TeaChat

I used to drink Li Shan tea until I tried Alisan tea. I got Alisan tea from a sealed bag; the first time i brewed, i got this sweet taste that was so ... special! that sweet taste lasted up to 4 steeps. That taste was awesomely greate. Many brew after that day has not been what i had before. That's why i wonder if anyone can help out? I've been having Alisan at least 3 times a day for 3 months now, i tried to measure the amount of tea leaves, water, temperature, brew time differently each time but have failed so far; or is it because its taste only be best at the moment you open the sealed bag as it will be oxidized quickly after that and lose its flavor?

...I noticed this also with green oolong from Taiwan. The fantastic aroma fades. So I only get 50 gram bags that are at least heat sealed. Once I open it, I use it pretty quickly.
I also make sure the tea is FRESH as in most current harvest before I buy. Some vendors provide this info on their site.

How did you store the tea once you'd opened the bag? An air-tight container should be what you need.

That's all I can think of, though. :-/

i have also experienced a loss in flavor over time, sadly this is natural. the Alishan i am drinking right now is in a metalic colored, sealed plastic bag. I keep it at room temperature and away from sunlight in a cabinet. I have found that this will help to preserve the wonderful flavor much longer.

Also, i personally believe that brewing the tea Gong Fu method will yield the best possible flavor. I drink the same tea at work that i drink at home, only at work i do not have a gong fu set, just a Korean crackle ware cup with infuser inside. I must admit that the tea i brew at home with the gong fu set (exact same batch of oolong) tastes much better, and sweeter, every time. At first i thought this might simply be in my mind, but i am now convinced! something about the yixing ware makes a noticable difference in taste.

for your information, the yixing pot i use is about 3 oz. I place just enough leaves to cover the bottom of the pot (this seems to be the right amount for my particular pot). I then use hot water made from my Adagio Utilitea, setting the temperature to the lower end of the green tea setting (the water is probably around 180-190 F) I get perfect tea every time this way, and as i mentioned above, the tea is much sweeter then when i brew the exact same tea using my Korean cup or my Tetsubin. I hope this helps you out!

Libertatis wrote: setting the temperature to the lower end of the green tea setting (the water is probably around 180-190 F) I get perfect tea every time this way

How long do you steep and how many infusions do you typically do?

well it depends on the quality of the leaves (and how much leaves you put in your pot). I sometimes brew in a gaiwan and sometimes in a small yixing pot. in either case, i always brew a good oolong at least 4 times. after that it depends on the quality of the leaves.

I have had some really delicious oolongs that i have infused 10 times. (the flavor changes slightly each time, espically during the first few infusions) And really you can brew the leaves as many times as you want, just stop when it no longer tastes good!

Two separate ideas in this thread.

Long Term Storage: You need a gas-impermeable container too, not just 'airtight'. Crutial differenct. ie ziplock bag is 'airtight' but not gas-impermeable, so oxidation (a tea's prime enemy) can still occur.

Brew times: Your mileage will vary and the key I think is to brew to your taste not some formula. I brew most formosa oolongs at a rolling boil for 40-50 seconds, adding 10 seconds or so to each subsequent brewing (based on how I feel it's going). I usually brew good quality leaves up to 15 times, ie all day long. But throw them out at the end of the day regarless of number of brewings. I'm certain some people will say I'm crazy and you should brew 2-3 minutes at 190, and others will have some other formula. Just experiment and do what you like.

Rolling Boil brewing method:

I have recently tried this method and actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I am one of those people that normally brews @ 190 for a couple min, but i think you might get additional steepings out of the leaves by turning up the heat (at least in the later brewings). Just be careful not to over brew (the hotter the water the shorter the steeping time), nothing makes me more unhappy than overbrewing a good oolong!