Forum Header?

[Maitre_Tea]

I don't know if I should post about this here or PM Chip or something, but I figure that the opinion of the people should decide matters. I like what they Pu Erh and Green Tea topics have headers to them. When I was first starting out with Japanese green teas it was really helpful to go to the most relevant topics that I needed to read. Why can't Oolong have a forum header? As the third largest of the tea subtopics (by post count), I think we can use one too. We can sticky relevant threads to the forum header, and it can cover basic topics like Oolong types, roast differences, brewing techniques, vendors, etc.

What do you people think?

[Chip]

By all means, get your heads together and decide on the header topic. Let me know when you are done and I can sticky it.

It can be a single topic that covers all or directs through links to other topics. Or it can be a few header topics covering a few relevant topics.

Also decide if you want the topic(s) open or locked.

[Herb_Master]

I would be willing to help

[Maitre_Tea]

Okay, hopefully others will jump on board as the day goes on...
I think we can start by finding different threads and why they should be in the header...we should probably work out a list of relevant topics that should be included in the header...

I'm certainly not the most well-informed person as to deciding what threads can/are the most helpful to beginners, but I can try. I was merely putting up the idea. Hopefully some better-informed people can actually take this idea out of the hanger.

[Intuit]

You mean a FAQ, not a 'forum header', correct?

[Herb_Master]

You mean a FAQ, not a 'forum header', correct?

I think it would be more than FAQ, an intro to oolong explaining and leading through the world of oolong, with links to topics that have already discussed key aspects.

The possibility then exists for Sticky posts in the main section
which would cover whatever the demand requires.
Be it Tea reviews, vendor reviews, or whatever.

[coloradopu]

cool

oolong:
country
region
altitude grown
type of tea plant
factory
oxidation
roast

etc

with links to back them up for posts already on tea chat
sort of a database window

i like it
chip hope the search engine is ready lots to research

[tingjunkie]

I think it's a great idea! This is a good post to start with: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=8071

I haven't searched for it, so it might be out there already, but some brewing guidelines would be great too. As someone who is just really starting to get serious about oolongs, I could use some gongfu brewing info for the various types. For example, should all rolled oolongs like TGYs be given a longer first steep? etc, etc, etc.

[Maitre_Tea]

These are some threads that might be helpful:
Dong Ding: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9815
Spring 2009 Oolong: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9551
Oolong Vendors: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9452
We can just post threads we think that might be helpful and decide later which ones to include/not include

[tingjunkie]

I haven't searched for it, so it might be out there already, but some brewing guidelines would be great too.

Ok... searched, and cold not find.

Would anyone care to establish some basic "starting point" gongfu infusion times and water temperatures for the different categories of oolongs? I know every tea is different, and experimentation is required, but I'm sure many of you must have a certain game plan when you get a new oolong to try, right?

Assuming an average of 5g to 7g of leaf in a 120ml vessel, what times and temperatures would you use for a Wuyi, for Anxi, for TGY, for Dan Cong? Etc, etc.

There seems to be a lot of different info out there on the web, and I would generally trust one of the more experienced forum members here than trying to decipher all the info "out there." Or perhaps someone could provide a link to a trusted site or blogger?

[wyardley]

I haven't searched for it, so it might be out there already, but some brewing guidelines would be great too.

Assuming an average of 5g to 7g of leaf in a 120ml vessel, what times and temperatures would you use for a Wuyi, for Anxi, for TGY, for Dan Cong? Etc, etc.

Personally, I wouldn't really treat them very differently (at least in terms of time / temperature). I think you will find more variation in the opinions of different individuals ("experts" or not) than you will between those different teas. Not only that, but IMHO, the bigger differences in how an oolong tea should be treated are based on its quality, as well as its processing (how oxidized / roasted it is, etc.). It's may seem a little unhelpful to tell people "it depends", but I honestly think that's the right answer to this question.

You could have a look through these threads, among others:
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?p=72585
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=6860
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=6922
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8336
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8987
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=7269

[tingjunkie]

Thanks wyardley! Very helpful threads. I guess my searches were too broad to return the results I was looking for.

[Maitre_Tea]

Thanks too! I was afraid that we wouldn't have the help of someone with more experience, and our idea would just blow up on the runway...