Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

Owes its flavors to oxidation levels between green & black tea.


Mar 23rd, '11, 10:07
Posts: 80
Joined: Feb 4th, '09, 01:42
Location: Belgium

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by mr. Less » Mar 23rd, '11, 10:07

Hey Teadoff,

i also like volvic, here in belgium its about 75 eurocents (around 1 dollar)
and yes in thailand its around 65 baht last time i checked.

Here in belgium i use a different french water that i like aswell (although i think volvic is superior) its called montcalm water.
It has less mineral content than volvic, but i like it as my alround water , and use volvic for more special teas.
I would like to know which thai waters you liked, because i'll probably be going to thailand next month(and staying for a year) so a good and cheap water supply would be nice :D

Maybe we can catch up in Bangkok??

greets

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Mar 23rd, '11, 13:03
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Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Tead Off » Mar 23rd, '11, 13:03

mr. Less wrote:Hey Teadoff,

i also like volvic, here in belgium its about 75 eurocents (around 1 dollar)
and yes in thailand its around 65 baht last time i checked.

Here in belgium i use a different french water that i like aswell (although i think volvic is superior) its called montcalm water.
It has less mineral content than volvic, but i like it as my alround water , and use volvic for more special teas.
I would like to know which thai waters you liked, because i'll probably be going to thailand next month(and staying for a year) so a good and cheap water supply would be nice :D
greets
Maybe we can catch up in Bangkok??

When are you coming? Do you still have my mobile #?

Yes, Volvic is 65Baht/1.5L.

The 2 Thai waters I like best are Aura and Mont Fleur. Each also comes in a 5 litre plastic bottle for 52baht. The tax on imported waters is too high here to drink regularly.

Look forward to seeing you again!

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Mar 23rd, '11, 13:58
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Joined: May 27th, '09, 16:55

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by teaisme » Mar 23rd, '11, 13:58

Tead Off wrote:I'd really like to hear from others about their experience with mineral waters vs filtered tap water vs other mineral waters.
It's such a hit or miss (tap water), changing so drastically from one house to another, so many variables changing the water on its way from source to faucet, not to mention periodic addition of water treatment chemicals (some days it would be a very obvious chlorine smell, then it would die down, then repeat after a while)

That in addition to fluoride and all those extra bonuses is why I switched to bottled spring water. I like volic too, esp for greens, but at least for oolongs the best bottled waters I have tried were taiwanese brands that had been filtered with bamboo charcoal before bottling. I think Ph is pretty important for tea, lower the worse it seems at least for my tastes. I feel a higher ph and mineral content water works well for teas that can go bitter more quickly if brewed too long, as well as roasted oolongs.
Also, why does the ph go up after boiling?
http://www.hindu.com/seta/2005/08/25/st ... 271600.htm

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Mar 23rd, '11, 15:18
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Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 23rd, '11, 15:18

In France, Volvic costs 0.31€/l if you buy the 8l barrel. Otherwise it is 0.35€/l in 1.5l bottles.

My tests with Volvic showed very encouraging results with japanese greens. I could'nt test chinese greens as I am waiting for the 2011 harvest to restock. But I wasn't convinced by the result with oolongs, even green ones. Right now, I stick to my very low mineral spring water for everything but japanese greens.

I yet have to try Evian with wuyi yan cha.

Mar 23rd, '11, 17:31
Posts: 80
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Location: Belgium

Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by mr. Less » Mar 23rd, '11, 17:31

David,

Have you tried Mont Roucous (or rouscous)

I heard some good things about that water aswell, but its rather hard to find in Belgium :(

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Mar 23rd, '11, 21:00
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Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 23rd, '11, 21:00

Yes, Mont Roucous is definitively a very good water. Very good with wulong and puerh. It has one of the lower mineral levels in Europe.

- Eau de source de montagne "Mont Roucous" (en mg/l)

Calcium 1.2
Magnésium 0.2
Sodium 2.8
Potassium 0.4
Hydrogénocarbonates 4.9
Chlorures 3.2
Sulfates 3.3
Nitrates 2.3
Silice 0

PH 5.85
Résidu à sec à 180°C 19mg/l


I use this one :

- Eau de source de montagne d'Auvergne "Grand Barbier" (en mg/l)

Calcium 4.1
Magnésium 1.7
Sodium 2.7
Potassium 0.9
Hydrogénocarbonates 25.8
Chlorures 0.9
Sulfates 1.1
Nitrates 0.8
Silice 32.7

PH 7.3
Résidu à sec à 180°C 52.2mg/l


It is much cheaper and comes in 5l bottles. Gives also very good results. But for high end wulong, I go for the Mont Roucous or Montaclm.


- Eau de source de montagne des Pyrénées "Montcalm" (en mg/l)

Calcium 3
Magnésium 0.6
Sodium 1.5
Potassium 0.4
Hydrogénocarbonates 5.2
Chlorures 0.6
Sulfates 8.7
Nitrates 0.9
Silice 7.5

PH 6.8
Résidu à sec à 180°C 28.5 mg/l


For comparison, here is Volvic :

- Eau minérale volcanique "Volvic" (en mg/l)

Calcium 11.5
Magnésium 8
Sodium 11.6
Potassium 6.2
Hydrogénocarbonates 71
Chlorures 13.5
Sulfates 8.1
Nitrates 6.3
Silice 31.7

PH 7
Résidu à sec à 180°C 130 mg/l


Sorry for the long post.

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Mar 24th, '11, 00:42
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Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Tead Off » Mar 24th, '11, 00:42

David R. wrote:In France, Volvic costs 0.31€/l if you buy the 8l barrel. Otherwise it is 0.35€/l in 1.5l bottles.

My tests with Volvic showed very encouraging results with japanese greens. I could'nt test chinese greens as I am waiting for the 2011 harvest to restock. But I wasn't convinced by the result with oolongs, even green ones. Right now, I stick to my very low mineral spring water for everything but japanese greens.

I yet have to try Evian with wuyi yan cha.
The cost of Volvic in France would be slightly less than .50cents/L with current $/Euro exchange. The Thai waters would be around .33cents/L. This is why I will try to find the local that will compete well with the Volvic.

According to your findings, you prefer a higher ph for the greens but a lower one for oolongs. Mt Rouscous is only 5.8ph. Most health conscious practitioners say that water is best for the body at a higher ph. It becomes wetter and helps the body absorb minerals and nutrients. My filtered tap water is 5.8ph. It has a sharpness compared to Volvic. It's harder. I will have to experiment more with the oolongs and the ph of mineral water. No doubt in my mind about the greens that a higher ph is better.

Churng- thanks for the link about ph of boiled water.

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Mar 24th, '11, 07:27
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Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by David R. » Mar 24th, '11, 07:27

I have always thought the difference was mainly because of the amount of minerals and not about pH. That's an interesting point of view I'll have to consider.

I also believe, like Hojo said, that water also has to fit with your teaware. A very good water boiled in a very good kettle used with a great teapot maybe be disappointing because they just don't get along.

I am convinced that paying attention to water is definitively the way to go to improve one's tea.

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Mar 24th, '11, 11:42
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Re: Taiwanese oolongs in 2010

by Tead Off » Mar 24th, '11, 11:42

David R. wrote:I have always thought the difference was mainly because of the amount of minerals and not about pH. That's an interesting point of view I'll have to consider.

I also believe, like Hojo said, that water also has to fit with your teaware. A very good water boiled in a very good kettle used with a great teapot maybe be disappointing because they just don't get along.

I am convinced that paying attention to water is definitively the way to go to improve one's tea.
That one is hard to swallow! :D

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