Naftal
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Posts posted by Naftal
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I had iced Gunpowder (green tea). I had it at Goldfish Tea, and it was wonderful.
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My favorite teahouse (Goldfish Tea) makes large batches of Gunpowder green tea and Keemun B black tea, and uses them when people ask for iced tea.
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Hello-
The chinese teahouse I frequent (Goldfish Tea) imports their own teas from China. The tea does have a dairy taste that might remind a person of the taste of whole milk.They sell their teas on the internet at this site.
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Hello-
I wanted to share with you the three most unusual oolongs I have had:
Milk Oolong- It really has a dairy taste without adding milk.
Four Seasons of Spring-It tastes like lilac.
Honey Phoenix-It has a nice peach-like flavor.
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Hello-
I have been drinking a lot of a wonderful pu'erh. My local teahouse serves an amazing pu'erh from 2002, which they sell under their own label. I have been buying bags of the stuff to brew at home.
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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.
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Hello-I recently had a really amazingly wonderful Lapsang Souchong from Zhi Tea. I really cannot say enough about this tea. It has all the smokey elements one would expect, plus other undertones (fruit?) as well.Check out their site-Zhi Tea. Lastly,is anyone else familiar with this company?
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I think both will be "plain" because I'm happy to add my own flavours with whatever is interesting at the market.
I'm thinking one strong-dark-smoked etc. type tea and one with no caffeine, that way people have that option.
Hello-Regarding "strong-dark-smoked"teas: I think your best bet might be a lapsang souchong/ russian caravan type or perhaps an english breakfast tea,which is "strong and dark" but not really "smokey".At least that is my opinion.
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Today finally did the experiment, round 1
Used Rishi Tea Pu-Erch Tuo Cha tablets
Rinsed each briefly, did not break them up
Brought water to about 185 degrees
Steeped tablet with 1 cup water, poured 1/3 to single cup and rest to thermos, then added another cup of water to the leaves for 2nd steeping.
Repeated 3 times, net 4 samples of different rounds of steeping and 1 sample of all mixed together
Then took a fresh tablet and, after rinsing, steeped it with 4 cups of 185 degree water, and let steep for 4 minutes.
Tasted the results with puffed rice to clear the palate in between.
Results? Not that surprising.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/debunix/3625463423/
The first 1 minute steeping was thin, light, hardly worth drinking.
2nd minute steeping was still thin, notably darker, and a bit more tannic.
The 3rd and 4th minute steepings were not really distinguishable, but very nice.
The mix was the most rounded flavor.
And the single brewing with 4 cups for 4 minutes was essentially indistinguishable from the mixed single steepings--equally delicious. The primary difference was that the mixed cup was a bit cooler by the time the larger volume brew was ready.
Hello-I am a big fan of tuo cha, and I enjoyed reading your post. I have one question:Were you using a "raw" or a "burnt" tuo cha?
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Hello-I should make a correction-the chocolate and caramel chai is made by celestial seasonings, not twinnings.
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Hello-I should have mentioned that good Lapsang Souchong does indeed have a "smokey" flavour that it gets as a result of the way it is processed/smoked.I have been told that this is why good Lapsang can only be made in limited quantities and if a tea-seller fails to reserve enough he/she will have a long wait until fresh Lapasang is available.So, the difference is where it was smoked. Once it was smoked "on the trail" and now it is smoked "in a processing plant".
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Two questions..
Has any one tried tea from Peets? and does anyone know of a Russian caravan that they like?
Hello-Back in the really, really, really old days: Russia did indeed get its tea via caravan from China. These caravans would light a fire each night when they camped. As a result, the teas they were carrying took on a smokey taste. The building of the TranSiberian railroad had two related effects on the tea-trade:it made caravans unneccessary and it brought the price of tea down thus making it an affordable drink for the poor. All this is a long introduction to a simple statement which you may know: most high- quality "Russian Caravan Tea" is really Lapsang Souchong.
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Hello-Just a brief comment: Twinnings makes a chai flavoured with chocolate and caramel (sp?).
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Hello- This was an wonderful tea. It had a taste similar to my favorite chinese green teas,it was lighter in taste, but similar. I brewed a small pot western-style,and I brewed some in my gaiwan. Thanks
Can you say more, Naftal? Was their any difference between brewing in your gaiwan and brewing western style?
Hello-I guess that one could say that I brew western style in a gaiwan. One difference would be the fact that I am only brewing one cup in a Gaiwan and when I brew a pot, I am brewing more than one serving. So the actual amount of tea would differ quite a bit.Also,when I brew it in a pot I usually strain it and pour it into cups or a reserve pitcher, when I brew it in the gaiwan I drink it from the gaiwan.I did not brew it gong fu style(as might be expected since I used my gaiwan).Obviously, both tastings were similar.
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Hello- I had a Milk Oolong that was amazing. It really did taste like there was milk in it, even when there was no milk in it at all.
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Hello-I have a collection of gaiwans that I use regularly, including a yixing gaiwan that I use only for pu-erh.
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Hello-I have been drinking more Honey Phoenix Oolong. The current batch at Goldfish Tea tasts like peaches
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Hello- This was an wonderful tea. It had a taste similar to my favorite chinese green teas,it was lighter in taste, but similar. I brewed a small pot western-style,and I brewed some in my gaiwan. Thanks
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Hello-Yes, I have my tea and I have brewed it Western style.It was very nice.It had all the qualities that I associate with a classic beencha(the shape of the cake in the photo on the packet) made by a first-rate producer,which of course, it is. I tend to brew tea by "feel" so I don't have a lot of technical data 'though I aways brew blacks/pu-erhs in water that has come to a full rolling boil. Again, it was wonderful, thanks.
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Hello-In my limited experience, I have noticed that anything with nuts is wonderful with tea. Walnuts and peanuts make wonderful additions to tea cakes and cookies. But my favorites are almonds, macaroons and tea are an amazing combination.
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Hello-I tend to brew whites like I brew greens. My favorite white is Dragon Well White, but a lot of people I know recommend the An Ji.And, the owner of Goldfish Tea likes the Peony.
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Hello- I am looking forward to more high quality lapsang souchong.My local tea-house ran out of it early in the year .And there will be none until the current harvest is processed.
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Another matter to keep in mind when tea shopping: 4 ounces of loose tea will brew 40 to 50 cups on average (this is Western style, one infusion). Do the math; tea can cost considerably MORE per pound than coffee, but less per cup!
From the TeaSource.com website:
"Tea is the most affordable luxury in the world. But at first glance it may seem expensive. A tea that costs $100.00 per pound only costs 50 cents per cup when brewed. A pound of tea will typically yield 200 cups (vs. 40-50 cups from a pound of coffee).
Also, many of the teas in our collection will yield as many as 4-6 infusions from the same leaves (particularly oolongs and greens). For many teas, those later infusions yield the most interesting flavors. Since most of the caffeine is released in the first infusion, this is also a way to reduce the caffeine content."
Hello-Yes, Yes,Yes! Being able to resteep the leaves also cuts down on the cost per cup. This is a very important point.
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Hello--I love this thread. I think that it is a very important topic.
I get a very nice Earl Grey in bulk at my local Chaldean market. It costs approx. $7/lb. They have a bulk green and a bulk black for the same price.I need to find myself a good, but relatively affordable, every day tea.I want a black tea. Something pretty "bold" and full flavored. This would essentially be something to drink instead of coffee. Not that I am giving up coffee, but I have found that brewing a pot of tea to be a bit more convenient than coffee (when starting with whoel beans)
. But what I am looking for is suggestions for affordable "gourmet" type teas.
look at Vitamin Cottage in their bulk section, I have been buying earl grey for$10 per pound. looked up their adress,its 7517 Campbell Road, Suite 500
Dallas, TX 75248
Good luck
Bud
Japanese Green Teas - Sencha, Gyokuro...and more,
in Coffee & Tea
Posted
My favorite sencha for daily drinking is made by Yamamotoyama. Lately, I have been drinking a lot of macha.