Tea Appreciation

[Concordia]

One interesting discovery this year was a white Scottish tea sold by Fortnum and Mason. Grown in Scotland (and presumably picked by Scottish monkeys off the cliff). One of the best teas I have ever had, although that may just be because the price frightened me into using distilled water at the correct temperature.

 

[Cary Grant]



One interesting discovery this year was a white Scottish tea sold by Fortnum and Mason. Grown in Scotland (and presumably picked by Scottish monkeys off the cliff). One of the best teas I have ever had, although that may just be because the price frightened me into using distilled water at the correct temperature.

That's the Dalreoch Smoked, right?

 

[Concordia]

Not smoked, IIRC.

 

[b1os]

Is using distilled water actually benefitial? I'd imagine that it leads to overextraction.

 

[BenjaminZeev]

Anyone have experience with Taiping Houkui? I got some Hojo Teas from a friend. I normally make Long Jing, with a short brewing time and low temperature in a clay or porcelain pot/gaiwan, for best results and was wondering if there was a good way using a pot/gaiwan for Houkui? Hojo recommends a higher temperature (about 85 to 90 degrees Celsius) than usually find optimum.

Also I don't think there would be any problem with distilled water (its danger/effect is often overstated), could be better than a bad local water supply, but natural spring water (with higher mineral content, though don't go overboard) would be better (or if you have a safe, good local water supply). Another option is using charcoal and/or clay to treat your own water.

 

[indesertum]

what's taiping houkui like? i've been working my way through some taiwanese tie guan yin and am almost done

 

[BenjaminZeev]

I have not really dialed in on the optimum way to make it, mine may be a little stale, and my gaiwan may be a little small.

So far I would say it has a very mild, smooth, lasting astringency. Its sweetness is more like that of wild flower honey, but the taste is not aggressively floral. I gets notes reminiscent of bourbon. It tastes more grilled (like vegetables) than toasted. I really have not gotten my head around this tea yet, so take this with a grain of salt (though the tea is not at all salty).

Edit: Which tie guan yin? I have found that of the Mandarin's Tea Room quite enjoyable

Big leaf (each is about 3 inches long):

 

[indesertum]

honestly my chinese is pretty bad. i can only read the letters that say tie guan yin and am too lazy to google every thing else. from what i can tell it just says that it's really good tea on the back. was a gift.

sounds good i'll keep an eye out. i find it hard to trust anything that claims to be long jing, but never had any really bad ones

 

[BenjaminZeev]

I must have tried a dozen of the best shi feng long jing tea providers known to teachat (so online merchants; mostly in May of 2011). Postcard tea and Hojo tea were the best but are quite expensive (about $1.5/gram and $3/gram), and it takes about 5 grams for a 100ml pot/gaiwan (my best pot is 140ml so I need about 7 to 8 grams). Jing tea shop has some cheaper options but for their best it is also about $1.5/gram, also if the pot I got from them is any indication of quality, they know how to spot high quality clay. I have bought from lifeinteacup for a few years in a row, and they are slightly cheaper and have the traditional cultivar (as opposed to #43; well at least in past years).

 

[MSchapiro]

I must have tried a dozen of the best shi feng long jing tea providers known to teachat (so online merchants; mostly in May of 2011). Postcard tea and Hojo tea were the best but are quite expensive (about $1.5/gram and $3/gram), and it takes about 5 grams for a 100ml pot/gaiwan (my best pot is 140ml so I need about 7 to 8 grams). Jing tea shop has some cheaper options but for their best it is also about $1.5/gram, also if the pot I got from them is any indication of quality, they know how to spot high quality clay. I have bought from lifeinteacup for a few years in a row, and they are slightly cheaper and have the traditional cultivar (as opposed to #43; well at least in past years).

I can't recommend Postcard Tea enough. Excellent tea made exclusively at small farms. All organic which is actually a big issue in certain seasons in China when pesticide spraying is rampant.

Lifeinateacup is also good, but I have just found Postcard to be an easier option.

From what I know of the Mandarin in NYC no one has heard from the operator in a bit.

You are pretty close for the Houkui, although if I recall there shouldn't be a lasting astringency and the veg taste should be somewhat lite. I don't think it was a tea that responded well to very hot water, although I haven't made it in a while.

 

[BenjaminZeev]

You are pretty close for the Houkui, although if I recall there shouldn't be a lasting astringency and the veg taste should be somewhat lite. I don't think it was a tea that responded well to very hot water, although I haven't made it in a while.

I think it was that I was using water that was too hot (maybe 180 to 200 °F), when I used cooler water (160 °F) it turned out more as you said. I also used a larger pot to give the leaves more room to open up, though I don't think that would have as large an influence as temperature.

 

[MSchapiro]

I think it was that I was using water that was too hot (maybe 180 to 200 °F), when I used cooler water (160 °F) it turned out more as you said. I also used a larger pot to give the leaves more room to open up, though I don't think that would have as large an influence as temperature.

I've brewed it in small and medium vessels so it shouldn't be too much of a problem, but glad the cooler water helped.

Just to give some general recommendations.

The Lapsang by Postcard is easily the best I've hard by far. Long delicate leaves with a sweet but delicate smoke. Never had another one like it.

The "Nath Assam" is the best all around Assam I've had. Lots and lots of maltiness with no bitterness. Very reasonably priced too.

The Summer Darjeeling from Subarna is also excellent, but a bit different than your standard Darjeeling. Very little to no astringency. Almost like a muscatel with hints of assam maltiness and oriental beauty sweetness.

 

[BenjaminZeev]

I'll remember to look at Postcard when I am buying more tea but I have about a kilo I need to get through first. Just checked and saw I had #43 and Trad cultivar from the same Meijiawu producer; that could be a fun comparative tasting.

 

[MSchapiro]

I'll remember to look at Postcard when I am buying more tea but I have about a kilo I need to get through first. Just checked and saw I had #43 and Trad cultivar from the same Meijiawu producer; that could be a fun comparative tasting.

Yes I would be. I've tasted the producer's tea and it has a whole range of flavors depending on which batch and harvest.

 

[Yardsale]

I started at tea company called Tea People: http://teapeople.us

If you guys ever need a discount, let me know!