I recently spoke with a Taiwanese tea merchant. Although hard to
understand, he made several interesting comments. One is that you have
to distinguish between the green, oolong, and black tea "process" and
the green, oolong, and black tea "tree." Most Taiwanese tea, he told
me, comes from the "green process" of an "oolong tree." I assume he
means that their tea is relatively unoxidized and comes from a varietal
of Camellia sinensis typically used to make oolong tea.

Does that make sense? Or is it more likely that he's referring to
altitude or ecological factors?

Another question: he brews pu-erh in a large glass kettle, removing the
leaves every three days but adding them more often, and boiling the
concotion before each serving. Is this normal? Is it safe?

Tom

" > writes:

> I recently spoke with a Taiwanese tea merchant. Although hard to
> understand, he made several interesting comments. One is that you have
> to distinguish between the green, oolong, and black tea "process" and
> the green, oolong, and black tea "tree." Most Taiwanese tea, he told
> me, comes from the "green process" of an "oolong tree." I assume he
> means that their tea is relatively unoxidized and comes from a varietal
> of Camellia sinensis typically used to make oolong tea.
>
> Does that make sense?

Yes, although I don't think he meant that the process mainly used in
Taiwan with oolong varietals is exactly the same as what's used to
manufacture green tea. Rather, I think he meant that they typically
apply high heat to stop the enzymatic oxidation of the leaf before the
oxidation exceeds 25% or so.

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

>Another question: he brews pu-erh in a large glass kettle, removing the
>leaves every three days but adding them more often, and boiling the
>concotion before each serving. Is this normal? Is it safe?

Some people do that, but leaving tea wet for that long, unless you
spread it out to dry (and why would you do that), encourages the growth
of bacteria and fungus. It's not unsafe, but why would you want to do
it?

Some thoughts on varietals from a 1996 FDA article:

"Different varieties of Camellia sinensis grow in different geographic areas and produce leaves that vary from a very small China leaf, perhaps one-half to three-quarters of an inch long, to the Assam leaf, which may be 3 or 4 inches long. Certain varieties are better suited than others for a particular processing method. For example, the China leaf from China and Formosa produces the best oolongs."

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/296_tea.html

As for the man's brewing methods, it obviously hasn't killed him yet. Whether it might be detrimental to you or I is another matter. I'll often keep adding to an infusion of yerba mate throughout the day, but I never keep it going into the next day.

Thanks,
Bill

Tea Guy Speaks
http://wileng.blogspot.com/

Tea Industry News
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/teaindustrynews/

> wrote:
>I recently spoke with a Taiwanese tea merchant. Although hard to
>understand, he made several interesting comments. One is that you have
>to distinguish between the green, oolong, and black tea "process" and
>the green, oolong, and black tea "tree." Most Taiwanese tea, he told
>me, comes from the "green process" of an "oolong tree." I assume he
>means that their tea is relatively unoxidized and comes from a varietal
>of Camellia sinensis typically used to make oolong tea.
>
>Does that make sense? Or is it more likely that he's referring to
>altitude or ecological factors?

It does make sense. BUT, it's true that altitude and ecological conditions
also affect the tea... and tea from one place and one plant may make an
excellent black tea but a terrible green tea.

>Another question: he brews pu-erh in a large glass kettle, removing the
>leaves every three days but adding them more often, and boiling the
>concotion before each serving. Is this normal? Is it safe?

It doesn't sound normal to me, but I would expect the boiling is going to
kill the fungus and mold that will naturally grow there. May not do
anything about the fungus and mold toxins produced, of course. It does
not sound like a way to make good-tasting tea, but then again I don't much
like pu-ehr anyway.
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

>"but then again I don't much
> like pu-ehr anyway."


Sorry, guys; I fell asleep.
WHO said this? Was it
crymad, that almost
Japanese fellow?

Michael Plant > wrote:
>
>>"but then again I don't much
>> like pu-ehr anyway."
>
>Sorry, guys; I fell asleep.
>WHO said this? Was it
>crymad, that almost
>Japanese fellow?

No, it was me.
Actually, I was being kind. I really can't stand the stuff.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

(Scott Dorsey) writes:

> Michael Plant > wrote:
> >
> >>"but then again I don't much like pu-ehr anyway."
> >
> >Sorry, guys; I fell asleep. WHO said this? Was it crymad, that
> >almost Japanese fellow?
>
> No, it was me.
> Actually, I was being kind. I really can't stand the stuff.

Sorry, but are you sure of that? Pu'er covers a *very* wide range of
flavors and aromas. I'd hate to think you wrote it all off after
trying just a few.

How would you characterize what you hate about Pu'er?

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

I compare the taste of black puer to other old growth or wild teas like
ShuiHsien or DaHongPao. It's something you won't initially like but
you get use to the taste.

Jim

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> Michael Plant > wrote:
> >
> >>"but then again I don't much
> >> like pu-ehr anyway."
> >
> >Sorry, guys; I fell asleep.
> >WHO said this? Was it
> >crymad, that almost
> >Japanese fellow?
>
> No, it was me.
> Actually, I was being kind. I really can't stand the stuff.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Lewis Perin > wrote:
(Scott Dorsey) writes:
>
>> Michael Plant > wrote:
>> >
>> >>"but then again I don't much like pu-ehr anyway."
>> >
>> >Sorry, guys; I fell asleep. WHO said this? Was it crymad, that
>> >almost Japanese fellow?
>>
>> No, it was me.
>> Actually, I was being kind. I really can't stand the stuff.
>
>Sorry, but are you sure of that? Pu'er covers a *very* wide range of
>flavors and aromas. I'd hate to think you wrote it all off after
>trying just a few.

I've tried a few Pu-ehr types, none of the really high grade ones, but
everything from the cheap Sprouting brand tuochas and mini tuochas on
up to some mid-grade cooked ones.

>How would you characterize what you hate about Pu'er?

None of them had a taste that I liked. None of them just made me smile
when I drank it, the way yunnan congou always does. I don't see any
reason to drink something like that, when there are plenty of things
that do make me smile.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Hmm, this makes me somewhat nostalgic ... not a good thing ...?

My first taste of 'really basic not green, not old' puer ... bliss.

Last year in Kunming looking for any trace of a really great yunnan red
....

....just not to be had.

But as Nietszche one said, 'memory yields' ... I wait

---
teaismud at yahoo dot com
The Immoral Mr Teas

On 19 May 2006 13:14:43 -0400, Scott Dorsey wrote:

> Lewis Perin > wrote:
(Scott Dorsey) writes:
>>
>>> Michael Plant > wrote:
>>> >
>>> >>"but then again I don't much like pu-ehr anyway."
>>> >
>>> >Sorry, guys; I fell asleep. WHO said this? Was it crymad, that
>>> >almost Japanese fellow?
>>>
>>> No, it was me.
>>> Actually, I was being kind. I really can't stand the stuff.
>>
>>Sorry, but are you sure of that? Pu'er covers a *very* wide range of
>>flavors and aromas. I'd hate to think you wrote it all off after
>>trying just a few.
>
> I've tried a few Pu-ehr types, none of the really high grade ones, but
> everything from the cheap Sprouting brand tuochas and mini tuochas on
> up to some mid-grade cooked ones.
>
>>How would you characterize what you hate about Pu'er?
>
> None of them had a taste that I liked. None of them just made me smile
> when I drank it, the way yunnan congou always does. I don't see any
> reason to drink something like that, when there are plenty of things
> that do make me smile.
> --scott

I will second Scott's reaction to pu'er. At it's worst, it reminds me of
mucking out horse stalls. At its best, it reminds me of drinking dirty
water.

But I also don't like Russian Caravan blends, and I'm beginning to think
that the distate for both is related - it's the aroma that turns me off
moreso than the taste. But since taste and aroma are intimately
connected....

--
Derek

If a pretty poster and a cute saying are that it takes to motivate you, you
probably have a very easy job.

The kind robots will be doing soon.

If the truth be known, I *like* the soft
earthy loam of a good shu Pue'rh,
even one without age. It's the taste and
smell of forest and peat that amuses and
delights me. Shu was my first Poo. I
haven't lost my initial fondness for it.

I get fruit and flower and caramel and
charcoal and such like from SH and DHP.
I don't get that Shu earthiness, and thus I
can't quite equate these teas. Perhaps more
apropos would be comparison of Shu
Pu'erh to other non-Pu'erh black teas
(using the Chinese idea of "black tea"
here).

> I compare the taste of black puer to other old growth or wild teas like
> ShuiHsien or DaHongPao. It's something you won't initially like but
> you get use to the taste.
> Jim

>>>> "but then again I don't much
>>>> like pu-ehr anyway."
>>>> Scott


>>> Sorry, guys; I fell asleep.
>>> WHO said this? Was it
>>> crymad, that almost
>>> Japanese fellow?
>>> Michael

>> No, it was me.
>> Actually, I was being kind. I really can't stand the stuff.
>> --scott