Tea...

[DMikeS4321]

I don't know where to put this, so I'll just put it here based on the tie-in to China.

 

As some of you know, my wife and I have started a tea import business. (No, I'm not really soliciting business here, but I DO offer a 20% discount to CFL members!). I'm looking for opinions/comments on our website and products.

 

My wife handles everything on the China end while I do the marketing/selling here in the States. I've signed up one wholesale account, a coffee shop in the small town where I live, and I've actually heard through 3rd parties how good the tea is at XXXXX Coffee Shop! Very gratifying, but I don't think I'll do any more wholesale; it is expensive and time consuming, and most businesses require more handholding than retail customers.

 

I've received almost uinversal high praise for our tea. The only negative 'review' came from an elderly English woman likes 'black tea' with lots of cream and sugar. I think the white, green and wulong teas I have are too subtle for her thoroughly scoured palate. Her favorite variety is 'gunpowder' tea (Bai Hao Xiang Zhu), NOT my favorite by any stretch (I don't even like my own stuff, although I consider it to be far better than the other's I've tried).

 

Anyway, this has been an incredibly fun experience and we are actually making a few bucks. Lao Po and her friends initially thought I was feng kuang (crazy) for thinking Americans would like Chinese tea (at least they didn't say I was bai chi [moron ]), but so far I think it's working well.

 

I started a blog today about my specific experiences with Pu'er tea. You can see it at:

 

http://www.puerinvestments.blogspot.com

 

The main website address (still not quite complete) is:

 

http://www.newchinateahouse.com

 

I hope you find all this to be interesting. I am always willing to discuss ANY business ideas with anyone, so PM me if you would like to chat. We have a couple of other things going, one of which involves another import to the U.S., the other being a product I am going to export to China or have manufactured there for use in the Middle Kingdom.

 

All comments/suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

 

Best Regards

Edited February 14, 2008 by DMikeS4321 (see edit history)

[Don]

I don't know where to put this, so I'll just put it here based on the tie-in to China.

 

As some of you know, my wife and I have started a tea import business. (No, I'm not really soliciting business here, but I DO offer a 20% discount to CFL members!). I'm looking for opinions/comments on our website and products.

 

My wife handles everything on the China end while I do the marketing/selling here in the States. I've signed up one wholesale account, a coffee shop in the small town where I live, and I've actually heard through 3rd parties how good the tea is at XXXXX Coffee Shop! Very gratifying, but I don't think I'll do any more wholesale; it is expensive and time consuming, and most businesses require more handholding than retail customers.

 

I've received almost uinversal high praise for our tea. The only negative 'review' came from an elderly English woman likes 'black tea' with lots of cream and sugar. I think the white, green and wulong teas I have are too subtle for her thoroughly scoured palate. Her favorite variety is 'gunpowder' tea (Bai Hao Xiang Zhu), NOT my favorite by any stretch (I don't even like my own stuff, although I consider it to be far better than the other's I've tried).

 

Anyway, this has been an incredibly fun experience and we are actually making a few bucks. Lao Po and her friends initially thought I was feng kuang (crazy) for thinking Americans would like Chinese tea (at least they didn't say I was bai chi [moron ]), but so far I think it's working well.

 

I started a blog today about my specific experiences with Pu'er tea. You can see it at:

 

http://www.puerinvestments.blogspot.com

 

The main website address (still not quite complete) is:

 

http://www.newchinateahouse.com

 

I hope you find all this to be interesting. I am always willing to discuss ANY business ideas with anyone, so PM me if you would like to chat. We have a couple of other things going, one of which involves another import to the U.S., the other being a product I am going to export to China or have manufactured there for use in the Middle Kingdom.

 

All comments/suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

 

Best Regards

 

IT is great that the site is doing well. I know I like tea and hope others drink more also.

[Yuanyang]

Lao po has been on a Pu'er tea kick lately from her premium green tea.

[DMikeS4321]

Lao po has been on a Pu'er tea kick lately from her premium green tea.

 

As I've posted before, I drink about a liter per day and my blood pressure has dropped for the first time in my adult life. It's GOOD!

[Yuanyang]

Lao po has been on a Pu'er tea kick lately from her premium green tea.

 

As I've posted before, I drink about a liter per day and my blood pressure has dropped for the first time in my adult life. It's GOOD!

Really? Maybe that's why she force feeding it to me. I like it fine but I'll be more appreciative.

[se_lang]

I got a Pu er disk like in the pic on your blog my lao po's parents gave it to us last year it came in a wooded box looks very nice from 2003 or 2005 not sure, however I have tasted pu er and was never impressed with the flavor. My favorite was tai guan yi (sp) and a new one I was given a few weeks ago don't know the name.

[PapaBear]

I have tasted pu er and was never impressed with the flavor

 

You know......to fully appreciate the flavor sensation of a Pu'er Tea you must try it more than once or twice. Yes, it really is an acquired taste which usually only comes after several tries.

 

I like it.....but the first time I tasted it, it tasted like ma feng (horse sh*t)!

 

Keep on trying it......soon it'll taste like champaign & good for what ailes you!! B)

 

PapaBear B)

Edited February 15, 2008 by PapaBear (see edit history)

[DMikeS4321]

I got a Pu er disk like in the pic on your blog my lao po's parents gave it to us last year it came in a wooded box looks very nice from 2003 or 2005 not sure, however I have tasted pu er and was never impressed with the flavor. My favorite was tai guan yi (sp) and a new one I was given a few weeks ago don't know the name.

 

I just started drinking a high-mountain grown variety of tie guan yin, the national drink of Southern China. That's all my wife had ever tasted before she met me!

[se_lang]

First time I tried it(pu er) I was running for the bathroom 4 hours later. The second time, I tried it just to see if it was the tea that made me run to the bathroom the first time (yes it was) from what I gathered since this occurrence was the need to wash it 2-3 times prior to drinking, hmmmmmmm maybe that was the problem I tried it again about 6 months ago(washed it this time) still was not happy with taste but did not need to go to bathroom.

Edited February 16, 2008 by se_lang (see edit history)

[se_lang]

I got a Pu er disk like in the pic on your blog my lao po's parents gave it to us last year it came in a wooded box looks very nice from 2003 or 2005 not sure, however I have tasted pu er and was never impressed with the flavor. My favorite was tai guan yi (sp) and a new one I was given a few weeks ago don't know the name.

 

I just started drinking a high-mountain grown variety of tie guan yin, the national drink of Southern China. That's all my wife had ever tasted before she met me!

 

There is a place in San Fran China town I buy it from they also have an online site(redblossomtea.com) as well as a storefront.

[DMikeS4321]

First time I tried it(pu er) I was running for the bathroom 4 hours later. The second time, I tried it just to see if it was the tea that made me run to the bathroom the first time (yes it was) from what I gathered since this occurrence was the need to wash it 2-3 times prior to drinking, hmmmmmmm maybe that was the problem I tried it again about 6 months ago(washed it this time) still was not happy with taste but did not need to go to bathroom.

 

10 second wash in boiling water is highly recommended, as with all wulongs and reds. Don't do that with whites or greens, though... you'll ruin the tea.

[DMikeS4321]

There is a place in San Fran China town I buy it from they also have an online site(redblossomtea.com) as well as a storefront.

 

I know the place!! I've been there several times. Do you live in the Bay Area?

[Jay & Ping]

Well, I was just on the site. I purchased one each of the pots. I've been looking everywhere for them. Input on the site: It worked.

 

I don't know enough about tea yet. Is there a "sampler pack" with instructions? I know different teas take different temps, etc. I think that would be a great way for people to be introduced. Trying to find a representative sampling and instructions (without a bag and little string attached) is difficult.

The pots are for my Honey and my Father in law. He is constantly poking something in a pot.

I'm a coffee man myself. He likes coffee too and shows me very elaborate gift boxes of coffee. Folgers instant with Coffeemate - gag!

He knows as much about coffee as I do about tea.

I hope he enjoys the pot and teaches me something.

[Corbin]

First time I tried it(pu er) I was running for the bathroom 4 hours later. The second time, I tried it just to see if it was the tea that made me run to the bathroom the first time (yes it was) from what I gathered since this occurrence was the need to wash it 2-3 times prior to drinking, hmmmmmmm maybe that was the problem I tried it again about 6 months ago(washed it this time) still was not happy with taste but did not need to go to bathroom.

 

10 second wash in boiling water is highly recommended, as with all wulongs and reds. Don't do that with whites or greens, though... you'll ruin the tea.

What is the proper way to prepare the tea for us that are pure novice at it?

[se_lang]

There is a place in San Fran China town I buy it from they also have an online site(redblossomtea.com) as well as a storefront.

 

I know the place!! I've been there several times. Do you live in the Bay Area?

 

No we are in Tx, we went there on out honeymoon.