Tuesday, 2/19/08, TeaDayyyyyyyyyy

BYOT! Enter TeaChat here, you never know what you may find!


A follow up to yesterday, what technology do you use when brewing TEA?

I am female and I eye ball everything
8
16%
I am female and I use some tech tools such as a thermometer &/or a timer
15
31%
I am female and I am hard core using everything including a digital scale
3
6%
I am male and I eyeball everything
8
16%
I am male and I use some tech tools such as a thermometer &/or a timer
8
16%
I am male and I am hard core using everything including a digital scale
7
14%
 
Total votes: 49

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Feb 19th, '08, 12:10
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Location: Somewhere in the wilds of Montana, but never without a teacup.
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by skywarrior » Feb 19th, '08, 12:10

This morning, I decided to try adagio's vanilla black. I also rinse the leaves -- something I don't normally do with black teas. We'll see if it makes a quality difference.

Then, I'll probably settle down with something else. I still have to have some dan cong oolong.

Oh yeah, and I use timers and occasionally thermometers. (But once I know the temps of the Utilitea pot, it's pretty much academic). And I measure the tea -- but I just use measuring spoons.
It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes -- Douglas Adams.

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Feb 19th, '08, 12:16
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by Cinnamon Kitty » Feb 19th, '08, 12:16

daughteroftheKing wrote: Wake-up tea today was Kyoto Cherry Rose organic, but now I'm waiting for my Jasmine Pearls to unfurl and get me through the morning at work.
Where is the Kyoto Cherry Rose from? I had some a while ago that I bought from a tea shop and loved it! I've been looking for a place to get it from since then because it was sooo good.

For my tea making, I have a thermometer, a set of measuring spoons, and a timer. I need a scale at some point, but my little tea scoop works great for now.

Which reminds me, I need a large mug of tea to make me less groggy. I think I will start the morning with some casablanca twist with a dab of honey. Then I will get to a nice sencha and brew a bunch of cups of that while starting on the beginning of my senior thesis paper. That sounds like a good plan.

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Feb 19th, '08, 12:21
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Location: New York

by witches brew » Feb 19th, '08, 12:21

I'm so low-tech it isn't funny.

I use whatever teaspoon is at hand, and they don't all measure a proper teaspoon. I measure out the tea in a little saucer or the palm of my hand until it 'looks right'. I shut off the whistling kettle and wait a reasonable interval of time for the water to cool. And then I steep the tea, guided by the fragrance and the color of the tea, with an occasional glance at the clock. If it's a new tea, I watch the clock more carefully.

Do I get a perfect, repeatable cup of tea? Probably not, but I wouldn't make tea at all if I had to use lots of gadgets. My tea is impressionistic, and varies with my mood.

In my cup right now, Tazo Wild Sweet Orange from a teabag, with added rose hips and a dash of peppermint. I told you I had eclectic tastes.

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Feb 19th, '08, 12:41
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by GeoffK » Feb 19th, '08, 12:41

First cup of the day was the Adagio English Breakfast. Had it yesterday and really enjoyed it. Love the smokeyness to it.

Right now I'm eyeballing everything as I don't own a digital thermometer or tea scale.

Yesterday I picked up some Ti Kuan Yin from Uwajimaya. They were clearing out their Chineese New Year Gift packs and I couldn't resist. Yeah I know bulk teas.... But it was actually quite good. It was my 2nd tea yesterday and maybe will be my 2nd tea today.

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Feb 19th, '08, 12:56
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by Wesli » Feb 19th, '08, 12:56

Adagio's Darjeeling #22 this AM

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Feb 19th, '08, 13:05
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by tenuki » Feb 19th, '08, 13:05

Something struck me while reading all these posts.

Coffee has such a narrow flavor palette compared to tea. Sure there are different roasts, etc, but basically the are variations on 'strong and bitter coffee taste.' Don't get me wrong, I love coffee as much as the next guy. But tea? Well, tea ranges from strong, pungent earth puerhs to light green oolongs and sweet vegetal japanese greens, from robust assams to english breakfast tea, and I could go on and on.

What a wonderful, cornucopia of diversity tea is compared to coffee.
Do something different, something different will happen. ( Gong Fu Garden )

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Feb 19th, '08, 13:09
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by Mary R » Feb 19th, '08, 13:09

Alas, a cornucopia of love!

Today's tea: Yutaka Midori. Yum.

I usually measure everything. Today I didn't. I ended up using too much leaf and too cool of water. Blast. My eyeball...it lies to me.
Last edited by Mary R on Feb 19th, '08, 13:11, edited 1 time in total.

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Feb 19th, '08, 13:11
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by olivierco » Feb 19th, '08, 13:11

My Ippodo order arrived this morning. As I have already many Japanese greens open right now, I stored the gyokuros (Ippoen and Kanro), the senchas (Kaboku and Kumpu) and the matcha (Wakamatsu-no-mukashi) in my fridge.
I had Iri Bancha (350 yens for 200 gr). I brew it 10gr 400ml boiling water 10 min
After the first tea picking of the year, leaves, stems and small twigs from the lower portions of the tea plant are collected, steamed, dried (but not rolled), and roasted at high heat. The result is an unmistakably unique smoky flavor and aroma, somewhat similar to the smell of a campfire or bonfire
It is indeed unique. Fortunately, the campfire smell hasn't a too pregnant flavor in the tea. Just a curiosity tea for barbecue or smoked fish.

Now I am drinking something more to my taste: Hatsumi sencha.

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Feb 19th, '08, 13:26
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by Victoria » Feb 19th, '08, 13:26

GeoffK wrote: Yesterday I picked up some Ti Kuan Yin from Uwajimaya. They were clearing out their Chineese New Year Gift packs and I couldn't resist. Yeah I know bulk teas.... But it was actually quite good. It was my 2nd tea yesterday and maybe will be my 2nd tea today.
Hey sounds good to me, TKY is a favorite, and on sale even better.

On the second steep of the Bai Ji Guan oolong now.

I feel today is going to be a full TeaDay. I'll be back!

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Feb 19th, '08, 13:38
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by augie » Feb 19th, '08, 13:38

tenuki wrote: I think modern man is actually handicapped by science sometimes because it draws our attention away from our own senses.

Legend of Tung Ting - from teahome starts the day
I was about to post a reply that i am just too busy to mess with all this stuff (also don't have the room for it all). But Tenuki's answer sounds better.

Making real, homemade soap is the same way. All the recipes you will read say measure, measure, measure, temp, wear safety goggles, etc. . . . but the experienced soapmakers I learned from just look, dump and stir.

Feb 19th, '08, 13:39
Posts: 1978
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by Pentox » Feb 19th, '08, 13:39

Today is an Adagio Blueberry White morning for me.

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Feb 19th, '08, 13:42
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by insanitylater » Feb 19th, '08, 13:42

i usually just wing it but those electric kettles with a temperature setting seem convenient. it kind of seems like using one instead of a regular kettle takes away from the tea experience though. i want that water kettle adaigo sells because it looks really nice

i'm gonna go make some mint tea now!

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Feb 19th, '08, 13:52
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by scruffmcgruff » Feb 19th, '08, 13:52

I wing it with everything but Japanese greens-- for those I bust out the hardware. Scale, thermometer, timer. Sencha needs more precision than other teas, IMO.
Tea Nerd - www.teanerd.com

Feb 19th, '08, 14:13
Posts: 1978
Joined: Jan 14th, '08, 18:01
Location: CA
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by Pentox » Feb 19th, '08, 14:13

Scruff McGruff wrote:I wing it with everything but Japanese greens-- for those I bust out the hardware. Scale, thermometer, timer. Sencha needs more precision than other teas, IMO.
Oh so true. I go for precision when it's convenient. Other times though I just wing it.(i.e. at work)

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Feb 19th, '08, 14:21
Posts: 59
Joined: Aug 9th, '07, 10:30
Location: MI

by JT » Feb 19th, '08, 14:21

Scruff McGruff wrote:I wing it with everything but Japanese greens-- for those I bust out the hardware. Scale, thermometer, timer. Sencha needs more precision than other teas, IMO.
Indeed.


On my 5th cup of Chiran Kanayamidori, good stuff.

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