-erh-tea-cake?variant=35011246726 

 

https://yunnansourcing.com/products/2015-spring-da-xue-shan-wild-arbor-raw-pu-erh-tea-cake?variant=33201075078

 

First is top class and the second...see if you can handle it! 

Edited May 9, 2018 by cmpunk50