On May 31 2012 08:26 yakitate304 wrote: Great thread!
I started drinking a lot of tea about 6 months ago, and picked up one of those Teavana infusers (pretty much identical to Adagio's "IngenuiTEA"), and some of Teavana's tea... The ones I've bought so far...
-Gyokuro Genmaicha Green: Really savory green tea mixed with brown rice. It sounds strange, and it smells strange too, but the flavor is so wonderful! A little nutty, a little smoky, a little floral in a non-flowery way (if that makes sense).... http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/green-teas/p/gyokuro-genmaicha-green-tea
-White Ayurvedic Chai: Great on its own, or as a half-and-half blend with the Honeybush Vanilla Rooibos. This was the first tea that I really fell in love with. The cinnamon is nicely measured and it's generally a really solid slightly spicy tea. http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/white-teas/p/white-ayurvedic-chai-tea
Teavana also recommends to steep it at 170 F while it is usually suggested to be at around 140. The other issue is similar to the first. Rice AFAIK is not usually added to gyokuro, but doing so is rather in expensive additive to something that is priced very high per lb.
Anyway I personally usually buy numi loose tea in bulk off amazon (the lung jing). I want to try some oolong and have been thinking about getting some Iron Goddess of Mercy. Anyone tried it? I have also been thinking about getting a Gaiwan (seems like the mechanical keyboard of tea community), but I'm not sure yet. Anyone have any recommendations about where to look for Gaiwans?
Yes their stuff is overpriced and badly rated by a lot the reviewers. Rice should not be in there, it used to be done (gen mai cha) to create cheaper green tea actually by poor people. So I highly doubt if it would make the production more costly today. It kind of ruins the taste for Gyokuro. Have you tried the Gyokuro quality (the one in the eBay link)?
Does the size of the leaves indicate quality? Because mine seems to have less big leaves.
I recently bought two boxes of tea from publix, the first was a black tea with mint from Twinings, which is very good without any sweeteners or anything, and a green tea from Celestial Seasonings, which I drink with a touch of maple syrup. Also very good. I have a Keurig machine at my house, and it's perfect for making a cup whenever I want =D.
On May 31 2012 08:26 yakitate304 wrote: Great thread!
I started drinking a lot of tea about 6 months ago, and picked up one of those Teavana infusers (pretty much identical to Adagio's "IngenuiTEA"), and some of Teavana's tea... The ones I've bought so far...
-Gyokuro Genmaicha Green: Really savory green tea mixed with brown rice. It sounds strange, and it smells strange too, but the flavor is so wonderful! A little nutty, a little smoky, a little floral in a non-flowery way (if that makes sense).... http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/green-teas/p/gyokuro-genmaicha-green-tea
-White Ayurvedic Chai: Great on its own, or as a half-and-half blend with the Honeybush Vanilla Rooibos. This was the first tea that I really fell in love with. The cinnamon is nicely measured and it's generally a really solid slightly spicy tea. http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/white-teas/p/white-ayurvedic-chai-tea
Teavana also recommends to steep it at 170 F while it is usually suggested to be at around 140. The other issue is similar to the first. Rice AFAIK is not usually added to gyokuro, but doing so is rather in expensive additive to something that is priced very high per lb.
Anyway I personally usually buy numi loose tea in bulk off amazon (the lung jing). I want to try some oolong and have been thinking about getting some Iron Goddess of Mercy. Anyone tried it? I have also been thinking about getting a Gaiwan (seems like the mechanical keyboard of tea community), but I'm not sure yet. Anyone have any recommendations about where to look for Gaiwans?
Yes their stuff is overpriced and badly rated by a lot the reviewers. Rice should not be in there, it used to be done (gen mai cha) to create cheaper green tea actually by poor people. So I highly doubt if it would make the production more costly today. It kind of ruins the taste for Gyokuro. Have you tried the Gyokuro quality (the one in the eBay link)?
Does the size of the leaves indicate quality? Because mine seems to have less big leaves.
I have never tried it. I have no idea about the leaves.That shop seems to have reasonable prices, if you want to try them, but just be aware that they are in China so shipping takes forever(like 2 months). And because they are in China you might be able to find better Gyokuo else where: http://www.reddit.com/r/tea/comments/gvv5y/online_tea_shopping_where_is_the_good_gyokuro/
I would think the only time size would indicate quality though would be if the leaves were broken.
Generally the smaller the leaves the better the quality, but with that being said it really comes down to preference. Small dry leaves after steeping leave behind a lot of residue at the bottom of the cup, and may make it a bit bitter, but you got more flavour out of small leaves compared to larger ones.
On June 09 2012 01:26 peacenl wrote: Thanks for the video :D Is there any particular reason behind pre-heating the cups? And because you poor quite fast do you still get a good infusion?
I was taught the rural version of gongfu tea (read more about it here), so a lot of steps are simplified. Pre-heating of the cups help ensure the leaves unfurl fully and also sanitize the cups. Traditionally, you do not wash the porcelain between servings. As you break in a new set, the cups and utensils will develop its own flavors and add to the tea. Washing, especially with soap, ruins that. This step is useful to preserve hygienes.
It's like you're rolling a blunt or something .. definitely has athmosphere.
The whole ceremony thing just comes across as being very thankful for the food while going for a maximum enjoyment at the same time. Just taking the time to prepare and drink something carries with it some unique benefits. It's a great moment for relaxation and the food is ten times more natural than you'll find in your average shop. Add the relaxation effect that tea gives and you've got a longevity secret right there (this also goes for the way food is prepared). I'm not saying that the west hates cooking or anything, but the average household does not put enough consideration or time into what they eat in my opinion. It's just a matter of priorities I guess
Yerba Mate is just delicious (though not from the same plant as the type you're talking about). Difficult to describe the taste.. it's very flavourful however, and doesn't need a lot of care to make a tasty cup from.
Did anyone try Yerba Mate that can tell me what it is like ?
Yerba Mate is just delicious (though not from the same plant as the type you're talking about). Difficult to describe the taste.. it's very flavourful however, and doesn't need a lot of care to make a tasty cup from.
Did anyone try Yerba Mate that can tell me what it is like ?
Hmm... it's comparatively bitter, but the awesome part about Mate is the way the caffeine works. It literally just makes you awake in the head and that's about it. Completely awesome. :S
Pure Mate tea needs some getting used to before you can appreciate imo, might want to try some flavored versions first. I found combinations with lemon grass or mint to be decent.
This thread made me realize I'm a total newb when it comes to tea. I just drink the Twinings Green Tea & Lemon, which I like that taste of, but THERE ARE SO MANY TYPES. I gotta stock up on some tea supplies and have a tea tasting day.
Ah, nice thread ! My teas : And a lot more with a friend. I tasted white tea once and a lot of green teas with different flavours and grey tea once. I really like green tea but the white tea didn't really feel different (it was favored too), earl grey was really good. Moroccan tea is my favorite one.
What would you advise me? I want a tea that really taste different.
Edit : Real chinese tea, my parents went there and brought me that back (a lot greener IRL) Looks like weed when it's dry and spinash when it's wet, it's funny ^^
On June 12 2012 20:33 Nyarly wrote: What would you advise me? I want a tea that really taste different.
What are you looking for? Something like sweet, bitter, spicy, smooth, refined, creamy or strong? Perhaps try a premium green tea? Lipton tea does not realy match up to the flavor or loose leaf Japanese & Chinese green tea. And gunpowder is always a bit too bitter for some people. If you like the fruit tea's like the one in the picture I would suggest you find a tea such as first flush Sencha or a green tea which is cropped early spring (Shincha). These have a very fresh floral and fruity flavor. Or if you like to have a more herb like flavor a Pi Lo Chun or Yunnan.
On June 12 2012 20:33 Nyarly wrote: Ah, nice thread ! My teas : What would you advise me? I want a tea that really taste different.
What are you looking for? Something like sweet, bitter, spicy, smooth, refined, creamy or strong? Perhaps try a premium green tea? Lipton tea does not realy match up to the flavor or loose leaf Japanese & Chinese green tea. And gunpowder is always a bit too bitter for some people. If you like the fruit tea's like the one in the picture I would suggest you find a tea such as first flush Sencha or a green spring tea which have a very fresh and subtle fruity flavor, or if you like to have a more herb like flavor a Pi Lo Chun or Yunnan.
Thanks, i'm going to write that down ;p But i was kind of hoping i could try something not green tea, white tea didn't taste really different but earl was really special, maybe black or red tea too? I always enjoy teas i like but i'd rather try something totally new and dislike it, just to try new things ^^ So ALL THE THINGS ! (that are very special)
Isn't my real chinese green tea a premium tea already ? It's really smooth, i like it. And yeah, gunpowder is really bitter..
@JitnikoVi When you're high, tea is really great. It's hot, it's good, it's natural, no bubbles.. And you're really thirsty everytime you smoke.
That's the beauty of it, one green tea can have a totally different taste compared to another. And this goes for hundreds of teas. Since you are from France have you tried Verveine (tisane)? It's very fruity and fresh, but be careful in how you brew it if you brew it over 2/3 minutes it could go sour.
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