High quality Single bush Dancong question

[shah82]

It can be hard to get any kind of strong flavor from it, and be fustrating because the dry leaf would smell so good.

I got my one and only one good session by following Imen Shan's directions for brewing young bush Dancongs. I make no promises that this would work for you, if you have it. Those directions definitly don't work for all dancongs, so they are really expensive for the inexperienced brewer.

[Tead Off]

It can be hard to get any kind of strong flavor from it, and be fustrating because the dry leaf would smell so good.

I got my one and only one good session by following Imen Shan's directions for brewing young bush Dancongs. I make no promises that this would work for you, if you have it. Those directions definitly don't work for all dancongs, so they are really expensive for the inexperienced brewer.

The reason I ask is that I have no problem brewing DC's that are high quality and wonder about what other posters are talking about when they say 'temperamental' and 'difficult'. Good DC's are delicious. So, what price point separates the good from the bad? I have never had a good DC priced under $30 for 100g. Most of the DC I have drunk comes in much higher, closer to Imen's prices. I have also drunk Jing Tea Shop's Song Zhong and Mi Lan DC's, both good, but I have had better from East Teas and my local supplier here in Bangkok. Those teas that you see occassionally for $15/100g have always been garbage to me. I can't drink that stuff, it's just a waste of time and is so different than good DC. Handmade DC is best. It is a delicate tea, highly refined, but seems easy to make to me.

[mr. Less]

Hey,

i also had a lot of trouble getting a nice cup from de houde ba xian.
So i think Tead off is right, when he says a good dc is 'easy' to brew...
Btw , i like everything from houde, but their dc doesnt do the trick for me

[tingjunkie]

Can you tell us what high quality DC's you've had that fell into this 'temperamental' category and where you got them? I have fallen in love with DC but there is a huge discrepancy between the good and the bad. Of all the bad teas I've had, some of the worst have been DC's.

A few winter DC's from Jing, and a couple DC's friends of mine have brought. None of these were at Imen's price point, but i wouldn't consider them cheap either.

[Tead Off]

I know how frustrating it is to try and get something out of a tea that doesn't seem to 'cooperate'. With DC, if I can't get anything out of it by lowering the temp and shortening the brew time, I will abandon it, go to my room, and do primal scream while curled up in the fetal position. I will then relegate the tea to ice tea duty.

[Tead Off]

Can you tell us what high quality DC's you've had that fell into this 'temperamental' category and where you got them? I have fallen in love with DC but there is a huge discrepancy between the good and the bad. Of all the bad teas I've had, some of the worst have been DC's.

A few winter DC's from Jing, and a couple DC's friends of mine have brought. None of these were at Imen's price point, but i wouldn't consider them cheap either.

Were these over $30/100g? Have you ever had any DC that you could brew easily?

[mr. Less]

Hey ,

i was wondering, many people here say that with dancong you dont have a medium grade.
Its either great , or its bad.my previous experiences seem to back up this idea
but i was looking at imens site, and she also sells comercial grade dc, for about 25 dollars for 75 grams
its hard to imagine imens selling crappy dc, so my question to you guys,
did anyone tried her commercial grade, and could that be medium grade dc?
Or does this fall in the crap category?