Anyone else tried Tea-stem-tea?

[john.b]

This is the only stems-only type I've seen for sale, although other mentions of the general type come up:

http://what-cha.com/out-of-stock/malawi ... white-tea/

I've tried the Bai Mu Dan style white tea from this estate, Satemwa, and it was nice, unique, so I'd expect the stems make a similar pleasant product.

Related to this general type being inexpensive, another vendor lists the same tea for $16 per ounce, getting up there:

https://www.athirstfortea.com/products/satemwa-antlers

It's interesting to consider the Taiwanese version being prepared as an oolong, and Japanese probably as green tea, and this a white tea, but I guess the same processing steps would apply to stems.

[hopeofdawn]

This is the only stems-only type I've seen for sale, although other mentions of the general type come up:

http://what-cha.com/out-of-stock/malawi ... white-tea/

I've tried the Bai Mu Dan style white tea from this estate, Satemwa, and it was nice, unique, so I'd expect the stems make a similar pleasant product.

Related to this general type being inexpensive, another vendor lists the same tea for $16 per ounce, getting up there:

https://www.athirstfortea.com/products/satemwa-antlers

It's interesting to consider the Taiwanese version being prepared as an oolong, and Japanese probably as green tea, and this a white tea, but I guess the same processing steps would apply to stems.

I've had the Malawi Antler tea--it is AMAZING. A unique flavor profile all its own, unlike any other tea I've tried--it tasted a bit like champagne in tea form (minus the bubbles, of course). Unfortunately, the place I found it at is now out, and at $25/oz, I couldn't afford to buy much anyway. I also bought the less expensive version from Athirstfortea, but the flavor profile wasn't quite the same--it just didn't have the same kick. I'm not sure if the it was just a poor season, poor storage, too old, or some combination of the three ...

[daidokorocha]

The antler tea certainly looks interesting.

I have had stems on a few taiwanese oolongs. I like the stems, personally. I know many do not.

Of course, I have had Japanese stems a billion times. You can get them in many different ways, whether it be roasted, unroasted, blended with bancha, blended with matcha, as part of aracha and so on and so forth. Personally, I love aracha and crave the flavor all the time. One of those reasons is the presence of stems. A good way to enjoy roasted kukicha is to boil it in a steel pan on your stove. Just dump tons of stems right into the water and boil it for 15 minutes. It makes for hearty drinking. Or, one can try more typical brewing and resteep it. You'll get layers of flavor as you go through it ranging from more intense smoke and wood to more intense sweetness. There is also a pleasant aesthetic to it all. For instance, kukicha mixed with matcha gives off a very nice color to sit and enjoy while drinking it. My fiancee likes to refer to it as "pond scum tea" and it is her favorite tea. So, I end up having it often. Either way, it is good on its own, with any meal, and especially with a nice dessert. For instance, mung bean mooncakes and dates with kukicha is a good pairing.

[Se7en8ight]

Love me some tea stem! Uji Gyokuro Tea Stems FTW!