I tried Jasmine #12 last night for the first time and I am disappointed. The smell of jasmine was very strong, too strong for me. The taste was very faint as was the color - barely yellow. It was smooth however and had no astringent notes.
Given how many great reviews this tea got, I wonder if I brewed it incorrectly. I am a newbie to greens and oolongs.
I used fresh boiled water that I cooled a little by pouring it between couple of vessels a few times - I don't have a thermometer. I used about 1.5 teaspoons of pearls for 11 oz of water (that's the size of my pot) and brewed it for 5 mins per Adagio's instructions. I did a second steep almost immediately after the first and found the resulting tea identical to the first steep.
Should I be doing something differently? Or just accept that this particular tea is not for my taste?
Hi Russiansoul,
Jasmine 12 is my favorite tea! Here's how I like it --
I use 12 pearls in my IngenuiTea, or 6 pearls for an 8-oz. cup. On the first steep, water is little less than boiling and steeped for 4 minutes. The next 2 steeps, increase temp a bit and add a minute more for each (5 and 6 minutes respectively). The 4th steep is rather boring and I only go that far with it if I'm making a large batch of iced tea and want to blend all 4 steepings together.
Try that and see what you think before giving up on it.
Jasmine 12 is my favorite tea! Here's how I like it --
I use 12 pearls in my IngenuiTea, or 6 pearls for an 8-oz. cup. On the first steep, water is little less than boiling and steeped for 4 minutes. The next 2 steeps, increase temp a bit and add a minute more for each (5 and 6 minutes respectively). The 4th steep is rather boring and I only go that far with it if I'm making a large batch of iced tea and want to blend all 4 steepings together.
Try that and see what you think before giving up on it.
"Top off the tea... it lubricates the grey matter."
(Jerry Ledbetter, "Good Neighbors")
(Jerry Ledbetter, "Good Neighbors")