590 China Pu Erh Tuo Cha (Birds Nest) [HOME]
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Reviewer: A tea Drinker, CARMICHAEL ,CA
June 07, 2009
This tea gets better the longer it is infused, with absolutely no bitterness. I like to brew it for at least a couple of hours, or even start it when I go to bed and drink it the next morning! It is perfectly fine if brewed for the customary 5 min, but the flavors are exponentially more complex the longer it is brewed. Careful though, it seems to have a lot of caffein in it, so don't drink it too late!
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, CHICAGO ,IL
January 07, 2009
Here I was, thinking I hated Pu Erh. I tried it every couple years and ended up giving it away because I couldn't stand it. Then I found this site and ordered a bit to try again and I LOVE IT! It stands up well to long steep times without losing character or flavor. It's not an everyday tea for me (yet), but I am pulling it off the shelf more and more often. I'm finding it hard to go back to the astringency of black teas after brewing a pot of this. Pu Erh is not for everyone but I recommend giving this one a try. You might love it too...
Reviewer: Colleen , Herndon , Houston ,TX
September 30, 2008
Very nice pu-erh! I'd only tried loose-leaf before, and the tuo cha was a new experience for me, but I like the deeper flavor and aroma.
Reviewer: Chris , OConnell , Buffalo ,NY
September 02, 2008
This tea has an identity crisis. Its a tea that thinks its a coffee. I love it. Its quite smooth and almost impossible to over steep. add a little rock sugar and mmmmmmmmm.
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, sandiego ,CA
August 19, 2008
I wrote the 1 star review of Jan 1 '06, I recently found a bag of that muddy gack and gave it to people at work thinking they would think it was a joke... They all loved it... ALL THE 5 STARS PERPLEX ME...
Reviewer: Gary , Ailes , McMurray ,PA
March 13, 2008
Enjoying my first cup. I first tried the loose leaf organic and loved it. The birds nests are ok, but the loose leaf 591 came across much stronger. For the birds nest I used less water and brewed longer, but it still didn't have the taste of 591. All that aside, Pu Erh tastes like an old closet full of dirty socks filled with dirt. Some people like it, others don't. I'm liking it.
Reviewer: JERRI D, DOMBROWSKI, walker,MI
February 20, 2008
Hmmm... This is a weird tasting drink. It doesn't have the tea-like flavor that I am used to. It seems thicker than tea.... I am definitely not a fan.
Reviewer: Cathy , Wright , Duluth ,MN
September 08, 2007
I love this tea! This is the best cup of tea to help me transition from coffee, which I am still trying to do. I am falling in love with tea but every once in awhile, I crave a deep dark cup of brew, this does it. Very earthy, in my opinion. Feels like liquid grounding, sending my physical self into into mello meditation while it wakes me up.
Reviewer: Shawna , Woodall , Sonora ,CA
September 01, 2007
This is one of those 'love it or hate it' teas. I personally love it - Dark as night and rich as the earth. It has a very earth-y taste to it, also feels a bit thick in the mouth. Wonderful. This is a tea I'd try on coffee drinkers. It's impossible to mess up brewing this tea.
Reviewer: Jane , Swart , Charlotte ,NC
July 15, 2007
I have never before found a tea that I could stand drinking without either sugar, cream, or both...until now. This was the smoothest cup of tea I've ever experienced. There is an earthy/wet hay note to it, but it is very subtle. I find this tea complex, wonderful hot, cold, and all temperatures inbetween. It is definately added to my list of 'staple' teas to have on hand.
Reviewer: Emily , Cannon , Campbell ,CA
January 13, 2007
My first pu erh, and I'm rather impressed. The package's specified brewing time at 5 to 10 minutes, so I brewed it about 8. The color is dark and rich as coffee, but with a much gentler aroma. I didn't get that "muddy" or "ashy" taste at all; it had just the slightest hint of mint. Delightful.
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, Austin ,TX
December 10, 2006
Infused twenty minutes. Interesting. Smells of a stable. Very smooth, strong, dark flavors, wet hay/stable litter notes predominate nose, lingering depth. Sugar and cream change the character dramatically. Looks like chocolate milk. Quickly dissipating fishiness in the nose, smooth tanned leather, velvety, seaweed. Still reminds me of a stable. A huge tea with depth and range which will definitely be an acquired taste for me-if I ever develop one. May take much more attention to technique and probably aging than I am willing to devote.
Reviewer: Nick , Young , Santa Ana ,CA
April 07, 2006
This is a wonderful manly man's tea. I loved this tea, but it is definitely a 'love it' or 'hate it' type. It is so earthy, that you feel as if you are drinking distillates from Mother Earth's soil herself. This would be the drink of choice for a retired salty seadog enjoying sips of tea between puffs of his old briar pipe. I could also envision this tea enjoyed by some old crotchedy antique store owner. In fact, the tea tastes like you found it in the drawer of a 1920s armoir... sounds a little weird... but I mean it in a very good way. This is a comforting tea to the utmost. It is so dark and rich in color, that it will remind you of coffee. I'll be ordering this one again.
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, Tea Leaf, OH
January 31, 2006
Scott from Ohio: Recieved a sample a few years ago & finally a review. I love Tuo Cha & steep it 3 times. Smooth, never bitter, with a subtle earthy sweet flavor. It is a very calming tea with a dark hue (dark purple if memory is correct). I like to brew in the Jenaer Jumbo Cup & watch the nest unfurl. This tea is differnt...it is the type of tea that, if you are not attentive you may miss the unique qualities of this tea. It is a gentle tea; yet, words cannot futher describe why I like this tea. It's a unique experience!
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, sandiego ,CA
January 01, 2006
Never found a tea I didn't like...until now! Earthy? more like muddy... Maybe I did something wrong? Tried the long brews in a thermos, different temps...
Reviewer: Casey Phillips,
This tea is very different indeed. I loved the flavor and the ease of brewing. I like to make a pot of 3 - 4 cups and let the leaves stay in the pot. You can brew this tea for hours and it won't get harsh. It's quite a bit stronger than any tea I've tried, even if brewed for only a few minutes, and would be great first tea for the coffee drinker. I plan to buy more of this tea. I only wish Special Teas offered more varieties of Pu-erh.
Reviewer: Anna from Hoboken,
When I sampled this tea, I didn't know what to expect, and was expecting something harsh and bitter. Instead, this tea is delicious - deep, woodsy, floral, sweet -- all at the same time! You almost feel like you're drinking a health tonic! And I'm not even much of a black tea fan, aside from Darjeelings, so I was pleasantly surprised!
Reviewer: Nick,
This tea is very different in character but wonderful. The depth of flavors is immense The earth and wood flavors are excellent. Probably the most complex tea I've tasted.
Reviewer: Alexander Baron,
Two more things aboutpu-erh - I forgot to put them in my original review. First, black pu-erh does age well, so do NOT store it in airtight containers. Also, when brewing pu-erh, pour boiling water over the leaves and steep for 20 seconds, discard this infusion, then steep the tea. This will stop the tea from having a bitter aftertaste, and make it smoother and more complex.
Reviewer: Cameron Lewis,
A nice rich pu-erh. Brewed at a rolling boil, I find that complexity is traded for body. At lower temperatures a subtle sweetness and woody notes appear. Great tea.
