First review. A disclaimer. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT PU-ER! (Don’t know why it’s spelled Pu-erh, Pu-Erh, Puer, Pu-er either). My background is working in a tasting room at a Winery, entering cooking contests, and international cooking. That’s it. I have a pretty good palate for THOSE things. I bring what I know about other things to tea and am learning new ways to think about tea as I progress. Nuff said. This explanation is given because this was a tea that took a lot of turns in reviewing.
Here goes:
I used my new PIAO I Glass top drop infuser and 3 minutes for each steep .
I did 1 quick rinse before the first steep. Raw the Shu looks like dark tan-bark. Really!
1. I poured on the water and let the steep go watching the liquid begin to lightly turn brown. Beep…pushed the button to release the water to the reservour below. The liquid is light honey colored and tastes like toasted rice. No earthiness, slightly salty and sweet. Really good and savory. Not a hint of grass or hay but maybe a shitaki mushroom sauteed in there. Super delicious.
2. Way darker color like whisky. Earthy scent. While steeping you can see the leaves begin to float and open pushing away from the solid bark mass. There is a slightly astringent finish and pepper on the tongue, linen and rust. No bitterness. Juicy and light. This makes no sense but it’s what I taste and smell. Oh, faint nutmeg also. I opened the top of my steeper and smelled the wet tea…arh…paint thinner! Whoa…no kidding!
3. This steeping released long-legged creatures moving around the steeping cylinder releasing all the tea flavors just for me. Eight long years from China to Colorado they were locked up waiting for this moment! Eh…timer went off…Really dark liquor this time.
Less paint thinner smell on the leaves! Lighter less earthy flavor. More astringent but still juicy and not bitter. There is a tartness which is like black walnut and an introduction of salt and smoke. Bless My Soul! I like smoke and salt. In fact…Hum…I have some gumbo in the fridge and think this would be a good finish after some gumbo and rice. Not during the meal but after. Very delicious Shu! I have loved all the selections from Verdant thus far! Find the new videos helpful to a rookie like me.
This is not a fancy review but MY review. It’s what I enjoyed this afternoon as a part of my life.
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I love it Bonnie, your review is fabulous!! not sure I’d be so big on the paint thinner though. My sniffing days are far behind me now :P
but your notes are indeed intriguing. I love reading your notes! :)
Likewise…thanks…been aching and just have to ride it out. Tea helps stave off gloom that comes as a symptom with fibromyalgia. Very easy to keep celebrating throughout the day with tea!
oh dear, I wish I could offer some advice for the fibro pain. Stay warm is about the only thing I can think of. and drink tea!
Drink tea! And eat chocolate chips! It’s 75 so warm enough, I’ll paint my nails and be fine.
oh yes, chocolate chips all the way!
what colour? I’ve been meaning to do the same actually… but it means getting up from the bed :P
Not too bright tangerine ..I’m a kickin grandma!
Awesome review! Love all of your reviews Bonnie :)
You guy’s are being so nice! I had no idea anyone was reading them. I enjoy writing and I love everyone else’s reviews. Tea people write better than most! Smooch (not you Ian,gross and Illegal) ha!
Amongst other things in your review, I loved “This steeping released long-legged creatures moving around the steeping cylinder releasing all the tea flavors just for me.” I like to think of Tea as being alive in some fantastical kind of way, and this description sound like how I think! I am a nature lover, so creatures of all sorts sometimes end up in my imaginings, and then to my writing. I’m glad they made an appearance in yours!
This Shu came to me in big chunky bark pieces…rich and dark. As it broke apart in the second steeping it grew legs (this is why you need glass pots or steepers…it’s like having an aquarium for tea) and I put my face down close to watch the creatures move around in a fantasmic dance. (You might realize now why I’m the ONLY one of my generation that did NOT have any need to experiment with hallucinogenic drugs even though I lived 1 hr from Height Ashbury in the 1960’s). I am a left-handed, right brained…visual thinker. Maybe you’re a visual thinker also!
I enjoyed your review. I know next to nothing about reviewing or PU-ER, but I felt your review painted a picture for me. That’s good in my opinion. I also really enjoyed the creature comment. Haha not sure if I really want to see that in my tea though! :D
This was an awesome review. Of course I would expect no less from a fellow lefty! I have used a french press for the last year and it may not be insulated enough for the purist but my right brain loves the dance of the leaves. I sit it on my desk at work and often just stare at it – an aquarium for tea indeed!
I love it Bonnie, your review is fabulous!! not sure I’d be so big on the paint thinner though. My sniffing days are far behind me now :P
but your notes are indeed intriguing. I love reading your notes! :)
Likewise…thanks…been aching and just have to ride it out. Tea helps stave off gloom that comes as a symptom with fibromyalgia. Very easy to keep celebrating throughout the day with tea!
oh dear, I wish I could offer some advice for the fibro pain. Stay warm is about the only thing I can think of. and drink tea!
Drink tea! And eat chocolate chips! It’s 75 so warm enough, I’ll paint my nails and be fine.
oh yes, chocolate chips all the way!
what colour? I’ve been meaning to do the same actually… but it means getting up from the bed :P
Not too bright tangerine ..I’m a kickin grandma!
Awesome review! Love all of your reviews Bonnie :)
You guy’s are being so nice! I had no idea anyone was reading them. I enjoy writing and I love everyone else’s reviews. Tea people write better than most! Smooch (not you Ian,gross and Illegal) ha!
Amongst other things in your review, I loved “This steeping released long-legged creatures moving around the steeping cylinder releasing all the tea flavors just for me.” I like to think of Tea as being alive in some fantastical kind of way, and this description sound like how I think! I am a nature lover, so creatures of all sorts sometimes end up in my imaginings, and then to my writing. I’m glad they made an appearance in yours!
This Shu came to me in big chunky bark pieces…rich and dark. As it broke apart in the second steeping it grew legs (this is why you need glass pots or steepers…it’s like having an aquarium for tea) and I put my face down close to watch the creatures move around in a fantasmic dance. (You might realize now why I’m the ONLY one of my generation that did NOT have any need to experiment with hallucinogenic drugs even though I lived 1 hr from Height Ashbury in the 1960’s). I am a left-handed, right brained…visual thinker. Maybe you’re a visual thinker also!
I enjoyed your review. I know next to nothing about reviewing or PU-ER, but I felt your review painted a picture for me. That’s good in my opinion. I also really enjoyed the creature comment. Haha not sure if I really want to see that in my tea though! :D
This was an awesome review. Of course I would expect no less from a fellow lefty! I have used a french press for the last year and it may not be insulated enough for the purist but my right brain loves the dance of the leaves. I sit it on my desk at work and often just stare at it – an aquarium for tea indeed!