Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

What Tea Are You Drinking Today? (Part 1)


Richard Kilgore

Recommended Posts

I just prepared Adagio's Red Bloom black tea.

In addition to being a very pleasant cup of tea, it is also a treat for the eyes.

gallery_17399_60_305849.jpg

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just prepared Adagio's Red Bloom black tea.

In addition to being a very pleasant cup of tea, it is also a treat for the eyes. 

gallery_17399_60_305849.jpg

That is dramatic, Andie. What kind of glass pot is that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That flower tea is just beautiful! I followed the link to the website and learned tat the leaves are hand-stitched together. Amazing.

I've been drinking a green tea that was given to me by a friend who brought it from China. She is from Beijing, and I told her I would defer to her expertise in regard to what I might like. I'm not enough of an expert to know what I should buy.

The English on the tin reads, Alpine Organic Baihao Tea, Green Tea. It is just lovely, and per her directions, I have been brewing three cups from each little spoon of leaves, and thus far, the second is my favorite. A bit of honey sweetness comes out in the second brew. It is a complete mystery how this happens when the leaves stay in the cup the entire time. I guess that some flavors must come out and mask others that linger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The pot is a Bodum I bought several years ago. I did not have the infuser in it but it is essentially the same size and shape as the pot itself so it lends itself well to full leaf teas and herbs, especially nice for some of the fresh herbs that infuse prettily, such as lemon verbena, fresh picked.

It was called the Tea Bowl and is no longer available. Bodum does offer a "Tea Bowl" but it is

stainless steel and fairly expensive.

gallery_17399_60_209867.jpg

gallery_17399_60_310999.jpg

Here is a bigger Bodum. I don't think it is still available.

gallery_17399_60_150517.jpg

and this is one of the simple glass teapots I bought at the following site. Enjoying Tea.com

gallery_17399_60_138578.jpg

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That flower tea is just beautiful!  I followed the link to the website and learned tat the leaves are hand-stitched together.  Amazing.

I've been drinking a green tea that was given to me by a friend who brought it from China.  She is from Beijing, and I told her I would defer to her expertise in regard to what I might like.  I'm not enough of an expert to know what I should buy.

The English on the tin reads, Alpine Organic Baihao Tea, Green Tea.  It is just lovely, and per her directions, I have been brewing three cups from each little spoon of leaves, and thus far, the second is my favorite.  A bit of honey sweetness comes out in the second brew.  It is a complete mystery how this happens when the leaves stay in the cup the entire time.  I guess that some flavors must come out and mask others that linger.

Lucky you! This is a famous Oolong tea also known as "Oriental Beauty". It's at the greener end of the Oolong spectrum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Thank you for that information - I'll do a little research on it. She also gave me some jasmine tea that is supposed to be from the same leaves, but it was packaged in a tin that she reused so I don't have a name. I do know, however, that I was right on the money to ask her to choose for me. :smile:

Edited by lperry (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Late note: Yesterday it was a Gan De Tie Guan Yin from jingteashop.com. This is in the light style that is now more popular than the traditional roasted style. Brewed gongfu style, it was seriously vegetal on the first infusion and then several interesting layers of vegetal sweetness unfolded before I gave out. I think I did about 7 infusions - wasn't tracking this as closely as usual - and think it could have gone several more. (I must have gotten some of the last of this, because it no longer shows on their site.)

Today I brewed gongfu style a 2007 Menghai Tea Factory "Silver Dayi" Raw Pu-erh from norbutea.com. This is a pleasant cup with a little bite to it on the first infusions, so perhaps it will age well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's everyone drinking today?

I started out with my first cup ever of PG Tips and don't understand why people like it so much. It appears to be leaves broken into tiny bits, which = bitter. Maybe "strong" is a euphemism for bitter.

What is it about PG Tips that keeps you PG Tips drinkers coming back for more? How do you brew it; maybe I'm not brewing it well.

OK, I brewed it too stong the first time. I did it again using less leaf and cooler temp and see what it is now. I think it's equivalent to Lipton's and other CTC grocery store teas. The kind of thing a bazillion people drink every day, even though they could easily do much better for about the same cost or not much more.

Oh, today it was a Red Tea from China - a Keemun Mao Feng. I like it.

What tea are you all drinking today?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

iThis morning I had some loos pu-er that I had picked up from Teance. Brewed it kungfu style. It was a little smoky, and ..... a hint of sour?? it was an ok tea.

In the afternoon, I had some ancient chinese iron goddess (TKY). It was floral and really light.

I need to find some drinkable pu-er this weekend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What are you guys drinking today?

For me it's another Chinese red tea. It is called "Anhui Gift Grade Keemun Gongfu" from jingteashop.com. The site says it is what is served at important official meetings and to special guests. A very nice Keemun. I am not sure if the 'gongfu" in the name means that it is typically served gongfu style. I'll have to check that out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What are you guys drinking today?

For me it's another Chinese red tea. It is called "Anhui Gift Grade Keemun Gongfu" from jingteashop.com. The site says it is what is served at important official meetings and to special guests. A very nice Keemun. I am not sure if the 'gongfu" in the name means that it is typically served gongfu style. I'll have to check that out.

That tea was followed by a cooked Puerh - a 2007 Haiwan Lao Cha Tou Brick brewed gongfu style. It went about 10 steepings and was still going strong when I stopped. I enjoyed this one a good deal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I started with a 2008 Darjeeling Castleton 2nd Flush Wiry. Great! Followed just now by my second taste of a Mai Jian green tea from China. Very smooth, buttery and no astringency on the first infusion gongfu style.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am drinking a 1980s Tebetian Musroom puerh http://www.pu-erh.net/stashfull.php?Tea=194 While I originally thought it was a mixed puerh, ie shu and sheng, I now believe it appears to be a sheng puerh that has been exposed to wet storage at some point in its life. Wet storage is not always a bad thing when done skillfully, and without the intent to defraud. This particular tea is such a case. I paid $100 per mushroom about 3 years ago, but only after tasting the tea first. I obtained it from "The Tea Gallery" in NYC, an outfit known to be provide exceptional teas, but only if they think you are experienced enough to truly appreciate them.

I learned when I first got it that it tasted great if brewed fast and light, but could be very bitter if oversteeped. I brewed up 6.2g in a 110ml yixing pot reserved for aged puerhs. I used full boiling water and timings of 30-2-2-2-2-5-10-30-60-120

The liquor was very clear and a nice orangish brown. The aroma was reminiscent of a damp fall leaves after the trees had completely shed. The flavor was woodsy, sweet, with notes of nuttieness.

All in all a very satisfying puerh....

BTW, Richard, you had asked about my small traveling tea tray, Scott at Yunnan Sourcing has one on his site now very similar to mine.

__________

Mike Petro

My hobby website:

Pu-erh, A Westerner's Quest

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So far today it's the Indian Nilgeri I have mentioned recently. The first Nilgeri I have tried and really like it. I can see why andienji is a fan.

What are you guys drinking today?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So far today it's the Indian Nilgeri I have mentioned recently. The first Nilgeri I have tried and really like it. I can see why andienji is a fan.

What are you guys drinking today?

Add to that a couple of cups of PGTips (doing better with brewing it now, but only try to get one infusion out of it).

Followed by the Lapsong Souchong from TenRen that pinned my eyes open one day upthread. I brewed it with a weaker leaf to water ratio and for 3 minutes. Much easier going down. Actually very good. But I have more of this than I will drink anytime soon, so I'll send a sample to the first 3 members who PM me with an address to send it to and who will report on it here in the Coffee & Tea Forum. I have some small sample bags to order for sharing, so I'll mail these out in a few weeks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I am drinking a Red Robe oolong. It is a lightly compressed tea, compressed into fingers or sticks that you break off. Apparently this is an inexpensive tea commonly sold in Taiwan. A friend of mine got it at a convenience store there. It is a heavy roasted and aged oolong. I brewed it at a full boil using a yixing pot dedicated to oolongs. About 7g in a 140ml pot. Timings were 30,30, 30, 60,120,120. I probably could have gone a little shorter on the first 2 steeps. The liquor was bright redish orange, there was mild and pleasant astringency, notes of cream and apricot, with a very nice sweet finish in the later steeps.

I like this tea, it ages well, comes in a convenient form, and is forgiving of my clumsy oolong technique.

__________

Mike Petro

My hobby website:

Pu-erh, A Westerner's Quest

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So far today it's the Indian Nilgeri I have mentioned recently. The first Nilgeri I have tried and really like it. I can see why andienji is a fan.

What are you guys drinking today?

Add to that a couple of cups of PGTips (doing better with brewing it now, but only try to get one infusion out of it).

Followed by the Lapsong Souchong from TenRen that pinned my eyes open one day upthread. I brewed it with a weaker leaf to water ratio and for 3 minutes. Much easier going down. Actually very good. But I have more of this than I will drink anytime soon, so I'll send a sample to the first 3 members who PM me with an address to send it to and who will report on it here in the Coffee & Tea Forum. I have some small sample bags to order for sharing, so I'll mail these out in a few weeks.

Here in the light of day, the offer above for samples of this smoky Lapsong Souchong, a famous Chinese tea, is still good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just finished a pot of Golden Dragon Aged Oolong, a tea from Taiwan that is exceptional.

Ordered from Teas Etc., some months ago but not brewed until today. (Stuck the container behind a huge tin that once held McVities Biscuits.)

Well, it is "Aged" and is now just a bit more so.

The flavor is complex, rather sweet and has a wine-like finish that in my opinion makes it a perfect afternoon cup. It is also supposed to be somewhat of a digestive aid.

It does have some larger leaves and twigs that some people find objectionable, but as I brew the tea loose in a pot that has perforations between the body of the vessel and the spout, I have no problems with it.

I can understand that anyone who uses a mesh infuser might not like the twigs but they don't bother me.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I am drinking a Red Robe oolong. It is a lightly compressed tea, compressed into fingers or sticks that you break off. Apparently this is an inexpensive tea commonly sold in Taiwan. A friend of mine got it at a convenience store there. It is a heavy roasted and aged oolong. I brewed it at a full boil using a yixing pot dedicated to oolongs. About 7g in a 140ml pot.  Timings were 30,30, 30, 60,120,120.  I probably could have gone a little shorter on the first 2 steeps. The liquor was bright redish orange, there was mild and pleasant astringency, notes of cream and apricot, with a very nice sweet finish in the later steeps.

I like this tea, it ages well, comes in a convenient form, and is forgiving of my clumsy oolong technique.

This sounds different fom Big Red Robe - Da Hong Pao, Mike. Is it related?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What are you folks drinking today?

Looks like this is green tea day for me. Yesterday, too.

I tried gongfu brewing a new-to-me Chinese green from jingteashop.com -- a Pre-Ming Ding Huang Ya, but couldn't get it to work. I'll try a gongfu style brewing again, but decided to do it western style today and all went well. Yesterday vegetal in an unpleasant way; today vegetal in a pleasant way, with a slight buttery flavor and richer mouthfeel. This is my first exploration of Chinese green teas beyond the well-known ones.

This tea is no longer listed on their website and must be sold out, so I can't say much about it right now. I have emailed Sebastien at jing and asked if he could send me the text of the description. I'll post later if I receive anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This morning it's a Nilgiri - Glendale Estate, Handmade from TeaSource for me. Brewed Western style. I really, really like this Indian black tea.

What are you guys drinking today?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just made some TI KWAN YIN from the local tea store..My first oolong..

This forum has been very helpfull in figuring out how to brew it..I pre heated a teapot and used about 2 1/2 tsp, loose in the pot, to make 20 oz. (enough for my cup) 4 mins steep time for 4 steepings...Amazingly, they were all very good...Still getting used to a new tea however..

Bud

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This afternoon it's a fresh Chinese Tie Guan Yin Oolong - Fall Harvest 2008, from Anxi County, Fujian - a free sample that Greg Glancy sent me to try. I am brewing it gongfu style in a gaiwan and am on the second of two 30 second infusions. It clearly has several more to go. Very clear yellow-green liquor. The first had a slight, very pleasant vegetal taste and aroma with a hint of sweetness. The second is less vegetal, thicker mouthfeel, buttery, lingering aftertaste. Wonderful!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...