Yesterday, I cut the top off of my sample pouch of ZH25 Organic China Leaf Pu-Erh from Upton. Upon first reading about it on some website last year, my thought was, "Why in the world would anyone want to drink something like that?" But, reading the posts here convinced me to at least try some.
Using boiling water, I brewed 1 tsp. in 8 oz. for 5 min. and found that it tastes interesting, but weak. Brewing for 6 min. tasted better, but there was a definite "dirt" smell to it. There was an extremely fine dusty feeling that made me understand why some say that it's like drinking dirt. It didn't have a bad flavor, just different. In fact, I enjoyed it. It was more robust than delicate, reminding me of Irish Breakfast in some respects, but with better flavor and surprisingly sweet. Yes, the catalog said that it leaves a sweet aftertaste, but I was surprised anyway - go figger. I found that brewing for 5-3/4 min. is just right for me.
At this point, I'm not sure about reordering. It's still a novelty for me and I don't see it becoming a regular drink. I would because it's good but for the earthy aroma and texture. Perhaps I'll order in sample sizes to cope with any urge that may develop. Does it get better with age? Should I go ahead and order a regular tin now and dip into it occasionally for years to come?
On the whole, I'm glad that my first experience with Pu-Erh has been as positive as it's been.
Thanks to all for your posts and any further guidance. If not for them, I might have never tried it.