Seems this group could use a new topic, what is everybody planning on
drinking for the Holidays, anything special? Besides Scotch that
is....

I have a list of old and venerable puerhs I intend work through, but I
want something really special for the first tea of the New Year,
havent quite decided on which yet.

Currently I am drinking "Yunnan Gold Bud Bi Luo Chun", which is shaped
like the familiar Bi Luo Chun but is tobacco gold in color and tastes
similar to the typical honey nuanced Yunnan Gold although not of the
spicy cocoa variety of years past. Seems the really GOOD Dian Hong
exists only in my memory these days. I wonder if it is an economic
shift in the manufacturing process, or a shift in the agricultural
aspects that is making the difference????

The good news is that I am back to drinking tea daily once again, my
taste buds and passion have risen from the ashes like the phoenix of
yore.......

Mike

www.pu-erh.net

Eggnog?

At this time of year I get very nostalgic and revert to my strong tea-
bag tea with milk and sugar. One thing I've found after years of
drinking skim milk is that even a drop of whole milk in tea is too
rich and creamy for my taste. And to think I used to put half-and-half
in tea! Just goes to show how our tastes can change.

Happy holidays to everyone!

Alan

On Dec 17, 9:03*am, Mike Petro > wrote:
> Seems this group could use a new topic, what is everybody planning on
> drinking for the Holidays, anything special? Besides Scotch that
> is....
>
> I have a list of old and venerable puerhs I intend work through, but I
> want something really special for the first tea of the New Year,
> havent quite decided on which yet.
>
> Currently I am drinking "Yunnan Gold Bud Bi Luo Chun", which is shaped
> like the familiar Bi Luo Chun but is tobacco gold in color and tastes
> similar to the typical honey nuanced Yunnan Gold although not of the
> spicy cocoa variety of years past. Seems the really GOOD Dian Hong
> exists only in my memory these days. I wonder if it is an economic
> shift in the manufacturing process, or a shift in the agricultural
> aspects that is making the difference????
>
> The good news is that I am back to drinking tea daily once again, my
> taste buds and passion have risen from the ashes like the phoenix of
> yore.......
>
> Mike
>
> www.pu-erh.net

On Dec 17, 8:03*am, Mike Petro > wrote:
> Seems this group could use a new topic, what is everybody planning on
> drinking for the Holidays, anything special? Besides Scotch that
> is....
>
> I have a list of old and venerable puerhs I intend work through, but I
> want something really special for the first tea of the New Year,
> havent quite decided on which yet.
>
> Currently I am drinking "Yunnan Gold Bud Bi Luo Chun", which is shaped
> like the familiar Bi Luo Chun but is tobacco gold in color and tastes
> similar to the typical honey nuanced Yunnan Gold although not of the
> spicy cocoa variety of years past. Seems the really GOOD Dian Hong
> exists only in my memory these days. I wonder if it is an economic
> shift in the manufacturing process, or a shift in the agricultural
> aspects that is making the difference????
>
> The good news is that I am back to drinking tea daily once again, my
> taste buds and passion have risen from the ashes like the phoenix of
> yore.......
>
> Mike
>
> www.pu-erh.net

Mike,
I bought some of that from TeaSpring last winter and loved it - rich,
thick, chocolatey. Occasionally, the Jin Si from Houde has that spicy,
wintery flavour; although I can't recall as rich as 2005-06.
ITC's Yunnan Rings are tasty, as is the Keemun Hao Ya.
Shen

Say hey, Mike--

I ordered on 12/11 two teas from the E-bay Awazon (Yun Cha) website:
1) 2006 Jinding Fine Golden Bud Teacake (purports to be hong cha)
http://tinyurl.com/67dmla
2) Excellent Yunnan Golden Bud Black Tea http://tinyurl.com/537ezg
When they arrive, I'll let you know how they taste.

Delighted to hear about the taste buds and tea passion.

Best to you as ever--
~Grasshopper

On Dec 17, 11:03*am, Mike Petro > wrote:
> Seems this group could use a new topic, what is everybody planning on
> drinking for the Holidays, anything special? Besides Scotch that
> is....
>
> I have a list of old and venerable puerhs I intend work through, but I
> want something really special for the first tea of the New Year,
> havent quite decided on which yet.
>
> Currently I am drinking "Yunnan Gold Bud Bi Luo Chun", which is shaped
> like the familiar Bi Luo Chun but is tobacco gold in color and tastes
> similar to the typical honey nuanced Yunnan Gold although not of the
> spicy cocoa variety of years past. Seems the really GOOD Dian Hong
> exists only in my memory these days. I wonder if it is an economic
> shift in the manufacturing process, or a shift in the agricultural
> aspects that is making the difference????
>
> The good news is that I am back to drinking tea daily once again, my
> taste buds and passion have risen from the ashes like the phoenix of
> yore.......
>
> Mike
>
> www.pu-erh.net

Great to hear! It is such a great enjoyment, and sometimes the
slowness and sights/sounds/smells takes me away even if just for a
bit. I've been toying with some more pedestrian fare like the pyramid
Lipton bags (not so hot but better than usual Lipton), Red Rose and
either red bamboo honey or raw sugar I picked up from Hawaii. But that
is mainly because I am a bit tired of BLC and Shui Xian which have
been my ruts of late. I plan on breaking out by nabbing some yellows
and whites as well as a few better quality red teas.

I would give a king's ransom to have some more of a double roasted
shui xian I was gifted a while back. It would be my holiday/new year/
every second of every day... if I could only find some. It was brittle
and almost charcoal, but not, in a good way. Raisin, fresh tobacco,
bamboo charcoal, smooth and just amazing. It is almost to the point of
ruining my tea enjoyment because nothing I find stacks up and I end
disappointed. I got it bad, real bad.

- Dominic

Mike Petro wrote:

> Seems this group could use a new topic, what is everybody planning on
> drinking for the Holidays, anything special? Besides Scotch that
> is....
>
> I have a list of old and venerable puerhs I intend work through, but I
> want something really special for the first tea of the New Year,
> havent quite decided on which yet.
>
> Currently I am drinking "Yunnan Gold Bud Bi Luo Chun", which is shaped
> like the familiar Bi Luo Chun but is tobacco gold in color and tastes
> similar to the typical honey nuanced Yunnan Gold although not of the
> spicy cocoa variety of years past. Seems the really GOOD Dian Hong
> exists only in my memory these days. I wonder if it is an economic
> shift in the manufacturing process, or a shift in the agricultural
> aspects that is making the difference????
>
> The good news is that I am back to drinking tea daily once again, my
> taste buds and passion have risen from the ashes like the phoenix of
> yore.......
>
> Mike
>
> www.pu-erh.net


This winter i somehow didn't begin with my usual habit of drinking more
strong and black teas. So I will probably finish some of my japanese
greens.

Lately i have read much about pu-erh and i have to say i'm impressed.
However reading about tea is not the same as tasting and so i plan to
drink my first pu-erh.

Stefan

HI Mike!
The tea of the season will be defined here by others.
That is, among my tea friends such as yourself,
the heavy hitters come out including the venerable
and holy Puerhs of great age. But the holiday
brings together the non-tea folk, and so I'll have
on hand some Keemun and some Bai Hao (by
which I mean Formosa Oolong) of fine quality.
These are sweet and friendly everyone likes
them. We'll also have some really nice Dan Congs
since fruity-spicy Oolongs are also popular among
the gatherers. These later will be brewed a bit
lighter than you or I might ordinarily to keep
bitter elements down and bring the sweeter
ones up. Hey, a long answer to a short question,
but that's just me.
Best,
Michael

On Dec 18, 7:04*am, wrote:
> HI Mike!
> The tea of the season will be defined here by others.
> That is, among my tea friends such as yourself,
> the heavy hitters come out including the venerable
> and holy Puerhs of great age. But the holiday
> brings together the non-tea folk, and so I'll have
> on hand some Keemun and some Bai Hao (by
> which I mean Formosa Oolong) of fine quality.
> These are sweet and friendly everyone likes
> them. We'll also have some really nice Dan Congs
> since fruity-spicy Oolongs are also popular among
> the gatherers. These later will be brewed a bit
> lighter than you or I might ordinarily to keep
> bitter elements down and bring the sweeter
> ones up. Hey, a long answer to a short question,
> but that's just me.
> Best,
> Michael

Very true about appealing to friends and family. I normally have some
chai, Thai iced tea, Earl Grey, and Rooibos for my grandfather on
hand. When you mentioned oolongs I found a crowd pleaser in
Teaspring's Song Zhong Dan Cong. It is amazingly like a peach flavored
tea and without sugar or any adornment everyone loves it. When you
brew one cup the aroma will have everyone asking to try it.

- Dominic

Mike Petro > writes:

> Seems this group could use a new topic, what is everybody planning on
> drinking for the Holidays, anything special? Besides Scotch that
> is....

I'll be breaking into Hong Kong stored Qing Bing.

I'm drinking a very nice Makaibari "Imperial Silver Tips" Darjeeling
First Flush bought from Ito En's New York store. The dry leaves look
like a white tea but turn coppery when hydrated. It has a tangy DJ
character and gives six good steeps as long as I remove the gaiwan lid
between steeps.

I intend to crack open some Bai Lin Gongfu from Jing Teashop.

I'm also drinking some lowly penny-a-gram Chinese supermarket oolong: Sea
Dyke Tsen Chi Cha (Zheng Xi Cha in Mandarin.) It doesn't have the
staying power of a really good oolong, but for one or two steeps it
has a persistent finish that reminds me of a good Wuyi tea.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

Mike Petro > writes:

> [...]
> Currently I am drinking "Yunnan Gold Bud Bi Luo Chun", which is
> shaped like the familiar Bi Luo Chun but is tobacco gold in color
> and tastes similar to the typical honey nuanced Yunnan Gold although
> not of the spicy cocoa variety of years past. Seems the really GOOD
> Dian Hong exists only in my memory these days.

Is that so-called BLC the one from Yunnan Sourcing? I had that a few
years ago, and I remember it as kind of bland. I hope that isn't the
only Dian Hong you've tried recently.

> I wonder if it is an economic shift in the manufacturing process, or
> a shift in the agricultural aspects that is making the
> difference????

When I was in Yunnan in spring of last year (the peak of the Pu'er
bubble) it was nearly impossible to find Dian Hong because farmers
could sell the same leaves for more money to Pu'er factories. Maybe
things are calming down now so Dian Hong lovers have reason for hope?

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html