Official what Black (Red) Tea Are You Drinking Right Now?

[ethan]

Victoria, I had 10 kilograms shipped directly to me by Jun Chiyabari. I was given phone numbers etc. by a friend who met them by luck in Nepal. I have been selling this through Teaswap at $6 per ounce plus postage (cheaper than any vendor). If you want an ounce or more please send me a private message.

[jayinhk]

Drinking the tribute grade dianhong I picked up in Kunming. I put this tea in mylar bags with Taiwanese plastic tubes for closing bags up airtight. The tea seems less flavorful now than when it was stored in a large ziplock-style bag. Go figure!

[Yannick]

I have been drinking the two hongs that came in the most recent shipment of the white2tea club, both compressed dianhong teas.
One a '16 Lincang, the other a '13 Fengqing, the former being a xiaobing and the latter being pressed as 7 gram balls, making them convenient for me to brew at work, or perhaps bring along while travelling.

I am hoping the 2013 Fengqing will be available for purchase outside of the club at some point, as it was definitely my favorite of the two!

[ethan]

Drinking the tribute grade dianhong I picked up in Kunming. I put this tea in mylar bags with Taiwanese plastic tubes for closing bags up airtight. The tea seems less flavorful now than when it was stored in a large ziplock-style bag. Go figure!

Jay, Really? I used those "tubes" to keep foil bags tightly closed w/o any problem. That is hard to understand. For tea that I will drink within a few weeks, I have been using ceramic tea caddies. Flavors present themselves more from the caddies. From the caddies, the black TGY showed more TGY characteristics & a simpler black from Taiwan (which I got after you left) is not more dynamic but has a bit more oomph.

[jayinhk]

Drinking the tribute grade dianhong I picked up in Kunming. I put this tea in mylar bags with Taiwanese plastic tubes for closing bags up airtight. The tea seems less flavorful now than when it was stored in a large ziplock-style bag. Go figure!

Jay, Really? I used those "tubes" to keep foil bags tightly closed w/o any problem. That is hard to understand. For tea that I will drink within a few weeks, I have been using ceramic tea caddies. Flavors present themselves more from the caddies. From the caddies, the black TGY showed more TGY characteristics & a simpler black from Taiwan (which I got after you left) is not more dynamic but has a bit more oomph.

Perhaps the exposure to air in the bag here meant it got moist. I'll try heating some before the next brew to wake it up. Humidity here is 85% today!

BTW I can get those tubes for a decent price and will put them up on the site and throw them in with orders, too. They're great, aren't they?

[daidokorocha]

I'm planning on having some black TGY tonight. I will be running out shortly, so if you have made any progress in brewing Ethan, please let me know! As for now, I'll stick to the general recommendations you gave me, as it works for me.

[ethan]

I'm planning on having some black TGY tonight. I will be running out shortly, so if you have made any progress in brewing Ethan, please let me know! As for now, I'll stick to the general recommendations you gave me, as it works for me.

I don't have any of that left. That tea was very mercurial. Sometimes I was drinking a very good black Taiwan tea w/ a touch of TGY; sometimes it was a very good TGY w/ a touch of blackness. Last several sessions I steeped quickly, don't really kow why but was happy w/ results.

The farmer/vendor I got that from is fun. She finished every cup that she poured for herself & expected us to do the same. We must have tried 6 before we had an oolong that we liked at all. Jay & I had spent almost 2 hours w/ her tasting oolongs. We were leaving w/ purchases of 150 grams each of roasted oolong when she forced us to try the black TGY. She was not surprised that we bought it in a flash. I'll see her this autumn.

[jayinhk]

I'm planning on having some black TGY tonight. I will be running out shortly, so if you have made any progress in brewing Ethan, please let me know! As for now, I'll stick to the general recommendations you gave me, as it works for me.

I don't have any of that left. That tea was very mercurial. Sometimes I was drinking a very good black Taiwan tea w/ a touch of TGY; sometimes it was a very good TGY w/ a touch of blackness. Last several sessions I steeped quickly, don't really kow why but was happy w/ results.

The farmer/vendor I got that from is fun. She finished every cup that she poured for herself & expected us to do the same. We must have tried 6 before we had an oolong that we liked at all. Jay & I had spent almost 2 hours w/ her tasting oolongs. We were leaving w/ purchases of 150 grams each of roasted oolong when she forced us to try the black TGY. She was not surprised that we bought it in a flash. I'll see her this autumn.

Ethan, I didn't buy any rolled tieguanyin from that lady...just the black. I don't think you did either. I don't remember her sweating, but she certainly hung in there and drank with us. I've barely touched that black TGY since I got home. The quality is definitely there, I just don't drink black as often as oolong and pu erh. That and I wanted to get the green gaoshan out of the way first!

[ethan]

Jay, I bought medium-roast rolled oolong from her. When I was looking at what you had before you left & comparing it to what I had.....

Anyway, it is good for you to bring it up because it seems we had a lot of green oolong & a lot of dark-roasted but not so much of the medium-roast which has its place....I will see her again.

I've been helping my first girlfriend who 34 years after we split up telephoned me to ask me to stay w/ her for a while because she signed herself out of a rehab against medical advice. Her house is full of tea blends & flavored tea. Not being a snob, I have tried almost all of them & have not wanted a second session w/ any. Fortunately, I did come w/ a lot of the Himalayan Orange which tastes so good after so many cups of tea that needs milk or whatever to make it worth drinking. Cheers

[Whalebreath]

Just took delivery of a Thai product from Tea Side couldn't be Happier truly a delicious product-Thanks to whoever here referenced this company earlier.

[daidokorocha]

Going against Ethan's grain here, I fathom I will have a blend today. Perhaps a French melange or an Earl Grey. I have been drinking strictly greens lately again and I feel in the need for a black. I will not be taking any milk however. I do enjoy a well done blend every now and again. After all, you can't always get away from blends with Japanese green tea! Or even Taiwanese oolongs. I suppose blacks are the best known straight out as blends and I wonder how this affects their popularity relatively.

[jayinhk]

Just took delivery of a Thai product from Tea Side couldn't be Happier truly a delicious product-Thanks to whoever here referenced this company earlier.

Johnb told us all about it. I have yet to try a bad tea from Tea-Side.com. Two out of three have been exceptional. The guy knows what he's doing!

[jayinhk]

Drinking the tribute grade Fengqing dianhong I picked up in Kunming. All tips and just such a pleasure to drink. Not astringent or bitter at all (to me), even when brewed strong and hot, and lovely sweetness and huigan. Light flavor of tangerines. Dry leaf have a little bit of a barnyard aroma, but that doesn't carry over into the cup, which strangely smells sweet.

The last time I brewed this tea, I realized the humidity had gotten into it since I had it in a large ziplock bag (from the store) for a few weeks before transferring to airtight mylar bags. I gave it a little heat tonight and it's back to where I want it, although a little different (the heat drives off some moisture and tea always seems to brew up differently after some heat). Still much better than my last experience with it. Top grade dianhong is the best black/red tea I've ever had. This stuff is smooth on the throat and calming, and such a pleasure to drink

[ethan]

Drank Ruby 18 yesterday. A sample was sent to me from Taiwan by someone I don't know who had heard I was trying tea before I made plans for my month there tasting & buying tea.

The Ruby 18 was awful. This is the second awful Ruby 18 that I have had.

Perhaps this is a name that invites the negative side of business to go to work. The name alone giving buyers the confidence that they are getting some of the latest & greatest tea. It is sold at the airport for high prices to the jet-lagged thinking about a gift while killing time before their flights.

The same people sent me a sample of a lovely green tea. It is refreshing & gives me the green, green, from the earth & mountain so fresh & as tea, not vegetables. That is the basic & profound quality that I want from a green tea. It is totally w/o bitterness or anything else that I don't want.

[Tead Off]

Drank Ruby 18 yesterday. A sample was sent to me from Taiwan by someone I don't know who had heard I was trying tea before I made plans for my month there tasting & buying tea.

The Ruby 18 was awful. This is the second awful Ruby 18 that I have had.

Perhaps this is a name that invites the negative side of business to go to work. The name alone giving buyers the confidence that they are getting some of the latest & greatest tea. It is sold at the airport for high prices to the jet-lagged thinking about a gift while killing time before their flights.

If this is the same tea as T-18, perhaps you got some inferior tea as the T-18 is one of the best black teas that Taiwan produces and can be very good.