Official what Black (Red) Tea Are You Drinking Right Now?

[jayinhk]

Ok, so I still have a lot to learn about C Med

Apparently all tea is cooling except for black tea, which is warming.

https://nutsaboutchineseidioms.wordpres ... ling-food/

Interesting post. Indian culture follows quite closely similar principles of heating and cooling foods.
I wonder what category Chai would come under, as the black tea (yang?) it contains is balanced by the dairy (yin?) component.

And then masala would add a whole other element! I'm guessing tea is considered fairly neutral since everyone drinks it in India, regardless of their constitution.

[kuánglóng]

Interesting post. Indian culture follows quite closely similar principles of heating and cooling foods.
I wonder what category Chai would come under, as the black tea (yang?) it contains is balanced by the dairy (yin?) component.

Interesting question. I'm more of a Yang type (to keep it simple) and used to enjoy chai regardless of climatic conditions, no matter if the temperatures were below zero or above 40°C - there are not too many teas that work that way for me.

[Psyck]

Yeah Jay, also I suppose spicy blends of black teas could be at the heating end of the spectrum and green tea based iced teas, kombucha, etc. at the cooling end.

[kuánglóng]

2016 2nd Flush Gopaldhara China Muscatel - EX31

Nice ripe fruitiness, muscatel, balance, strength, briskness, body, kick, pretty long aftertaste, ... everything fine despite being a bit too tough on the tummy and lacking a bit of lustre. Nothing great but good enough when something else needs more attention.

[kuánglóng]

2015 Natela's Gold Standard from Georgia (what-cha)

Found a sample of this handmade tea in my latest order, brewed some up today and boy was I surprised.
Intense and brisk, pretty complex profile with a touch of ripe fruit, citrus and bread like in some Oriental Beauties and similar oolongs, malt and long aftertaste - really tasty stuff.

Some interesting notes on the history of this and other 'black' teas from that area:
http://what-cha.com/black-tea/georgia-n ... black-tea/

[ethan]

Back in Boston where a few hours sleep in the evening would not extend as one would like. So, I have spent a couple of hours having a black tea party w/ myself. For Championship Black & Black TGY IfFilled 1/5th of teapot w/leaves for infusions of 20, 20, 30, 40, & 110 seconds for very complex, interesting, & pleasing liquor. This way one adds that complexity & number of infusions (that are all good) & loses some of the sweetness (especially for 1st round). Most of the time for black tea from Taiwan, this will be how I prepare.

For Himalayan Orange from Nepal, I still prefer less leaf (1 gram or so per 50ml) for 30 - 45 seconds for 1st infusion & 45 - 60 for the 2nd & stopping then. However, the "Taiwan prep." produces good liquor from these HOR leaves also.

[kuánglóng]

For Himalayan Orange from Nepal, I still prefer less leaf (1 gram or so per 50ml) for 30 - 45 seconds for 1st infusion & 45 - 60 for the 2nd & stopping then. However, the "Taiwan prep." produces good liquor from these HOR leaves also.

Agreed on the good liquor but if there's one thing I miss from the Chiyabaris (in general) it's dynamics. For some reason their first flushes that I've tried have unfold more interestingly than their seconds but I usually get even more interesting and revealing unfoldings from some shengs and almost any above average single-estate Darjeeling, no matter what flush - not to mention some top leaves, like the 2015 SF Seeyok or the outstanding 2016 FF Turzum I've mentioned. I like Chiyabaris a lot though, impeccable workmanship with some serious juice and minerals in those leaves. Those folks seem to really know what they're doing and on top of that they take good care of their people and environment - a great example for some greedy paisa wallahs on the eastern side of the Mechi.

[kuánglóng]

2015 Autumn Matei Old Gardens (Bangdong - Lincang) (bannacha)

Having just finished a pot of SF Gopaldhara this tea takes some getting used to. An equally fruity but somewhat muted profile with a bit of malt but without significant higher notes, adstringency or bitter notes. Pronounced body, thicker soup than the Darjeeling and after only two little cups of my western prep the qi or whatever kicks in as if someone had pulled the plug from my coeliac plexus. Looking forward to brewing some of those leaves for some friends this weekend if they like but for me it's too much of a downer, at least during the daytime.

[jayinhk]

Drinking a lovely dianhong I picked up from a tea dealer in his 70s in Kunming. Really a very good grade of dianhong. Like drinking liquid honey (but not as sweet)! Really a smooth tea and a real pleasure to drink. All tips, of course! Drinking in a lovely newer hongni pot (90s/2000s, but made really well) with Scottish spring water.

[debunix]

Enjoyed a marvelous session with 'Silver Pot Hawaii Volcano Black Tea, floral and fruity and utterly without bitterness--a sample my Tokyo-based friend brought me from a tea event that he attended before he came to visit last month.

It's as amazing as the fantastic Hawaiian grown oolong I've gotten from Hilo Coffee Mill--a small quantity of large, curly & intact leaf goes a very long way.

[kuánglóng]

2015 Jun Chiyabari Hand Rolled Himalyan Tips

Pretty complex and sweet, distinct notes of dried orange peel and cocoa powder, a bit like a christmas tea. A good friend bought a couple kilograms of this tea but to me it's a bit too reliable; I like my teas a bit more dynamic and challenging to brew right.

[ethan]

2015 Jun Chiyabari Hand Rolled Himalyan Tips
but to me it's a bit too reliable; I like my teas a bit more dynamic and challenging to brew right.

That's interesting!

[kuánglóng]

Sipping some of my mellow standard Keemun Congou. This stuff is as barnyardy as it gets but there's are some nice fruity notes, predominantly cherry, a wee bit of smoke, nice balance and I always make sure to have at least one kilogram in my stash.

[ethan]

Championship Black: Filled 1/5th of teapot w/leaves for infusions of 20, 20, 30, 40, & 110 seconds for very complex, interesting, & pleasing liquor. This way one adds that complexity & number of infusions (that are all good) & loses some of the sweetness (especially for 1st round).

Looked at what I wrote about Championship Black & that I thought I would continue going heavy w/ the leaf. I did not. I found that I got as much flavor from much less leaf through 4 infusions. I don't steep a fifth time when using less leaf. This tea is complex w/ spices & sweetness & texture changing through infusions which I also stack for even more variety. Drinking this everyday. Besides great flavor, this has enough power to work as a wake-up or keep-awake drink.

Also, I should mention teabags. Since ribs still hurt, I cut down on weight I walk with; so, instead of a thermos filled w/ hot tea, I carry teabags. The regular ruby black 18 teabag is quite good for 2 infusions. A bit more unique-tasting is the organic ruby bl 18 which is quite good for 2 infusions & okay for a 3rd. In my pants' pockets I save warm wet teabags in a small ziplock for second rounds & this helps me cope w/ Boston's cold weather.

[ethan]

Dian Hong from Tea-Village, Pattaya, Thailand: I opened a 75-gram pouch of this because of John B.'s recent post on some highly oxidized oolong. He said that as far as taste went, the tea that he was drinking could have been leaves from assamica or sinensis. I remembered thinking about the dian hong that way.

Anyway, the gold, soft leaves produce a sweet & fairly complex drink that I believe I was correct in praising months ago. It does have the maltiness of assam black but offers a lot more. I remember getting similar tea from Yunnan Sourcing a few years back & being thrilled. Then I did not know other black tea could be better.

The black TGY from Taiwan (which I have been drinking almost everyday lately) outshines the dian hong, especially when drinking a lot. Although not very complex, nor a tea that changes much from infusion to infusion, the black TGY is one for large quantity & pleasure. That is fortunate today because the wind is blowing hard & the temperature is below freezing; so the old building I stay in has a very cold floor & drafts. After 3 good rounds of the dian hong, I'll return to the black TGY for pleasure & warmth.