Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
"addictive." Having been mainly attracted to greens for many years, I
can also enjoy an oolong or black tea every now and then for a change
but none of them captivate me enough to lure me away from the greens...
except Pu'er. And you really couldn't find two more diametrically
opposed teas, but somehow it works. I now split my time between both
types with a slight favor to greens but scarily close.

With so many enthusiasts here on RFDT, I have really been trying to
come up with some sort of an answer. This fairly unknown tea (to much
of the world) that frequently can be seen described as
pondy/dirt/mud/smoke/peat/etc. grabs hold and doesn't let go until you
submit to it and enjoy it. There has to be some reason or connection we
make to it. I have found that many who enjoy smoky teas like lapsang
and such are also into single-malts or cigars and that connection I can
make pretty easily... but Pu'er, not so easy.

It isn't a cheapness factor, even though 8-10+ steeps can be had from
one amount of leaves which makes the per cup cost of even the most
expensive Pu'er a bargain. I wouldn't think the dirty taste brings us
back to any latent childhood tendencies to eat a mud pie or the
occasional worm. And what brought this line of thinking up, was that it
is hard to explain *why* it is so enjoyable to others. I get asked to
describe a number of the teas on my desk and at home to people and I
struggle each and every time when I reach Pu'er... it is hard to convey
the pleasures and enjoyment in words and even offering some isn't going
to exactly win anyone over.

I'd be very interested in hearing other's thoughts if you would be so
kind.

- Dominic

Well, for me it's the strength that Pu'er has.

Why do we drink straight shots of hard liquor that basically burn our
insides and destroy our stomach lining and liver? Why do we inhale
smoke that would otherwise want to be avoided, as it burns and blocks
our lungs and gives us cancer? Would you, outside the presence of a
fine scotch or Cuban cigar, WANT to do any of those things? Hell no!

But we humans are quick to forget our nature of desiring to prove our
own existence. We do so by finding the limits of it through
experimentation and exploration! We remind ourselves of our humanity by
trying to destroy it!

What better way to do so than by drinking down a cup of the most
flavorful and complex liquid we know; something to excite all of our
senses to the peak of their capabilities? :-D

Tossing in my "tooscents",
-Drew


Dominic T. wrote:
> Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
> sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
> "addictive." Having been mainly attracted to greens for many years, I
> can also enjoy an oolong or black tea every now and then for a change
> but none of them captivate me enough to lure me away from the greens...
> except Pu'er. And you really couldn't find two more diametrically
> opposed teas, but somehow it works. I now split my time between both
> types with a slight favor to greens but scarily close.
>
> With so many enthusiasts here on RFDT, I have really been trying to
> come up with some sort of an answer. This fairly unknown tea (to much
> of the world) that frequently can be seen described as
> pondy/dirt/mud/smoke/peat/etc. grabs hold and doesn't let go until you
> submit to it and enjoy it. There has to be some reason or connection we
> make to it. I have found that many who enjoy smoky teas like lapsang
> and such are also into single-malts or cigars and that connection I can
> make pretty easily... but Pu'er, not so easy.
>
> It isn't a cheapness factor, even though 8-10+ steeps can be had from
> one amount of leaves which makes the per cup cost of even the most
> expensive Pu'er a bargain. I wouldn't think the dirty taste brings us
> back to any latent childhood tendencies to eat a mud pie or the
> occasional worm. And what brought this line of thinking up, was that it
> is hard to explain *why* it is so enjoyable to others. I get asked to
> describe a number of the teas on my desk and at home to people and I
> struggle each and every time when I reach Pu'er... it is hard to convey
> the pleasures and enjoyment in words and even offering some isn't going
> to exactly win anyone over.
>
> I'd be very interested in hearing other's thoughts if you would be so
> kind.
>
> - Dominic

"Dominic T." > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
> sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
> "addictive."

Didn't want to be the first to let you know, but they put crack cocaine in
pu-er.

Barky Bark wrote:
> Didn't want to be the first to let you know, but they put crack cocaine in
> pu-er.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. Why didn't I think of it? I do
know that I did kind of have a "swimmy" feeling in my head the first
time I drank it, and I have heard others experience a similar
feeling... so maybe...

Dominic T. wrote:
> Barky Bark wrote:
> > Didn't want to be the first to let you know, but they put crack cocaine in
> > pu-er.
>
> Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. Why didn't I think of it? I do
> know that I did kind of have a "swimmy" feeling in my head the first
> time I drank it, and I have heard others experience a similar
> feeling... so maybe...

wait, you got that swimmy/almost high feeling too?
thought I was just wierd.

On 18 Sep 2006 11:47:22 -0700, Dominic T. wrote:

> Barky Bark wrote:
>> Didn't want to be the first to let you know, but they put crack cocaine in
>> pu-er.
>
> Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. Why didn't I think of it? I do
> know that I did kind of have a "swimmy" feeling in my head the first
> time I drank it, and I have heard others experience a similar
> feeling... so maybe...

Swimmy feeling? You mean nausea?

(Rassin-frassin pu'er lovers have taken over the newsgroup!

--
Derek

"Do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others." -- Socrates

Umm....
It tastes good...!
i don't care much for "pondy" stuff: i like my shu and aged sheng a bit
cleaner than that.
But there's also the sweet...

it just tastes good...yep...delicious "forest floor" and "wet bark" and
"dusty earth"

~j


Dominic T. wrote:
> Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
> sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
> "addictive." Having been mainly attracted to greens for many years, I
> can also enjoy an oolong or black tea every now and then for a change
> but none of them captivate me enough to lure me away from the greens...
> except Pu'er. And you really couldn't find two more diametrically
> opposed teas, but somehow it works. I now split my time between both
> types with a slight favor to greens but scarily close.
>
> With so many enthusiasts here on RFDT, I have really been trying to
> come up with some sort of an answer. This fairly unknown tea (to much
> of the world) that frequently can be seen described as
> pondy/dirt/mud/smoke/peat/etc. grabs hold and doesn't let go until you
> submit to it and enjoy it. There has to be some reason or connection we
> make to it. I have found that many who enjoy smoky teas like lapsang
> and such are also into single-malts or cigars and that connection I can
> make pretty easily... but Pu'er, not so easy.
>
> It isn't a cheapness factor, even though 8-10+ steeps can be had from
> one amount of leaves which makes the per cup cost of even the most
> expensive Pu'er a bargain. I wouldn't think the dirty taste brings us
> back to any latent childhood tendencies to eat a mud pie or the
> occasional worm. And what brought this line of thinking up, was that it
> is hard to explain *why* it is so enjoyable to others. I get asked to
> describe a number of the teas on my desk and at home to people and I
> struggle each and every time when I reach Pu'er... it is hard to convey
> the pleasures and enjoyment in words and even offering some isn't going
> to exactly win anyone over.
>
> I'd be very interested in hearing other's thoughts if you would be so
> kind.
>
> - Dominic

Jason F in Los Angeles wrote:
> Umm....
> It tastes good...!
> i don't care much for "pondy" stuff: i like my shu and aged sheng a bit
> cleaner than that.
> But there's also the sweet...
>
> it just tastes good...yep...delicious "forest floor" and "wet bark" and
> "dusty earth"
>
> ~j

See, it is actually pretty hard to convey. If I came out with three new
Ice Cream flavors "Forest Floor" "Wet Bark" and "Dusty Earth" I'm
pretty sure I'd be out of business by the second day.

It is actually pretty strange when you think about it, but there has to
be some draw.. and it has to be somewhat universal since many of us
enjoy it but have very different tastes and backgrounds. I thought it
was kind of interesting and I really have not come up with any sort of
answer. I do think that some sort of support structure is important,
because even if I had come across a highly expensive aged pu'er on my
own with no outside knowledge I'm pretty sure I would have tried it and
instantly given up on it... but in an environment where others discuss
it and speak highly of it, it is acceptable.

I actually had done almost exactly that a couple years back. Before I
was ever aware of this NG and Pu'er I had stumbled upon a box of
"Puerh" teabags and a canister of loose aged Pu'er. I thought they were
just some type of tea that I had never heard of like green, oolong,
etc. The teabags tasted terrible... which I attributed to them being
cheap teabags. Then when I tried the tea in the canister it was dirty
tasting and tasted like tea I had left out too long that was musty and
stale. I had come across the canister the other day which I had kept
because of the beautiful artwork on it and realized it had been a
pretty high-quality aged Pu'er. I had totally given up on it until this
newsgroup, and my first mini-tuo's were terrible but when I kept trying
and moved onto some quality cooked and uncooked I was hooked. Moreso on
the uncooked, but coming from Japanese green tea land it was a pretty
big leap.

Just some random thoughts.

- Dominic

For me, it happened similarly. I went to Chinatown on a tea-buying
binge and bought an XG French Export Shu Tuo. When I got around to
tasting it, I thought it was alright but nothing I'd want to drink
regularly.

Then I read you're supposed to let it age. So I put it in my desk at
work and forgot about it for a year and a half. When I tried it again,
I had more experience with teas, and though I was iffy about the tuo
even this second time, I found myself returning to it day after day
until it was sadly gone.

When I went online to see if there was a higher quality
replacement...well, my madness begins from there

>From a lowly XG export tuo...to a "Fibber McGee" tea closet!

I think the "support" framework helped draw me to try new pu'ers, and
the "culture" around pu'er supported my explorations, but it wasn't my
initial draw. The tea spoke for itself, and I followed its pied-piper
tune all the way to the bankruptcy hearings (almost!)

~j

Dominic T. wrote:
> See, it is actually pretty hard to convey. If I came out with three new
> Ice Cream flavors "Forest Floor" "Wet Bark" and "Dusty Earth" I'm
> pretty sure I'd be out of business by the second day.
>
> It is actually pretty strange when you think about it, but there has to
> be some draw.. and it has to be somewhat universal since many of us
> enjoy it but have very different tastes and backgrounds. I thought it
> was kind of interesting and I really have not come up with any sort of
> answer. I do think that some sort of support structure is important,
> because even if I had come across a highly expensive aged pu'er on my
> own with no outside knowledge I'm pretty sure I would have tried it and
> instantly given up on it... but in an environment where others discuss
> it and speak highly of it, it is acceptable.
>
> I actually had done almost exactly that a couple years back. Before I
> was ever aware of this NG and Pu'er I had stumbled upon a box of
> "Puerh" teabags and a canister of loose aged Pu'er. I thought they were
> just some type of tea that I had never heard of like green, oolong,
> etc. The teabags tasted terrible... which I attributed to them being
> cheap teabags. Then when I tried the tea in the canister it was dirty
> tasting and tasted like tea I had left out too long that was musty and
> stale. I had come across the canister the other day which I had kept
> because of the beautiful artwork on it and realized it had been a
> pretty high-quality aged Pu'er. I had totally given up on it until this
> newsgroup, and my first mini-tuo's were terrible but when I kept trying
> and moved onto some quality cooked and uncooked I was hooked. Moreso on
> the uncooked, but coming from Japanese green tea land it was a pretty
> big leap.
>
> Just some random thoughts.
>
> - Dominic

I bought some loose pu-erh green leaves from YS along with some other exotic
greens I was buying at the time. Then I brewed the pu-erh leaves...and it
was like - Wow! What is that tate? They are actually very good leaves, no
bitterness and make a nice drink even now. However, unlike the cakes, I've
come to the conclusion that they need air tight storage to keep the best of
their taste and aren't really good for long term storage. A real drink-now
pu-erh.

From that point I had another look at the listings on-line and realised I
should try a few more things....and the decent into pu-reh craziness
began....I love the variety in this tea alone. The cooked and raw versions
are just so different and the aged is different yet again. Some are
refreshing and light that leave a nice tingle on the tounge while others are
earthy and strong and thats only among the greens. You could spend a
lifetime learning about this stuff and never know it all.

Kat

Drew, I hope you don't mind if I steal this quote, it's a real gem:

"We remind ourselves of our humanity by trying to destroy it!"

I want that written high above my throne when I become Emperor. Heh.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

I don't need cannisters. The mini beengs make a nice toaster if I
don't spill anything. My tuos are big hits with street hustlers who
want to update their shell game. Sad to say it made me reconsider my
horror of shopping carts but Ebay is an auction site. I got me pride.

Jim

Dominic T. wrote:
> Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
> sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
> "addictive."
....puer mites...

Dominic T. wrote:
> Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
> sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
> "addictive." Having been mainly attracted to greens for many years, I
> can also enjoy an oolong or black tea every now and then for a change
> but none of them captivate me enough to lure me away from the greens...
> except Pu'er. And you really couldn't find two more diametrically
> opposed teas, but somehow it works. I now split my time between both
> types with a slight favor to greens but scarily close.
>

Maybe it is simply the coolness factor. With "Green Tea" everywhere
maybe we just need to find something a bit more exotic to separate
ourselves from the herd.

Alan Truism wrote:
> Dominic T. wrote:
> > Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
> > sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
> > "addictive." Having been mainly attracted to greens for many years, I
> > can also enjoy an oolong or black tea every now and then for a change
> > but none of them captivate me enough to lure me away from the greens...
> > except Pu'er. And you really couldn't find two more diametrically
> > opposed teas, but somehow it works. I now split my time between both
> > types with a slight favor to greens but scarily close.
> >
>
> Maybe it is simply the coolness factor. With "Green Tea" everywhere
> maybe we just need to find something a bit more exotic to separate
> ourselves from the herd.

Oh, I assure you the green tea you see "everywhere" is nowhere near the
green tea I speak about. Hand picked Gyokuro only days old in your cup
is about as exotic and cool as it gets, green tea is very diverse and
special if you dig a little. I spent most of my time in just small
subsets of Japanese greens, and only seriously beginning on Chinese
greens now 10+ years later. I understand what you are saying, but
anyone on this NG is about as far from the herd as possible... possibly
in need of being herded back in a little

- Dominic

On 25 Sep 2006 11:47:41 -0700, "Alan Truism" >
wrote:

>Dominic T. wrote:
>> Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
>> sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
>> "addictive." Having been mainly attracted to greens for many years, I
>> can also enjoy an oolong or black tea every now and then for a change
>> but none of them captivate me enough to lure me away from the greens...
>> except Pu'er. And you really couldn't find two more diametrically
>> opposed teas, but somehow it works. I now split my time between both
>> types with a slight favor to greens but scarily close.
>>
>
>Maybe it is simply the coolness factor. With "Green Tea" everywhere
>maybe we just need to find something a bit more exotic to separate
>ourselves from the herd.


Personally, and I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, It has occurred
to me on more than one occasion that there are many parallels between
this and another green leafy substance. Certain aspects of it harkens
back to younger less inhibited days. Compressed bricks of a green
leafy substance, from a far off land, highly sought after, and often
very valuable. Hmmmm.....

--
Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net

Mike Petro wrote:
> Personally, and I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, It has occurred
> to me on more than one occasion that there are many parallels between
> this and another green leafy substance. Certain aspects of it harkens
> back to younger less inhibited days. Compressed bricks of a green
> leafy substance, from a far off land, highly sought after, and often
> very valuable. Hmmmm.....
>
> --
> Mike Petro
> http://www.pu-erh.net

I wouldn't be embarrassed to say it, the thought crossed my mind right
off the bat when I first was trying to figure it out. Especially since
the one Pu-erh from Upton's gives me a major head swimming effect each
and every time I drink it. I'm sure there is a parallel there, but I
doubt it is the whole answer. I can readily expand on any other tea
variety, even one's I don't like and make someone understand it.. but
Pu-erh remains a trouble spot there. What do you tell uninformed
people? I'd be interested to know, besides the compressed and
fermentation, I mean as to the taste and scent etc.

- Dominic

Some have even said that those two precious, exotic, mysterious
agricultural products complement each other nicely ... I hear.

Mike Petro wrote:
> On 25 Sep 2006 11:47:41 -0700, "Alan Truism" >
> wrote:
>
> >Dominic T. wrote:
> >> Over the past two or three weeks I have been trying to come to some
> >> sort of explaination as to why Pu'er is so pleasurable, enjoyable and
> >> "addictive." Having been mainly attracted to greens for many years, I
> >> can also enjoy an oolong or black tea every now and then for a change
> >> but none of them captivate me enough to lure me away from the greens...
> >> except Pu'er. And you really couldn't find two more diametrically
> >> opposed teas, but somehow it works. I now split my time between both
> >> types with a slight favor to greens but scarily close.
> >>
> >
> >Maybe it is simply the coolness factor. With "Green Tea" everywhere
> >maybe we just need to find something a bit more exotic to separate
> >ourselves from the herd.
>
>
> Personally, and I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, It has occurred
> to me on more than one occasion that there are many parallels between
> this and another green leafy substance. Certain aspects of it harkens
> back to younger less inhibited days. Compressed bricks of a green
> leafy substance, from a far off land, highly sought after, and often
> very valuable. Hmmmm.....
>
> --
> Mike Petro
> http://www.pu-erh.net