Gongfu Yunnan Gold Black Tea?

Fully oxidized tea leaves for a robust cup.


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Jun 8th, '10, 17:50
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Gongfu Yunnan Gold Black Tea?

by JD » Jun 8th, '10, 17:50

Just curious if anyone gongfu's their yunnan gold teas. I've tried gongfu'ing a Yunnan Imperial Gold black tea from SpecialTeas.com, but it turns out tasting sour or bitter. This could just be a poor quality tea. When gongfu'ing, I do a quick rinse, wait 1 minute while the leaves sit in the steamy pot, then do a quick 1 sec infusion. Just pour the water in, lid on, pour water on the pot, then dump. And even at that fast speed it's still bitter tasting.

Maybe I just need better tea leaf?

Jun 8th, '10, 19:07
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by brose » Jun 8th, '10, 19:07

I gongfu nearly everything. Normally to get rid of the bitterness I use cooler water and the bitterness does not come as fast. Try maybe 10C cooler or so that what your currently using. Cooler water tends to make some teas that I am not a huge fan of tolerable. Also possibly try shortening the time from the wash to the first brew.

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Jun 8th, '10, 22:53
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Re: Gongfu Yunnan Gold Black Tea?

by chittychat » Jun 8th, '10, 22:53

The way I drink my good Chinese black teas including Yunnan Golden Bud:
I use 2 (+/-) heaped tsp for 850 ml of water which I had put boiling into a thermos. I use a 350 ml teapot which has a metal strainer reaching the bottom. I fill into 250-300 ml of the water from the thermos and let it steep for 2 minutes. Then pour it into my cup. I repeat this 3 times and sometimes 2 hours later a 4th time. I never had a bitter black tea that way. I adjust the amount of tea I use depending on the tea and what the last drinking told me. Kind of a gongfu style. :wink:

Jun 9th, '10, 00:34
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Re: Gongfu Yunnan Gold Black Tea?

by shah82 » Jun 9th, '10, 00:34

120ml gaiwan

boiling water

4gm tea

flash rinse the first, 3sec second, 5 sec third, and go by feel afterwards. Pretty much all good gonfu black teas last about 6-7 cups.

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Jun 10th, '10, 20:35
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Re: Gongfu Yunnan Gold Black Tea?

by nickE » Jun 10th, '10, 20:35

shah82 wrote:120ml gaiwan

boiling water

4gm tea

flash rinse the first, 3sec second, 5 sec third, and go by feel afterwards. Pretty much all good gonfu black teas last about 6-7 cups.
+1 :D

Jul 25th, '10, 17:18
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Re: Gongfu Yunnan Gold Black Tea?

by NOESIS » Jul 25th, '10, 17:18

Certainly do. :D

My routine: 5g of YG go into a 180ml Yixing teapot. First 2 infusions @ 1 min., then increase by 30sec. Water temp: 195-200 degrees.

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