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Daddyselephant drank Menghai Palace Ripened Pu-erh Cake Tea 2008 by Teavivre

1473 tasting notes

I am not a pu-erh drinker, let me say that right out. I have one or two I like, but overall I don’t reach for it. So read this review with a grain of salt, because I really don’t know what I’m doing.

The directions on the sample said to brew for 3-10 minutes in 17 ounces of water. So I got out my 16 ounce nordic mug and brewed it for 2 minutes, but first I let it brew for 30 seconds and threw that out as a rinse.

The smell of the brewed tea is very earthy. Reminds me of when I’ve just opened up Pao’s cage and the smell of the wet soil hits me. Not a bad thing, just different. I smell hay too.

Now, don’t shoot me. I added two teaspoons of sugar because that is how I take every tea I drink. Without the sugar, I am guaranteed not to like it, so I’d rather add sugar for a tasting note so I’m not just sipping it, thinking “this needs sugar, I don’t like it”.

I don’t really know how to describe what I’m tasting. It’s earthy and nutty and sweet. I…I’m enjoying, but I’ve not become a convert by any means. It’s alright, but not something I could ever see myself reaching for. I’m not rating it because it’s not fair for me to negatively rate something I knew I wouldn’t enjoy.

Thank you, TeaVivre, for letting me try this tea, you are extremely generous!

Preparation

Boiling 2 min, 0 sec 12 g 16 OZ / 473 ML

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Formerly aisling of tea, now you can call me ele .

“You can forgive a murder, but never a mistake while preparing tea.” Chinese proverb

Labels? Here you go: Femme, Wife, Lesbian, Homemaker, Happy. Don’t forget tea fanatic!

New label as of May, 2015: Diabetic. I’m using tea to satisfy my sweet tooth cravings and keep me hydrated without hurting my system or messing with my blood sugar.

Ah, tea. My love for you is ever changing. At my last update, I was all about the rooibos and now I hardly drink it. I only occasionally had an oolong and now I have one just about every day. I’ve learned the art of resteeping and coldbrewing and kombucha. I have a lovely little tea pet named…well, I haven’t decided on a name for him yet. I also have five! live pets, a tabby cat named Rosabella Francis (Bella for short), a ginger cat named Orange Julius Pekoe (Pekoe), a white and grey cat named Earl Jean Grey (Earlie), a tuxedo cat (and the only boy in the house) Prince Erik Darien Darjeeling (JiJi) and a red foot tortoise named Da Hong Pao (Pao). So if you see me referring to my girls, I don’t have kids, just animals.

As for tea, I love oolongs, herbals, and black tea. Since I am no longer working, I no longer feel the constant need for a mate energy boost, though I do still reach for it from time to time. I also drink less matcha, though I do throw a spoonful or two in when I’m making smoothies. Most of my tea I drink coldbrewed, and since I discovered coldbrewed rooibos was giving me headaches, I’m drinking less and less of it. Straight pu-erh is not a thing I enjoy, but there are a few flavored blends I like. Greens are still too finicky for me to bother with hot, but they make great cold brews.

I am by no means a tea purist. I greatly enjoy flavored teas and I put stevia in all of my teas. It’s just how I do.

I think I’m going to name my tea pet Mr. Turtle. Even though he’s a tortoise.