Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

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Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Generally how much bitter is acceptable? Generally, how much is too much? Please answer as best you can.

I like a good deal of bitter in my tea, rarely is it too much
2
6%
I like a balanced level of bitter, it can be too much when imbalanced relative to other flavors
21
66%
Very little bitter please, not much can be too much
9
28%
None preferred, no tolerance for bitter
0
No votes
Other
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 32

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Apr 4th, '11, 01:46
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Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by Chip » Apr 4th, '11, 01:46

Greetings TeaFriends, welcome to a new TeaDay hopefully filled with great tea. Please stop in to TeaDay and share what is in your cup with us.

Over the weekend we discussed black teas. You can still discuss the weekend's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. How much bitter is acceptable? How much is too much? Please answer as best you can.

We are looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with ... everyone. Bottoms up.

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Apr 4th, '11, 04:31
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by Trey Winston » Apr 4th, '11, 04:31

I like a nice balance in the flavor. Bitterness can tend to overpower the more subtle nuances, as we white tea lovers who are easily distracted and thus prone to oversteeping know only too well.

Planning to have some sencha later today.

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Apr 4th, '11, 05:00
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by karmaplace » Apr 4th, '11, 05:00

I like a little bitterness from time to time, as long as it's not overpowering, so a "nice-balance" for me. :)

I've had lots of sencha today with my hagiwares. I've also got a big package of greens and matcha that should be coming in the next couple of days. Huzzah! 8)

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Apr 4th, '11, 05:36
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by Nenugal » Apr 4th, '11, 05:36

I can survive and even enjoy a bit bitterness as long as it is balanced. Today's morning tea is Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun from Golden Teahouse.

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Apr 4th, '11, 08:22
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by David R. » Apr 4th, '11, 08:22

Balanced I guess. I figured that my mouth got used with time to bitterness so that it doesn't bother me the way it used to.

Fifth day with sencha Zairai. I am beginning to sense it a little better.
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by JRS22 » Apr 4th, '11, 09:27

I need teas with just the littlest hint of bitterness, because I'm overly sensitive to it. That said, I've learned to appreciate that hint of bitterness in my Japanese greens. And I'll have more opportunities to appreciate it because there's an O-Cha package in the mail right now.

I'll probably have the last of my an ji bai cha this morning - with a flavor that's the antithesis of bitter.

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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by JBaymore » Apr 4th, '11, 09:38

Balanced. Wa is important :lol: .

best,

..............john

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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by Chip » Apr 4th, '11, 09:44

Beautiful photo David! Thanks for coloring TD!

In sencha, if bitterness is completely lacking as is the case with Sae Midori varietal offerings, the lack of bitterness leaves the tea tasting a bit flat to me, though still enjoyable. Some bitterness livens the tea up, wakes up the tastebuds, calls attention to the tea at hand.

So, certainly some bitter can enhance some teas.

However, a lower grade sencha that has bitter as one component of a lackluster or worse yet "off" flavor profile, will not however enhance the enjoyment ... bad tea is bad tea, bitter or not.

Began the TD with YM Diamond from Umami-Chaya again with the Mrs. I still have not figured this particular YM selection out. I may increase temp next time.

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Apr 4th, '11, 09:55
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by tortoise » Apr 4th, '11, 09:55

Who likes overly bitter tea? I mean, other than EntropyEmbrace? :shock: :lol: :D

Balanced, please. I'm not overly sensitive too it and can appreciate it, but my guess is that, for everyone, there's a tipping point. :mrgreen:

I better sign off before I'm tempted to drop any more emoticons in this post.

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Apr 4th, '11, 11:29
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by solitude » Apr 4th, '11, 11:29

I would like to distinguish between the bitterness and astringency. Over brewed gyokuro or a young sheng can be bitter on the other hand fuka sencha or the later infusion of some of the green teas are astringent, however this is only my point of view.

In general I like astringency coming from sencha or later, long infusions of some Chinese greens, I somehow get used to it and I like it.

The bitterness from the over brewed gyokuro is something what I don’t like and usually I dilute the tea, but the bitter-sweet-floral taste of some young sheng is often what I am looking for to wake up my taste buds, especially if it comes with good portion of tea drunkenness :D
Cheers

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Apr 4th, '11, 11:49
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by Chip » Apr 4th, '11, 11:49

solitude wrote:I would like to distinguish between the bitterness and astringency.
I am glad you brought this up. Bitter is one of the actual 5 true tastes which our taste-buds/receptors sense. The 5 tastes are sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and umami (a recent addition and not unanimously).

Most other nuances we sense, we owe to our sense of smell and a combination of tastes and smells.

Astringency is more of a sensation, not a taste. A little astringency can also be a good thing, too much is definitely a bad thing. I was really confused on this because often bitter and astringency are improperly used and even interchanged in descriptions, etc., even by vendors who should know better.

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Apr 4th, '11, 13:10
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by Elovitz » Apr 4th, '11, 13:10

Balanced I suppose. I developed a tolerance for it, but I like to avoid it I suppose. And I was thinking of astringency too, which adds a really nice dimension to certain teas. But again only if balanced.

Assam today

Apr 4th, '11, 15:39

Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by brlarson » Apr 4th, '11, 15:39

I don't mind a little bite. I agree with Solitude and with Chip about astringency which will often relax with successive brews and develop into very interesting flavors, or at least I have seen this with sencha and with some Chinese greens (like dragonwell).

BTW, I ordered greens from O-Cha and Zencha on 3/29 via standard shipping and they both arrived here today!!!

Hou de's Beidou No.1 with breakfast and O-Cha's Sae Midori with lunch.

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Apr 4th, '11, 17:46
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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by jaderabbit » Apr 4th, '11, 17:46

I've build up a tolerance for bitterness so I don't really notice it as much as when I started drinking a certain tea. I like a hint of bitterness in my tea, adds to the character. :wink:

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Re: Monday TeaDay 4/4/11 Bitter brewskie?

by entropyembrace » Apr 4th, '11, 18:31

I voted balanced.....but my balance might be different from others :lol:

I like bitterness...and tea without some is usually pretty flat and boring tasting me...especially if it lacks both bitterness and astringency. I want at least one of the two to give the tea a bit of an edge!

But if bitterness is the only thing going on that´s pretty boring too. :?

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