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pu-erh in the UK

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I pity any poor soul who would want to rely on my meagre business :)

I think I've tried most vendors out there, and most are expectedly inflated. I always keep coming back to the same few, who offer the best cakes at uninsulting prices - it's nice to see that the market is mature enough for vendors like them to exist; i.e., those who don't treat their customers as if they know nothing. One vendor who shall remain nameless amuses me by selling hulu (essentially tea-strainers made from gourd-fruits) for £12, when their actual cost is below £0.05 in China.

This works in general because the majority of customers don't have access to information. For those that do, or who take the time to find it out, the approach doesn't work, and more mature vendors (Yunnan Sourcing, Dragon Teahouse, Jingteashop.com in China, and others) are required.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes
 
I rationalize my tea expenditures by telling myself that a pot of excellent pu-erh costs much less than a cup of lousy Starbucks coffee...

It's true! Pu'er is a real bargain. You can stop buying Starbucks/Nero/Costa coffee for several weeks, and save serious amounts of cash, which can buy large quantities of very decent pu'er. Plus, it's actively good for you, rather than being questionably unhealthy.


I've given up rationalizing and simply buy what I can afford, it's much easier.

The nice thing about pu'er is that you can get really great pu'er for the cost of two pints of beer, or two bad coffees Starbucks. All of the expensive tea (Xizihao, etc.) are really there for people who are willing to spend more - but the returns are rapidly diminishing over good baseline pu'er. Sure, if you don't like young shengpu, the old stuff will cost a lot - but I don't believe in buying tea, wine, or cheese and pay other people to mature it for me. I'd much rather spend a fraction of the cost and get this year's product, and age it myself.

Some of my favourite shengpu can be had for < £10 / bing, and remember that each bing contains enough tea for 20-30 entire sessions.

Expensive pu'er can be a fool's game. :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes
 

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
Ha - my wallet hasn't recovered since Hobbes found his way to B&B. My shelves groan with pu'er, but I think Jay has it worse from what I can tell.

If he keeps this up, Scott, I think I'll have to mail him a cheap carbon Japanese knife and a rudimentary water stone. That should do it. :lol:
 

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
Just kidding about the diminutive teaware. Perhaps I'm cranky from waiting for my foot to heal, and the numerous trips to the kettle have been getting to me. :lol:

Drinking an '08 Yong De as we speak. My sample was so small, I'm thankful to have a little gaiwan on hand to brew a decent cup. :tongue_sm

Around twenty years ago, when wine was still relatively cheap, I went on buying binge that lasted many years. I even went through a period when I drank a different dessert wine every night for a year. Not only did I learn a lot, I managed to stockpile enough goodies to outnumber the appropriate occasions for drinking them. Nowadays, I fid myself saying that "I can't drink that '90 Latour, it's a thousand bucks!" even if it only cost a small fraction of that. I hope to someday find myself in a similar situation with puerh. :001_rolle
 
If he keeps this up, Scott, I think I'll have to mail him a cheap carbon Japanese knife and a rudimentary water stone. That should do it. :lol:

That would be suitable revenge indeed. Unfortunately I have been on the receiving end of both the sharpening/knife addiction and the pu'er addiction as well. It is time for me to plot my revenge....:001_rolle
 

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
That would be suitable revenge indeed. Unfortunately I have been on the receiving end of both the sharpening/knife addiction and the pu'er addiction as well. It is time for me to plot my revenge....:001_rolle

I somehow managed to avoid a four figure coffee equipment addiction, so you'll have to try something else. :lol: Good thing I got tropical fish out of my system years ago. Talk about a money pit.

I'm sure you'll come up with something.

Had some loose '98 Menghai shu of unknown provenance the other night. I'm proud to say that I've already learned enough to know that it was not a '98, and probably not even a Menghai. I'm going to avoid loose pu at all costs, although I did try some nice mao cha from Houde De that was delicious.
 
Just a quick question. If I have a gaiwan of tea and get called away, and the leaves go cold in the gaiwan can they be returned to later and resume the session or should I discard and start over.
 
Depends on who you ask, I'm quite happy to drink the same leaf if it's been sitting idle for 12hrs or so. I'm pretty sure you'd be absolutely fine with a few hours.

Toki, who knows his stuff, along with guys at the NY tea gallery are currently sitting at a record of 7 weeks for the same gaiwan of leaves.

http://themandarinstea.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-is-detail-tasting.html

Common sense is probably the best guide. If it doesn't smell, taste or feel right then don't bother.

edit: a flash rinse with boiling water is probably the best was to resume the tasting.
 

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
Just a quick question. If I have a gaiwan of tea and get called away, and the leaves go cold in the gaiwan can they be returned to later and resume the session or should I discard and start over.

From what I gathered from one of Hobbes' earlier posts, I believe he has a gaiwan frequented about his house that's been brewing since last year. :lol:
 
It tasted all right when I re-brewed so I'm gonna be brave and before some fresh 2004 private pressing in the morning I will try a couple of gaiwan fulls of this 12 gent 2006 to see how 14 hours treats it.
 
I wouldn't worry unless it's over 24 hours old, and even then a quick refresher with boiling water will kill 100% of bacteria. :)
 
I'm glad to hear that you're aiming your browser towards tea purchasing... :chinese:

I have some of the 2008 Dehong bricks - you'd be amazed how many people have asked me about them, in fact! Moreso than absolutely any other tea - they have a mysterious appeal. Well, not so mysterious - they're very tasty. Fruity, chunky, fresh. Think promiscuous fruitiness.

A few drinkers have commented that their older Dehong bricks have faded, but mine are still great after three years - a bit lower and richer, in fact - which is born out by a few others. Just one to be aware of - you might want to avoid keeping them out in a strong breeze. :)

As always, let us know how you get on!


Toodlepip,

Hobbes
I've just had a few sessions with the brick of the 2008 Dehong and I'm very impressed - while my frame of reference is limited, this is a very balanced tea for one so young, and Hobbes description is quite apt. Its got a mouth-filling quality to it, very tasty and satisfying.

I may have to order another brick before its all gone!!

Its only been a week since my order came in and I'm already thinking about my next one!
 
I've never met anyone yet who doesn't like it. What a tasty tea! I've got a few - you might kick yourself if you just have the one, if you're likely to be into pu'er for the long haul. :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes
 
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