I drink 6-8 cups per week of Chinese ginseng oolong. I started with TenRen 509, switched to 409, and most recently have been sourcing vendors on ebay.
Link to the 509: http://www.tenren.com/kin509darsup.html
409 is one grade down.
as for the 509-409, it's a very nice, nutty brew, with a bit of sweet almond around the edges. Very clean finish, with lingering sweetness, extremely low astingency.
Does anybody else drink Chinese ginseng oolong tea? Anybody have experience with vendors that they'd like to share?
Mar 30th, '09, 01:53
Posts: 342
Joined: Jul 30th, '08, 02:24
Location: Cambridge, MA
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xuancheng
I don't drink ginseng oolong for a couple of reasons.
1. I don't like anything mixed with my tea.
2. I don't believe there is generally much ginseng mixed with the oolong. Ginseng is generally prohibitively expensive because it is a medicine. Korean Ginseng is generally a bit cheaper than Chinese, and American ginseng is still cheaper. There are also other similar plants which are used as ginseng replacements.
3. Ginseng is a very powerful herbal medicine, and is one which people are usually warned not to take without a doctor's guidance.
4. Often ginseng oolong is made with large amounts of licorice root to replace the ginseng. Consuming large amounts of licorice root can cause the blood to thin and affect the mood as well as cause dizziness.
I don't drink it mostly just because I don't like it, but also because I really have no idea what they put in it.
Does anyone know what they use to colour ginseng oolong bright green? Ginseng root is certainly not bright green.
1. I don't like anything mixed with my tea.
2. I don't believe there is generally much ginseng mixed with the oolong. Ginseng is generally prohibitively expensive because it is a medicine. Korean Ginseng is generally a bit cheaper than Chinese, and American ginseng is still cheaper. There are also other similar plants which are used as ginseng replacements.
3. Ginseng is a very powerful herbal medicine, and is one which people are usually warned not to take without a doctor's guidance.
4. Often ginseng oolong is made with large amounts of licorice root to replace the ginseng. Consuming large amounts of licorice root can cause the blood to thin and affect the mood as well as cause dizziness.
I don't drink it mostly just because I don't like it, but also because I really have no idea what they put in it.
Does anyone know what they use to colour ginseng oolong bright green? Ginseng root is certainly not bright green.
茶也醉人何必酒？
Hmmm. Well, the 409 and 509 are not at all green, but brew amber, so I'm not sure what you mean.
And ginseng - unless there is an expensive rarefied version (which I'm sure there is) is not at all expensive in the states.
http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Ginseng-Root-Siberian-Cut
Maybe the cheaper ginseng oolongs are artificially colored, I don't know. And I have done a little digging, and the tea I drink has no licorice root mixed in.
Is this a popular tea in china? Maybe popular enough that the less expensive varieties have additives mixed in to lower the price?
And ginseng - unless there is an expensive rarefied version (which I'm sure there is) is not at all expensive in the states.
http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Ginseng-Root-Siberian-Cut
Maybe the cheaper ginseng oolongs are artificially colored, I don't know. And I have done a little digging, and the tea I drink has no licorice root mixed in.
Is this a popular tea in china? Maybe popular enough that the less expensive varieties have additives mixed in to lower the price?
Apr 2nd, '09, 00:55
Posts: 342
Joined: Jul 30th, '08, 02:24
Location: Cambridge, MA
Contact:
xuancheng
American ginseng is a different species of the same genus panax. It is certainly not true that American Ginseng is considered the best. It is by far the cheapest, and according to Chinese medicine, the medical properties are very different. I don't know enough about Chinese medicine to speak to the quality of specific medicinal components, I do know that Chinese ginseng is quite expensive because of it's rarity which is mainly due to intensive harvesting of wild plants to meet a very high demand.edkrueger wrote:Those are all different plants, not different qualities. American is generally considered the best.Korean Ginseng is generally a bit cheaper than Chinese, and American ginseng is still cheaper. There are also other similar plants which are used as ginseng replacements.
茶也醉人何必酒？
Jun 4th, '09, 05:44
Posts: 41
Joined: Jan 5th, '08, 06:42
Location: Europe, Scandinavia, Denmark.
Tried the ginseng oolong that Kam on Funalliance got on offer. Not sure, but I think there might have been licorice root added to that, as it certainly had a side-taste of licorice in it. Not being a huge licorice fan (having hated the taste for all my life) the tea wasnt a big hit, took 3-4 sips and that was it.
I can see why ppl who'd like licorice, like a sweet tea and want the (illusion) health benefits from it would love the tea. Also the aroma was very sweet and mellow.
I can see why ppl who'd like licorice, like a sweet tea and want the (illusion) health benefits from it would love the tea. Also the aroma was very sweet and mellow.