Saturday, 2/16/08 is a marathon TeaDay

[Cinnamon Kitty]

I decided on somewhere between 20 to 30, counting all the random sample tins and some bagged teas that I keep for emergencies.

I started this morning with some dragonwell. It did very well for being thrown into a disposable filter as I was being rushed out the door because my parents wanted to go to the diner for breakfast. Now that I can finally sit down, I opened my fukamushi-maki from Den's to try. It came out as a really pretty spring green color and has a pleasantly stronger taste than other senchas that I have tried. On to the second steep!

[olivierco]

Matcha Kaoru supreme (o-cha) this afternoon and now, my fourth and last tea of the day, Darjeeling Puttabong S.F.T.G.F.O.P.1 (Palais des thés).

[tenuki]

38.

Dong Ding.

[Selaphiel]

Just tried my newly arrived Sencha Miyabi. Very good stuff, had 3 good steeps, considering that this is from the 2007 season I can`t wait for the next harvest to be put out for sale. Highly recommended.

[daughteroftheKing]

Hey, I heard that, Victoria! Don't blame me, girl.

Today I'm loving some milk oolong from Teacuppa. Wow. After sniffing the tin til I was afraid of inhaling a leaf while trying to figure out the memories the aroma the dry leaves brought to mind, I finally realized it was my great great grandmother's peach pie. The liquid is light and golden and beautiful in a glass, while the taste is smooth and orchid-like. Second steep brings up the peach notes.
This is the kind of tea that makes us all tea-aholics.

As evidence of tea-aholism, I easily own way over 50 teas. But, I can stop any time I want to....

[Ladytiger]

I'm having Victoria's favorite Oolong at the moment, ti kuan yin from adagio. I think I'm falling in love with it too. So, how many infusions on this should I do before it starts loosing flavor? I'll steap it to death

[TaiPing Hou Kui]

5:07pm and on the second steep of some Dragon Phoenix Pearls I found luring in the back of the tea cabinet!

[Salsero]

not including all of the different types of puerh that I have as I counted puerh as one type.

Now you tell me the rules! I didn't know we couldn't count the contents of our Puerh Caves.

ti kuan yin from adagio ... how many infusions on this should I do before it starts loosing flavor?

For me it seems to depend on how much leaf I use. If I am doing gong fu, probably an easy 6 steeps. If I am doing European style, 2 or 3. I really like going down to the very light steeps if there's time, so I say go the whole distance!

[Victoria]

I'm having Victoria's favorite Oolong at the moment, ti kuan yin from adagio. I think I'm falling in love with it too. So, how many infusions on this should I do before it starts loosing flavor? I'll steap it to death

I never go past 3, but that's my preference. If you like it, keep it going till ya don't!

What am I having right now?????????????????

MATCHA

[Chip]

I am having a really nice session with Kubasecha right now...wow, just great. I made a mistake following the brewing time from the vendor, this just needs more time to come into its prime.

[Victoria]

How is the matcha coming

Oh it's done and was quite good! Thanks for your help.
I'm posting about it right now on the Green Forum.

[Chip]

not including all of the different types of puerh that I have as I counted puerh as one type.

Now you tell me the rules! I didn't know we couldn't count the contents of our Puerh Caves.

Oh, come on guys...count up the cakes and give us full disclosure!!!

[tenuki]

In my cup this morning 2008 A-Li-Shan. Made impromptu gong-fu style due to a leaking IngenuiTEA.

Second tea today was this one ^. I tried brewing it using lower temp water and longer steeps. It was decent but I think my 185 was too low, will try 200 or so next time. The leave did not fully open during the 5 minute steep, nor even after the second 5 minute seep, and after close examination I determined that was not due to too much leaf. So my verdict on this tea is that you need to hit it hard with rolling boil water, maybe a 5-10 second rinse followed by a minute rest or so with the lid on, then a 45 second or so first infusion. I did this yesterday and was able to get the leaves to fully open by the second brew (30,40,50, etc). The tea quality of this tea is evident but it needs to be pushed to flower I think, I'm shelving it again after today and seeing how it does in a few months.

Third tea today is the TKY sample from adagio I got on recommendation from Victoria. Pretty good TKY, this is probably the best represented tea I've gotten from adagio. I generally don't like TKYs due to the overtones of bitterness that many of them have, but this one has just the right balance of sweetness vs. 'tkyness' for me. gong fu: 5sec wash, 40,50,60,etc, just off a boil.

[Ladytiger]

On to my third steap of ti kuan yin. It's my favorite oolong so far.

[tenuki]

fourth tea today - 2007 Li Shan - Da Yu Ling soft stem hand picked - hou de.

Mnnnn, I pushed this tea to the limit and just past this brewing - no wash, 3 minutes, just off a boil. Try doing that to most teas and escaping bitterness. There is a slight astringency that is not unpleasant and plenty of the warm soupy dayuling goodness going on. This tea isn't my favorite dayuling ever, this fall gao shan harvest seems universally mundane, but it is still top quality tea, yum! I'm glad to have found the secret to getting what I like from this tea.