Other delicious greens (Chinese)

[bagua7]

My experience with green tea is still very limited; I have only tried dragon well and Bi Luo Chun so far and the former wins hands down. But I am keen to try other well-known greens like:

1. Liu An Gua Pian (melon seed)
2. Anji Bai Cha
3. Da Fang
4. Gou Gu Nao
5. Hou Kui (monkey tea)
6. Huangshan Maofeng
7. Xin Yang Mao Jian (green tip)
8. Mo Li Hua Cha (dragon pearl)
9. Fujian Maofeng (fur tip)
10. Cui Jian (jade sword)
11. Huo Qing (fire green)
12. Zhu Ye Qing (green bamboo)

And so many others both known and unknown outside China.

Would like to read your experiences and brewing tips.

[puerhking]

Liu An Gua Pian, Tai Ping Hou Kui and Huangshan Maofeng are fantastic. Zhu Ye Qing is quite good...I'm not crazy about Mao Jian. I have not tried the others.

[Chip]

Fave 5 for me ...

Long Jing (of course)
Liu An Gua Pian
Taiping Hou Kui
Zhu Ye Qing
and number 5 is always a toss up. Usually something I just discovered or rediscovered.

Beyond this, there are so many wonderful Chinese greens.

[bagua7]

I read that falsification of Hou Kui is so common that even the fakes look better than the authentic handmade variety.

It's a pity this things happen. The Chinese Gov. should look after its teas as a National Treasure item. No idea about how regulations go but probably there is a lot of bribery going.

[britt]

My experience with green tea is still very limited; I have only tried dragon well and Bi Luo Chun so far and the former wins hands down. But I am keen to try other well-known greens like:

1. Liu An Gua Pian (melon seed)
2. Anji Bai Cha
3. Da Fang
4. Gou Gu Nao
5. Hou Kui (monkey tea)
6. Huangshan Maofeng
7. Xin Yang Mao Jian (green tip)
8. Mo Li Hua Cha (dragon pearl)
9. Fujian Maofeng (fur tip)
10. Cui Jian (jade sword)
11. Huo Qing (fire green)
12. Zhu Ye Qing (green bamboo)

And so many others both known and unknown outside China.

Would like to read your experiences and brewing tips.

Until February 2010 I only bought Chinese tea from Hou De and they don't carry the greens from mainland China. Then I tried a sample from Jing Tea Shop and have been drinking Chinese greens on a very regular basis ever since. I've tried the Long Jing (Weng Jia Shan), Tai Ping Hou kai, and the Anji Bai Cha. I am very happy with all three, but the Anji Bai Cha really surprised me. I would happily purchase all three of these again, and plan on doing so once I get low on the last remaining one (Tai Ping Hou kai, which came out later than the others).

The only Bi Luo Chun I've tried is from Taiwan. It is very good but I hear it's quite a bit different from the mainland China version, which I haven't yet tried.

[teaisme]

It's a pity this things happen. The Chinese Gov. should look after its teas as a National Treasure item. No idea about how regulations go but probably there is a lot of bribery going.

A near logistically impossible task regulation is
good luck China is just too vast/remote and demand is just too high

Yeah I have enjoyed what Jingteashop has had to offer too. Their Anji Bai Cha, higher grade moa jian, and Zhu Ye Qing, and Shi feng long jing were all good. Zhu ye qing took me a while to appreciate but now I do enjoy it.

What I have found with the chinese greens is that one must not be shy with how much leaf is used. Often it takes a little more leaf to bring out things that would not otherwise appear. Also, unlike many japanese teas that fare better with cooler water, ie 140-160 chinese green's really do shine at around 180-185. A little more heat then I was used to brewing jap greens, but it would make more sense since the chinese ones are very whole and much thicker then your typical sencha.

Still haven't tried that much chinese green on that list though. Just too much tea out there! In a very good way.

[Tead Off]

What I have found with the chinese greens is that one must not be shy with how much leaf is used. Often it takes a little more leaf to bring out things that would not otherwise appear. Also, unlike many japanese teas that fare better with cooler water, ie 140-160 chinese green's really do shine at around 180-185. A little more heat then I was used to brewing jap greens, but it would make more sense since the chinese ones are very whole and much thicker then your typical sencha.

Still haven't tried that much chinese green on that list though. Just too much tea out there! In a very good way.

I also find that adding a bit more leaf can really make the difference with all greens, Japanese, Korean, and, Chinese. But, I find myself often preferring the low temp brewing of Chinese greens rather than the more accepted and common temp of about 80C for LJ, for example. At 55-60C, LJ's inherent sweetness and floral elements are subtly present and I can brew several infusions. There is only 1 other poster here that I know of that also recommends low temp brewing for LJ and that is Tim. I'd bet that most people use hotter water.

[debunix]

I start essentially all green teas at 160°F/70°C, and then generally go up or down in temp depending on the results. Mostly it ends up being several infusions at 160°F/70°C, then moving up to 170°F/77°C and even 180°F/82°C after several. I rarely go down below 160°C.

The increasing temp brings out more flavor in later infusions without increasing bitterness, if I'm careful.

Lately, I like to do this with Dragon Well, Yunnan Mao Feng, green Jin Xuan (and sencha!).

[Tead Off]

I start essentially all green teas at 160°F/70°C, and then generally go up or down in temp depending on the results. Mostly it ends up being several infusions at 160°F/70°C, then moving up to 170°F/77°C and even 180°F/82°C after several. I rarely go down below 160°C.

The increasing temp brings out more flavor in later infusions without increasing bitterness, if I'm careful.

Lately, I like to do this with Dragon Well, Yunnan Mao Feng, green Jin Xuan (and sencha!).

Try lowering the temp even further with LJ about 58C. You can always increase the temp later on, but you will miss things if you start at 70C. I just finished 6 infusions with the hottest at 65C.

[debunix]

Don't have any Dragon Well handy today, but will try that when next have it available.

[teaisme]

Try lowering the temp even further with LJ about 58C. You can always increase the temp later on, but you will miss things if you start at 70C

Will deff try that next time I have some good lj. I'm still fairly new to chinese greens, having only tried 2 longjing so far. One was kam's and one was jings, both times I think the tea had more to offer me, but the tea was gone by the time I could find it

Is that 58C with preheat or no?

[Tead Off]

Try lowering the temp even further with LJ about 58C. You can always increase the temp later on, but you will miss things if you start at 70C

Will deff try that next time I have some good lj. I'm still fairly new to chinese greens, having only tried 2 longjing so far. One was kam's and one was jings, both times I think the tea had more to offer me, but the tea was gone by the time I could find it

Is that 58C with preheat or no?

I preheat everything.........

[debunix]

Tried a 58°C brewing of Dragon Well, and it was interesting. I did bump up the temps as I went through, like I do for Sencha, ending with one at 180 degrees or so, but the low start was quite nice. Not sure it was more to my preference than 160 start, but quite nice as a change of pace.

thanks

[Tead Off]

Tried a 58°C brewing of Dragon Well, and it was interesting. I did bump up the temps as I went through, like I do for Sencha, ending with one at 180 degrees or so, but the low start was quite nice. Not sure it was more to my preference than 160 start, but quite nice as a change of pace.

thanks

Did you bump up the leaf amount? I usually fill with 1/3 leaf. Richer flavor.

[britt]

I also find that adding a bit more leaf can really make the difference with all greens, Japanese, Korean, and, Chinese. But, I find myself often preferring the low temp brewing of Chinese greens rather than the more accepted and common temp of about 80C for LJ, for example. At 55-60C, LJ's inherent sweetness and floral elements are subtly present and I can brew several infusions. There is only 1 other poster here that I know of that also recommends low temp brewing for LJ and that is Tim. I'd bet that most people use hotter water.

Over time I've gradually increased the amount of leaf and lowered the water temp to 160 F for all green teas (except matcha and gyokuro). Sometimes I do brew Japanese sencha at a higher temp, but I've been using 160 F for all Chinese and Taiwanese greens and most of the time for sencha.