Long Jing brewing parameters

[Chesslover]

Any recommendation on brewing parameters for this Long Jing?:
http://www.jingteashop.com/pd-jing-tea- ... g.cfm#main

[Chesslover]

...or for any Long Jing?

I'm used to brewing (mostly fukamushi) sencha, so I tried similar parameters with little longer times...but it feels like drinking water compared to sencha

So is this normal or am I doing something wrong?

[Chip]

Are you usually equal volume of leaves or equal weight of leaves? I often use a 1:1 ratio, 1 gram per 1 ounce (30 ml) water. However I can use less or more ... more flexible than sencha.

I preheat (smell the warming leaves in the preheated pot) and brew at 160* for about 2 minutes, successive steeps hotter and starting at 1 minute. You can try hotter.

Yeah, it is much lighter than sencha generally, has a refreshing quality to it.

[JRS22]

I bought a sample of the same tea this year, as well another premium long jing from the Jing Tea Shop, the Weng Jia Shan. I compared both and preferred the Shi Feng. I'm hoping that the 2011 harvest will be better than 2010 and then the tea will be even more delicious.

This blog post from the Tea Gallery is all about brewing long jing, with photos:

http://theteagallery.blogspot.com/2010/ ... eview.html

[Chesslover]

Thank you both...

But I'm a little confused: Chip you suggested 1st steep 2 minutes (1:1 leaf ratio, 160 degrees) and JRS22 (blog) said 20 seconds (5:3 ratio, 155 degrees)...this seems to me quite a difference...

[JRS22]

Thank you both...

But I'm a little confused: Chip you suggested 1st steep 2 minutes (1:1 leaf ratio, 160 degrees) and JRS22 (blog) said 20 seconds (5:3 ratio, 155 degrees)...this seems to me quite a difference...

That's why a sample has to contain enough tea for several tryouts!

[Chip]

I bought a sample of the same tea this year, as well another premium long jing from the Jing Tea Shop, the Weng Jia Shan. I compared both and preferred the Shi Feng. I'm hoping that the 2011 harvest will be better than 2010 and then the tea will be even more delicious.

This blog post from the Tea Gallery is all about brewing long jing, with photos:

http://theteagallery.blogspot.com/2010/ ... eview.html

Interesting in several regards including the hot flash rinse. I will give this a try, at first I wanted to rebel against the notion, but then also saw that this was retained for later enjoyment as well ...

To be honest, I don't know if I ever flash rinsed a green. The explanation is ... intriguing.

[Chip]

Thank you both...

But I'm a little confused: Chip you suggested 1st steep 2 minutes (1:1 leaf ratio, 160 degrees) and JRS22 (blog) said 20 seconds (5:3 ratio, 155 degrees)...this seems to me quite a difference...

That's why a sample has to contain enough tea for several tryouts!

Sorry, I should have said "to taste" for 1-2 minutes for the first steep!

Yes, these are very different parameters. The flash rinse would certainly have a major impact on time as would using more leaf. I would have no argument with their recommendations, simply another way.

As long as the leaf is good, the higher concentration should be pretty tasty and aromatic. Note, I did say I sometimes use more leaf.

I would call their method more gong fu, I tend to go more semi gong fu with Chinese greens and loosely base my method on those recommended by TeaSpring.

Good thing you have more samples.

[Chesslover]

I'll try both and see the results

[Chip]

I'll try both and see the results

I will also try both ... the flash rinse has me wondering.