Hi all. New to tea and this board. I recently purchased a Zerafina Tea Maker. I also purchased from Teavana some loose tea to use in it. I paticularly like the Monkey Picked Oolong, but at 25 for a few ounces I can't afford it! I went through the 25 supply in a week - yikes. Anyway, suggestions on similar tasting to this tea would be most welcome. I have been drinking at least 2 - 3 cups a day. I guess I could branch out and try different teas, but I did enjoy that paticular one.
Thanks so much!
Laura
Jan 2nd, '09, 09:10
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Teavana's Monkey Picked Oolong seems to be a version of Ti Guan Yin, which you should be able to find in a lot of vendor's sites.
However, the Zarafina is probably not the best way to brew an oolong like that. Oolongs are generally brewed gong fu style (which you can lookup) that basically means you use a lot of tea (think 1 teaspoon per 1-3oz) and do a bunch of 30sec - 3min brews. Obviously more in depth, but that's the basic idea. That way your one serving of tea could last you a whole afternoon instead of needing a new batch of tea leaves every time you want a cup of tea.
Even so, if you got 25 cups (8oz) of tea out of your 2oz, its still only $1 per cup...cheaper than Starbucks!
However, the Zarafina is probably not the best way to brew an oolong like that. Oolongs are generally brewed gong fu style (which you can lookup) that basically means you use a lot of tea (think 1 teaspoon per 1-3oz) and do a bunch of 30sec - 3min brews. Obviously more in depth, but that's the basic idea. That way your one serving of tea could last you a whole afternoon instead of needing a new batch of tea leaves every time you want a cup of tea.
Even so, if you got 25 cups (8oz) of tea out of your 2oz, its still only $1 per cup...cheaper than Starbucks!
Thanks. You're right it is cheaper than Starbucks. I guess when you think of the cost per cup it's not so bad. Just thought the tea would last longer than the week. Also, the other teas were much less money. I have no idea what tea should even cost. I am new to tea. I bought the Zarafina after reading a review on a blog here. The gal did a comparison of different tea machines. It does work nicely. It has a setting for oolong on it. I will look up the method you mentioned.
Laura
Laura
Jan 2nd, '09, 18:22
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Space Samurai
Jan 2nd, '09, 21:44
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The thing about Tie Guan Yin ("monkey picked" is sort of a grade of TGY - it refers to the very highest leaves, as in "it would take a monkey to pick it," although there's a whole [fictional] story about monks training monkeys to pick tea) is that it will give you several steeps.
Get a ~8oz (or less) teapot or a regular infuser mug then I would suggest using that - about a teaspoon of leaf - and you should be able to get 4-6 infusions that are all about the same strength. Steep about 30-45 seconds the first time, then just about 10-15 seconds after that. The leaf will unfurl to fill up the infuser completely
Ideally you want it to fill it up loosely, without cramming.
With 4-6 steeps, that should make the tea a lot more worth the price Space is right, though, that it is overpriced. My local tea shop sells monkey pick TGY for something like $60/lb (and you buy any amount you want). Many of the online vendors have stuff that's probably better for less (or if it's the same then it's probably much better quality).
Get a ~8oz (or less) teapot or a regular infuser mug then I would suggest using that - about a teaspoon of leaf - and you should be able to get 4-6 infusions that are all about the same strength. Steep about 30-45 seconds the first time, then just about 10-15 seconds after that. The leaf will unfurl to fill up the infuser completely
Ideally you want it to fill it up loosely, without cramming. With 4-6 steeps, that should make the tea a lot more worth the price
Space is right, though, that it is overpriced. My local tea shop sells monkey pick TGY for something like $60/lb (and you buy any amount you want). Many of the online vendors have stuff that's probably better for less (or if it's the same then it's probably much better quality).
Jan 2nd, '09, 23:55
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I've never put any stock in "monkey picked." It sounds just like "premium," as in McDonald's "premium" coffee or what not. I've never seen any real consitency in the use of the word, save for it is generaly used for oolong. Personally, if a vendor slaps the phrase monkey picked on something, I get the heebie jeebies and run away.
You mention buying an infuser mug. Can you direct me to that. Are you talking about the one that has the top and bottom? With that then do you just turn it over quicker to control the time?
The monkey picked oolong was one of the first 2 loose teas I ever purchased. Now that I've started I must say I am hooked. I bought two teas from Teavana online - the MP and a green tea. I find the green tea a bit bitter. The MP was delicious.
Do any of you use the rock sugar they sell to sweeten the teas you drink?
Laura
The monkey picked oolong was one of the first 2 loose teas I ever purchased. Now that I've started I must say I am hooked. I bought two teas from Teavana online - the MP and a green tea. I find the green tea a bit bitter. The MP was delicious.
Do any of you use the rock sugar they sell to sweeten the teas you drink?
Laura
Jan 3rd, '09, 14:46
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It's just a mug with an infuser basket (usually ceramic) and a lid, so you brew the tea directly in the mug. If you Google "infuser mug" you will get LOTS - just about anywhere that sells tea or kitchenware usually has them, including your local department store. You can usually find cheap ones for less than $5.Readinglady wrote:You mention buying an infuser mug. Can you direct me to that. Are you talking about the one that has the top and bottom? With that then do you just turn it over quicker to control the time?
Great question! I enjoy their Monkey Picked too and I'm on a quest for something similar.
Here is how I brew the tea: I have a 16 oz. Heus&Brews teapot. I add 2 teaspoons to the strainer, 180 degree water and steep for 3 min. I can go 4 infusions and that last one is weak. I average 2 cups a day so brewing this way lasts me about a month for the 2 oz. BTW - I have used an infuser mug for this but the flavor didn't turn out as great as my teapot.. I don't think the mug allowed free flow of water and the leaves. It works fine for my Jasmine green. Proves to me that the right teapot does make a difference.
Someone here recommended Adagio's Oolong #18, but I haven't ordered it yet. I do enjoy their Ali Shan as long as I brew according to Monkey Picked directions and NOT theirs. (180 degrees for 3 min.) It's not Monkey but it is nice.
Along those lines, I've tried Rishi's Jade Oolong and really enjoy that. It runs $19 for 4 oz. It smells incredible (very floral), but doesn't quite fill the mouth like Monkey does. I don't quite know how to explain it, please forgive me for that. I can't get 4 infusions so maybe I'm not saving money.
I'm eyeing some oolongs from Teaspring.com to see what measures up, but first I need to drink what I have.
Here is how I brew the tea: I have a 16 oz. Heus&Brews teapot. I add 2 teaspoons to the strainer, 180 degree water and steep for 3 min. I can go 4 infusions and that last one is weak. I average 2 cups a day so brewing this way lasts me about a month for the 2 oz. BTW - I have used an infuser mug for this but the flavor didn't turn out as great as my teapot.. I don't think the mug allowed free flow of water and the leaves. It works fine for my Jasmine green. Proves to me that the right teapot does make a difference.
Someone here recommended Adagio's Oolong #18, but I haven't ordered it yet. I do enjoy their Ali Shan as long as I brew according to Monkey Picked directions and NOT theirs. (180 degrees for 3 min.) It's not Monkey but it is nice.
Along those lines, I've tried Rishi's Jade Oolong and really enjoy that. It runs $19 for 4 oz. It smells incredible (very floral), but doesn't quite fill the mouth like Monkey does. I don't quite know how to explain it, please forgive me for that. I can't get 4 infusions so maybe I'm not saving money.
I'm eyeing some oolongs from Teaspring.com to see what measures up, but first I need to drink what I have.
heebie jeebies... Hehe. Not an effect I desire in my tea. Well. It's strange saying this, but the "monkey picked" Oolong from teavanna is not so bad. The price is surely ridiculous though. Well... That was a long time ago...Space Samurai wrote:I've never put any stock in "monkey picked." It sounds just like "premium," as in McDonald's "premium" coffee or what not. I've never seen any real consitency in the use of the word, save for it is generaly used for oolong. Personally, if a vendor slaps the phrase monkey picked on something, I get the heebie jeebies and run away.
Jan 17th, '09, 17:06
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Jan 17th, '09, 17:33
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I have seen Monkeys at Work in the South China seas. Picking coconuts. It is nice going trekking round the Coastal paths on some of the islands, but a little distressing to see monkeys chained up outside villagers houses.Geospearit wrote:Whaaat? Shouldn't monkey-picked be cheaper? I mean, they're using cheap labor right?
The Monkeys are not particularly delicate, they clatter away at the Coconuts until they fall to the ground. If you have seen a road sign that warns you that Deer or some other animal may be crossing the road ahead, then you can imagine the rough and ready handpainted boards that are sometimes encountered on the coastal paths - warning that Monkeys may be working ahead of you. Their indiscriminate hacking can cause large heavy coconuts to go flying and land some 20 yds away from the tree. Not something you want to land on your head.
If you have seen some of the photos of Wuyi Cliffs with tiny rock ledges bearing an odd tea tree - then it may be the original source of the myth that Monkeys picked tea - for surely only a monkey could pick that tea. If however the tea bush on such a ledge did produce excellent quality tea then it would be worth harvesting every year. They would however use extremely long ladders, 1 very skilled person to climb and pick the tea, and perhaps 2 more to steady the ladder.
Some time taken to carry the ladders, position them and then retrieve the ladders and possibly a fairly small bounty back to the processing area.
Compare this to a tea plantation, where 1 moderately skilled labourer (instead of 3) passes quickly from one bush to the next quickly amassing a much larger bundle of leaf! The labour costs alone are already going to ensure that this so called Monkey Picked Tea is more expensive.
Having gone to all this trouble, the tea maker will take extra care and precision in turning the leaf from raw leaf into prized Oolong further escalating the raw costs.
Nowadays many people just call a tea Monkey Picked because it is their BEST tea, but it is not surprising that the best tea costs more.