Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

[ethan]

First time for a 2015 Spring Harvest of a Muzha Tie Guan Yin. When asking for samples I did not ask for unroasted TGY but this was sent.

This TGY is delicate enough for me, giving fresh green flavor etc. in subdued or light manner. 2nd infusion is more vegetal & reminds me to keep steeping short & that unroasted TGY is not a favorite.

A bit of huigan that is most pleasant surprise. Forgot to mention yesterday's surprise: the aged oolong's cha-qi.

[victoria3]

I had fun with Floating Leaves 2014 Bai Hao Oolong today. It is from Pin Lin District, Taiwan and elevation around 600 meters high with Chin Xin Oolong varietal. I read this Oriental Beauty likes to be steeped hot, almost boiling or boiling, so I placed the pot in a bowl pouring hot water over it to keep it extra hot. This worked really well. I also used plenty of leaf, more than I typically would. I started out at 9.6gr /150ml /just under boil /80sec. in a pre-heated Yixing but found it either needed more leaf or time so in the 2nd steep I simply added extra leaf, this worked perfectly.

The wet leaf aroma is intoxicatingly fragrant through all the steeps! Wow an aromatic knockout. Into the 3rd and 4th steeps the fragrant aroma translated into flavor, as if you are tasting the aroma. Through each steep the liquor becomes increasingly darker richer gradations of amber.

1st: 12gr/150ml/just under boil/80sec., no need to pre-rinse, steeped in tea boat pouring boiling water over pot to keep it extra hot through all steeps.
2nd: 150 /just under boil /80sec.
3rd: 140/boiling/2:10min.
4th: 140/boiling/6min.
5th: 140/boiling/12min.
6th: 140/boiling/20min.
7th: 140/boiling/2hrs.+

[ethan]

Victoria, Thanks for your steeping details which surprise me for the duration of the infusions. I bought 2 Oriental Beauty teas while in Pin Lin. They were not the same varietal as yours. The first, "medium quality" in the English nomenclature of the lady selling it to us was the best O.B. I had ever tasted. Five or ten minutes later, that medium quality was no longer the best O.B. I had ever tasted as I sampled "top quality". I bought them both.

More importantly, when I get more of one of those or both of those, I hope you get to compare what you got from FLT to what I hope you get from me. Why? I cannot understand the extended steeping time your O.B. from FLT seems to need.

As I write this I am drinking a 4th infusion of an O.B. from Thailand. As the leaves sat in a ceramic tea caddy in my bedroom (hotter than ideal by far) the tea has lost some of its complexity & produces almost totally floral flavors, predominantly lavender. Still very good.

[jayinhk]

Tried two very good high roast shuixians over the last few days from a local vendor who carries some very high end tea. I tried his top grade first (which the vendor stated was twenty years old). This shuixian was stored separately from the regular grades in a massive chased pewter caddy. Even brewed with a little less leaf than usual, the top grade had everything you could ask for; incredible smoothness on the throat, calming energy, longevity, great flavor, incredible balance (of flavor, roast, huigan, everything), complexity (a serious range of flavors that had been well preserved through the roast and the years), you name it. The flavor of the roast did not dominate, perhaps because of the age; instead it was perfectly balanced with the shuixian bouquet. I detected osmanthus, chrysanthemum and black tea at different points. Excellent leaf quality when examined after brewing, as you would expect. Not cheap at all, but without a doubt the best example of a high roast shuixian I've ever encountered, and worth every dollar.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHys-BvA23N ... y=jayinhkg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHytXX_gwci ... y=jayinhkg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHyuEbaAvmk ... y=jayinhkg

His middle grade is surprisingly reasonably priced and is outstanding value. It also had surprisingly good longevity and still had more to give after four infusions, but I had to head to the gym and then dinner after. I'll see what I can get out of it today when I get back to my office downtown. The taste of minerals, roast and classic shuixian bouquet dominate. There is an interesting difference to the flavor profile of this tea that makes it unique from the other high roast shuixians I've tried from HK vendors, but I can't describe exactly how it's different. This tea also has a little bitterness in the first and second infusion, but nothing unpleasant (the top grade had no bitterness at all). The leaf quality isn't quite as pretty as the top grade, either, but I was still very impressed with the tea for the price as it is classic high roast shuixian and would make an excellent daily drinker, and is a nice alternative to the Three Stamp for significantly less money!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BH6qmIwAVV8 ... y=jayinhkg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BH6q1nJgt4c ... y=jayinhkg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BH6q9FMAwTS ... y=jayinhkg

Both shuixians will definitely be in my tea drinking rotation, and on the site, too. The highest grade will make for a treat on special occasions and for guests who can really appreciate just how good it is (I wouldn't waste it on people who wouldn't appreciate it), and the middle grade is something I could very happily drink regularly as an alternative to the higher roasted Three Stamp and Superior Grade. It's been a great couple of days.

[victoria3]

Victoria, Thanks for your steeping details which surprise me for the duration of the infusions. I bought 2 Oriental Beauty teas while in Pin Lin. They were not the same varietal as yours. The first, "medium quality" in the English nomenclature of the lady selling it to us was the best O.B. I had ever tasted. Five or ten minutes later, that medium quality was no longer the best O.B. I had ever tasted as I sampled "top quality". I bought them both.

More importantly, when I get more of one of those or both of those, I hope you get to compare what you got from FLT to what I hope you get from me. Why? I cannot understand the extended steeping time your O.B. from FLT seems to need.

As I write this I am drinking a 4th infusion of an O.B. from Thailand. As the leaves sat in a ceramic tea caddy in my bedroom (hotter than ideal by far) the tea has lost some of its complexity & produces almost totally floral flavors, predominantly lavender. Still very good.

Ethan, I think I over steeped 5-7, and after posting I did two more steeps, plus I'm leaving a 10th steep to go overnight. I'll try it again and see how the time goes and update any adjustments. I do like my brews on the bold side though. The aroma was awesome. It would be nice to try your OB one day.

[jayinhk]

I agree that those steeps are surprisingly long. 12gr/150ml sounds about right, but 8gr would be fine with good material. Also when heating up my pots with hot water poured on the outside, I dump the water from the bowl immediately before it cools down and robs the heat from my pot.

This does seem to point to an issue with the leaf--have you tried brewing the tea in porcelain? The leaf quality looks good from your picture and that's certainly a well-stuffed pot!

[victoria3]

I agree that those steeps are surprisingly long. 12gr/150ml sounds about right, but 8gr would be fine with good material. Also when heating up my pots with hot water poured on the outside, I dump the water from the bowl immediately before it cools down and robs the heat from my pot.

This does seem to point to an issue with the leaf--have you tried brewing the tea in porcelain? The leaf quality looks good from your picture and that's certainly a well-stuffed pot!

I could try porcelain later today on my second round with this tea, although with some other oolongs my yixing performed much better, bringing out nuances not present using porcelain. I agree that it's a good idea to remove water from the tea boat before it cools. I was surprised how cool it got! I started with 9.6grams/150ml leaf but found the 1st steep to light so added more into 2nd steep which worked well for me. I'm impatient and don't want to wait until 3rd steep for rich flavor.

Would be nice to know how others are steeping their various daily oolongs as they post. It seems through the history of tea steeping no one method prevails other than the need for tea leaf, water at varying temperatures, a vessel, and time.

[ethan]

I use 1 gram per 30 ml for Oriental Beauty for 3 - 4 infusions. I use celadon (which is essentially a thick porcelain). I wouldn't say something is wrong but something is not ideal. Hope the porcelain works better than the yixing, Victoria.

[victoria3]

I use 1 gram per 30 ml for Oriental Beauty for 3 - 4 infusions. I use celadon (which is essentially a thick porcelain). I wouldn't say something is wrong but something is not ideal. Hope the porcelain works better than the yixing, Victoria.

Ethan what are your steeping times for oriental Beauty (I think you mentioned you prefer lighter brews)? Curious what style of brewing you prefer.

[ethan]

I use 1 gram per 30 ml for Oriental Beauty for 3 - 4 infusions. I use celadon (which is essentially a thick porcelain). I wouldn't say something is wrong but something is not ideal. Hope the porcelain works better than the yixing, Victoria.

Ethan what are your steeping times for oriental Beauty (I think you mentioned you prefer lighter brews)? Curious what style of brewing you prefer.

I use a celadon cup that opposite the handle has cerated edge/top that keeps leaves in while allowing liquid out. W/ pressure on the lid, it is so easy to pour. Also putting leaves or water in is simple & cleaning etc. very quick. I steep 30 - 50 seconds for the Oriental Beauty usually. If I push for a 4th infusion, then 90 seconds or so for that. The result is not terribly light even for as little as 30 seconds of 3 grams of leaf in 90 ml of 88C water. (A porcelain gaiwan produces the same results.)

[victoria3]

I just had the 12th Steep from Floating Leaves Bai Hao. It was left on the counter overnight into the afternoon. It is still very tasty with rich flavors. I am going for a 13th long steep tonight. Having used so much leaf allows for lengthy number of steeps.

On the other hand, my 2nd tasting porcelain experiment was a real dud. This oolong needs a lot of leaf to make itself present. Using 7/100ml/just under boil/80sec., had a nice aroma, although the aroma was much more powerful in Yixing. Liquor didn't have much flavor until 4th steep. Blah generally, however there was a background fragrance going on. The 4th steep was the only flavorful one. Back to yixing and more leaf with this one.

[ethan]

I am not taking out a calculator before stating that when you get that many infusions that you enjoy, then that Bai Hao is economical. Thanks for letting us know that a particular Bai Hao does better in your yixing than in porcelain. Cheers

[jayinhk]

Try giving the dud some low-medium heat in a clean, dry skillet for a few minutes and keep it moving around. That may help. If not, it may just be crappy tea.

[victoria3]

Try giving the dud some low-medium heat in a clean, dry skillet for a few minutes and keep it moving around. That may help. If not, it may just be crappy tea.

Thanks Jay, actually the 1st time I steeped this in yixing with more leaf it was an overall success for a first go at it, only times needed tweaking and refining. It's just one of those teas that requires a lot of leaf and very hot water.

[Frisbeehead]

I am enjoying this spring 2016 medium roast dong ding from brother Chen. I got my package of tea from him the other day, and I debated for a while on which one to open. Ultimately I decided on the medium roast dong ding, since it's the tea I got the most of.

There is something different about his teas that makes them stand out against everything else I have on hand. Truly enjoyable, and somehow the fragrance gives me a very nostalgic feeling. This tea has a calming qi, and the flavor is dynamic and interesting all the way up to the 10th/11th steep (the one I think I'm on now, probably the last one).