Tuesday TeaDay 10/21/08 Bitter brew/pleasantly astringent?

[Chip]

Welcome everyone to TeaDay. Please share what is in your cup today, all day.

Yesterday, about half of responders indicated they were going to drink Alishan on the unofficial Alishan Day. You can still respond to this poll.

Yesterday's topic was about nominating possible candidates for the TC/TCR Alishan tasting. Please consider nominating an Alishan for this tasting by posting in yesterday's topic. See the topic for more information.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic was suggested by Kongni. The subject of bitterness and/or astringency has come up quite often when talking about tea, not just on TeaChat. To you, is tea astringent, bitter or both. Are there defining moments when it is one or the other for you?

I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[Maitre_Tea]

First post after Chip! *because I'm procrastinating on work*

I've yet to have the displeasure of brewing bitter tea...but being served bitter tea though, that's another story.

About astringency I'm talking about the good kind of astringency. However, I usually detect such astringency in high roasted teas usually, and the astringency is accompanied with fruitiness. I rarely notice astringency in greener oolongs. My best experience with perfect astringency was with Hou De's FoShou Oolong...

[Salsero]

Yes, some teas are painfully astringent ... especially some young sheng puerhs. Others can be deliciously astringent.

True bitterness I don't encounter much. This tea from the Hong Tai Chang Factory is mostly smooth and luscious though occasionally drying in the throat.

[chrl42]

Astrigent, not bitter at all...

The only teas that taste better to my sense are young Sheng or some Japanese greens...

[Victoria]

Not bitter, but some more astrigent than others.
A little astringency can be a good thing.

I opened a premium AliShan for a "non-official" AliShan day?
Harumph!!

[horsencl]

I voted other because I think bitterness and astringency are two different things. A tea can have both but it doesn't always happen that way. As others have said, there are good kinds of astringency. No hot tea yet for me yet but it is nearly 2 am and I really should be sleeping. I am sipping some iced tetley though. It's nothing special.

[Trioxin]

Sure, why not

Currently drinking.. hmmm... gonna go with a Muscatel Darjeeling I thinks. Yeah, sounds good.

[UncleIroh]

straight-up bitterness is something i can do without. i usually pitch my water temperature a little low to avoid bringing it out in greens. a bit of astringency is another story-- that's nice if it's not overwhelming.

[Vulture]

I voted that teas have a bitterness to them. Most of it comes out of the earthy flavors that tea has in general. I usually drink black flavored tea so that bitterness is a little stronger.

Currently drinking my blend Earthly Pleasure at work.

[laran7]

I like the astringency I taste in some teas - I think of it as refreshing and different.
I think when I've brewed anything bitter - I have thrown it out. ( I'm thinking of a lower grade Sencha for which I used way too much leaf). Bitter coffee can be good - like a small cup of expresso ; but I just don't associate bitterness with anything pleasant in teas.

I like Oolongs and Darjeelings - sometimes with a grassy taste - and greens that are "vegetal" (sp). I've gotten used to Jasmine no. 5, and now I like it.

Can anyone name some examples of tea that has some sort of bitterness to it
(when correctly brewed) ?

I'm absolutely brewing Darjeeling to take to work later - I've been sick and
neglected traveling tea lately.

[Salsero]

In my cup, 2007 Giddapahar Muscatel Imperial, 2nd flush from Lochan Teas. Despite its age, one of the best Darjeelings I have had ... perfect astringency, good weight in the mouth, acidic and fruity, black tea base notes, aromatic.

[chad]

Starting the day with an organic assam.

[kymidwife]

Looks like Darjeelings are stealing the day so far. In my cup, Darjeeling 2008 First Flush Jungpana SFTGFOP, from Tea Emporium.

I'm enjoying this one, don't get me wrong, but there's nothing very distinctive about it. Nice mild astringency, not bitter, nice aroma though not as fragrant as some of the others. There's a fruity element but not as muscatel as others. Generally a pretty good Darjeeling, but not melting my butter.

And I voted "sometimes both".

Sarah

[Victoria]

Starting my day with Adagio Yunnan Gold.

Have a nice day everyone!

[geeber1]

I voted "sometimes both." I associate bitterness with the tea not being brewed properly, not as a characteristic of the tea. Overall, I prefer less astringent teas.

This morning I'm enjoying a second steep of Nilgiri Glendale Handmade from Teasource. It's pretty mellow, kind of darjeeling-ish without the bite.