What Tea Are You Drinking Today? (Part 1)

[Chris Amirault]

Re-roast? Say more please, sir.

[Richard Kilgore]

Re-roast? Say more please, sir.

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Good question. I have started a discussion of re-roasting here, Chris.

[Richard Kilgore]

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Next an unusual white tea from a sample Greg sent me with an order from Norbutea.com. The package is hand labeled as Norbu White Buds. I am not sure if this is still available, but it is delicious brewed gongfu style. I'll try to find out more and post later.

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Edited to add:

Okay, found it. 2007 Norbu White Bud, kinda-sorta white tea/kinda-sorta sheng pu-erh.

White teas are simply picked and dried, while this was processed just like other Pu-Erh teas.  It was picked, withered, pan fired, and sun dried, creating a flavor profile that is different and more assertive than conventional white tea.  It has a bit of a sweet malty flavor with very little of the bitterness common to other young Sheng Pu-Erh.

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Ha! on me! I just noticed that I reported on this tea previously up-topic. Too many teas to keep track of.

[Richard Kilgore]

Yesterday I enjoyed a Phoenix Mountain Oolong two ways: brewed it western-style in a Yixing pot and then gong fu style in a gaiwan. Liked both. No tea yet today, but thinking about a pu-erh.

So what's in your tea cup today?

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I started with a shu pu-erh that I have not tried since last year, discussion here.

Next I have been enjoying the Dian Hong Imperiale we used for the recent tea tasting and discussion here in the forum. But this time in a Yixing pot, brewed modified gongfu style.

So what teas have you all been drinking?

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I am exploring a barely aged sheng pu-erh, a 1998 LingCong CNNP Green Wrapper sample I got from Yunnan Sourcing last year.

What's in your cup today?

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I am exploring a barely aged sheng pu-erh, a 1998 LingCong CNNP Green Wrapper sample I got from Yunnan Sourcing last year.

What's in your cup today?

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Followed that up with an unusual Dan Cong Oolong from Hou de. Discussion here.

[lperry]

I'm making it through the afternoon slump with a cup of Ceylon 1 Organic, Single Estate, Loose Leaf Earl Grey. The label also indicates it is fair trade, and there's a little sticker on it that says "great taste gold '08." This tea was a gift, and a lovely one, as I am enjoying it very much as an afternoon pick-me-up. The bergamot flavor and fragrance are nice and strong.

Edited because I can't make the subject and verb agree.

Edited May 18, 2009 by lperry (log)

[Richard Kilgore]

Started of Monday with a Russian Breakfast Tea from TCC. I have not found a regular Earl Grey that I like; the bergamont is usually overpowering for my taste. But the bergamont is turned down in this tea and much to my liking.

Moved on to one that may win the "Weird Tea of the Week" award.

This sample of 2007 Haiwan Lao Cha Tou Brick - Fermented Ripe Tea Nuggets is tasty, but strange. Discussion here.

So what tea are you all drinking today?

[andiesenji]

This morning I brewed a pot of Meleng FTGFOT, one of the Assams from Special Teas.

I like the malty flavor of Assams and this one has the characteristics but not as pronounced as other Assams.

Unlike most Assams, I like this one without milk. It is very aromatic and has a lingering aftertaste that is very pleasant and complimentary to savory breads.

A couple of days ago I brewed a pot of the Mangalam FTGFOT, also from Special Teas, which has a more pronounced malty flavor, fruity and slightly spicy, a very faint hint of pepper.

I prefer this one with milk and one of the raw sugars - although it needs less sweetening than many teas.

It is a terrific complement to almost any type of food, especially the stronger-flavored meats and goes beautifully with hearty cheeses.

Also wonderful with sweet pastries, cakes, scones, etc.

Both of these teas are somewhat expensive but both can be infused multiple times and I use half the amount I would require for other, less full-bodied teas, so they are quite economical when brewed this way.

I brewed both for only 90 seconds for the first infusion - that produced an excellent flavor, beautiful color and quite enough strength for my taste.

[Richard Kilgore]

I have been enjoying the green tgy Oolong we used in the tasting discussion we had earlier this year. More here.

[Richard Kilgore]

Today started with a red tea, A Keemun Mao Feng, and got three pleasant infusions from it western style. Tonight I tried a Sencha Goji Berry as an iced tea and enjoyed it. I'll do that again, but really don't care for it as a hot tea. Both from TCC.

[Yajna Patni]

Today I am drinking my own blend. Something i never did before. I have been wanting a Russian Caravan, and can't find one i can afford, so i mixed it myself. 1/3 Oolong, 1/3 lapsang souchong, 1/3 keemun. I like it a lot. The flowery oolong and the smoke mix very well, and the keemun give is body and fills in the background.

I will make this again!

[Richard Kilgore]

Earlier today I took a tip from Yajna Patni's post above in order to use up the last 3/4 of a teaspoon each of a nice Ceylon and a too nice Darjeeling. It was okay, but not as nice as the Darjeeling alone.

Now I have begun brewing an Oolong tea from Guang Dong Province. It's called Shi Gu Ping Oolong and is similar to a Dan Cong. The first 20" infusion is wonderfully floral and buttery. Hard or impossible to source in the US, I ordered it last year from jingteashop.com I'll post more detail in the Oolong topic soon.

So what teas are you all drinking today?

[jsmeeker]

I brewed some of the Irish Breakfast I bought from the Cultured Cup. This tea is from their "cup of value" line.

I really enjoy this tea. It has the good, bold, full flavor I was looking for in a tea to drink in the morning. It takes milk nicely, too. Previously, I usually wasn't adding anything to my teas.

[Richard Kilgore]

This morning it's a Russian Breakfast tea from TCC.

How about you all. What's in your cup today?

[jsmeeker]

This morning it's a Russian Breakfast tea from TCC.

How about you all. What's in your cup today?

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I got a wiff of that when I was at TCC the other weekend. That's some seriously potent stuff!

[Naftal]

Hello-I have been drinking more Honey Phoenix Oolong. The current batch at Goldfish Tea tasts like peaches

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I started out with a lovely MF Ceylon from The Cultured Cup.

Since then I have been enjoying a Late 1990's Aged Tie Guan Yin from Norbu Tea. Gong Fu style for eight infusions so far and many left to go. I've been playing with brewing parameters and will brew this again soon and post more about all that.

[kitchensqueen]

I'm drinking earl grey, but I really wish I had some jasmine.

[Richard Kilgore]

Today I have been enjoying a Chinese green tea, even though I have had it way too long past its prime. This is a Pre-Ming Meng Ding Huang Ya I got last year from JingTeaShop.com in China. I have had the vacuum sealed bag open for about three or four months, but it's still worth drinking.

[Richard Kilgore]

And now a late night TGY that Greg Glancy gave me a few weeks ago when we were tasting and trading teas. This is a Fall Harvest 2007 that he had retired because he wants to offer only the freshest TGYs on norbutea.com. He gave most of his remaining stock of it to a charity.

The amazing thing about drinking this TGY is how well the original vacuum packaging works to keep the tea fresh. I opened it, breaking the vacuum seal, about two weeks ago. I would not have any problem ordering an older light TGY like this that, as far as I can tell, has all the aroma and taste it did in 2007. So if you find something similar and it has been vacuum packed, give it a try.

[Richard Kilgore]

And now a late night TGY that Greg Glancy gave me a few weeks ago when we were tasting  and trading teas. This is a Fall Harvest 2007 that he had retired because he wants to offer only the freshest TGYs on norbutea.com. He gave most of his remaining stock of it to a charity.

The amazing thing about drinking this TGY is how well the original vacuum packaging works to keep the tea fresh. I opened it, breaking the vacuum seal, about two weeks ago. I would not have any problem ordering an older light TGY like this that, as far as I can tell, has all the aroma and taste it did in 2007. So if you find something similar and it has been vacuum packed, give it a try.

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Disclaimer: I don't recommend this to anyone! There are obvious health risks.

I have been very busy, too busy for a leisurely tea brewing, so I did two more infusions of the above tgy yesterday late in the day and two more today. All good, and apparently a few more in these leaves. I left the leaves in the gaiwan on the counter, not putting them in a jar in the refrigerator as I should have to discourage bugs from growing on the leaves. I did do a rinse before brewing yesterday and today, but that's still not the best.

[Richard Kilgore]

This morning it's a Panitoia Estate Assam, a whole leaf tea from Tea Source. Just arrived yesterday in an order of Sri Lankan and Indian black teas. It's a lovely tea, medium-full bodied and malty with a lingering sweet after-taste.

So, what's in your tea cup today?

[Richard Kilgore]

Started off the day enjoying a Ceylon Lumbini Estate, FBOP, from Tea Source. This is the most complex Ceylon I have had.

I'll have an Oolong later today. Have not decided which one yet.

And what teas are you all drinking today?