Thursday TeaDay 3/11/10 No brainer, no brainer brew?

[Skippyandjif]

Herbal tisanes are the easiest for me, because they tend not to get bitter if I forget about them or inadvertently leave them steeping for an extra minute. I don't really have issues with any other type of tea, though-- it's just that herbal teas require the absolute least attention.

Currently drinking some oolong-green tea-jasmine blend, probably to be followed up in a few hours by something herbal or some black tea.

[Victoria]

TGIT - I am so ready for the weekend!!

In my cup now my 2nd TGY from Camellia Sinensis today. This is a great tea for the money. I'm quite pleased.

[entropyembrace]

black tea...with the exception of indian varietals...Assams and Ceylons can be a bit finnicky... 2nd flush Darjeelings, Keemuns, Yunnans ect are a breeze. I even forgot my pot of 2nd Flush Arya Ruby for 45 mins once and it was still warm and only had a slight, pleasant bitterness...along with lots of yummy flavours

[Chip]

Well, herbals like peppermint are the most no brainer, it is virtually impossible to mess them up.

But when it comes to true tea, this becomes harder to answer as there are easy and hard within each type of tea. I have to conclude that greens are easiest for me, I think their brewing fits right into my personality, thus they are easy for me ... even if they are a bit more involved.

But I could argue also for certain oolong, certain black, certain white, certain pu-erh.

Began the TD with Gamnong Korean from Hankook with SweeTea while Gandalf and Pyrit were close at hand. Next up, I think I finally figured out the Organic Gamnong that has been giving me some problems, not an easy green to brew!!! But the dry leaf aroma of strong cocoa notes was telling me to not give up on it.

Served up in a Seigan Tebineri ... SO #11. Such a great Yunomi!!! (sorry, just a phone shot that cannot begin to capture the beauty of this cup)

[brad4419]

I think most teas are very easy to brew. Even seemingly hard ones, in terms of time and effort put in, I think still much less time consuming than making coffee (grinding, brewing, washing coffee pot... a lot of work!) But yesterday I brewed a homemade sweet summer oolong teabag which is one of the easiest. I stuffed a teabag with a small handful of oolong tea grains and sealed it. This is one of the easiest I've ever brewed.

I agree with you gingko that its about the effort you put into it. I was thinking about this question throughout the day and reallized that Chinese greens and "most" oolongs are my easiest teas to brew. They are also my favorite teas and more expensive teas, so I think theres a connection. When I brew oolong gong fu for example I am focused on brewing tea and thats it, where as when I brew black tea Im more likely to be doing something else or even leave the kitchen during brewing and end up over-brewing. When I make greens Im more serious about weighing the leaf and keeping track of the temperature and with black tea I just put some in the pot and pour in boiling water.

Another point is experience brewing certain teas. Because I drink many many more Oolongs and greens than any others I feel like I know the tea better.

Long jing in my cup today

[geeber1]

I don't see your "little friend" in today's photo.

[Chip]

He was on top of the canister ... (really)
Here is getting ready to dive right in ... I had to yell, "wait, there is no water in the pool!"

[brian]

I voted rooibos, it can't get any easier -- scoop, add boiling water, forget about it. If you forget it for too long, reheat in the microwave

For true tea, I agree with what churng said earlier, houji-kukicha. Is it possible to do it wrong?

fukamushi this morning, nice to get back to the sencha after a couple of days of Chinese greens (which I did enjoy as well). No tea tonight, didn't think it would go so well with my beer.

[LauraW]

Definitely whites. Blacks are generally pretty easy too, but I do have to watch it sometimes - it's a matter of sight and smell, but with whites I can look over and go "oops" and it still tastes good. Blacks tend to get bitter if I do that

Started out the morning with more of the $1.50 gunpowder, then after lunch had some Caramel Delight. Needed something sweet, and that's the best way I can find to get it at work!

[Seeker]

Sorry to be so absent - mucho stress here with the wedding planning and figuring out how to start a business. Sheesh!

I think easiest in order of easiness for me are herbal tisanes, puerh, matcha.
All the others can be tricky, or rather, sometimes require attention and precision for optimum results. Depends on the tea.

Just finishing my japanese green mixture from this morning.

Cheers.

[subdude1]

Has to be Silver Needles for me...throw a handful into a glass (or sometimes a gaiwan), fill with hot water, drink. Hmm, I suddenly have a craving for some but I seem to be out of stock.

[msurads06]

Definately whites for me, i can forget about it and still get a very drinkable cup of tea it may be a little strong, but no bitterness.

[Victoria]

He was on top of the canister ... (really)
Here is getting ready to dive right in ... I had to yell, "wait, there is no water in the pool!"

I totally missed the end of TD yesterday, it got so hectic at work.

Nice Tebineri and I like seeing the reverse of your kyusu. I hadn't seen the pattern before, nice!

[Dreamer]

I don't really think of any teas as "hard to brew", but then again who knows if I'm doing anything "right"

Have fun,
Dreamer

[Poohblah]

I find it more difficult to mess up black tea than any other kind of tea, but its far more difficult to mess up mate. I have never oversteeped mate, even with steeping times on the order of forty-five minutes (forgot about the tea and went outside... ). I think it's the reason the traditional gourd works so well.

Rooibos is similar in that respect.