hi all

since i'm in a pu-erh mood like others on this list, i decided to share some
of my experiences as i learn about pu-erh also.

my favorite so far - black mushroom shaped pu-erh from holy mountain (can be
found elsewhere as well)
earthy, little woody but not musty

second favorite - the $1 tuo-cha from ten ren. similar to mushroom but a
little less smooth, still excellent

mini tuo-cha from special teas are ok but they really seem to need a 10
second rinse else they are very musty. looks to be made from broken or
chopped leaves if i remember correctly.

i also have a green pu-erh brick from holy mountain though i made it only
once, and it was very bitter. vintage 1992 - how should this be brewed?
1 tsp, boiling water, 3 minute steep

my least favorite pu-erh is the plastic wrapped tuos from ten ren - i don't
see them online though they are available at ten ren's shop in san
francisco. quite earthy but has a very strong, overwhelming mushroomy scent
and taste. i love mushrooms though this is too strong for my taste.

-ben