Sheng vs Shou Puerh - Comparing 2 Different Puer Teas, Ripe Puerh vs. Raw Puerh

[@FiveEyeTea]

Can't believe that you forgot green tea and had to include it with the asterisk, considering 99% of what you sell is green tea 😂Haha jokes aside, I've come to realize I generally prefer sheng over shou. Shou is nice if you want something bold, earthy, woody but sheng is fantastic for something more refreshing and sweet. Both are great, though! One of these days, I definitely plan to try the Nadeshiko Rose, to see the Japanese take on this type of tea!

[@Nioteas]

yes I know! This was kind of embarrassing but I think mentally I didn't feel like I had to mention it because we talk about it so often

[@FiveEyeTea]

@@Nioteas Haha no worries, I was mostly joking anyway 😅

[@fiasse-est]

Is it normal for a ripe puerh taste & smells moldy? it just so nasty I can't even take a sip

[@FiveEyeTea]

Ripe pu-erh is supposed to have a somewhat musty aroma and taste but it shouldn't be unpleasant. I've been drinking a loose, 2013 ripe pu-erh from Teavivre lately and it has the ripe musty scent/taste but it also has undertones of woodiness, very subtle cacao and fruit notes, and a warming sensation overall, combined with an incredibly smooth mouthfeel. That's probably the best ripe pu-erh I've had, but in fairness, I haven't had a LOT of ripe ones as I'm more of a raw pu-erh guy if I have to pick between the two (but ripe is just too good for cold weather). One thing I have noticed in my own tea journey is that ripe pu-erh takes time to get used to. With every one I've tried, the first session wasn't great, but after that, it almost always grows on me and I end up squeezing as many infusions out of it as I can. I'd encourage you to find a quality ripe pu-erh (that Teavivre one is a fantastic starter choice as it's only $12 for a 4oz bag) and take it slow, experiment with brewing parameters and focus on taking in all the aspects. Tea is best enjoyed when you do more than just taste it. Mei Leaf has a lot of great videos about how to fully enjoy the tea experience if you haven't seen them already! 🙂

[@fiasse-est]

​@@FiveEyeTea Yes, I notice the smoothness from ripe puerh, it's sooo mellow, yet so weird to my palate. 😅 Maybe because of my day to day tea mostly floral and sometimes malty. It just so hard to get used to woody and earthy notes from ripe puerh (my mind translates it as moldy, rotten wood). And recently I tried unripe puerh just out of curiosity, and it taste like any regular chinese green tea for me. I think I should try a better grade ripe puerh as you said or infused puerh next time. thank you.