Your day in tea

[pepson]

Thai Gu Shu Liu Bao 1991
It looks like Liu Bao, tastes like LB, smells like LB, it is definitely LB

I can not declare this tea is real gu shu but I can say I like this tea.

[wave_code]

ooh that sounds tempting @pepson. so far all the border teas I've had I have really enjoyed and am trying to keep an active eye out for more examples.

[teacreacha7]

Finishing off the last of my Xiaguan XY from the 2022 Teas we Like quarter cake set... Sad to see it go! Fun to use all the new toys I bought from various teaform vendors...

[Victoria]

@teacreacha7 that’s a very handsome tray. Is that teak or, maker, also how are you keeping wood looking optimal -mineral oil, wax?

I’ve been enjoying a few of LazyCat’s yancha inspired by a kind gift; Metamorphosis Laocong, Echoes Rougui, up next Gemstones Rougui and the very special 2021 Zhengyan, Sanyangfeng Rougui. Such a pleasure! He consistently makes great selections.
Also, going through an order of oolong from Floating Leaves, so far I’m really liking, and will reorder, the spring Diva High Mnt and SLX. Found the spring Lishan strangely a little too rich (since I usually prefer rich) maybe due to fertilizer, or is it because I’ve been having a lot of FF White Darjeeling (Thunderbolt’s Margrets Hope Premier Moonlight), so it might be a contrast thing going on.

[teacreacha7]

teacreacha7 that’s a very handsome tray. Is that teak or, maker, also how are you keeping wood looking optimal -mineral oil, wax?

I’ve been enjoying a few of LazyCat’s yancha inspired by a kind gift; Metamorphosis Laocong, Echoes Rougui, up next Gemstones Rougui and the very special 2021 Zhengyan, Sanyangfeng Rougui. Such a pleasure! He consistently makes great selections.
Also, going through an order of oolong from Floating Leaves, so far I’m really liking, and will reorder, the spring Diva High Mnt and SLX. Found the spring Lishan strangely a little too rich (since I usually prefer rich) maybe due to fertilizer, or is it because I’ve been having a lot of FF White Darjeeling (Thunderbolt’s Margrets Hope Premier Moonlight), so it might be a contrast thing going on.

Thanks! Not sure what wood the tray is, I got it from Purple Cloud. I think it might be lightly lacquered or sealed with poly... Seems to withstand water pretty well!

[Baiyun]

I’ve been enjoying a few of LazyCat’s yancha inspired by a kind gift; Metamorphosis Laocong, Echoes Rougui

Big fan of those two here!

[wave_code]

Trying something very different from my usual thing for fun… late Qing cz pot, two late Qing green bean cups, Fukien top grade shui xian in a simple 3 and done style.

[DailyTX]

Having a cup of 2022 TieGuanYin. Time flew by fast, this tea has been in my refrigerator for about 1.5 year. Cheers!

[polezaivsani]

I've been having a cake of 7542 puer that had been through a rather dry stint. I worried that I might have smothered it into a bitter and angry specie. Still decided to make good for it and was cherishing it with all comfortable elements I could muster, warm and not too dry, shrouded from fluctuations of the elements. Now the time has come to break into it, and it's plenty amazing, apricot sweet and a good deal of camphor.

Wanted to share the story of how robust these fine bings can be.

[DailyTX]

Deep cleaning a pot today while brewing a 2003 FengQing Tuo Cha (Shu Pu). Cheers!

[pepson]

My first bag of "Yellow" tea.
Huang Da Cha, some basic level I think.
Anyway the tea is really rich in aroma and taste, fruity tones, no astringency. Interesting....

I am definitely planning to buy another yellow teas, maybe Korean Hwangcha...

[debunix]

You prompted me to look up my long ago Notes on my first exposure to yellow tea, as I posted on steepster:

7
teaddict drank Premium Jun Shan Yin Zhen Yellow Tea by Dragon Tea House

I was a bit afraid of this one as my first encounter was with an unbearably bitter version, and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t avoid the bitter (short infusions, cooler water, less tea, nothing helped). So I only bought a little of it to try out from a different source, because I couldn’t believe that first batch was truly representative of a tea that is traditionally on many ‘10 famous teas of china’ lists.

2.5 grams of tea, water to 185 degrees (as per DTH)

in about 6 oz water in my glass mug

‘until leaves sink to the bottom’ of cup: Still vertical at 1 min 20 seconds, and I’m getting nervous: stopping brewing to drink now.

Brilliant stuff: light yellow liquor, delicate, vegetal, grassy, green-tea-like, but not green tea. This is far better than my first experience with the stuff. There is a richness and sweetness here that is distinctly like a fine oolong, but the vegetal greenness is distinctly different. Wow. This is what I expect from a ‘famous tea’.

The leaves—downy deep olive green needles—are very similar in appearance to the WHF version that was so powerfully bitter, but the bitterness is powerfully muted, at least in this first infusion.

2nd infusion, 1 minute.

More of the same, beautiful stuff.

3rd infusion, 2 minutes.

Still rich, delicate, sweet, vegetal, clear golden-yellow liquor.

I stopped writing at that point, although I did not stop infusing. I was doing chores and moving around the house, brewing infusions rather carelessly and untimed, but I did get at least six and probably eight before I stopped. Yummy stuff.

PREPARATION185 °F / 85 °C 1 MIN, 15 SEC

[GaoShan]

I've had two yellow teas: Huo Shan Huang Ya and Mo Gan Huang Ya. The Huo Shan Huang Ya from Teavivre I remember as having nice buttery and hazelnut flavours, while the one from Yunnan Craft had lots of hazelnuts but was a little greener. Both were particularly nice bowl steeped. I honestly don't recall the Mo Gan yellow tea being much different, though there was more florality and astringency. It would be interesting to try a yellow tea where the hazelnuts were less prominent, though maybe that's a common feature of this tea type.

[debunix]

It took a little while, but these posts prompted an order of Meng Ding Huang Ya yellow tea from JingTeaShop.com, since I recently used up the last of their 'Fruity Rou Gui', and was due for an order anyway. I am glad to see that the yellow tea was available, because it had been sold out several times I'd ordered other things from Jing Tea.

I am definitely planning to buy another yellow teas, maybe Korean Hwangcha...

I heartily recommend trying Korean teas, but I have found the Hwangchas & Balhyochas to be more reminiscent of a fruity earthy oolong like a Taiwanese 'red' or 'black' oolong. Not much like the traditional chinese yellow tea style. And I just found my first post about the Hankook Hwangcha/Balhyocha on TeaChat...

Put together a review of the Hankook Oolong tea today, after a few casual sessions without photos.

This is fairly pricey like most Korean teas, apparently due to rarity with most being consumed inside Korea.

The leaves are dark, small, twisted, with toasty and fruity odors. When added to the prewarmed gaiwan, the odor is stronger, mostly fruity and tart.



Used 2.5 grams of tea for a 75mL or 2.5 oz porcelain gaiwan, keeping to about 1g tea per ounce.

The first 30 second infusion with water several minutes off the boil (probably about 180 degrees) yields an amber infusion, tasted like dilute black tea--touch of fruit, bit of toasty, but very little of the floral and earthy notes I expect from my chinese oolongs.

2nd infusion at 170 degrees (thought it was a bit warmer, surprised when it was so cool in the cup), also about 30 seconds, again tastes strongly of....well...black tea. A little fruity, very tea-like, a little hint of caramel.



For the 4th infusion, I put water just off the boil for 20 seconds, and a little more sweetness comes out. It reminds me a bit of the Yunnan Oriental Beauty I got from Yunnan Sourcing: tastes strongly oxidized, like a black tea, but without any of the bitterness that makes most of them intolerable to me.

The leaves are broken, curled, dark after infusion, and again, has a strong tea scent. ('Tea scent' here is code for smells like lipton, but that seems like a bad word to use describing a pleasant mild tea.)



It is easy and pleasant, but not as special as the price.

I would figure out that it was worth the price, and when the Koreatown tea shop closed down, my search for more Korean teas ended up with Morning Crane and their Tea Buy Korea....and far from the 'yellow tea' that started it. So I look forward to getting more of the original yellow tea as variety from a Balhyocha-heavy tea menu.

Also yesterday I heard back from a friend whom had asked for suggestions for places to get some tea and teaware as a gift for someone who likes tea. I told her about Tea Habitat, and she went and was so pleased with the experience that she wants to go back for a tasting together. And she did find a gift pot for her friend.

iokim0,n------------------- [the cats say hi, but could I wrap this up and get them breakfast, please?]

.....[interval to feed cats]....

This morning I'm enjoying some Obubu gyokuro to start the day. It's still early enough that the day feels gray although the weather report says it will be sunny today. Gyokuro is such a gentle start to the day.

[GaoShan]

My scale broke today, so I won't be drinking anything nice until I replace it. Bah humbug!