So last week I was at a class at Teance about green tea (and i'm attending another one tomorrow, so excited!). One of the green teas was the tai ping hou kui they keep in stock. I never really drink chinese green teas (i'm all about J-green) but this tea was so absolutely delicious with a sweet and vegetal flavor that I was really impressed. I bought some (and alas haven't brewed any at home).
The things i'm wondering is:
1.) Is a kyusu good for brewing chinese green teas, in particular the tai ping hou kui? Or is a gaiwan better? At the class we used a gaiwan, which makes sense. I have a tokoname kyusu and if it is alright to use the tai ping hou kui, will it change the "flavor" of the teapot? Does a kyusu season kind of like a yixing teapot or will the flavor of the tea not permeate into the kyusu?
2.) I like the tai ping hou kui from teance, but I'd like to find other vendors for this tea. I saw that Jing Tea Shop has some in stock, but are there other good reputable dealers online? I know its kind of hard to get, and the really good stuff is expensive, but if anyone has experience in this area that would be awesome. I'd like to try some from a different source. I probably wouldn't buy any at the moment if its 1000 dollars per pound, but go ahead and post links anyway even if very expensive.
Anyway, i've become a fan of chinese green teas. hoorah!
May 14th, '09, 22:10
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emeraldrobot
May 14th, '09, 23:24
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TPHK is great Chinese green! I have heard there are knock offs of it just like there are of Long Jing. TeaSpring usually has TPHK, sometimes multiple grades. I liked theirs last I had it.
I used to use my first kyusu for just about anything unflavored. Given the flavor profile, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
... or brew it in your gaiwan.
I used to use my first kyusu for just about anything unflavored. Given the flavor profile, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
... or brew it in your gaiwan.
Personally... I'd never use a kyuusu for Chinese greens.
Gaiwans are fun to use and the traditional way. Moreover... I always keep the top of my gaiwan off while brewing Chinese green tea. I've been told that this keeps the tea from getting too hot which can detrimentally effect flavor.
Whether it really would negatively effect the flavor... who knows.
But... I do enjoy looking down into the gaiwan and witnessing the beautiful leaves in the water.
Gaiwans are fun to use and the traditional way. Moreover... I always keep the top of my gaiwan off while brewing Chinese green tea. I've been told that this keeps the tea from getting too hot which can detrimentally effect flavor.
Whether it really would negatively effect the flavor... who knows.
But... I do enjoy looking down into the gaiwan and witnessing the beautiful leaves in the water.