Wednesday TeaDay 9/16/09 Tea Lessons?

[woozl]

I have not tried any DC.
As it is expensive and a fussy brewer.

[Trey Winston]

Yes. I would like to try matcha, but I need some paraphernalia to do it right.

Glendale Handmade Nilgiri today, and 'tis very good.

[twinofmunin]

Pu-erh and oolong. Both seem overwhelming, information-wise.

[Trey Winston]

Pu-erh and oolong. Both seem overwhelming, information-wise.

I think I would recommend giving oolong a shot anyway. I did, and now it's a permanent part of my stash

(So Twinofmunin... that's Hugin, right? )

[Intuit]

I'll second Trey's recommendation to start sampling oolongs.

Ahh! Odin's twin raven scouts; wondered about that unusual avatar and member name.

Better, highly affordable TKY in my cup. It's becoming an everyday tea, along with Four Seasons oolong. Easy brewers, approachable, no fuss teas with wonderful fragrance and smooth, elegant mouthfeel.

[olivierco]

Karigane gyokuro right now.

[Dreamer]

Hi All,

I said "no"...I've got plenty of kinds I do like and if I get the idea to try something else, I just do. There are expensive complicated or fussy or??? teas that I would gladly try if someone would make it for me , but at this point if I brewed dan cong, for example, and didn't like it, I would not know if it was because I don't like it or because the tea was not good tea or because I had done poor job of brewing it. But there's always a chance that I'll order a sample and accidently like it the first time I brew it!

This morning I mixed some Ceylon Kenilworth with a nice looking Assam (that doesn't have much flavor)...the sum was greater than the parts. I'll probably do that again tomorrow. This afternoon matcha is on the tea menu...gotta get charged up for my son's swim meet!

Happy Day, All,
Dreamer

[Victoria]

Well Japanese greens have been a learning process for over a year now.
I remember Space telling me it took him a year to get into them, so I'm waiting for the magic to kick in any day now. Truthfully I just need more quiet time to experiment. I got a several from Camellia Sinensis to work on.

Started the day with my next to last EVER brew of my favorite EVER
Darjeeling, which I proceeded to over steep, but drank it anyway.

Nothing else today, crazy busy here at work and now too late.

[Salsero]

Got some tea in the mail today ... including the 2008 Menghai V93 Ripe Pu-erh that Tony Shlongini, the boys at the Badger and Blade, and others have praised so much. It is indeed a fine cooked pu. Very little wo dui and yet thick, sweet, and dark like some sort of fancy coffee. Glad I ordered the set of 5 100-gram tuos instead of just one.

Victoria, yesterday I tried brewing that Camellia Sinensis Darjeeling oolong Gopaldara Wt-1 1st flush differently from my usual. I did NOT preheat the mug (as Chip has brainwashed me to do by default) and got a vastly improved brew. It had a tremendous, thick feel in the mouth (which I love) and good aroma. The taste was sweet and fruity with a nice dose of acidity (= tartness). It went an easy six infusions in my mug with infuser basket. Just as they say, this is a "Wonder Tea."

[JazzNGreenTea]

After posting in the introduction section, I think I'm ready to join in elsewhere.

Like others have mentioned Pu Erh would be the most daunting tea for me to learn about. I feel that I would not be ready for a long time yet to start experimenting with Pu Erh based on what I have read so far. Other types of tea can keep me very busy, and can become expensive enough. Adding something new like Pu Erh seems very involved and so different that I think I'm not ready to go further yet.

Maybe someday it would be worth a try, but for now I'm staying away.

[depravitea]

Got some tea in the mail today ... including the 2008 Menghai V93 Ripe Pu-erh that Tony Shlongini, the boys at the Badger and Blade, and others have praised so much. It is indeed a fine cooked pu. Very little wo dui and yet thick, sweet, and dark like some sort of fancy coffee. Glad I ordered the set of 5 100-gram tuos instead of just one.

Sal, I just ordered this as well. It sounds great!
Maybe a bit impulsive, but since I just got paid... oh well

I'm really looking forward to trying it!
What's the best way, do you think, to remove tea from the tuos?
Same as a beeng?

[Salsero]

What's the best way, do you think, to remove tea from the tuos? Same as a beeng?

I have literally attacked a sheng puerh tuo with a chisel and 2 lb hammer ... and it was still difficult to break up!

Not all are so tough, however, and I think the shu tuo are generally easier to break apart than the sheng ones. In the case of this V93, it came apart easily in my fingers with just light prodding from a puerh knife. A butter knife would work as well. This is a very civilized shupu.

[depravitea]

I have literally attacked a sheng puerh tuo with a chisel and 2 lb hammer ... and it was still difficult to break up!

LOL, that's awesome!

Not all are so tough, however, and I think the shu tuo are generally easier to break apart than the sheng ones. In the case of this V93, it came apart easily in my fingers with just light prodding from a puerh knife. A butter knife would work as well. This is a very civilized shupu.

I have yet to upgrade from butter knife to pu knife. That's what I've been using on beengs, so that's what I'll use on the tuos as well. Thanks for the info.

Do you plan on saving a few of these for a few years, or are you going to work your way through them?

[Salsero]

Do you plan on saving a few of these for a few years, or are you going to work your way through them?

At the rate I consume tea, it will probably be 5 years before I break into the second tuo! Aging seems always to be my objective ... more by default than by plan, however.

[depravitea]

Do you plan on saving a few of these for a few years, or are you going to work your way through them?

At the rate I consume tea, it will probably be 5 years before I break into the second tuo! Aging seems always to be my objective ... more by default than by plan, however.

I was kind of planning on saving three or four out of the five. Nothing set in stone though, just thinking it would be neat to kind of revisit them every now and then to see how they're progressing.

For educational reasons, of course. I have no intention of enjoying it.