an elaborate TeaChat DHP experiment

[Sydney]

It all started when ED sent me a sample of something labeled Da Hong Pao Yancha (oolong).... Ed has just now identified it as "Big Red Robe from DTH", whatever that is.

I've been having trouble brewing oolongs that don't just taste like women's bathroom soap for a few weeks now. Doesn't matter which oolong, which vessel, temp, steep time, etc.

I begged Brandon for some brewing tips, because he seemed to be the one who knows its mysteries.

After a bit of back-and-forth with him, and input from Salsero, I was setting out to brew it for upwards of a minute in pyrex. One tablespoon to 5-6 ounces.

People began to chime in, and an elaborate series of experiments led to the following:

1 T oolong
6 oz. almost boiling water
55 seconds plus time for the pour through metal strainer

brewing vessel was (get this): preheated baby Crock Pot (name brand), which was resting in boiling water in a preheated stoneware vessel just large enough to contain the Crock Pot

Results:
"the color is clear with a bit of a pumpkin pie color to it"
"the fragrance is light, pleasant, maybe a little woody"
"the flavor is *not soapy in any way*"
"It does not taste like prissy women's fragrances in any way"
"and I find it enjoyable"
"it was a borderline ridiculous effort to finally get a 'not like prissy women's fragrance' experience"

Never underestimate the power of TeaChat.

[Salsero]

Well, the sequence of events is right, but words can not describe the thrills and high emotions that went into it.

If you have enough tea, try doubling the leaf, half the water, and half or less the time. You may find it better that way. Andy's opinion would be worth PMing him for also.

[Mary R]

Wow. That's both elaborate and awesome. My hat goes of to you.

If you substitute your wares for some specialized yixing pieces I've seen, it sort of sounds like one sort of off the wall gongfu I'd heard of. Interesting.

Oh, DTH is Dragon Tea House. It's a really nice E-bay Store. A lot of the Tea Heads here are patrons.

[Sydney]

Salsero speaks righteous about the process.

Was high drama by the standards of making a single cup of tea. A whole series of experiments took place.

[Salsero]

Yeh, it ranks right up there with Ed getting hit on by the high school girls selling newspaper subscriptions and Ed hitting on Sky.

[Ed]

Fascinating oolong science, Padre.

Salsero: Those girls only wanted money. (As usual )

[Sydney]

I couldn't leave well-enough alone.

The "crock pot inside something else" concept was less than perfect, particularly in two respects.

1) The water had to be measured in a preheated pyrex measuring cup to ensure a proper leaf/water ratio, which added more complexity and variables.

2) Pouring the tea into the cup was challenging.

So for the second infusion, I used the Crock Pot as the containment vessel, figuring a preheated crock pot full of boiling water would do fine for heat conservation over such a short period of time.

The pyrex measuring cup went inside this (also preheated), so measurement was simple. Just pour water in to the desired marker.

A preheated stoneware saucer was then placed on top, and hot water poured over and under the whole apparatus.

Show us the video, you say?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bsl-AhTLY-4

[Ed]

Well done, Padre. I hope newcomers will check this thread out and see that you can easily improvise and brew a good cup without investing hundreds of dollars in teaware.

[Sydney]

Indeed.

While I'm not opposed to obtaining some nice things, I've already got a well-stocked kitchen.

So why not invest in a variety of teas, find out what's going to blow my mind, and later on obtain teaware best suited to what I really want to do?

Besides, tinkering makes me all happy-like. Group tinkering even more so.

[Wesli]

Did you not taste the charcoal?

[Sydney]

Nothing made me think, "Why there's some charcoal."

[skywarrior]

Yeh, it ranks right up there with Ed getting hit on by the high school girls selling newspaper subscriptions and Ed hitting on Sky.

Yeah, but he wouldn't buy my books.

[skywarrior]

Salsero speaks righteous about the process.

Was high drama by the standards of making a single cup of tea. A whole series of experiments took place.

This has me puzzled. I happen to like oolongs quite a bit, but haven't tasted anything flowery in them.

However, you drink pu. And all I can say is that pu tastes simply awful to me. And that is saying a lot from one who works with dogs. This is not meant as an insult, but honestly, perhaps your tastes are very much different from mine.

[Sydney]

Seems to me that tea experiences are 50% objective culinary fact and 150% mired in variables. Then there's the remaining 250% that's purely subjective.

[Wesli]

If I'm not mistaken, that's the DHP BRR from DTH. High-fired, no?