Snowflake Dan Cong?

[Bubba_tea]

Anyone try the Snowflake Dan Cong from Funalliance?

http://funalliance.com/tea/htm/tea/870101010.htm

Whaddaya think?

[Proinsias]

I had it around two years ago and found it great value for money, it was only the second dan cong I'd tasted and this is likely to be a different batch in fact I'm not even sure why I'm bothering to respond as my info is becoming less relevant by the second.

[Bubba_tea]

LOL! That's hillarious It's interesting... quite bitter, but smooth bitter. I don't taste a lot of sweet, but I might not have brewed it quite right. Kam suggests 212'.

[Salsero]

I also had it a couple years ago, so maybe it has change since then. I liked it. I did find astringency to be a big problem in some sessions, but no problem in others! It is not an easy tea to brew, but when I got it right it was pretty rewarding in an aromatic and light DC sort of way. I frequently coaxed ten to twenty infusions from it.

This is a tea to hone your brewing skills on.

[Bubba_tea]

Have you read his suggestions for brewing tea : water ratios?

http://chineseteas101.com/brewtable.htm

ie - his TKY ratio 4:1 weight for tea to water would mean a lot of tea! 5oz of water is 150gms, IIRC - so that would be 37.5 gm of tea?? I think there might be an error in translation there me thinks.

[Salsero]

Have you read his suggestions for brewing tea : water ratios?

Now that you mention it, I think I did email him about those ratios -- in relation to a TGY maybe. Yep, he seems to mean it, and nope, those parameters don't work for me either. I'd love to watch him brew. There has got to be some misunderstanding! I don't get it.

[Salsero]

There's a Dan Cong interchange this week in RFDT that you might find useful.

Question about Dan Cong

• Date: Thurs, Sep 11 2008 6:20 pm
  From: sjones12@cogeco.ca
  
  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0050964723
  
  i do mean to plug one retailer, but am curious about this tea, in
  particular the 15-20 infusions statement.
  "This tea can be infused 10 to 15 times! Don't allow early infusions
  to sit for too long or the flavor will be too strong which could the
  subtlety of later infusions less enjoyable!"
  
  what time infusions would you use for 15-20 infusions ?
  5 infusions @ 1 min each
  5@ 2 min
  5@ 3 min
  to total 15 infusions ?
  that is 30 minutes of steeping, total
  or is it like 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec increasing each infusion by 5
  sec ?
  thx
  al

Reply by Lew Perin of BabelCarp:

• Date: Fri, Sep 12 2008 6:54 am
  From: Lewis Perin
  
  Flash infusions at first (pouring off the liquor almost instantly.)
  Then, guided by the tendency of this tea to become astringent if
  pushed too hard, gradually longer infusions. No formula - just do it
  by taste.
  
  /Lew

[Bubba_tea]

After playing around with it a little more, I found that less tea / oz, more like 3gm / 5 oz, was a good ratio and I was able to get more the of the subtlety of the tea rather than a fist full of