Thursday TeaDay 4/02/09 Caffeine WD?

[olivierco]

Otsuusan sencha right now.

[brlarson]

More kaboku right now.

Last night I used 5 grams in 110ml of water, and this afternoon I used 2 grams in 110ml. This tea has tasted a little different every way I have made it, and every brew has been good. I'm finishing my fifth infusion and the liquor is still clear, not cloudy at all. With the lower ratio of leaf a lemon-crispness is coming through nicely, not the flavor of the fruit but the freshness from a lemon's acidity.

Mmmmm.

Hope you are all having as good a Tea Day as I am!

[olivierco]

More kaboku right now.

Last night I used 5 grams in 110ml of water, and this afternoon I used 2 grams in 110ml. This tea has tasted a little different every way I have made it, and every brew has been good. I'm finishing my fifth infusion and the liquor is still clear, not cloudy at all. With the lower ratio of leaf a lemon-crispness is coming through nicely, not the flavor of the fruit but the freshness from a lemon's acidity.

Mmmmm.

Hope you are all having as good a Tea Day as I am!

How long for the first steep?

[Janine]

Once again, drinking organic gift grade Keemun

I have not noticed withdrawals... but then again I may attribute headache to something else. Headaches are rare for me, I always think something strange is going on if I get them (or possibly some new terrain of what it means to be female! ahem!)

[brlarson]

... this afternoon I used 2 grams (of leaf) in 110ml. ... I'm finishing my fifth infusion and the liquor is still clear ... With the lower ratio of leaf a lemon-crispness is coming through nicely ...

How long for the first steep?

I started the pour at 55 seconds. Initial temp was 140F but successive brews were at 158F, 176F, 140F, and 156F.

[olivierco]

I started the pour at 55 seconds. Initial temp was 140F but successive brews were at 158F, 176F, 140F, and 156F.

Thanks for the details. I might give it a try when I open a bag of Kaboku.

[Chip]

I started the pour at 55 seconds. Initial temp was 140F but successive brews were at 158F, 176F, 140F, and 156F.

Thanks for the details. I might give it a try when I open a bag of Kaboku.

Brlarson is a revolutionary brewer around these parts. I had read about the lower temp on Zencha and kind of dismissed it as a typical erroneous vendor brewing parameter which is obviously very common.

Then I read his attempts to adapt it to the Ultimate and decided to give it a go as well with premium teas The results have been interesting and have created more questions than answers ... a good thing. Always searching, learning, right

Lots of great teas flowing today, Zuiko from Den's earlier.
Home fired mugi/genmai for a caffeine free drink.
.

[daughteroftheKing]

If I don't have any tea at all, by mid-afternoon I'll have a headache. Just one cup in the morning seems to be enough to keep that from happening, especially good as I steep and re-steep and drink my tea fairly weak by alot of people's standards.
But why would a person purposely go without tea???

In my cup this morning: Irish Breakfast. At work it's been Darjeeling 22 blended with mint & raspberry. Now waiting for a cup of TKY.

[Drax]

It's rare that I feel the effects of caffeine (by that I mean notice the effects) -- only rarely do I notice, "Ooh, I feel jazzed." As such, I don't think I've ever noticed withdrawal symptoms at all. No cravings either. Hmm.

Anyway, A Wu Yi Dan Cong this morning... like mango! Mmmmm.

.

Can you tell us more about your Wu Yi Dan Cong, I am familiar with GuangDong Dan Cong but was not aware that Lone Bush was a term much used in North Fujian.

My attempts to google for it brought up dozens of very different looking entries which were all hijacked links for a 'You have won a prize' redirection.

If a genuine WuYi Single Bush then what is the varietal?

Or could it be a FengHuang something like da Wu Ye DanCong?

Absolutely...! I got it at the Dragon Tea House right here.

My experience with roasted oolongs is extremely limited. It reminds me of Da Hong Pao, but with Mango.

[Chip]

And currently O-Cha's Fuamushi Supreme. This was my fave fukamushi during Shincha, and it still shines through the competition!!!

I am thinking matcha soon.

[danibob]

If I don't have any kind of caffeine before I start my day I can barely function. Today I ran out to work without my usual tea and I felt awful. When I rushed from work to school I picked up a cup of coffee and instantly felt better.

Made up for my lousy morning with matcha and Da Hong Pao when I got home from school. And I just made myself a yummy chocolate chai latte with adagio black teas. That's it for my teaday.. now on to the wine!

[jazz88]

I'm not a morning person and if I don't get some caffeine – coffee or tea I'm pretty grumpy ( to be honest – very grumpy) I'm unable to do any serious work before noon...

Today I had – some Darjeeling, Sencha Premier and now I think I will make some herbal Total Body Support from the Strand Tea.

[Proinsias]

Not much to notice here. I tend to have a day or two off each week from tea these days, too much of a good thing and whatnot.

[Chip]

Finished the TeaDay off with a new matcha tasting with my wife, Tenkei Hana organic from Yuuki-Cha, their new top of the line offering. It was quite different from any other matcha I have had to date, and very different from their Henkei Tori, the next one down.