Da Hong Pao / Dan Cong?

[Bubba_tea]

Hey all -
I bought some samples from Teacuppa of the rou gui, magnolia dan cong, wu yi, lao cong etc etc - they seems to be similar in style of oxidation - but I'm having trouble getting a lot of flavor out of them. Any hints? The honey dan cong I bought from teance had lots of flavor over many infusions, but these seem to die after 1-2 infusions. I've seen recommendations for 203 or 212 for the wu yi's - but neither worked great for me so far. As far as leaf goes - 5gm for 5oz gaiwan.

[hop_goblin]

Hey all -
I bought some samples from Teacuppa of the rou gui, magnolia dan cong, wu yi, lao cong etc etc - they seems to be similar in style of oxidation - but I'm having trouble getting a lot of flavor out of them. Any hints? The honey dan cong I bought from teance had lots of flavor over many infusions, but these seem to die after 1-2 infusions. I've seen recommendations for 203 or 212 for the wu yi's - but neither worked great for me so far. As far as leaf goes - 5gm for 5oz gaiwan.

You may be SOL. Could be just crappy tea. Especially if it cashes out only after 2 infusions. Try adding a bit more leaf and increasing the steeping time.

[ABx]

Another thing to keep in mind is the environmental conditions. I've often found that when it's hot and humid out that I simply can't get a satisfying brew out of yancha. It tends to come out weak, flat, and without much aroma.

Otherwise I agree with hop - try more leaf and/or increase steeping time. For yancha I usually fill the gaiwan about 1/4 full with dry leaf and give it 20-30 seconds for the first steep and very short steeps after that.

[Bubba_tea]

Ah ha... hot and muggy? Here in SW MO?? By jove...

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Hey all -
I bought some samples from Teacuppa of the rou gui, magnolia dan cong, wu yi, lao cong etc etc - they seems to be similar in style of oxidation - but I'm having trouble getting a lot of flavor out of them. Any hints? The honey dan cong I bought from teance had lots of flavor over many infusions, but these seem to die after 1-2 infusions. I've seen recommendations for 203 or 212 for the wu yi's - but neither worked great for me so far. As far as leaf goes - 5gm for 5oz gaiwan.

Well out of the ones you mentioned I tried the Magnolia Dan Cong from them and the Lao Cong Shui Xian. Which wuyi did you get, because I've also had the Da Ye.

Out of the 7 oolongs that i ordered from them the magnolia was my least favorite. I found that it had a decent flavor but I had to use A LOT of leaf. I cant remember exactly how much, but it was deff 6 grams to 120 ml gaiwan if not more. The Lao Cong Shui Xian that I had was quite good. I used somewhere around 4 grams to 120 ml and it came out wonderful. Perhaps it could be your steeping times?

[Bubba_tea]

How long and what temp did you steep the lao cong for? Here's what I bought:

Beidou Yi Hou Wuyi Oolong Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $7.50 $7.50
Honey Orchid Dan Cong Oolong Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $3.00 $3.00
Lao Cong Shui Xian Oolong Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $3.50 $3.50
Magnolia Dan Cong Oolong Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $3.00 $3.00
Rou Gui Oolong Tea - 25 grams + Canister 1 1 $15.00 $15.00
Huang Jin Gui Oolong Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $3.00 $3.00
Da Hong Pao Wu Yi Rock Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $5.00 $5.00
Milk Oolong Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $4.00 $4.00
Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea - 15 grams (0.54 oz) 1 1 $3.70 $3.70
Yunnan Tippy Black Tea - 100 grams (3.53 oz) 1 1 $12.00 $12.00
CNNP Green Mark 7542 Tea Cake - 50 grams (1.76 oz)

If you get a chance - try that Milk Oolong - it's pretty dang good and lasts several goes.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Ill deff give that milk oolong a try Anything else off that order that you liked?

As for the lao cong I use just off boil water (I'd say around 200-205F). My first infusion I wait about 30 seconds or so and than begin to pour. I dont rinse it, you can deff experiment with that though. I probably keep the first 3 infusions under a minute, each one a little bit longer, and than go from there. Of course this is just what I do but it seems to work out well

I also ordered the Huang Jin Gui which is good for the price I think. How did you fare with that one?

[Bubba_tea]

The beidou and cnnp green puer are also good. The Yunnan gold is pretty good - but I still don't get that peppery flavor - but it's thick and creamy tasting - better than any 2007 I had. I haven't tried all of them yet. I thought I ordered the 2005 rou gui, but I think they sent the 2007. It's ok - but I think it needs a lot of leaf to get the flavor out.

---

Hey - just wanted to add that the puer is good - but... I was reading that smokeyness is a defect, and it is smokey. After the first couple of infusions, the smokeyness is much diminished and the sweetness comes through. I do two washes with boiling water for 20sec per YSLLC instructions.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

the puer is good - but... I was reading that smokeyness is a defect, and it is smokey.

A defect as in how?

[Bubba_tea]

Hop said so, so it is!

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=5954

[Grubby]

I bought some of the stuff u did and i do mine in a Yixing, 1/3 leaves so that when the leaves are fully expanded they fill up the pot. It give me good result. I use like 80-90 degree water and 20-40 sec steeping, gong-fu kind of style.
I think it taste pretty good and a nice flavour. I get maybe the rinse + 6 infusions then. If you don't mind weak tasting tea you could probably do 8-9 infusions.

[wyardley]

I bought some samples from Teacuppa of the rou gui, magnolia dan cong, wu yi, lao cong etc etc - they seems to be similar in style of oxidation - but I'm having trouble getting a lot of flavor out of them. Any hints? The honey dan cong I bought from teance had lots of flavor over many infusions, but these seem to die after 1-2 infusions. I've seen recommendations for 203 or 212 for the wu yi's - but neither worked great for me so far. As far as leaf goes - 5gm for 5oz gaiwan.

With most yan cha, you typically want to use a whole lot of leaf. 3/4 or more by volume. Fill that gaiwan almost to the top with leaf, and then do instant pours for the rinse and first couple brews. I'd use water just off the boil; if the tea doesn't taste good, maybe using slightly cooler water will improve the taste a little.

One thing to keep in mind is that if they're shorter / more broken leaves, use less volume, and if they're really long leaves, you need to use a *lot* of leaf.

Dan Cong you can probably get away with less leaf - opinions are more varied with it, but I'd say 1/4 to 3/4 full of leaf by volume.

[taitea]

One thing to keep in mind is that if they're shorter / more broken leaves, use less volume, and if they're really long leaves, you need to use a *lot* of leaf.

What's the reasoning for this?

[ABx]

One thing to keep in mind is that if they're shorter / more broken leaves, use less volume, and if they're really long leaves, you need to use a *lot* of leaf.

What's the reasoning for this?

If you take a lot of large leaf and crush it to bits then it will have much less volume. Broken bits also steep a lot faster.

[Bubba_tea]

So is that 203 ish temp water?