What Tea Are You Drinking Today? (Part 2)

[Richard Kilgore]

[Moderator note: The original What Tea Are You Drinking Today? topic became too large for our servers to handle efficiently, so we've divided it up; the preceding part of this discussion is here: What Tea Are You Drinking Today? (Part 1)]

Started the day with the MF Queen Victoria Darjeeling (2nd Flush) from The Cultured Cup. A very pleasant Darjeeling.

Then on to a Sencha Select, also from TCC. This is the one featured in a recent Tea Tasting & Discussion, and as would be expected after so many weeks, it is a shadow of its former self - though still a pleasant shadow.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Mjx
Moderator note added. (log)

[baroness]

I only have a brita filter for working iwth sourdough starters, and it also gets used for occasional guests who prefer their water ice cold. So it sits in the refrigerator for many months between cartridge changes. There is also a fine haze at the bottom of the pitcher that could be specks of carbon from the cartridge, but the taste of the water was more consistent with mold. Icky.

Brita filters are supposed to be changed every 60 days (or some # of gallons), whichever comes first. That's what they say, anyway. I keep mine at room temp and change it every 60-90 days (with pitcher washing now and then). I have NO moldy or other icky sensations.

[Wholemeal Crank]

This is why I shouldn't have one--I don't use it enough to make it worth the cost of that replacement q 60 days.

I think this one is headed for the recycle bin and won't be replaced; much as I hate hate hate buying water, I think it's more environmentally responsible to buy a few pints of spring water a year for my starters than try to keep up with the filter pitchers.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Almost forgot to mention: today I started with some gyokuro kin with fig/lemon jam on toast, a very nice combination, and now am working on an excellent brewing of the spring Alishan high mountain oolong from Norbutea.

[Richard Kilgore]

This morning I enjoyed the Ceylon Lumbini Estate, FBOP from Tea Source.

Later I started a gong fu cha session with the current Tea Tasting & Discussion tea - a Fall 2009 Mao Xie, Harry Crab - Oolong , another interesting Anxi Oolong from norbutea.com.

[Wholemeal Crank]

More Alishan High Mountain spring oolong today. Next up, the Hairy Crab for the tasting.

[Richard Kilgore]

So far today it's been the Nilgiri Glendale Estate, Handmade in my cup, from Tea Source. Absolutely delicious tea, as well as beautiful dry leaf.

How about you? What's in your tea cup, or thermos or whatever?

[Richard Kilgore]

Started the day with a cup of the Mariage Freres Noel from The Cultured Cup. I was going to feature this tea in a Tea Tasting & Discussion, but it arrived too late from France. Too bad, because this blend is so well balanced among it's components: a Chinese black tea, orange zest, dried apple, vanilla and Cinnamon. In general I don't care for vanilla in a tea or tisane blend - not that I don't like vanilla, but too much of it in the blend would kill it for me. And I'm not fond of flavored teas in general either, but this is really well done.

Then continued with my fledgling matcha making with the Organic Yame Matcha from yuuki-cha.com. This is only the third or fourth time I have made it and think it the best so far, though I am not sure what I am doing better each time. This is an inexpensive matcha - my matcha training wheels, and although I find the taste quit acceptable, I am beginning to get curious about what the better matcha tastes like. Photos to come.

[Richard Kilgore]

Started with the Keemun Hao Ba A from Tea Source, tasty with fig preserves and butter on Central Market Black Russian Rye.

The last two days I have also been brewing the Hairy Crab Oolong featured on the current Tea Tasting & Discussion. An elusive flavor. Check it out.

So what teas are you all drinking today?

[Richard Kilgore]

Prepared matcha again today, but used a little bit too much and it was more astringent than the last two times.

Am now drinking the Organic Kumamoto Sencha Yabe Supreme from yuuki-cha.com; with three infusions so far I enjoyed the first and third the best. Sencha being sencha, this package is into at least late middle age and it is still tasty with a whiff of the sea dry, and then the aroma and flavor of sweet young asparagus and a lingering after taste. Before brewing I was afraid it would not show much and was surprised how well it has held up.

[Wholemeal Crank]

One of the better batches of jasmine I've brewed in a while, because I knew I'd be sharing it with at a long meeting, where the jasmine lovers outweigh the puerh-holics.

[Wholemeal Crank]

And finishing the evening with some ginseng oolong, "blue people" from vitaltleaf.com.

[Richard Kilgore]

Ended the day yesterday with the Mariage Freres Nil Rouge, a flavored herbal, from The Cultured Cup.

Starting this day with a Queen Victoria Darjeeling - Second Flush, also from TCC.

[Richard Kilgore]

Made matcha again today with good results.

Now I am enjoying a Wuyi Seasonal Da Hong Pao Oolong from jingteashop.com. Brewed gong fu cha in a 1970s Zi Ni Yixing. This is the last of my package from 2008, so I need to look for more.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Today at work, a nice mix of an orchid oolong and the wonderful rishi peach blossom white tea. The peach blossom is overpowering on it's own, but lovely mixed with something else. Today the orchid oolong seemed like a perfect foil.

[Richard Kilgore]

Last night I did a second Da Hong Pao (Great Red Robe) that I got from The Cultured Cup at least a year ago. And I have continued with the same leaves today. It is the best DHP I have had, a bit expensive and I have been doing sessions with it months apart trying to make it last.

It is noticeably richer, fruitier, honey-sweeter, smoother and the roast is not in your face. But then it costs at least twice the other one I drank yesterday, which is still a solid choice. Alas, only enough leaves left of this one for one. more. session.

Edited December 10, 2009 by Richard Kilgore
deleted a phrase in error (log)

[Wholemeal Crank]

Today I ran out of time to make my pre-clinic pot of tea, and I thus have been enjoying a pot of the 2007 norbu white bud sheng puerh all by myself. As usual, it's an exceptionally lovely mix of smoky and sweet, and I get impatient just waiting for each cupful to cool down before I can drink it.

[Richard Kilgore]

Enjoying the Ceylon Lumbini fromTea Source this morning.

Yesterday I brewed the Organic Kumamoto Sencha Yabe Supreme from yuuki-cha.com for five infusions in a Banko kyusu. Still very good, but the second infusion again was my least favorite - perhaps I need to shorten that infusion from 30 sec to 10 - 15.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Started the day with the last of the hairy crab, in little yixing pot. Very nice.

[Wholemeal Crank]

More oolong this afternoon, the Alishan High Mountain Summer Oolong. Very smooth.

[hsimay]

I scored a few packs of Darjeeling White bud Tea (Thurbo first flush) after visiting the bio dynamic tea garden in Darjeeling in Spring

Very delicate floral, almost orchid scent, and very addictive in scent and taste. I caught myself sniffing my fingertips dipped with warm tea while wrapping myself around the couch.

Was taught the 3 minute brew, any longer will bring out the bitters I was told.

Ahhhh

[Richard Kilgore]

Made matcha again today - and probably will almost daily in order to use up this tin from yuuki-cha.com while it is at its freshest.

Now enjoying the Harry Crab Oolong that is featured in the current Tea Tasting & Discussion, Western style this time.

[Richard Kilgore]

I scored a few packs of Darjeeling White bud Tea (Thurbo first flush) after visiting the bio dynamic tea garden in Darjeeling in Spring

Very delicate floral, almost orchid scent, and very addictive in scent and taste. I caught myself sniffing my fingertips dipped with warm tea while wrapping myself around the couch.

Was taught the 3 minute brew, any longer will bring out the bitters I was told.

Ahhhh

That sounds delicious, hsimay. I have had Thurbo only once, last year.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Into the evening with a pot of the Spring Diamond Tie Guan Yin from norbutea. Next up will be something smokier or earthier to fit with the dank wet day.

[Richard Kilgore]

A rather dull and boring tea day.

Started the morning with the Mariage Freres Queen Victoria Darjeeling - second Flush from The Cultured Cup (TCC).

Then headed to the 1717 restaurant at the Dallas Museum of Art for a tea talk by authors Bruce and Shelley Richardson with a creative tea pairing by Executive Chef Jason Ferraro featuring teas from The Cultured Cup. More on this soon.

Then, seriously lacking an adequate amount of leaf coursing through my system, I made my daily bowl of matcha when I got home and am about to brew gong fu cha an aged ripe pu-erh.