Finally Friday, TeaDay TeaDay TeaDay, 2.22.08

[RussianSoul]

by RussianSoul » Feb 22nd, '08, 21:14

Today was very tea-educational for me

I learned that Darjeeling cannot stand a second steep. It was a good color, but in terms of taste was bleh... Most of my blacks can do a second steep, Darjeeling must be too delicate.

In the evening I brewed a small pot of Bangkok green from Harney's. Yuck! A friend gave me a sample to try, mercifully I did not pay for it. I even finished a cup and tried to appreciate it. No. Yuck-yuck-yuck! We should have a vomiting smilie here, very useful thing.

[Salsero]

by Salsero » Feb 22nd, '08, 22:21

I learned that Darjeeling cannot stand a second steep

... a small pot of Bangkok green ... Yuck-yuck-yuck! ... vomiting smilie ...

Don't be too quick to judge darjeelings. Many can stand multiple infusions. I have some that go 3, 4, and even 5 steeps. I've been coming to think that often the durability of a tea is an indicator of quality.

[Daughteroftheki...]

by Daughteroftheki... » Feb 22nd, '08, 22:41

Heh, you have no idea how badly I want to know what it's like living out there though. I've been in CA all my life and have yet to see any "Real Winter". I don't think i've ever seen it go below 0F.

Pentox: We who live in the cold climates, play for you our tiny violins.

This has been an oolong day for me. Started and ended with an orchid oolong from teacuppa, then kept re-steeping adagio's oolong #40 at work.

[tenuki]

by tenuki » Feb 22nd, '08, 23:02

wow, still on this alishan, must not be drinking much, lost track of how many times I've brewed it.

[RussianSoul]

by RussianSoul » Feb 22nd, '08, 23:05

Don't be too quick to judge darjeelings. Many can stand multiple infusions. I have some that go 3, 4, and even 5 steeps. I've been coming to think that often the durability of a tea is an indicator of quality.

Good to know. Thank you for bringing this up. I suppose this particular Darjeeling (a delight in its first steep) did not work out in its second brewing at this time.

But Darjeeling is a more delicate tea, would you say?

[Wesli]

by Wesli » Feb 22nd, '08, 23:08

Roasted up some O-cha Kabusecha.

Find the review here, where I also review the O-cha washi tin.

[Ladytiger]

by Ladytiger » Feb 22nd, '08, 23:21

Let's see, I made Rassian Caravan iced tea, which needs more flavor butt that's because I tried doing multiple infusions with the same leaf, and right now a nice cup of ginseng green.

[Victoria]

by Victoria » Feb 22nd, '08, 23:37

This has been an oolong day for me. Started and ended with an orchid oolong from teacuppa

Hey, how did you like that one? It's one of my favs. Jealous your order came before mine!!!

[Chip]

by Chip » Feb 22nd, '08, 23:38

Cat nap after a couple steeps of Yame prefecture sencha. Now a few remaining steeps to go.

3 good teas today. Will I ever have 4 teas again? I remember a year or so ago when I seemed to have 4 almost everyday. Not that I need 4 everyday, but I am hoping for 4 tomorrow.

[Space Samurai]

by Space Samurai » Feb 22nd, '08, 23:50

Today:

The last of my fukamushi maki.
dan cong classic
dan cong feng huan
da hong pao

Now I'm going to drink some kind of black tea called organic monsoon.

[Wesli]

by Wesli » Feb 23rd, '08, 00:22

Adagio silver needle. Time: 8:24PM

[TimeforTea]

by TimeforTea » Feb 23rd, '08, 00:29

Heh, you have no idea how badly I want to know what it's like living out there though. I've been in CA all my life and have yet to see any "Real Winter". I don't think i've ever seen it go below 0F.

I lived in Cali for a couple of years and it was utopia. However, Christmas isn't the same without all the snow.

Your blood is probably way too thin by now to survive the east coast weather!

[Salsero]

by Salsero » Feb 23rd, '08, 00:46

... Darjeeling is a more delicate tea, would you say?

A lot of them are, but it depends on what you are comparing it to and what you mean by delicate. It is certainly very different from Assam and Chinese blacks, but there's a lot of variety within Darjeelings. First flushes (from the first spring harvest) are generally lighter, but some of the muscatels, 2nd flushes, and autumnals can be pretty strong flavored, though not the same flavor as other blacks. I think there has been some tendancy in the last decade or so to make lighter Darjeelings so that some seem more like oolong, but there are still the fuller tasting ones around too.

And delicate, as I'm sure you know, doesn't mean you can't go multiple steeps. I do most of my greens three to five steeps. If you're getting a first good steep out of your Darj, you have a reason to be happy! If you want to get more, of course, increase the temp (if possible -- maybe by pre-heating the mug) and increase the time, say by a factor of 50%. If your first brew is 3 minutes, then move up to 5. Maybe that will work or maybe the particular example you have there is just a one steep tea!

[tealicious]

by tealicious » Feb 23rd, '08, 01:35

reverse osmosis for me. I'm sure our tap water is "safe", but not all that tasty.

I've been feeling sick so had a nice cup of chamomile.

[Space Samurai]

by Space Samurai » Feb 23rd, '08, 02:28

finished up the night with some greenish TGY.