Today on “not sure if this is a good idea but I’m going to try it anyway”: instant pu-erh. My family received this as a gift, and it comes in the form of small individual packages in a rather nice-looking tin. Originally this was marketed as a high-end product, but I had my doubts…like many “gifty” teas, I thought it would probably be just mediocre (if not downright terrifying).
The contents of an individual pouch consist of a dark, coffee-grounds-colored powder that quickly dissolves in hot water. The initial aroma had a touch of fishiness to it, which made me think it wasn’t going to be good at all. The actual taste of the tea, however, is surprisingly pleasant. It’s smooth and completely free of fishiness, with a little bit of caramelized, coffee-like undertone. The overall body of the tea is silky and slightly sweet, similar to snow ear fungus soup.
Overall, this experiment turned out to be much better than I expected. Maybe this product isn’t for seasoned pu-erh drinkers, but it’s quite enjoyable and will be useful as something to carry during travel or other busy times. And as it turns out, “instant” pu-erh solidified from brewed tea has a long history and is more common than I thought (a quick search brings up several vendors that sell in the U.S. as well). I’m glad I gave this a chance in spite of initial misgivings, it’s often good to try something completely different!
