Absolutely Agree!! +++1
Gong fu Brewing: What are your best tips for beginners?
People saying to relax and not worry about specifics are spot on. Fill your pot with tea and water and learn from what happens.
Some people learn in different ways and this can work great for some from the start. For others you may been to be conscious of the times and temperatures for your weighed tea. Only after getting used to these variables and learning what happens when you change them in either direction could I relax and really enjoy my tea sessions "on the fly".
I use a tetsubin now, with an occasional thermometer, rather than a digital Kettle set to a temperature. I can't remember the last time I actually referenced a timer. I still use scales, but if I am a team or so over or under I just adjust what I am doing.
During the later steeps I sometimes pour a small amount to see if it is ready.
Making a terrible brew doesn't matter, as long as I learn from it. All of this is being done for enjoyment, so enjoy it
Some people learn in different ways and this can work great for some from the start. For others you may been to be conscious of the times and temperatures for your weighed tea. Only after getting used to these variables and learning what happens when you change them in either direction could I relax and really enjoy my tea sessions "on the fly".
I use a tetsubin now, with an occasional thermometer, rather than a digital Kettle set to a temperature. I can't remember the last time I actually referenced a timer. I still use scales, but if I am a team or so over or under I just adjust what I am doing.
During the later steeps I sometimes pour a small amount to see if it is ready.
Making a terrible brew doesn't matter, as long as I learn from it. All of this is being done for enjoyment, so enjoy it
90 degrees celcius, and most of my teas aren't aged.Bok wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:56 amWhat is a regular Oolong? Regular will a different thing for different people, depending on where they are based and what they drink.
Rolled oolong I assume of some sorts... the only ones I know of that don’t open fully are aged ones. What’s your temp in Celsius? Oolong usually likes very hot water.
Now I’m really confused... Wuyi leaves are already open... they won’t really expand any further.
Perhaps I've been fooled by pictures of gaiwans with the leaves fully open.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0251/ ... 1536397507
Don't be like me, staring at yixing teapots on Instagram.That's not Wuyi Yancha though...klepto wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:21 pmPerhaps I've been fooled by pictures of gaiwans with the leaves fully open.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0251/ ... 1536397507
You’ve been fooled indeed! Gaoshan leaves are much thinker after processing, rolled tight and will expand a lot.klepto wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:21 pmPerhaps I've been fooled by pictures of gaiwans with the leaves fully open.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0251/ ... 1536397507
What you miss took for expansion in your Yancha is when they’re soaked with water and swell up a little. Mystery solved!
This is my Taiwan GaoShan after the 2nd Brew.....
- IMG_2443.jpg (337.53 KiB) Viewed 5170 times
Cheers!!
Three friends doing a good job
I think you are looking at it too scientifically. App, timer, scales. Ok, scales I use when testing tea for business, but for daily drinking just throw in 110ml gaiwan a bit you can grab in fingers. Timing is in your mind. If helps, just count in head like 1,2,3, with each breath in or out.
There are some YT videos how to brew , what type of tea. You can't go wrong with fast steeping and small grams , like 4-6g in 120ml gaiwan and 5-10s or so. Then gradually add longer times till the taste hits your taste buds the way feels comfortable, or lower / increase amount of tea. Pressed tea need more steps to start release some "juice" , so also observe it how it behaves during steepings.
Dancong teas can brew even faster than that.
There are some YT videos how to brew , what type of tea. You can't go wrong with fast steeping and small grams , like 4-6g in 120ml gaiwan and 5-10s or so. Then gradually add longer times till the taste hits your taste buds the way feels comfortable, or lower / increase amount of tea. Pressed tea need more steps to start release some "juice" , so also observe it how it behaves during steepings.
Dancong teas can brew even faster than that.