Hi All,
I got my samples of pu-ehr from Hou De. I brewed up the first one, 1999
MengHai Da-Yi "Yi-Wu Wild Special Reserve", in my glass gaiwan. Keep in
mind this is the first raw stuff I've ever tried.
I was really impressed. As soon as the aroma hit me, I knew what all
the fuss was about. Quite a lovely pine-y, earthy presence. There was a
definate astringency, which I found invigorationg. The aroma filled my
palate and throat, and a warmth permeated my insides.
My one complaint, which barely is one, really, is that the stuff
knocked me sideways. My girlfriend actually had to lie down. I think a
lot of this was due to our having empty stomachs at the time. It
actually felt like a high. Almost an hour later, after a meal, I'm
still feeling this stuff.
Has anyone else tried this stuff? I have no basis of comparison thus
far. I'll post an update once I try the other sample I got. As always,
input in to further potential purchases is welcome.

Nico

In article . com>,
"Nico" > wrote:

>My girlfriend actually had to lie down. I think a
> lot of this was due to our having empty stomachs at the time. It
> actually felt like a high. Almost an hour later, after a meal, I'm
> still feeling this stuff.

hi nico - thanks for the report. i'm also sort of new
to pu'erh, and i also has some samples from hou di fine
a while back. i too got a kind of 'high' from a few of
them - not at all unpleasant, and i think you're right -
having some food in your stomach should help with
that. keep us posted on the other teas...........p*

>My one complaint, which barely is one, really, is that the stuff
>knocked me sideways.

At this point, as well as with the apparent astringency, I would
question the age of this tea. Aged sheng, I'm assuming you're drinking
sheng by the description, has only a slight quip of the original
astringency remaining from the raw leaves and is quite smooth. If it
tastes like a handful of pine straw, like some of the "aged' pu'er I've
receieved as gifts and various other cakes I have lying around, it's
either this year's spring pick or last year's winter.

You can look at the leaves and be able to tell if it's really new tea,
although some people disagree with this. Could you describe the
appearance of the leaves before and after brewing?

>My one complaint, which barely is one, really, is that the stuff
>knocked me sideways.

And, most Chinese sheng drinkers say that you cannot drink sheng until
it's at least 2 years old because they say it's harmful to your health
to drink such strong tea.

Mydnight wrote:
> >My one complaint, which barely is one, really, is that the stuff
> >knocked me sideways.
>
> And, most Chinese sheng drinkers say that you cannot drink sheng until
> it's at least 2 years old because they say it's harmful to your health
> to drink such strong tea.

How much of this "high" that is described here and also possibly even
Jim's sensations decribed in the "decaffeinated" thread could be Qi and
not caffeine?

Just wondering,

Mike

heh.

I just remember the first time I drank sheng is some shop around here
and feeling rather light-headed for the next hour or so. The reason it
hit me was because the tea was relatively new. I couldn't get the
grass taste out of my mouth for days, it seemed.

>At this point, as well as with the apparent astringency, I would
>question the age of this tea. Aged sheng, I'm assuming you're drinking
>sheng by the description, has only a slight quip of the original
>astringency remaining from the raw leaves and is quite smooth. If it
>tastes like a handful of pine straw, like some of the "aged' pu'er I've
>receieved as gifts and various other cakes I have lying around, it's
>either this year's spring pick or last year's winter.

>You can look at the leaves and be able to tell if it's really new tea,
>although some people disagree with this. Could you describe the
>appearance of the leaves before and after brewing?


Alas, I drank the last of it a few days ago. I remember the leaves
being fairly green. Perhaps it was indeed newer than 99. I have no
basis of comparison. I do remember the taste fairly well. The
astringency was there, but not nearly as much as in some green teas.
The taste I would describe as earthy, pine-y, with a lingering
sweetness in the mouth. I'll have to wait to try some more before I can
really say. I did recently pick up a xia guan tuo from an asian grocer.
There was a much stronger astringency in that one, and not the kind of
tingly compexity of my hou de sample.

Nico

"Mike Petro" > wrote
> How much of this "high" that is described here and also possibly even
> Jim's sensations decribed in the "decaffeinated" thread could be Qi and
> not caffeine?
>
> Just wondering,

Would that be Qi-ffeine ?

On Mon, 5 Sep 2005 15:09:19 -0400, "ggull"
> wrote:

>"Mike Petro" > wrote
>> How much of this "high" that is described here and also possibly even
>> Jim's sensations decribed in the "decaffeinated" thread could be Qi and
>> not caffeine?
>>
>> Just wondering,
>
>Would that be Qi-ffeine ?
>


ROFLMAO



Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net
"In this work, when it shall be found that much is omitted, let it not be forgotten that much likewise is performed."
Samuel Johnson, 1775, upon finishing his dictionary.

"Mike Petro" > wrote..
> On Mon, 5 Sep 2005 15:09:19 -0400, "ggull"
> > wrote:
>>"Mike Petro" > wrote
>>> How much of this "high" that is described here and also possibly even
>>> Jim's sensations decribed in the "decaffeinated" thread could be Qi and
>>> not caffeine?
>>
>>Would that be Qi-ffeine ?
>
> ROFLMAO

I know one's supposed to lurk for a while before posting, but I don't get a
straight line like this one too often ;-).