Tips on Formosa Jade Dong Ding

[mcrdotcom]

I got it today, it seems like it could be lovely, but it came out bitter! I brewed a few grams, not sure exactly how much (about 2.5 layers of leaf on the Gaiwan, filled the whole Gaiwan on third steep) for about 30 seconds.

Flavour wasn't terribly strong so I feel like shorter steeps would yield unsatisfactory flavour, any tips on this leaf?

[William]

How many ml of water did you use and at what temperature?

[ethan]

If tea just arrived in foil or whatever, you might want to transfer it to a ceramic container & let it rest for a week before using it. Sometimes helps. Everyone finds his own preferences but you might want to look at the tea, smell it etc. If it is greener, you might lower your temperature, ....
Words sometimes get thrown around carelessly, a dong ding by one vendor might not be what another would not call dong ding. "Jade" often gets in for no easily discernible reason (at least for me).

[MIKE_B]

Maybe a little less leaf. I bet if you used a scale you'd find you used more than just a "few grams".
Might just be the tea, though.

[mcrdotcom]

How many ml of water did you use and at what temperature?

it is a 120mL Gaiwan, and I usually brew Oolongs at just below boiling, so I poor from kettle into a pyrex measure jug, swirl for a number of seconds and then poor onto tea. I have used a thermometer to guage the time it takes for the water to cool in that jug so I tend to be confident about temperature. So I may lower the temperature a bit more next time.

Maybe a little less leaf. I bet if you used a scale you'd find you used more than just a "few grams".
Might just be the tea, though.

Yea, I think I'll use the scales like I usually would (no idea why I didnt this time). What gram would you suggest, 3-5?

If tea just arrived in foil or whatever, you might want to transfer it to a ceramic container & let it rest for a week before using it. Sometimes helps. Everyone finds his own preferences but you might want to look at the tea, smell it etc. If it is greener, you might lower your temperature, ....

It comes in brown paper, not a foil, but that could be an issue I guess. Any tips on containers? I have so much tea I don't think I could use so many containers, but for the more sensitive and/or expensive teas I guess it could be an idea. It also from a vendor in Ireland, so the name is probably not correct!

[jayinhk]

Slightly lower temperature and shorter brews will do it!

[mcrdotcom]

Slightly lower temperature and shorter brews will do it!

Just had a magical session with it! Absolutely no bitterness to be found! I think I used less leaf, short steeps at the start and graduated to ~1min towards the end and I used a similar brewing temperature and it was fantastic.

Thanks for the help guys

[Risdt]

Don't be afraid to use a bit more leaf now and then. With good tw oolong, it's not rare to brew 10g/90ml for me.
We all start with a low dose but it gets addictive

[William]

They gave you good advice, now go and drink some tea.

We all start with a low dose but it gets addictive

+1