Leafy Green Tea

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harrison1986
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2020 7:26 am

Tue Dec 28, 2021 11:05 am

Victoria wrote:
Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:41 pm
harrison1986 wrote:
Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:23 pm
You'll hear no argument from me after the awful experience I had not long after drinking this tea. I read about this possibly being a side effect of pesticide exposure, so this stuff is potentially dangerous as well.
So you know HY Chen’s teas are pesticide free with certificates. viewtopic.php?p=15100#p15100 and he continues to add every year more and more organic oolong, as well as wild pesticide free high mountain. He takes great pride in this objective. Also, last time I looked LF site doesn’t say their DD is from HY Chen. Does it now?
This gives me comfort, thanks. I chalk it up to all of the tannins on an empty stomach then.

Btw, I am having some of the heavy roast tea now and it is delicious. It has a feeling of baked cookies or chocolate to it. I find this tea to be fantastic. What skill in roasting this man must have, to impart such flavors to this tea!

The medium roast was a complete disappointment. I still have a light roast to try, will let you guys know how it is when I try it.
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harrison1986
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Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2020 7:26 am

Thu Dec 30, 2021 12:46 pm

Light roast was okay. Kind of disappointing. I found I like the heavier roasted oolongs, at least out of this selection from leafy green.

Per your recommendation for floating leaves, I'm going to now pursue the heavy, charcoal roasted oolong that they have. I'll post it up in the Oolong, "What are you Drinking" section.
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harrison1986
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2020 7:26 am

Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:01 pm

One last post here, just for anyone wondering about this vendor:

I figured out that my GI issue was a caffeine sensitivity, combined with having had a coffee before the tea, all on an empty stomach. Also, there may have been a stomach bug involved, as others in my house had a GI issue days later.

Also, I just now circled back around to the medium roast oolong. Without any GI issues coloring my perception this time - Wow!!

The 1st infusion was good, second infusion kinda makes you think the rest is going to need to be thrown away(but still decent), but keep going for the 3rd and 4th infusion!

Big, round, peach or mango type sweetness, from 3rd and fourth infusions, where the 4th infusion may have been the best!

All water sat for 20 -25 seconds after the boil, before pouring. If I pour right after the boil, it absolutely RUINS the tea:

1st infusion 30 seconds
2nd infusion 45 seconds
3rd infusion 1 minute
4th infusion 1 minute 30 seconds

I won't hesitate to order from this vendor again in the future. I am in no way as knowledgeable as Leofox, or anyone else here though, so feel free to take this update with a grain of salt :)
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Baisao
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Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:40 pm

@harrison1986, I’m just looking at the last few posts and admittedly do not have experience with Leafy Green’s teas. The timing on that second infusion looks long to me and may be why you would want to throw it out.

Regardless of what the timer says you will want your infusions to be about the same in character. In my case I focus on brewing for body and then enjoy the changes in aromatics/sensations between each steeping. Body aligns closely with color and may be an easier indicator for you.

Regarding your water temperature, don’t let your water come to a full boil. That is dead water. Bear in mind that the hotter the water the more unpleasant compounds go into solution. This is especially important for lower grade oolongs/greens, wild teas, and Japanese teas. If a tea is unpleasantly bitter or astringent, lower your temperature. If a tea is unpleasantly roasted, let it rest (months to years), reduce steeping time, or toss it and get better tea.

Get some domestic DD from Ethan or Tillerman to practice with. They carry oolongs that have a solid reputation and should be predictable to brew. Stick to that one tea until you can brew it consistently every steep and know it inside and out. Then start trying others.

HTH
Last edited by Baisao on Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ethan Kurland
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Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:37 pm

Baisao wrote:
Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:40 pm
harrison1986,....

Regardless of what the timer says you will want your infusions to be about the same in character. In my case I focus on brewing for body and then enjoy they changes in aromatics/sensations between each steeping. Body aligns closely with color and may be an easier indicator for you.

Regarding your water temperature, don’t let your water come to a full boil....

....Stick to that one tea until you can brew it consistently ... and know it inside and out. Then start trying others.

HTH
I agree w/ much of what Baiso says here, his conclusions but not why necessarily. (E.g. black tea prepared w/ 98C water that never came to a boil will not have bitterness that tea prepared w/ boiled water will. It's only 2 degrees difference; yet....! I don't understand it.)

I have been using a glass gaiwan lately to enjoy a change. Seeing the color of steeping tea helps me. I have the tools to measure (scale, timer, thermometer) but it becomes easy to put leaves on the bottom of the gaiwan until the right amount is there. The color of the steeping liquid proves to be an excellent guide.

A first infusion giving 90 ml to drink will be followed by infusions providing less to drink. The expanded leaves take space. Calculating and/or worrying about exact perfection is not my way to enjoy tea. The scent of the leaves being hit by water tells me a bit, the expansion of leaves something, the color of the liquid adds to the story. I agree w/ Baiso about obtaining skill by observation but also hope you enjoy acquiring a "feel" for preparation & ideal preparations for teas for you. (I combine all infusions for most of what I drink, not knowing exactly what each infusion might have excelled at or failed at. I have but probably shoiuld jot have recommended this way to others.)

The quality of leaves, water, & preparation matter. Yet, if we get it all right, most of us won't like all types of teas and/or want to bother with all.
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harrison1986
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Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:47 pm

@Baisao You really nailed my key issue across all three of these, consistency. While I didn't come out and say it, I was flip flopping on the medium roast and the others. I appreciate you noticing this, as I thought it was the tea, but now know it was absolutely me. Interesting!

I will definitely use a clear glass and judge by color now, thanks for the advice! Since you also mentioned Tillerman and Ethan, I will make sure my next order is from them, and really focus on consistency like you said. Thanks again for the great info!

@Ethan Kurland I want to try a clear gaiwan now for guidance in brewing. Especially since you both agree color is important to guide the brewing process. Going more by intuition and feel seems to be the way all you big dogs do this. I will do my best to try to aquire this feel. Thanks for mentioning this. Also, I don't believe you have a website do you Ethan? Just gota find your vendor page here or PM?
Ethan Kurland
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Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:36 pm

harrison1986 wrote:
Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:47 pm
I don't believe you have a website do you Ethan? Just gota find your vendor page here or PM?
No website. Under my full name I list my teas as part of the vendor section. List of teas currently available is on page 5 of my thread, the post of June 5, 2021. I will be closed for business from February 6 until March 10. You can PM me or contact me via email listed on my thread. Cheers
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Baisao
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Fri Dec 31, 2021 1:53 am

harrison1986 wrote:
Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:47 pm
…you big dogs…
Only big in the seat of our pants.
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