278 Tasting Notes
My name is Kristie, and I’m a sheng addict.
It started innocently enough. I just tried a few, because my friends were doing it. I wanted to fit in. To be cool. It just escalated so quickly.
I was even scared of the tightly packed cakes at first. But now… I can’t keep from busting them all open. I say things like: “Come here, you little cake of yum yums! I am going to poke you with a pointy stick and make drinks from your tasty flesh!”
Some days it’s hard for me to concentrate on other things. I think about sheng in the morning, all through the day, and then again when I go to bed at night. Sometimes I sheng 4-5 times per day. I’ve already shenged twice today and I don’t show any signs of stopping.
The other day, I looked into my boyfriend’s eyes and said: “I love you, Sheng. I just love you so much.” My boyfriend replied, “my name is Brian, you crazy tea fiend!” Then he called Teahab and asked if he could have me committed.
The End. Or is it….
Also, this tea tastes like smoked apricots. Is smoked fruit a thing? Because it totally should be!
Preparation
These are so cute! I don’t know why I didn’t try them as soon as I got my Butiki order. But whatevs!
Method: 6 stars, 10 oz, 180 degrees, 5 minutes, Dr. Who Mug
Aroma: mmmmm grassy!
Flavor: This is kind of interesting. I’m not a big fan of greens, so I really don’t know why I bought these. Probably just because they are so darn cute, if we want to be honest here. And they’re certainly adorable and spiky as they steep and open a bit.
I’m surprised and impressed by the flavor. They SMELL grassy, but I don’t find the taste to be overly grassy. They taste freshly green, but mildly so. There’s a buttery feel to this tea also. I’ll be adding this to the short list of green teas that I really like!
Preparation
One of the prettiest tea ever! So girly :-)
These are so portable, too! I’ll probably take them to work since the water out of our water filter system thingie is around 185 degrees. Perfect for little stars!
They sound yummy.
They’re super! If you want to try some, holla back!
Thanks to Cameron B for the sample!
This is my first H&S tea, and I’m a little sad because I don’t love it. I use one sachet in 208 degree water for 4 minutes. The instructions said boiling for 5, but I always get a little nervous about long steeps at high temps, so I bumped it down a bit.
This one has some pleasant flavors, but it’s rather bitter on the finish. So the sip starts nicely, but then I go BLARGH! at the end.
I have one more sachet, so maybe I will try a low temp, short steep, for the heck of it!
Edit: So, I lied. I did this for 5.5 min at 200 degrees using Cam’s suggestion and it IS less bitter. Mind=blown. How does that happen? I still wouldn’t call it a fave, but it’s definitely better, so I am bumping up the score a bit. TEA TWILIGHT ZONE!!!!!
Preparation
With this tea, I find it bitter if I steep for less than 5 minutes. Weird, right?
But I never use boiling water for anything but herbal, I generally do 200 for black teas.
Wow that’s so strange. I’ll try 200 for 5+ minutes next time! Thanks for the info!
I have the same issue with Tower of London, which is a very similar tea. It’s the weirdest thing ever.
I don’t love it either Sars
Yeah, this was really crazy. I’m glad I got to try it, though!!!!
(I don’t like this one either – ewww blerg, but I too like H&S flavored blacks, Florance, Soho, Boston, etc at 95C for 5 minutes… if that helps at all)
It’s ok Sars you don’t have to love them all. In fact your wallet will probably be happy that you can rule a few out from swaps. :))
Well that is true, Dex. I did love the other tea Cam sent. And I still have one more to try!!!
Haha! This also work way better for me with longer steep!
You used one sachet for 8oz of water? I’m not sure why they don’t publicize this more, but the sachets are really designed for 12oz of water. They contain 2tsp of tea, not one.
Ah, I too will try it at a lower temp for longer. Didn’t entirely love it at boiling for five minutes. Thanks guys
I’m having a lovely evening at home, relaxing with my dogs, reading some Joseph Campbell. You simply haven’t lived if you’ve never read “The Power of Myth”. It’s a life-changer, swearsies!
Method: 3.3 g, 3 oz, rinse, 10-15-20 seconds, 200 degrees, ru kiln gaiwan
Aroma: fruit and new leather. Hey, dried apricots! This also smells like dried plums! And spring forests!
Flavor: This is so mild and pretty. I think this one has a slightly more astringent finish than some of the other shengs I’ve tried. It’s kind of refreshing. It definitely has some fruity flavors, but is a little less sweet.
The only things missing from my wonderful evening are my boyfriend, who is at work, and a huge, puffy reading chair which I do not own. Yet.
I think I am going to work out some kind of goal to read at least one chapter of a chosen Joseph Campbell book per week, and to do so while drinking a pretty sheng. JC and sheng are pretty much a perfect match. I really have to work on that puffy reading chair, too…
Preparation
I remember the original TV show for The Power of Myth back in the 80s, read the book back then. I recall his favorite was the Rose window in Notre Dame.
I have those on DVD and I love to watch them. The first thing I ever read from JC was TPoM, so it has a special place in my heart. I always say that I am going to someday read all his books. I should really get moving on that!
He had very much wisdom and I’m grateful he shared so much of it
Couldn’t agree more. Is it possible to miss someone you never knew? It must be because I do!
Yeah he’s one of those people who leave the world much poorer when they ;eave it. I will feel the same way when Willie Nelson checks out.
Have you read “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”?
Ha! MzP, Brian and I were just talking about him on Sunday!
Not yet, mj. I’ll tackle that one next!
I think you’ll like it :). I did!!
Holy Crap. This tea is BLACK. Like my soul. :p
Method: I followed MzPriss’s instructions. But I did just do 1/2 a batch to start because I wasn’t sure I could handle the dark side. So it was about 1.5 tsp Special dark, a small pinch? of Black Beauty, 8 oz water, 208 degrees.
Aroma: This smells like a cave of mystery
Flavor: Well. It turns out that I am not quite ready for the dark side. This tastes a little burny. Not like the burninator or anything, but a wee bit smoky perhaps?
Luckily, I know I’m kind of a weenie when it comes to the ultra darks, so I brought along the bottle of maple syrup. 1 tsp later and this is like a dark heaven. This has an amazing mouthfeel, heavy and thick. It’s surprisingly not overly bitter.
I know this flavor. My Nana used to make these sugar cookies for Xmas every year, and they were super thin. Ribbon cookies? Anyway, she would always burn them because they were so thin that it was impossible to get the temp and timing just right in an old oven. That’s what this reminds me of! Nana’s cookies!
I never say “No” to anything that reminds me of my Nana. Except wooden paddles!
Edit: I did a 2nd steep of this. At this point, the teas are already mixed together in the strainer. I steeped for 5 minutes and wow, I like the 2nd steep even better. I still did the maple, but the 2nd steep is much milder. What was already just a light burn/smoke is now a whisper. I can taste a little cocoa and more bakery notes. Less like Nana burned cookies, and more cakey?
BTW: Nana’s burny cookies were famous and everyone was actually excited to get them. They were only every lightly burned around the edges, and the contrast of dark and sweet was always kind of pleasant. So it’s not a negative thing AT ALL!
Preparation
Whenever something has a smoky or burny flavor, I want to sign the Trogdor song. BURNINATING THE COUNTRYSIDE, BURNINATING ALL THE PEOPLE. Even though, this one was very mild in that area, I can’t help myself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gz1DIIxmEE
And the trogdor comes in the niiiiiiiiiiight!!!!
Lol, “this smells like a cave of mystery.” So win! And don’t forget about the beefy arm! :P
Coming out of the back of his neck… :p
Cave of Mystery! Dang… now I gotta come up with another pu’er blend just so I can give it that name :) Puerfect!
Only with your permission, of course, Sarsonator. If it happens, I’ll credit you with the name!
Now you really have to name something “Cave of Mystery” because if you don’t, I will be super sad. :)
Since you being sad is not an option, then it shall me made manifest! I just gotta get the right leaves together. With a name like that, I really think it has to be a ripe style pu’er, don’t you think? Heck, I’ve already got a poem going for it in my head. Oh boy, that tea will have to live up to its name!!
Yes, ripe for sure.
This is so exciting!
I like black, smoky and caves, can’t wait for the cave of mystery! I’m still waiting for the day I can place an order to try the special dark, looks like I’ll have to add black beauty to the wish list!
biz: Please do. I had purchased the Special Dark, but when MzP started talking about this, I knew I would want to try it. So I bought the black beauty the next time around. I really think she came up with a heck of a mix here.
I’m glad it reminded you of your Nana. It is pretty strong, but I love the dark side :) and your should is not black – you are one of my rays of sunshine <3
I’m making a big fat cup of Jabber and pondering dinner…
Oh, thanks. I like being sun shiney! :)
I had muesli for dinner because sometimes I eat breakfast for dinner.
I had scrambled eggs and toast and bacon last night for dinner
What a lovely review sars…and I too vote for a “cave of mystery” mandala tea!
Thanks, Pookie pie! I’m glad my unintentional pu’erh name is gaining a following. :p
It is a challenge sometimes to say the flavor, often a story or memory comes instead. Nice read…
First of all, GTT has great customer service. There was a mix up with brewing instructions so my tea was oversteeped the first time, and GTT responded with an apology and offer to send a new sample. Lovely. They clarified the steeping parameters and resent the Honey Black, along with 2 more samples. Very helpful company. I would definitely purchase from them.
Method: I made this one in my little banko houhin which is dedicated to black teas. 5 grams, 5 oz, 200 degrees, 20 seconds and 40 seconds
Aroma: Malty sweetness
Flavor: SO. MUCH. BETTER! The daunting bitterness is gone. There’s a lovely malt flavor and a hint of sweetness. There’s also a very mild bitterness on the end of the sip and a teensy bit of astringency in the aftertaste, but nothing unpleasant at all. This tea is very smooth and has a nice feel in the mouth. Not too thin, not too heavy.
I hadn’t really planned on making this, but then I saw boychik’s note and figured I’d give this a go. I’m glad I did! This story has a happy ending and now I’ll have a little caffeine to help me through an evening of babysitting my nephew, who is almost 3, and has enough energy to power a small country!
Thanks to GTT for the second sample and for being so gracious!
Preparation
I was going to bust this open tomorrow, but when MzP said it was her fave sheng, I decided I couldn’t wait!!!
Method: 3.5 g, 3 oz, rinse, 10-15-20, 205 degrees, ru kiln gaiwan
Aroma: apricot, plum!, spinach, a little floral
Flavor: This is buttery and sweet, smooth and a little fruity. It tastes a teensy bit vegetal, too. This has a light bitterness on the end of the sip. Not too much. It has a pleasant aftertaste. This tastes a little brothy on some sips, sweeter on others. I’m into it. Shengs are totally my jam. :p
Preparation
This is a dang good one!
This is her FAV sheng? Really – better than cowboy? Better than Wild Monk? I need it to cool off here so that I can try it. I have a sample here from one of my orders, but I haven’t tried it. Need to do that SOON – especially now that I have my sheng pot reseasoned….
Right from the lovely lady herself:
http://steepster.com/discuss/8108-your-three-favorite-puerh-teas?post_id=140842#forum_post_140842
I’m on my 4-5-6 steeping blend now and it’s way less sweet and more brothy. This one really has a great variety of flavors to offer!
Then this one might be under rated, or under noticed. I haven’t really heard much about it. Will pull out that sample as a reminder to try it soon. Just WAY too HOT here tonight.
Give it a try when ya can. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts!!!
It’s kind of funny that I’m reading this just now…I just placed a new order with Mandala and grabbed one of those cakes…when I read the description on their website, I thought “heck, why didn’t I order this one before??”
It’s my favorite of the moment – possibly because it’s the one I’ve been drinking lately (and I need more). Frequently Wild Monk is my favorite and I haven’t tried the Hot Cowboy yet, or the Misty Peak ones I got recently or the Tea Urchin sample I got from Stephanie … but yeah, right now I’m loving this. It’s got this really yummy grapey flavor that I LOVE and it makes me feel witty and brilliant – though I could be confusing witty and brilliant with buzzed sheng-head motormouth. I REALLY like this.
It’s definitely a win for me, too. I wish I had brought some to work today. People are already pissing me off and it’s been less than an hour. I could use a nice sheng buzz
Also, auto correct tried to change “pissing me off” to “pudding me off”. I wish someone was pudding me off, autocorrect!!!!!!!
Post hike noms
The berries this year are just awesome in PA! Check out some of our blueberry haul
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124304184@N02/14514940398/
I love this particular state park because you have to drive up a mountain to get there, and it all looks like random shrubberies from afar, but then you get up close and realize that the whole mountain is covered in wild blueberry and huckleberry plants. THEN you hike elsewhere in PA and realize that many PA state parks are covered with these shrubs!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124304184@N02/14699202424/
And then you get home and drink this and feel your happy tea buzz!!!!
And then you realize you’ve never rated any tea 100, and if any tea is it, this is the one. So you fix it. :p
<3 HOTOT
Yum, I absolutely love blueberries! I need to come visit you so we can go pick some, lol. I’ve never had a huckleberry though.
This is the “hot cowboy” right? :P
Have you ever been out blueberry picking? There’s something about DIY berries that makes them better than store bought, IMO. Fresh from the shrubberies!!!!
This is the one and only hot cowboy!!!
Haha! Many things I love about this review:
1) you went hiking
2) you got beautiful berries and you shared wonderful pics with us
3) you drank hot cowboy and gave it 100…
I’d say you’ve had the perfect day :-)
It’s been a sheng day!!!! I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow!!!! I want to wake up and drink tea all day instead! :p
Those berries are preeeeety. I need to try my Hot Cowboy.
Do it!!! We should have a little HOTOT party later
And I should have stayed in bed today….
Why stayed in bed? The morning just started – can’t be that bad yet. Can it?
People are just working my nerves, pumpkin pie. I will live! I can’t be sad for long. I have good tea to look forward to later!!!!
I always dread Mondays. I have meetings ALL day today.
Eeeeew, sorry!!!! I only have one mtg, but it’s a doozy. I’m going to need a drink stronger than tea after that one.
Ok, you two, sending you the best vibes from my good vibe purse. Hope your day can go easily so we can all have Hot cowboy tonight together…sweeeet!
You are the sweetest!!!!! I’m taking a deep breath… Only 4 hours left and then Brian is taking me out for dinner and a couple beers and then I am going to make some HOTOT and relax!!!!!
Last meeting done – home early – MIGHTY mail day! Hot Cowboy will be good this evening – I slept the other night after shenging so I’m gonna go for it. I have a bunch of new sheng y’all
Awesome!!!!! You’re in sheng city, baby YEAH!
Like Austin Powers would say: wanna sheng now or sheng later???
All shenged UP! Except it has just been pointed out to me that I need more.
(Huh??? Don’t know what you’re talking about…)
(looks at you)
I wanna sheng now!!!
me too! And I’m home and I can…
Lol, I can’t sheng on an empty stomach, go ahead, I’ll join in later :-)
We can wait for you. I should eat too or it will be bad. Also, I may have gotten some (more) WM mao cha…
I will be home in 30 or so. I’m gonna sheng and season!!!!
OK – I will go get something to eat then.
I just got a sample of this cake today in the mail. woot!
@Cwyn – join us for a Hot Cowboy date later
Hehe… Virtual tea dates are fun!
I just broke into my Hot Cowboy cake so he will be ready for our date
I have my set up ready too :-)
What are temp parameters?
I will use my wee new tray
Theres none…I do mine at 195. And yay for wee tray!
I will make a thread for our Hot Cowboy date – kind of like we did for the moon party.
I am using 3.3 g in 3 oz at 200
OK. gonna go make the thread
<3
Ok
This one’s for you, Foxy!!!
Method: 3.3 g, 3 oz, 200 degrees, 10 sec rinse, 10-15-20-25 seconds, ru kiln gaiwan, all 4 steeps blended into one mug
Dry Leaf Aroma: smells like a fruity cave
Brewing Aroma: did someone sneak into my house in the night and scent all my shengs with apricot? Sneaky monkey! Also leather (yay!) and forest
Flavor: leather fruit! Not fruit leather, but leather fruit. This is also sweet and has a toasty finish. Wasn’t expecting that. I love you, sheng!!!!!
And now we hike, through the woods, drunk on shengy leather fruit, hunting for the wild blueberry. Onward!
Preparation
Awww, thank you for dedicating your first Wild Monk session to meeeee! I feel so honoured!!!
And I will search for the leather fruits next time :-)
Also, I get lots of apricot/peachy notes in white tea and sheng, so I got the sneaky monkeys too!
<3
Don’t tell anyone, but I just bought another cake of this.
Damn. Did I say that out loud?
(Hahaha! Well pretty face, know that there are 2 in my cart at the moment…)
tsk tsk tsk
If I didn’t think they were running out, I would have waited. But the thought of life without this just seems sad.
:p Kaylee.. I need adult supervision.
We just finished picking some wineberries and blackberries yesterday, so good luck hope you find a bunch.
(There’s none around here Sars…i’m talking about adults…)
Yay for berries!
While I’m in FL, I’m sure the Cardinals, Jays, & other birds in my yard are happily picking my blackberries & raspberries for me.
Oh tea peeps! We did great today! We got about 4 cups of wild blueberries and huckleberries.
I’m going to make some NST with some, and the rest will become wine!
Wineberries should be in their prime next weekend, so that will be our Sunday project. We don’t have a really great spot for blackberries, but there’s a spot we’ve heard of, so we are checking it out next week on Monday.
I love berry season! Hooray for Mother Nature!!!!
I bought another cake of this tea because the 2012 is close to selling out. The black raspberries in my yard are huge this year due to all the rain this summer.
I need more money in my play pal account, so I can buy more tea
Cwyn: that is why I broke my strict tea probation
Terri: I need mine shut down. For real. :p
Sars, I just need to become more famous, at least online :)
Yep and yep! Gotta get the good stuff while the getting is good!
Sunday morning yums!!!!
I made this in my new banko clay pot that was seasoned for unflavored black teas.
I’m working up some motivation for a hike, and today Brian & I will also be picking wild blueberries and huckleberries along the trail. The plan is to pick enough to make some wild blueberry huckleberry wine. Fingers crossed!!!!! Wheeeeeee!!!!!
That sounds like a much better plan for the day than mine – which is restoring order to the chaos that is my house and mostly my meditation/yoga space which has gotten taken over by all the extraneous crap in my room that I use for that. Organizing some tea would help my sanity level too
Well I DO need to clean my house. But this is a prime weekend for blueberries, so those win out. :)
As they should!
Sars – I’m thinking about possibly doing that Tea show in Philly in the fall
OMGeeeeee really? You totally should!!!! We can meet and it would be so fun!!!!!
I’m thinking about it. I have a hotel room reserved, but I’m waiting to see if more vendors ign up. It’s looking a little sparse at the moment
Well they better sign up!!!!!
Holy. Shit. That is amazing. Just fantastic!!!!
My day will also resemble yours Missy :-(
Need to clear that tea chaos!!
Also…a tea show? For real? Ghawww.
Sars, have fun, blueberry picking is just awesome, you can even try a batch of NST with freshly picked blueberries, yum!!
You should come to the show…
I think I may dry some berries, TTF. If there’s enough after I make wine, anyways.
(Come to the show? Oh, there’s a few things you don’t know about me!)
So… Many… Berries….
yay! I got some (more) cherries
Holy shit, MzP. You just reminded me that I have fresh cherries in the fridge!!!! Gotta eat them up!!!
I love that tea pot!
One of these days I’d like to go to a tea show :)
A friend of mine is going to the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival. I told her to find Bonnie & give her a big hug from me :)
I’d love to check one out! Philly is so close that I’d be nuts not to go. :)
I smell it when I am at work. From nowhere.
I’ve tried smoking fruit, but it just wouldn’t stay lit!
Cwyn: Maybe we should start a support group. :p
G: Maybe you need a totally different kind of support group. Just sayin’ :)
little chunks of tightly compressed puerh can look like weed
All I can think about is teeeeeeaaaaaa!!!!
Hey, we do nothing wrong here…it’s all legal. For now.
Ans sarsy…that was hilarious. Really.
Thanks, my little croissant!
Tea had better stay legal! I need my sheng. Precioussssss….
I am going to end up living alone in a cave, with 8000 cakes of sheng, a kettle, and a pu pick, aren’t I?
It’s a possibility sarsy. i might be around in a cave near you. We’ll both have our durable mandala picks to carve some pupu cakes on the cave’s walls….and in a million years from now they’’ll know we were there…and they will wonder about those flying saucers carved on the walls…only us will know they were pupu cakes… The end. (I am totally tea drunk)
Hahahahaaaa!!!! That actually sounds like a pretty decent life to me.
I am just afraid of kicking the bucket and someone stealing my stash. Or my son throwing it out. I will haunt him from the grave if he does.
Oh my. Well I hope you have many years to come, but you could always bequeath your tea to Steepsterites, just in case!!!
I think we should all be allowed to live as long as we have teas in our cupboards!
In this case we gonna live forever, we keep buying tea almost everyday or swap
Exactly!!! :p
I am the official bail you out of puerh jail man. I will only as for a small portion of your tea to do this for you. I will let chairman meow decide which ones.
LOL. Worth it! Chairman Meow is real, BTW. He’s my boyfriend’s cat. :)
I am still in the intimidated by pu phase :(
Oh Marz… Jump on in. Join us !!!
Chairman Meow, AKA The Most Interesting Cat in the World says: Pu’erh yumz!!!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124304184@N02/14742665251/