Richard Kilgore

Thanks for all the interesting suggestions. I'll try a few and report back.

At one point I was weighing the matcha because my some scoops of the green tea powder were larger than others. I let that go a few months ago. I don't know if the two matchas from yuuki-cha I mentioned above are just easy to brew and easy to like, or if I have simply improved my skill at making matcha. Today I even had to guestimate the water temp because my thermometer needs a new battery, and it still came out fine.

Interesting shincha comparison tasting in the Japanese Green Tea topic, WC. I'll be interested in reading more about your iced tea experiment in the White Tea Tea Tasting & Discussion. In addition to my daily bowl of matcha, I have been brewing gong fu cha a smooth, leathery, sweet 2007 Mengyan Guoyan Ripe Pu-erh. I have not brewed this pu for about a year and it is much improved since then, if my taste memory is working well today. So, what teas are you all brewing in your part of the world?

I have been brewing the white teas for the current Tea Tasting & Discussion in this Sichuan style saucerless Jingdezhen Porcelain Mudan Gaiwan from yunnansourcing.com. This is one of my favorites - the shape pours well and the lid fit is very good. The lack of a saucer is not a problem if you pour using the two-fingers-and-a-thumb technique.

Just brewed the Yin Zhen (Silver Needles) 0.4g:1ounce, 175f, 7 minutes with a good result. Think it could have gone longer, however, or benefited from a richer ratio. I have typically brewed whites using a similar approach but will do it gongfu style, too, in the next few days. I'll be interested with whatever you all come up with.

I have been using about 0.4 g per ounce of water for the Pai Mu Dan. Not sure how many infusions you can get with this western style ratio, but more than one. YMMV, as usual.

Peter, the application is most dishes for which you would use celery. I am open, since this person hates the flavor in anything. If you have suggestions for different substitutes for different applications, that would be great.

Among the people I cook for fairly frequently is a person who can not stand the flavor of celery. One person suggested water chestnuts as a possible substitute. The first thing that occurred to me is bok choy. Would appreciate any ideas.

The Mariage Freres Queen Victoria Darjeeling from The Cultured Cup opened the day, followed by the 2010 Sayamakori Shizaoka Shincha from yuuki-cha. The latter was the last of a small sample I got in a tea trade, so I'll have to order more. What next?

The Cultured Cup suggests 175f for both white teas; six minutes for the Pai Mu Tan and 5 - 10 minutes for the Yin Zin.

Brewing one at a time or comparing the two at the same time should be fine. You should have enough to brew each separately and then do them side by side if you wish. Just give us the usual info as to water source, brewing vessel and the brewing parameters you use.

More of the Shizuoka Matcha Sakura from yuuki-cha that I have been drinking daily. Also a shincha that will be featured in a TT&D soon. This evening I have been experimenting with a Korean green tea that Wholemeal Crank sent me in a tea trade. I think I may be getting a handle on how to brew this. More in the Korean tea topic after experimenting a little more. So, what teas are you all brewing this week?

Put your hands on your head! Step away from the cup! Started out with the fine Keemun Hao Ya A from teasource.com. Later, my daily bowl of matcha, and iced tea on and off during the day.

Any new reports on this year's shinchas from various tea merchants anyone?

Started out the morning with the Nepal Chiyabari Estate from the culturedcup.com. An interesting black tea that I accidentally overbrewed this morning. Still good, just a little extra astringency. Later brewing one of the shinchas we'll be featuring in the next Tea Tasting & Discussion. If you are subscribed to this Coffee & Tea Forum, you'll be among the first to know when the offer of free samples is posted. So what teas are you all drinking in your part of the world?

I liked it...more to come.

A slow tea day today, but interesting. Brewed a Korean green tea that Wholemeal Crank sent me for a tea trade in a Korean travel tea set I got from Hou de. More on this after I play with the brewing parameters a few times. Yesterday I drank a number of shinchas with a tea friend, including the shockingly expensive Tenomi Shincha from Sugimoto. Incredible leaves. More with pics in the Japanese Green Tea topic soon.

In addition to my daily bowl of matcha, I brewed more of the 2010 Organic Shizuoka Kabusecha Shincha from yuuki-cha.com. Five good infusions today, and more experimenting ahead with the parameters to see how much more flavor it will reveal.

So what teas are you all drinking in your part of the world? Black, green, Oolong, Puerh, Tisanes?

Early this evening I opened a bag of 2010 Organic Shizuoka Kabusecha Shincha. This mid-steamed Kabusecha appears to do well at lower temps compared to shinchas and senchas in general. I had a fine first infusion and a good second and third. More on this in the Japanese Green Tea topic after I have played with the brewing parameters a bit.

Started out with the Mariage Freres Puttabong Estate Darjeeling from The Cultured Cup. Two infusions of a first flush that I really enjoy. Later my daily tea bowl of matcha, the best bowl yet, of many good bowls, from the Organic Shizuoka Matcha Sakuraka from yuuki-cha.com. And I learned something new that I'll pass along...avoid taking a sip of iced tea too soon after drinking matcha. Does not do good things for the after taste of the matcha. Blech! I'll blame it on the England vs Slovenia match.

They will go out this week, so you should get them by mid-week next week.

I agree, WC. Gong Fu Cha is more interesting. For me at least, it is more difficult to identify all the components when a great tea is brewed Western style. I know people who are better at it than I am, however, and it can be interesting when a tea is paired with well matched food. Yesterday, in addition to my daily matcha (more in the Matcha Topic, I had the Jade Dragon Yunnan Green Tea from Norbu - brewed in a glass, repeatedly adding more water as I sipped it for several hours. First today it was the Organic Kagoshima Magokoro Shincha from yuuki-cha.com. I have been drinking this for a few weeks and it is still very good. Anyway, that's what my taste buds tell me. Now I'm brewing gong fu cha the very fine 2009 Norbu Lao Mansa Sheng Pu Erh. I do not always enjoy young raw puerh, but this is wonderful. I am working from a small sample, but I may need to buy a beeng. Missed the matcha today.

I used the Organic Shizuoka Matcha Iroka mentioned in the above post for about two months. The zip bags really do seem to be superior for preserving the flavor compared to the traditional tins that matcha usually comes in. Very little decay of the flavor. For the past week I have been preparing another matcha in a zip pouch from yuuki-cha, the Organic Shizuoka Matcha Sakuraka. Also very good. Both of these come in a 50 g zip bag and the price point is hard to beat. For my taste buds, these two are better than the Organic Yame Matcha, which I also liked, but I can't compare them to the higher priced matchas from this or other tea merchants, for lack of experience. I think I like the Organic Shizuoka Matcha Iroka a little better than the Sakuraka.

Not sure I can answer your question directly. The main thing is the astringency increases with longer brewing, but the flavors and mouthfeel are richer and more intense with gong fu cha. That said it's worth doing at least once with 2.5g/6 ounces water for 7 minutes.