What Oolong Are You Drinking

[Ethan Kurland]

I've been drinking Ethan's Longfengxia for about a week and am noticing that it's getting greener, though the coconut, pastry, and floral notes are still lovely. So yes, green oolongs can change very quickly.

I feel that all of the goashan from Spring 2021 that I have, have become greener & fortunately without a bitter edge to the vegetal flavors. I am feeling this change as smooth deepening of the stronger flavors that leads me not to taste the floral notes at all most sessions. I am not missing them but might have in past years. I like the Spring 2021 gaoshan now > I did a few months ago. (But as a vendor, I should start presenting the teas from the Winter of 2021/2022).
To the original post about preparation of baozhong, I offer the reminder to change one part of preparation when searching for ideal parameters. One might experiment w/ the same temperature w/ various times; then, perhaps, stick w/ the newly found preferred timing with various temperatures; then, experiment w/ teaware (to me, a minor consideration). I do not rinse any oolong.

[Baisao]

What steeping times would people suggest for baozhong?

I don’t use a timer. Eventually you just know. I wouldn’t bother with a rinse btw.

Baozhong is an excellent tea to hone your craft on. Find an elusive note in a single baozhong and then alter time/temp/weight until you can consistently get that note through all steeps, without a timer. It needs to be an elusive note, not one like “orchid” that appears in almost every steeping regardless of skill. Find one that appears only sometimes and then work so you get it every time.

I recommend ditching a timer. It’s like training wheels on a bicycle. Eventually you just get it and ride off without em. The sooner you get rid of them the more natural the experience of making tea will feel.

Edit: looks like Ethan posted while I was drafting. Changing one parameter at a time is sensible.

[GaoShan]

@Bok, glad I don't need to buy fancy teaware for bowl brewing. I'll need the cash for tea!

@Ethan Kurland, I notice some florals in the Longfenxia, but the tropical fruit, especially the coconut, is a lot more pronounced. You're right that the vegetal flavours aren't bitter. I didn't notice them as much during my first few sessions, but I'm now tasting them more, either because the tea has changed in the bag or because I've changed my parameters without being aware of it. Either way, it's a fantastic tea, and I'm not surprised it's out of stock. I look forward to seeing what you've got this winter.

[GaoShan]

What steeping times would people suggest for baozhong?

I don’t use a timer. Eventually you just know. I wouldn’t bother with a rinse btw.

Baozhong is an excellent tea to hone your craft on. Find an elusive note in a single baozhong and then alter time/temp/weight until you can consistently get that note through all steeps, without a timer. It needs to be an elusive note, not one like “orchid” that appears in almost every steeping regardless of skill. Find one that appears only sometimes and then work so you get it every time.

I recommend ditching a timer. It’s like training wheels on a bicycle. Eventually you just get it and ride off without em. The sooner you get rid of them the more natural the experience of making tea will feel.

Edit: looks like Ethan posted while I was drafting. Changing one parameter at a time is sensible.

I just saw your post. I don't usually rinse my tea, including the couple baozhongs I've had.

I actually don't use a timer; I just count off the seconds in my head. Focusing on getting a single note sounds like a good idea, though I believe it would take a lot of tea and time. Clearly, I need to become more disciplined about this.

[teatray]

Thanks for all the helpful advice / useful perspectives as I am exploring this tea. Sorry, if my posts about new greens were a bit inundating. I am exploring different stuff atm and sharing (sometimes also fishing for advice ). For the record, I know enough not to post (negative) impressions on green tea that has sat open for weeks. (Rare situation here, as I am gifting away, if I end up with too many open packs.)

[Baisao]

@GaoShan, I don’t count either. My pouring hand gets an agitated feeling when it is time to pour, even when I am momentarily distracted. For example, I may have an email arrive from work that grabs my attention during a steep and when it’s time my hand will feel anxious, hot, fidgety. It’s kind of neat. I guess it is a similar feeling that happens when we drive cars. Our hands and feet get a feeling and react when they need to do something, without much conscious effort involved. It’s surprisingly reliable.

[GaoShan]

GaoShan, I don’t count either. My pouring hand gets an agitated feeling when it is time to pour, even when I am momentarily distracted. For example, I may have an email arrive from work that grabs my attention during a steep and when it’s time my hand will feel anxious, hot, fidgety. It’s kind of neat. I guess it is a similar feeling that happens when we drive cars. Our hands and feet get a feeling and react when they need to do something, without much conscious effort involved. It’s surprisingly reliable.

That's interesting! I don't have a variable temperature kettle, and I can judge when the water is near 195F, though I sometimes get it wrong when I'm distracted. Maybe I'll get this way with tea someday, though that will take a lot more skill than I have now.

[Ethan Kurland]

.... My pouring hand gets an agitated feeling when it is time to pour, .....It’s kind of neat. I guess it is a similar feeling that happens when we drive cars. Our hands and feet get a feeling and react when they need to do something, without much conscious effort involved. It’s surprisingly reliable.

That's magical. I would not mind some poetic license, like someone who likes to roam saying he has itchy feet, but I believe you are serious. I am glad you shared. Reminded me of when we drive for about half an hour lost in daydreams while making many decisions that keep us moving safely on an expressway. We know this happens. We can create phrases for such phenomena. Understand it? ...

Why we can prepare tea for months without a problem, then suddenly cannot, is a mystery.

I like preparing tea by feel & the results, pleasure that is not always the same that comes from using unweighed amounts of leaves steeped in water of unknown temperature for an inexact amount of time. Yet, there are times when I go awry for days. Then, for several days, I stop pouring out leaves from a foil packet (I use a spoon carefully, consistently filled); I don't ignore the second hand on my clock on my tea table; &, I make use of the temperature settings of my variable temp. kettle.

[Victoria]

Why we can prepare tea for months without a problem, then suddenly cannot, is a mystery.

I like preparing tea by feel & the results, pleasure that is not always the same that comes from using unweighed amounts of leaves steeped in water of unknown temperature for an inexact amount of time. Yet, there are times when I go awry for days. Then, for several days, I stop pouring out leaves from a foil packet (I use a spoon carefully, consistently filled); I don't ignore the second hand on my clock on my tea table; &, I make use of the temperature settings of my variable temp. kettle.

This happens to me as well. All of a sudden teas taste off after weeks of perfect steeps, same water, same parameters. I attribute this to changes in my mood/body, ambient humidity, and or city water coming from a new source.

This morning @Ethan Kurland’s Father’s Love, an aged roasted Lishan. Even with my makeshift espresso pitcher and SS filter it steeped perfectly, using a spoon to measure leaves, off boil aerated tap water, and knowing when it’s ready by aroma coming off pitcher/teapot. Luckily I have a perfectly sized yunomi that allows aroma to swirl around inside the upper half of the cup as I sip on this aromatic, sweet, layered oolong.

[Baisao]

.... My pouring hand gets an agitated feeling when it is time to pour, .....It’s kind of neat. I guess it is a similar feeling that happens when we drive cars. Our hands and feet get a feeling and react when they need to do something, without much conscious effort involved. It’s surprisingly reliable.

That's magical. I would not mind some poetic license, like someone who likes to roam saying he has itchy feet, but I believe you are serious. I am glad you shared. Reminded me of when we drive for about half an hour lost in daydreams while making many decisions that keep us moving safely on an expressway. We know this happens. We can create phrases for such phenomena. Understand it? ...

Why we can prepare tea for months without a problem, then suddenly cannot, is a mystery.

I like preparing tea by feel & the results, pleasure that is not always the same that comes from using unweighed amounts of leaves steeped in water of unknown temperature for an inexact amount of time. Yet, there are times when I go awry for days. Then, for several days, I stop pouring out leaves from a foil packet (I use a spoon carefully, consistently filled); I don't ignore the second hand on my clock on my tea table; &, I make use of the temperature settings of my variable temp. kettle.

You are correct, I’m being quite literal. And you’ve identified the same phenomenon in driving. Another is that if I let the wheel loose on the car and let it drift to the shoulder, my body want to pull it back into the lane and I can feel that same agitated feeling.

I feel like each steeping is a correction or refinement of the previous steeping, and my hand just knows.

I echo @Victoria’s sentiments that missing the mark has to do with our mental state. During the early weeks of grief I couldn’t pour tea. Even with a timer I would get distracted and find I was over by a minute or more! The tea returned as my mental state improved. It was fascinating to observe.

[mbanu]

Drinking a 2021 shuixian from Seven Cups. Not sure if it's quirks of this season's harvest or intentional, but it only seems to do well with gongfu brewing for me. A fine tea made that way, though.

*Edit: Maybe should have had some more water beforehand, though -- this one seems to be a headache-inducer for me.

I think this is the first oolong I've had from them that I didn't enjoy. No improvement with a few months of rest, hard water brewing doesn't seem to improve it... Maybe due to my so-so gongfu skills, but the best I can coax this tea gongfu-wise is transforming it into an OK non headache-inducer. A good reminder that just because an oolong is genuine and selected by someone with experience is no guarantee it will be good for me (although it's a good start).

[TeaGrove]

Having a Spring Clean of some teas so a session with some Dancong Huan Pian 2021 (4g/100ml) and Organic Roasted Tieguanyin 2018 (3g/100ml). The latter is credited to Taiwanese Tieguangyin 'Master Chen'.

Both teas are from Berlin based Nannuoshan and while I'm too inexperienced in my tastings to give recommendations or comment on quality I have really enjoyed them

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[Baisao]

Having a Spring Clean of some teas so a session with some Dancong Huan Pian 2021 (4g/100ml) and Organic Roasted Tieguanyin 2018 (3g/100ml). The latter is credited to Taiwanese Tieguangyin 'Master Chen'.

Both teas are from Berlin based Nannuoshan and while I'm too inexperienced in my tastings to give recommendations or comment on quality I have really enjoyed them

The Huan Pian has a lot of stems is it especially sweet tasting? My experience has been that very stem-y teas are sweeter.

[LeoFox]

Having a Spring Clean of some teas so a session with some Dancong Huan Pian 2021 (4g/100ml) and Organic Roasted Tieguanyin 2018 (3g/100ml). The latter is credited to Taiwanese Tieguangyin 'Master Chen'.

Both teas are from Berlin based Nannuoshan and while I'm too inexperienced in my tastings to give recommendations or comment on quality I have really enjoyed them

The Huan Pian has a lot of stems is it especially sweet tasting? My experience has been that very stem-y teas are sweeter.

Maybe similar to this grade.

https://www.yunnancraft.com/en/oolong-t ... iang-green

[swordofmytriumph]

Drinking some tea from Floating Leaves, their Dong Ding Traditional A. I got this a couple years ago and it sat at the bottom of my tea box, forgotten until now. It's juicy, jammy, warm, and roasty. I think the resting time has been beneficial, the roasty flavors are nice and soft, but still very present. It's so well balanced; the roasted flavors are clear, yet the fruity notes are not overwhelmed. This is my favorite tea I've had in the last year!

The only problem is that I only bought one ounce!