How to pour water when brewing yancha?

[tenuki]

Have you noticed a difference in flavor and aroma using your left hand to pour?

That video was the first time I noticed I use either hand to pour. I just grab it with whatever hand is closest I guess. I'm pretty much ambidextrous so it's not surprising. And no, I don't notice a difference, didn't even notice I was doing it until I filmed it and I've been using a gaiwan for years now.

[tenuki]

I have a new cool electric kettle

That IS a cool kettle!!!

When she says "old tea", does she mean aged tea or tea from old bush (a new harvest from an old bush)?
Any ideas?

My take is old teas, as in aged since made.

[Herb_Master]

When she says "old tea", does she mean aged tea or tea from old bush (a new harvest from an old bush)?
Any ideas?

My take is old teas, as in aged since made.[/quote]

My guess is that your take is 100% correct.

In her catalogute Imen divides her Dcs between

1. Aged Teas
Harvested between 1978 and 2005

2. Single Bush Dan Cong
Harvested between 2007 and 2009

3. Commercial Dan Cong
No year of harvest given.

I would presume any notes given by Imen on aged teas, would be applicable to teas that she sells as aged teas.

[Ritva]

In her catalogute Imen divides her Dcs between

1. Aged Teas
Harvested between 1978 and 2005

2. Single Bush Dan Cong
Harvested between 2007 and 2009

3. Commercial Dan Cong
No year of harvest given.

I would presume any notes given by Imen on aged teas, would be applicable to teas that she sells as aged teas.

Oh, I should've read her catalogue more carefully. Thanks for pointing that out!

[Intuit]

High pour for 'younger' teas to release volatile aroma and flavor components.

Lower pour height for aged teas, because many of the smaller volatile components are lost in later oxidation (slow, low-yield reactions that take years to accumulate sufficient product to change predominate flavor character). Aging promotes formation of polymers that bind to many receptors, affording a 'deepening' or flavor maturity not present in young teas. The trade off is less aroma but much enhanced flavor character.

I think it may have been tea masters blog that commented on the trend to produce greener, lighter oolong teas over the darker, aged/re-roasted medium-to-dark oolongs. The former, unfortunately do not age well and fade with time and thus do not lend themselves to storage, while the latter do not develop the flavor character of mature teas (akin to pu'erh and black teas) for several years, and thus require careful storage and (perhaps) occasional re-roasting to control humidity and (maybe) further concentrate oils and promote complexation reactions.

[Ritva]

High pour for 'younger' teas to release volatile aroma and flavor components.

Lower pour height for aged teas, because many of the smaller volatile components are lost in later oxidation (slow, low-yield reactions that take years to accumulate sufficient product to change predominate flavor character). Aging promotes formation of polymers that bind to many receptors, affording a 'deepening' or flavor maturity not present in young teas. The trade off is less aroma but much enhanced flavor character.

This makes a lot of sense! I find that it's much easier to remember advice when I understand the reasoning behind certain advice/recommendation.

I think it may have been tea masters blog that commented on the trend to produce greener, lighter oolong teas over the darker, aged/re-roasted medium-to-dark oolongs. The former, unfortunately do not age well and fade with time and thus do not lend themselves to storage, while the latter do not develop the flavor character of mature teas (akin to pu'erh and black teas) for several years, and thus require careful storage and (perhaps) occasional re-roasting to control humidity and (maybe) further concentrate oils and promote complexation reactions.

What about traditional style TGY which is very roasted? I mean the "espresso" type roast that especially tea shops in Hongkong prefer? Does the very deep roasting cause the loss of smaller volatile components even in young tea, so that the tea should be brewed like aged tea?

How does this "high pour for young teas, low pour for aged teas" rule apply to black (red) teas when prepared gong fu style?

I know one should experiment different styles to find out what brings out the best characters in every tea, but there are so many teas I want to try and never enough time... I just want to cut corners with valuable advice from fellow Teachatters.