Re: that first sip of pu-erh tea...

Oh good! I used to be a heavy smoker of cigarettes for many many years, and wondered if my taste buds were all just dead forever. I no longer smoke, but know that others have a more sensitive sense of taste than I do. At least I can look forward to seeing if I taste dirt where others are tasting dirt : -) Maybe I can find a tea that tastes like soil smells just after a spring rain!

Heather

Ah, happy post(er). You made my day.

Michael

HeatherInSwampscottQAUVa.2150$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny03.gnilink.net7/30/03

HeatherInSwampscottE5%Va.3126$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny03.gnilink.net7/30/03

Heather,

Indeed, you can. There are quite a number. Aged Lui An is one of my favorites; perhaps not classic "Pu-erh," not being from Yunnan, but as Pu-erh-like as it gets. Try a loose tea. They tend on balance to be better than the little tuo cha thingies sold all over the place.

Also, In Pursuit of Tea sells a Silver Needles Beeng Cha which I think you would find delightful, based on your new-found love of green pu-erh. It's a bit pricey, though.

Michael

Those little tuocha thingies were so cute, nests in my teacup! How could I have resisted them? :D I am learning so much here, I will try your recommendations, thank you. Loose leaf pu-erh of the rainy spring day dirt variety goes on my list!

Heather

The Immoral Mr snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com7/31/03

Indeed not. But pu-erhesque, nonetheless.

Speaking of which Brian Wright of Shan Shui Teas in Washington DC, USA, recently e-mailed me the following in response to a couple pu-erh questions. I'm sure he won't mind my passing it along.

Michael

Brian's response:

"I too am under the impression that some sort of microbial action contributes to the flavor of puer, but I have yet to come across a reliable explanation of this. However, I think that additional oxidation does take place with any tea stored over time, even the "fully" oxidized ones. My basis for this: I have had other aged teas (oolong and black), some aged on purpose, others by circumstance, and all have darkened over time (leaf and cup) and developed a flavor hinting at puer. Whether the oxidation or some mystery process is the root of the change in flavor, I can't say for sure. I'll speculate that moisture content may have something to do with puer-style aging (beasties need water, but so do other chemical reactions)--a common method of "rejuvenating" over-the-hill oolongs is to bake them again.

As for storage, I don't think there's any problem with storing multiple puers in the same container. Seems that the aging process is internal, so proximity to other teas shouldn't matter. Also, I have stored some puers together for a few years myself with no problems so far."