Lewis Perin wrote:
I don't own a yak horn, but somehow I coubt that any horn could crack

Funny, I thought everyone had one of those. Along with the eye of newt
to inspect the leaves.

Steve

Lewis Perin wrote:
I don't own a yak horn, but somehow I coubt that any horn could crack

Funny, I thought everyone had one of those. Along with the eye of newt
to inspect the leaves.

Steve

Apparently, however, I need to buy an identity. Sorry about that guys.

Apparently, however, I need to buy an identity. Sorry about that guys.

Apparently, however, I need to buy an identity. Sorry about that guys.

Lewis Perin wrote:

"samarkand" writes:

Hi Melinda,

I'm not sure how others feel about using an oyster knife on pu'er, but I
personally refrain from using steel or metal object to break open my pu'er.
I use a yak's horn to crack open the pu'er into larger pieces, and a
japanese chopstick (wooden, unlacquered) to wriggle loose the leaves.

I don't own a yak horn, but somehow I coubt that any horn could crack
open some of the tightly compressed Puerhs I've had. Lately I've been
thinking about dedicating a saw to this purpose. Seriously.

Would a Japanese box lathe for dried bonito work? The blades on some
can be adjusted, so you're not limited to producing only paper thin
shavings. A drawer under the blade collects the shavings and slides out
for easy retrieval. A lovely artifact for all object fetishists.

I'm compelled to ask, though: If drinking Puerh demands brute strength
and hand tools, is it really something to be exalted? Seriously.

--crymad

Lewis Perin wrote:

"samarkand" writes:

Hi Melinda,

I'm not sure how others feel about using an oyster knife on pu'er, but I
personally refrain from using steel or metal object to break open my pu'er.
I use a yak's horn to crack open the pu'er into larger pieces, and a
japanese chopstick (wooden, unlacquered) to wriggle loose the leaves.

I don't own a yak horn, but somehow I coubt that any horn could crack
open some of the tightly compressed Puerhs I've had. Lately I've been
thinking about dedicating a saw to this purpose. Seriously.

Would a Japanese box lathe for dried bonito work? The blades on some
can be adjusted, so you're not limited to producing only paper thin
shavings. A drawer under the blade collects the shavings and slides out
for easy retrieval. A lovely artifact for all object fetishists.

I'm compelled to ask, though: If drinking Puerh demands brute strength
and hand tools, is it really something to be exalted? Seriously.

--crymad

Hi,

I hesitate to jump in with any recommendations, given the Puer expertise and
experience here, but ... "fools rush in" and all that.

First, I personally wouldn't buy Puer selling for less than $10 a 1/4 pound
/ 100 gms. For a little more money, you'll have a much better chance of
getting a decent tea.

Silk Road has a "Large Leaf from Old Trees" (P-PE-2) loose-leaf black Puer
for $10 a 1/4 lb. that's surprisingly good, quite mild, though hard to
measure accurately with a spoon because of the large irregular leaves (as
you've probably seen on the group here, SR has no web site, so I can't
provide any URLs).

They also have an "Imperial Pu-erh" (P-IP-1) loose-leaf black for $20 a 1/4
lb. To my taste, it's better than the one above, as it damn well should be.

Generation Tea has "Royal Laofu Pu-erh" black loose-leaf
(http://www.generationtea.com/store/p...id=47&osCsid=6
9d1f1030ad0c108c351f050f2ef07ed) that's good, though again a little pricey.

Though I've only had samples packages of each, both Imperial Tea Court's
"Superior Puerh" black loose-leaf
(http://www.imperialtea.com/AB1002000...roduct_ID=91&C
ategory_ID=21) and Upton's "China Aged Pu-Erh Celestial Tribute" loose-leaf
black (ZH60) seemed pretty decent.

Shan Shui's "Big Leaf Puer" loose-leaf black is mild and good (needs a
pretty long steep: 7-8 min.); the web site is all frames (though easy to
navigate), so I can't give a useful URL.

For small (100 gms), affordable black tuochas, Imperial Tea's "Aged Puerh
Tuocha"
(http://www.imperialtea.com/AB1002000...roduct_ID=172&
Category_ID=23) is good.

I have so little experience so far with green Puers that I wouldn't want to
recommend anything. I believe you've already gotten an expert opinion or two
for that anyway.

If you're interested enough, I would urge you to give Puers an adequate
chance. IOW: a) don't buy the cheap crap, and b) try at least 3 or 4 (or 5)
before giving up. Some people take to 'em immediately, but they can grow on
you, too, though I suppose there are also some poor souls who never learn to
love them. While the esteemed Mr. Perin's asssertion that "All other tea
products are girly-teas" is not actually true, it *is* true that most other
teas aren't as good as *good* Puer. You just have to find the one(s) that
are "good" for you.

Then, once you're hooked, you can go here
(http://www.puerh-tea.net/puerhcakes.htm) and buy a single 75 year old cake
for USD $6,500! Then you'll know you're a *real* Puer junkie.

Doug

"Melinda" wrote in message
om...
OK, I bought a tuo cha (mini) from Upton awhile back and that was
fairly smooth, and right now what I have in the kitchen is a tuo cha
from my local Asian market that is...well, lemme just say that I'm
really not GETTING this whole Puer love thing. Could someone
(::cough:: Mike and Michael::cough: (or more than one someone) who
is knowledgeable recommend specifically to me a type (name, where to
get, specifics) that will be the best "introduction" to the world of
puer for me..I want to try again but I want to know that what I'm
drinking is representative of puer as a whole before I just bag it and
decide puer isn't for me. Something that's financially reasonable
would be nice (like under $10 or so? Under $15?) I really want to give
this a fair shake since I hear others' enjoyment of it. I'm not
positive what kind of puer I have from the Asia market...it was
inexpensive of course, and in a green and white box.

Oh BTW, I found that an oyster knife seems to work well to break
chunks off...I seem to remember reading that someone was looking for a
way to do that.

Thanks very much for helping out the puer newbie.

Melinda

Hi,

I hesitate to jump in with any recommendations, given the Puer expertise and
experience here, but ... "fools rush in" and all that.

First, I personally wouldn't buy Puer selling for less than $10 a 1/4 pound
/ 100 gms. For a little more money, you'll have a much better chance of
getting a decent tea.

Silk Road has a "Large Leaf from Old Trees" (P-PE-2) loose-leaf black Puer
for $10 a 1/4 lb. that's surprisingly good, quite mild, though hard to
measure accurately with a spoon because of the large irregular leaves (as
you've probably seen on the group here, SR has no web site, so I can't
provide any URLs).

They also have an "Imperial Pu-erh" (P-IP-1) loose-leaf black for $20 a 1/4
lb. To my taste, it's better than the one above, as it damn well should be.

Generation Tea has "Royal Laofu Pu-erh" black loose-leaf
(http://www.generationtea.com/store/p...id=47&osCsid=6
9d1f1030ad0c108c351f050f2ef07ed) that's good, though again a little pricey.

Though I've only had samples packages of each, both Imperial Tea Court's
"Superior Puerh" black loose-leaf
(http://www.imperialtea.com/AB1002000...roduct_ID=91&C
ategory_ID=21) and Upton's "China Aged Pu-Erh Celestial Tribute" loose-leaf
black (ZH60) seemed pretty decent.

Shan Shui's "Big Leaf Puer" loose-leaf black is mild and good (needs a
pretty long steep: 7-8 min.); the web site is all frames (though easy to
navigate), so I can't give a useful URL.

For small (100 gms), affordable black tuochas, Imperial Tea's "Aged Puerh
Tuocha"
(http://www.imperialtea.com/AB1002000...roduct_ID=172&
Category_ID=23) is good.

I have so little experience so far with green Puers that I wouldn't want to
recommend anything. I believe you've already gotten an expert opinion or two
for that anyway.

If you're interested enough, I would urge you to give Puers an adequate
chance. IOW: a) don't buy the cheap crap, and b) try at least 3 or 4 (or 5)
before giving up. Some people take to 'em immediately, but they can grow on
you, too, though I suppose there are also some poor souls who never learn to
love them. While the esteemed Mr. Perin's asssertion that "All other tea
products are girly-teas" is not actually true, it *is* true that most other
teas aren't as good as *good* Puer. You just have to find the one(s) that
are "good" for you.

Then, once you're hooked, you can go here
(http://www.puerh-tea.net/puerhcakes.htm) and buy a single 75 year old cake
for USD $6,500! Then you'll know you're a *real* Puer junkie.

Doug

"Melinda" wrote in message
om...
OK, I bought a tuo cha (mini) from Upton awhile back and that was
fairly smooth, and right now what I have in the kitchen is a tuo cha
from my local Asian market that is...well, lemme just say that I'm
really not GETTING this whole Puer love thing. Could someone
(::cough:: Mike and Michael::cough: (or more than one someone) who
is knowledgeable recommend specifically to me a type (name, where to
get, specifics) that will be the best "introduction" to the world of
puer for me..I want to try again but I want to know that what I'm
drinking is representative of puer as a whole before I just bag it and
decide puer isn't for me. Something that's financially reasonable
would be nice (like under $10 or so? Under $15?) I really want to give
this a fair shake since I hear others' enjoyment of it. I'm not
positive what kind of puer I have from the Asia market...it was
inexpensive of course, and in a green and white box.

Oh BTW, I found that an oyster knife seems to work well to break
chunks off...I seem to remember reading that someone was looking for a
way to do that.

Thanks very much for helping out the puer newbie.

Melinda

Well said Doug....

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 22:35:30 -0400, "Doug Hazen, Jr."
cast caution to the wind and posted:


If you're interested enough, I would urge you to give Puers an adequate
chance. IOW: a) don't buy the cheap crap, and b) try at least 3 or 4 (or 5)
before giving up. Some people take to 'em immediately, but they can grow on
you, too, though I suppose there are also some poor souls who never learn to
love them. While the esteemed Mr. Perin's asssertion that "All other tea
products are girly-teas" is not actually true, it *is* true that most other
teas aren't as good as *good* Puer. You just have to find the one(s) that
are "good" for you.

Well said Doug....

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 22:35:30 -0400, "Doug Hazen, Jr."
cast caution to the wind and posted:


If you're interested enough, I would urge you to give Puers an adequate
chance. IOW: a) don't buy the cheap crap, and b) try at least 3 or 4 (or 5)
before giving up. Some people take to 'em immediately, but they can grow on
you, too, though I suppose there are also some poor souls who never learn to
love them. While the esteemed Mr. Perin's asssertion that "All other tea
products are girly-teas" is not actually true, it *is* true that most other
teas aren't as good as *good* Puer. You just have to find the one(s) that
are "good" for you.

I just realized today that another reason I may be having a hard time
with the puer I do have is that I may be brewing it way too strong. I
don't have a scale so I have been eyeballing it. I brewed it a little
lighter today and didn't mind it so much.

Not using gong fu...have a cute small one-cup (10 oz) ceramic beehive
teapot from Japan that was my grandma's and I just realized tonight it
will be perfect for now. It's even shaped more or less like a yixing
pot for puer.

I called and am having Mike at Silk Road send me a price list. I don't
have any money to spend on tea the rest of this month.. and next
month I am hoping to get more samples of assams as I am still
searching for one that really knocks my socks off. Need to restock my
keemun. I want to get some honeybush for evenings (I know not tea, no
caffeine though). Etc. etc...but I will get a good puer around $10 or
maybe a little more and see if it lets me catch a glimpse of that
elusive something. I do like the loam smell that people have mentioned
before..not getting it from this cheap one though and I didn't notice
it at the time with the Upton. Which could very well entirely have had
to do with the fact that I was a total beginner and didn't have a clue
what I was looking for.

Melinda

I just realized today that another reason I may be having a hard time
with the puer I do have is that I may be brewing it way too strong. I
don't have a scale so I have been eyeballing it. I brewed it a little
lighter today and didn't mind it so much.

Not using gong fu...have a cute small one-cup (10 oz) ceramic beehive
teapot from Japan that was my grandma's and I just realized tonight it
will be perfect for now. It's even shaped more or less like a yixing
pot for puer.

I called and am having Mike at Silk Road send me a price list. I don't
have any money to spend on tea the rest of this month.. and next
month I am hoping to get more samples of assams as I am still
searching for one that really knocks my socks off. Need to restock my
keemun. I want to get some honeybush for evenings (I know not tea, no
caffeine though). Etc. etc...but I will get a good puer around $10 or
maybe a little more and see if it lets me catch a glimpse of that
elusive something. I do like the loam smell that people have mentioned
before..not getting it from this cheap one though and I didn't notice
it at the time with the Upton. Which could very well entirely have had
to do with the fact that I was a total beginner and didn't have a clue
what I was looking for.

Melinda

I just realized today that another reason I may be having a hard time
with the puer I do have is that I may be brewing it way too strong. I
don't have a scale so I have been eyeballing it. I brewed it a little
lighter today and didn't mind it so much.

Not using gong fu...have a cute small one-cup (10 oz) ceramic beehive
teapot from Japan that was my grandma's and I just realized tonight it
will be perfect for now. It's even shaped more or less like a yixing
pot for puer.

I called and am having Mike at Silk Road send me a price list. I don't
have any money to spend on tea the rest of this month.. and next
month I am hoping to get more samples of assams as I am still
searching for one that really knocks my socks off. Need to restock my
keemun. I want to get some honeybush for evenings (I know not tea, no
caffeine though). Etc. etc...but I will get a good puer around $10 or
maybe a little more and see if it lets me catch a glimpse of that
elusive something. I do like the loam smell that people have mentioned
before..not getting it from this cheap one though and I didn't notice
it at the time with the Upton. Which could very well entirely have had
to do with the fact that I was a total beginner and didn't have a clue
what I was looking for.

Melinda

I just realized today that another reason I may be having a hard time
with the puer I do have is that I may be brewing it way too strong. I
don't have a scale so I have been eyeballing it. I brewed it a little
lighter today and didn't mind it so much.

Not using gong fu...have a cute small one-cup (10 oz) ceramic beehive
teapot from Japan that was my grandma's and I just realized tonight it
will be perfect for now. It's even shaped more or less like a yixing
pot for puer.

I called and am having Mike at Silk Road send me a price list. I don't
have any money to spend on tea the rest of this month.. and next
month I am hoping to get more samples of assams as I am still
searching for one that really knocks my socks off. Need to restock my
keemun. I want to get some honeybush for evenings (I know not tea, no
caffeine though). Etc. etc...but I will get a good puer around $10 or
maybe a little more and see if it lets me catch a glimpse of that
elusive something. I do like the loam smell that people have mentioned
before..not getting it from this cheap one though and I didn't notice
it at the time with the Upton. Which could very well entirely have had
to do with the fact that I was a total beginner and didn't have a clue
what I was looking for.

Melinda