Thread: Tea anyone ??!!

Iced Green tea and Russian Caravan were the order of the day today. Depending on whether or not it was cold and raining, or just raining at the time the urge hit me.


Mick

Oh, what a treat today: Steeping some xi hu Long Jing Tea, also known as Dragon Well, from West Lake district of Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province, China:


The setup


The flat leaves are a result of the tea being pan fried

1st steeping:

Color: Light yellow with a green tint
Aroma: Seaweed, hay, pronounced sweetness
Flavor: balanced, young and lively, medium astringency, yet with a fruity ripeness and good balance, and a lingering aftertaste that reminds of plums and ripe fruits. Great thirst quencher.

2nd steeping:

Darker color, more prominent in colors.
Aroma: More rounded, the seaweed and hay characters are more subdued.
Flavor is more distinct, the true character of this tea is coming through, the taste is both stronger and rounder. Sweetness is increasing. Great hui gan, and good sheng jin.

3rd steeping:

Color: lighter again
Aroma; more rounded still
Flavor: Milder, but still with great character, a more prominent sweetness balanced by good astringency.

4th steeping:

Color: like 1st
Flavor: Seems on the decline, but in hindsight I believe the water was too warm. I did not make any more infusions, but I will try to maintain better water temperature next time I try this tea. I suspect there is more in this tea.


Exellent quality tea this, note the size of the leaves being very similar, as well as the color. Add the fact they are all top shoots plus one leaf, a telltale sign this tea was hand picked. The infused leaves are very tender and also good to eat

What a joy this tea proved to be.

Originally Posted by Olav Vittfarne

A 14 year old tea cake. Pu erh cakes and bricks can be stored up to 50 years and maybe longer. Maturing all the time like a wine.

OH NO! I had no idea. Guys you're putting my razor purchases in danger here! I've almost finished getting my legacy shaving setup (Tony Miller strop, Georgetown Pottery scuttle, Whipped Dog brush) but I still need the three blades (my number until I retire and get seven) and they are going to be expensive! Lay off!

That looks like a great little tea session! Are you not slightly overfilling your cup, though?

Plus—I seem to see it mostly in the pictures of people's Chinese greens and similar—how do you guys manage to make so much mess?! There are always pools of tea/water everywhere...I don't know what I'm doing wrong; my surfaces are always too clean!

Originally Posted by PigHog

That looks like a great little tea session! Are you not slightly overfilling your cup, though?

Plus—I seem to see it mostly in the pictures of people's Chinese greens and similar—how do you guys manage to make so much mess?! There are always pools of tea/water everywhere...I don't know what I'm doing wrong; my surfaces are always too clean!

Maybe they pour tea the same way Japanese pour sake...always overflow the first cup to symbolize plenty/good wishes/generosity. Of course, they put a little plate under the cup to catch the overflow!

The Chinese say: because they poured the tea cup only half, other half is the charity.

I brew compost tea for my plants. Does that count? lol

It's very good for the plants too, they also love!

Originally Posted by PigHog

There are always pools of tea/water everywhere...I don't know what I'm doing wrong

Perhaps you should buy yourself a tea pet. Just an idea.

Can I tea pet Mum?! Can I?! Can I, Huh?! Can I tea pet please Mum?!


Mick