Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

Owes its flavors to oxidation levels between green & black tea.


User avatar
Mar 1st, '11, 20:33
Posts: 2044
Joined: Jan 11th, '07, 20:47
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by wyardley » Mar 1st, '11, 20:33

David R. wrote: But I have noticed the difference between a standard kettle and my Lin's, which is a start.
The Lin's kettles seem to have a higher heat retention than standard electric metal kettles or other thinner-wall kettles. I was always skeptical from people who would claim that those metal electric kettles don't get hot enough (even if you use them on manual mode), since, after all, boiling is boiling. Also, I think the automatic mode on most electric kettles is set to a bit below a full boil. I do notice a difference between my metal electric kettle at work and my setup at home, with either a glass kettle or a Lin's kettle. Certain teas do, of course, give slightly different results (to my taste, often better) with the very slightly lower temperature.
David R. wrote: Next step is experimenting some mineralized water with certain teas. I have heard of Evian with yancha and Vittel with japanese greens.
I would recommend Volvic the most of French spring waters. Some of the others might actually have a little too much mineral content.

User avatar
Mar 2nd, '11, 02:00
Posts: 1132
Joined: Nov 28th, '08, 15:14

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Oni » Mar 2nd, '11, 02:00

I have a standard brand of water that I use, I have made a lot of experiments and I found a certain brand of water to be better than the others.
And I know that somehow clays affect water, all my yixing, and japanese clay pots do something with water, if i put boiling water in them from the same tea kettle, they all give a diffrent caracter to the water.

User avatar
Mar 2nd, '11, 03:23
Posts: 1076
Joined: Oct 6th, '09, 08:08
Location: France
Contact: David R.

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 2nd, '11, 03:23

wyardley wrote:I would recommend Volvic the most of French spring waters. Some of the others might actually have a little too much mineral content.
In France we have springs that produces the water with the fewer mineral particles in Europe. Brand name are : Mont Roucous ou Montcalm. Some spring from Auvergne also do the job. I will post details if you want to but right now I have to go to work.

Someone also told me to try Volvic, especially with green teas. So many things to try... :wink: Thanks for the advice !

User avatar
Mar 4th, '11, 14:36
Posts: 1312
Joined: May 27th, '09, 16:55

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by teaisme » Mar 4th, '11, 14:36

yeap
David R. wrote:Someone also told me to try Volvic, especially with green teas
I agree too its got a nice balance for sencha

I've found that waters that have too much mineral content don't really suit japanese greens that well (exception maybe houjicha since I do like to have thicker texture on a houjicha but on gyo, kabu, and sencha it just seems out of place and awkward)

Higher ph and mineral content really suits a lot of oolongs in general, esp for dancongs and thinner teas. Adds a good thickness. Strangely it also seems to extract flavour faster too.

Downside is you have to thick about scale with these waters.
I have access to jana which is high mineral and ph (by high I mean above 7.2) water and its delicious for oolongs and blacks. Worlds apart from the water I use to brew my japanese greens.

User avatar
Mar 4th, '11, 18:49
Posts: 1076
Joined: Oct 6th, '09, 08:08
Location: France
Contact: David R.

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 4th, '11, 18:49

I hope to have time to make some tests during the weekend with this water. Thanks for your advice.

User avatar
Mar 7th, '11, 01:11
Posts: 4536
Joined: Apr 1st, '09, 00:48
Location: Bangkok

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Tead Off » Mar 7th, '11, 01:11

wyardley wrote:
David R. wrote: But I have noticed the difference between a standard kettle and my Lin's, which is a start.
The Lin's kettles seem to have a higher heat retention than standard electric metal kettles or other thinner-wall kettles. I was always skeptical from people who would claim that those metal electric kettles don't get hot enough (even if you use them on manual mode), since, after all, boiling is boiling. Also, I think the automatic mode on most electric kettles is set to a bit below a full boil. I do notice a difference between my metal electric kettle at work and my setup at home, with either a glass kettle or a Lin's kettle. Certain teas do, of course, give slightly different results (to my taste, often better) with the very slightly lower temperature.
David R. wrote: Next step is experimenting some mineralized water with certain teas. I have heard of Evian with yancha and Vittel with japanese greens.
I would recommend Volvic the most of French spring waters. Some of the others might actually have a little too much mineral content.
Will, can you heat the Lin's kettle on an induction plate? Speed?

Which teas have you found to be well matched to the water from a Lin's?

Apart from the kettle, I have found storing the water in a Mizusashi (ceramic water container) at least overnight, with bamboo charcoal in both the container and the kettle a good practice. Here in Bangkok, our water supply is crap. Water needs to be filtered. Unfortunately, we have little in the way of designer waters from Europe and if we did, the price would be insane for water as there is very high luxury tax placed on things like this. It has caused me to give up drinking wine as the price doesn't justify the satisfaction.

User avatar
Mar 7th, '11, 01:18
Posts: 2044
Joined: Jan 11th, '07, 20:47
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by wyardley » Mar 7th, '11, 01:18

Will, can you heat the Lin's kettle on an induction plate? Speed?

Which teas have you found to be well matched to the water from a Lin's?
I don't know - I don't use induction, but I think some of the Lin's kettles are impregnated with something that lets you use them on an induction plate.

I don't really claim to be able to notice the difference in taste of water in the brewed tea from a stoneware kettle vs. others. I was just speaking about the difference in heat retention. I tend to use whatever kettle is handy / convenient / has a good pour, more than trying to tailor it to a particular tea.

User avatar
Mar 7th, '11, 06:12
Posts: 1076
Joined: Oct 6th, '09, 08:08
Location: France
Contact: David R.

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 7th, '11, 06:12

Here is what is written on the little pamphlet which comes with the kettle :

"Our kettles may be used an conventional electric plates, charcoal stoves, gas stoves, and alcohol burners. A separate model is available for electromagnetic plates and is identifiable by a special white or yellow coating on the bottom.

To ensure that coating on the bottom of the kettle has a long life we strongly suggest that you use a kettle on only one kind of stove."

User avatar
Mar 7th, '11, 12:53
Posts: 4536
Joined: Apr 1st, '09, 00:48
Location: Bangkok

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Tead Off » Mar 7th, '11, 12:53

David R. wrote:Here is what is written on the little pamphlet which comes with the kettle :

"Our kettles may be used an conventional electric plates, charcoal stoves, gas stoves, and alcohol burners. A separate model is available for electromagnetic plates and is identifiable by a special white or yellow coating on the bottom.

To ensure that coating on the bottom of the kettle has a long life we strongly suggest that you use a kettle on only one kind of stove."
Thanks for that.

I know 2 people who use a Lin's water container and report that it has a very good effect on water. Same with their teapots and with their teacaddies.

User avatar
Mar 8th, '11, 10:34
Posts: 1132
Joined: Nov 28th, '08, 15:14

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Oni » Mar 8th, '11, 10:34

I recieved my Lin kettle. Should I season the kettle before use, like boil a couple of times and discard or it is ready to use?

User avatar
Mar 8th, '11, 11:37
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact: Herb_Master

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Herb_Master » Mar 8th, '11, 11:37

Mmmmmmmnnn! :roll:

By the time you get an answer you may have had time to boil it several times.

How eager are you to taste it's output :lol:

User avatar
Mar 8th, '11, 13:54
Posts: 1076
Joined: Oct 6th, '09, 08:08
Location: France
Contact: David R.

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 8th, '11, 13:54

When receiving mine, I wanted to discard the rice starch seasoning. I finished up writing a mail to Nada who advised me to do it.

If you need help on the procedure, please ask.

If you are going to use it with spring water, it could be useful to use some even to cook the rice and for the rinse(s).

User avatar
Mar 8th, '11, 14:20
Posts: 2044
Joined: Jan 11th, '07, 20:47
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by wyardley » Mar 8th, '11, 14:20

You're supposed to boil liquid from rice porridge (congee / zhou) in it. I think you could use rice soup made from leftover cooked rice (xifan) also, which would be a little less sticky. Not the porridge itself (though I found that out a little too late; the cleanup from this was not so pleasant). I'm not sure if there's an easier way to do this, but I would make a very weak porridge (maybe 15 parts water to 1 part sticky rice), and then try to strain it (this part is not so fun). Dilute it a little more and boil that in the kettle.

User avatar
Mar 8th, '11, 15:10
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Chip » Mar 8th, '11, 15:10

Seems there should be instructions provided with a kettle requiring such extraneous seasoning. Or even on the site with the product as is often the case with Hagi for instance. :idea:

Just sayin' ...

User avatar
Mar 8th, '11, 18:56
Posts: 1076
Joined: Oct 6th, '09, 08:08
Location: France
Contact: David R.

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 8th, '11, 18:56

Chip wrote:Seems there should be instructions provided with a kettle requiring such extraneous seasoning..
There are some instructions given with the kettle. But I personally felt like having a second opinion. Putting some rice water into a kettle used for tea can be a little odd for a non cornstarch treatment expert :wink:

+ Post Reply