1603 replies to this topic

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I am enjoying a Phoenix Mountain Dan Cong Oolong from The Cultured Cup, brewed in a half-filled larger Yixing of indeterminate age, but made with good clay that is extinct - that is, no longer mined. I am brewing in a manner similar to what cdh prefers, a modified gong fu cha approach using about twice as much leaf as I would brewing western style, so 5 g to about 200 ml water, 195 F, for 2 minutes first infusion. I know this leaf well and it will go for as many as 9 infusions brewed this way.

So, what's brewing in your part of the eGullet Society universe today?

[Wholemeal Crank]

Today we're sharing a thermos full of My linkPurple Bud Sheng Pu-Erh 2006 from Norbutea.com. This is only the 2nd time I've brewed this tea; the first time was gongfu style. This time was about 2.5 grams of tea to eventually yield one quart of tea, with the water just off the boil. Total brewing time was probably only 5 minutes divided among 6 or 7 infusions. It's standing up the the abusive brewing conditions just fine, a little sweet, a little fruity, and just hints of smoky and earthy. Very nice. And it's getting raves from the other two sharing it.

Will have to see if I can get more from these leaves later on, because at this rate I'll run out before the end of my evening.

[Richard Kilgore]

Late note: Yesterday I made another matcha smoothie. Tasty and has some matcha zip to it. Also continued with my Adventures in Gyokuro Brewing in the Japanese Green Tea topic.

[Wholemeal Crank]

More of the '09 spring Tie Guan Yin from norbu. Love love this tea. 5g to one quart of water; came back three hours later, rinsed the leaves, got another (somewhat weaker) pint out of them.

Still an hour plus to go of paperwork, next up, some medium grade jasmine from wing hop fung.

[Wholemeal Crank]

BTW, that was not a felicitious transition from the Tie Guan Yin to the jasmine--2.5g of jasmine infused twice at 200mL per infusion was quite thin and weak by comparison, plus had a bitter undertone that threatened to dominate if I simply increased the leaf to water ratio. It's not really fair to the jasmine, which was a nice enough tea, to put it in such close proximity to the splendid Tie Guan Yin. Should have gone with a solid puerh.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Precious Xihu Dragon's Well Green Tea this morning from Wing Hop Fung. I think I'm getting it. More in the green tea topic.

Edited by Wholemeal Crank, 19 September 2009 - 11:24 AM.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Champagne Ti Kuan Yin from Chado, a liter's worth in a thermos for sipping as I do housework.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Each time I come back to this page now, I see that mention of the Dan Cong Oolong and I get more excited about my tea tasting adventure next week, when I'm going to Tea Habitat for a tasting class, hoping to come home with a few single-bush treasures. But today, I'm enjoying more of the aged loose pu-erh from Chado, CRL-17, which is earthy, sweet, gentle, and lovely. I'm finishing off a bulk-brewed thermos of it, and it's good to the last drop.

But next week, Dan Congs, here I come!

[Richard Kilgore]

I'll look forward to reading about your Tea Habitat Dan Cong adventure, WmC.

Today I started with the Assam Napuk from TCC - one of several regular morning Assam for me. This has been an eclectic tea drinking day: the Assam was followed by an Anxi Ba Xian from jingteashop.com, a matcha smoothie and the Cultured Cup's Kukicha Fukamushi that was featured in a Tea Tasting and Discussion in this forum.

I used the Kukicha as part of my evaluation of the brewing effects of two Japanese kyusu with different clay composition. More on this later in the week.

[Richard Kilgore]

Late brewing of a MF Genmaicha from TCC. Aromatic and toasty.

[Richard Kilgore]

This morning it's a hearty, malty, fruity Yunnan Imperial from TCC.


So what's in your cup teacup (mug, thermos, whatever) today?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Fortnum & Mason Royal Blend (Assam and Ceylon Flowery Pekoe). I had time to kill in Heathrow yesterday and couldn't resist picking up a couple of old standards from the Duty Free.

[Naftal]

Hello-I am still learning this system.I accidentlly posted this on the beer forum too and am not sure how to delete it from there. Richard? Anyways, I meant to write here that I attended a tasting of Korean teas.I was not told the names of the teas, but my favorite one reminded me of a Dragon Well with a slight roasted rice flavor. And, these teas were served on a set made in the studio of Korea's Living National Treasure. This made the event even more special.

Edited by Naftal, 21 September 2009 - 12:12 PM.

[Richard Kilgore]

This evening I am drinking a Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori from o-cha.com. Delicious and my best brewing of it so far.


Brewing tea today in your part of the world?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Another old standard from the recent London trip--Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey.

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I opened a bag of Organic Kumamoto Sencha Yabe Supreme from kuuki-cha.com. Brewed in a Banko kyusu, this is a very nice sencha. More on this in the Japanese Green Tea topic after I have had a chance to brew it another time or two.

[fooey]

The Republic of Tea's Big Green Hojicha.

The Tea Companion recommends a 20-second steep at 203F, but instructions on the package say 2-4 minutes at that temp, so who knows?!

I did 170 F for 3 minutes and it was great, so maybe I'll risk the off boil.

It's quite wonderful, very low in caffeine/theophylline (5mg/cup), and is relaxing and enjoyable. If it didn't say green tea on the label, I'd think it an oolong.

Edited by fooey, 22 September 2009 - 05:14 PM.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Rishi's Tuo Cha PuErh today, which was widely shared around the office & clinic today, before I even had a sip. Very smooth and soothing.

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I opened a bag of Organic Kumamoto Sencha Yabe Supreme from kuuki-cha.com. Brewed in a Banko kyusu, this is a very nice sencha. More on this in the Japanese Green Tea topic after I have had a chance to brew it another time or two.

I have brewed this a second time tonight following the kuukicha.com directions explicitly. All I can say is, "Wow!" Okay, that's not all I can say, but I'll do that later in the Japanese Green Tea topic.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Imperial Gold China Oolong from McNulty's in Manhattan in my new yixing pot.

I liked it, but I'll give it a few more tastings before posting a tasting note.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Not sure where to discuss this one: today I brewed a marvelous tea kindly sent to me as part of an exchange of Pu-erh tea samples with RK. This one surprised me: Ya Bao Spring 2009 Wild White Tea Pu Erh Varietal--another from norbutea.com.

I had not read the label closely enough before I opened it up and started to weigh out the delicate pale dry leaves--I was expecting a dark earthy puerh--it was delicate, sweet, and floral. I brewed up 4.5 grams into nearly a quart of tea with relatively cool water, and it was delightful. Unfortunately, it is now sold out, so I will have to wait until next year to get some more!

[Richard Kilgore]

That's an unusual and interesting tea isn't it, WmC? I have had the same thing happen before when I delayed on a limited availability special tea.

Tonight I have been continuing my Japanese Green Tea explorations, brewing the yuuki-cha.com organic sencha from yesterday in a different kyusu. Interesting differences - more about all this later in both the Japanese Green Tea topic and the Japanese Teapot topic.

[Richard Kilgore]

A break from the Japanese green teas while I am waiting for more gyokuro to arrive from Japan. Started out the day with the wonderful handmade Nilgiri from teasource.com that was featured in a Tea Tasting & Discussion this year. And this evening it's a gongfu cha brewing of the Diamond Grade TGY Oolong, Spring Harvest 2009 from norbutea.com. Two incredible teas today. The Nilgiri will be good with good storage, but I need to finish up the little bit of this Taiwanese TGY soon. Only 5 grams left.


So, what teas are you all drinking today?

[nakji]

I just bought 100g of wulong from the tea shop across the street. The source notes were handwritten, so I couldn't quite take down the information, but it's from the 2009 harvest, from Anxi Fujian province - I suspect it might be a Tieguanyin, but didn't confirm that. I'm enjoying my first infusion - it's very floral and light, with hardly any of the smokiness I usually associate with oolong. I also had my first pu'er tea last week, which was transformational - who knew tea could have such a rich flavour?

[lperry]

Hyson English Breakfast tea. I needed the caffeine boost this dreary morning.

[Wholemeal Crank]

I just bought 100g of wulong from the tea shop across the street. The source notes were handwritten, so I couldn't quite take down the information, but it's from the 2009 harvest, from Anxi Fujian province - I suspect it might be a Tieguanyin, but didn't confirm that. I'm enjoying my first infusion - it's very floral and light, with hardly any of the smokiness I usually associate with oolong. I also had my first pu'er tea last week, which was transformational - who knew tea could have such a rich flavour?

Were the leaves of the oolong very green? It's probably one of the more lightly oxidized new style oolongs that I've been discovering recently. They're just remarkable teas, and I've cut way back on my jasmine drinking because they're so floral that I don't crave the jasmines the same way I used to. Yesterday I drank another batch of the Diamond Grade Tie Guan Yin from Norbutea.com which is quite amazingly floral.

And watch out for the pu-erhs. They can be habit-forming!

[emmalish]

I picked up some Intelligentsia loose tea for the office the other day. I had the earl grey yesterday – I'm not sure it's my favourite, but it's certainly the most aromatic earl grey I've ever had. Today I'm having a mix of peppermint and chamomille. Very nice.

[Richard Kilgore]

It's good to have more tea drinkers posting today. I guess the cooling weather has something to do with it. I'll be announcing new Tea Tasting & Discussions soon and throughout the rest of the year- some really interesting teas from jingteashop.com in China, pu-erhs and other teas from norbutea.com and a fine sencha from The Cultured Cup...and more. If you subscribe to the Coffee & Tea forum, you'll be among the first to know.


Early today it was the Assam Panitola from teasource.com for me. It's a delicious, well-priced Assam. I'm running low and this is one I'll re-order.

Then I had a little of the Diamond Grade TGY Oolong, Spring Harvest 2009 leftover from yesterday. After a good hot rinse. Still good today, very good. Very amazingly good.

Now it's the 2007 Guoyan 'Golden Peacock' from norbutea.com. It's been relaxing here for months and now tastes even better than it did when I first got it. Gong fu cha brewing, but no measuring today. More intuitive brewing with a little over 1/4 of the Yixing pot filled with the compressed leaf. More on this later in the Pu-erh topic.


Any more tea drinkers out there today? What's in your cup?

[emmalish]

I used to be much more into drinking tea. I'm not sure why, but I drifted away from it for a few years and am just now getting back into it again. I'm not sure it'll be to the extent that I used to be (with at least 20 different varieties of tea onhand at any given time), but I'm starting off with my old favourites – mint, chamomille, earl grey, and pearl jasmine.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Drinking Big Red Robe Wuyi Oolong today. A lovely smooth earthy contrast to the new style tie guan yin from yesterday.