Tasting Gunpowder Green Tea

[tealing]

Hi everyone,

For a few weeks now, since I got my kyusu and matcha, stayed off the previous 'middle eastern' green tea (that you guys said was probably 'gunpowder' green tea from China).

Just thought I'd share this - very interesting: Today I tried some again, and the flavor seems SO different after having been drinking genmaicha/matcha for a while.

I can actually taste the 'gunpowdery' sort of burnt flavor taste it has now - whereas I could not before. It's not a bad taste though, just very very different from the Japanese Green teas!!!

So I would say to any other Green tea Newbie out there: be willing to try new green teas, the range of flavors is really quite surprising.

[Beidao]

If you have not tried Long Jing, Bi Lo Chun, Tai Ping Hou Kui... etc. I'd say there's a lot of flavors left out there

[shogun89]

There are indeed TONS of different flavor profiles among the greens.

[Salsero]

It's always wonderful to hear someone discover these things anew. The rest of us tend to forget that such facts are not obvious to beginners. Thanks for sharing your experience, tealing.

[gingkoseto]

It's always wonderful to hear someone discover these things anew. The rest of us tend to forget that such facts are not obvious to beginners. Thanks for sharing your experience, tealing.

Yeah! Beginner's mind! I have to say I envy anyone who is tasting (the right) dong ding oolong for the first time. Good thing is there are so many teas out there, and we can always become a beginner of a new tea

[tealing]

You're very welcome, and thank you guys as well! ...

I have to say, It's just sad if you grow up in the U.S., as I did - because I'd be willing to bet, most people's idea of "Green Tea" is that sickeningly sweet junk that you taste in the Arizona green tea bottle out of the 7-11 marts. I don't know how on earth that could ever qualify as green tea. And if you are lucky enough to drink green tea in a Japanese restaurant - it's still pretty watered down, generic stuff; so most Americans, I think, have NO idea about what real Green Teas are.

And now I must start writing down some of the teas you all have mentioned here, to put on my "To Try" List! Ha ha!

[Jack_teachat]

so most Americans, I think, have NO idea about what real Green Teas are.

Even worse here in Britain! I think it's because British people have a very set idea about what contistutes a "cuppa" and think anything else rather strange! This means it's almost impossible to buy decent loose leaf tea resulting in me having to order everything from Japan/China. And you're right about restaurant tea, it usually sucks!

[hop_goblin]

Tai Ping is one of my faves! A little bitter but very satisfying stuff.

[silvermage2000]

Perhaps I will think about trying gunpowder green tea. I have only tried a couple of different green teas.