Tips for a beginner? (Switching from coffee)

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debunix
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:16 am

I like to grandpa brew up oolongs with larger leaves. A lot of the greens that I like, like Long Jing and sencha, are small or chopped broken leaves that are really a PITA for drinking grandpa style because those little leaves or bits of leaves are hard to avoid when drinking. And ditto for a lot of black teas that have tiny leaves. So big leaf is my number one criteria for grandpa style, and after that picking teas that don't get bitter.
ChihuahuaTea
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:25 am

debunix wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:16 am
I like to grandpa brew up oolongs with larger leaves. A lot of the greens that I like, like Long Jing and sencha, are small or chopped broken leaves that are really a PITA for drinking grandpa style because those little leaves or bits of leaves are hard to avoid when drinking. And ditto for a lot of black teas that have tiny leaves. So big leaf is my number one criteria for grandpa style, and after that picking teas that don't get bitter.
Thanks

I just ordered two oolongs.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but oolongs should have a slightly lower temperature? Not the 212 degrees that the kettle hits (my kettle has a white tea and oolong setter that are a bit lower)
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debunix
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 3:09 am

I infuse most of my oolongs with water just off the boil ( >200 F) and I adjust my brewing for them mostly by changing how long I do each infusion and how much leaf I start out with. I I sed to pay more attention to the starting temperature and did the first few infusions between 185 and 195°. But the teas I’m infusing now are fine starting from a boil.
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Victoria
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 8:40 am

Since you’ve purchased a large teapot you might find that your tea cools off to much after extended periods of time sitting around. This warmer can come in handy or putting your steeped tea into a thermos will help to keep it at a good temperature.
ChihuahuaTea
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 11:26 am

Victoria wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 8:40 am
Since you’ve purchased a large teapot you might find that your tea cools off to much after extended periods of time sitting around. This warmer can come in handy or putting your steeped tea into a thermos will help to keep it at a good temperature.
Thanks.

I’m will definitely keep that in mind.

The heating pads/warmers look interesting too. Not ideal for my office situation right now, but maybe over time or maybe at home some day.
ChihuahuaTea
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 11:28 am

One thing that is surprising me as I read these responses and watch some videos on the topic:

The steeping process is quick

It’s not the 3-5 minutes that I was always told to wait when putting a tea bag in a cup (while the water cools down and you finish your breakfast staring at the tea wondering why you can’t just drink it)

Pour the hot water over the leaves in the intermediary vessel and let it sit for a short period and then pour
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Victoria
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:23 pm

Steep time depends on leaf quantity (gram) :water amount (ml): heat level (F/C). 6gram leaf/100ml water/off boiling water = 5sec-1.25 min depending on tea type. 3gram leaf/200ml water/195 F =1.25-3-5minutes depending on tea. So more leaf:less water:more heat = less steeping time. Less leaf:more water:cooler temp = more steeping time. Western style uses fewer leaves in/ greater volume water, and is steeped 3-5minutes typically. GongFu uses more leaf in/ less water, and is steeped much more quickly.

Edit- added Water temp as a factor.
ChihuahuaTea
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:00 pm

Thanks. That makes sense

I’m going to try to do 3 grams. Seems like the tea I have been purchasing is $15-25 for 30 grams.
So if I view that as $1.50-$2.50 per tea bag, seems pretty reasonable.
$3-5 per tea bag isnt “expensive” relative to the price of gas these days, and I’m not really a Penny pincher, but I like to keep an eye on daily expenses, and if I really like a type of tea I will try a more expensive version in due time.

Especially if I use a different variety of tea in the afternoon than I do for the morning, which would raise price to $6-10 per day, which is then $180-300 per month…

On that topic…
Do people switch their tea selection later in the day?

What I had in mind was a black tea for morning and something less caffeinated for afternoon.
But as I’m learning more about teas not sure if that’s still the way to go?
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Baisao
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:14 pm

@Victoria and @pedant

Should this be divided into another thread since it has gone off topic from “tell your beginner self” to “help this one beginner make tea at work”?

Edit: never mind! I thought this was the other thread.
Last edited by Baisao on Sun Jun 19, 2022 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ChihuahuaTea
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:45 pm

Baisao wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:14 pm
Victoria and pedant—

Should this be divided into another thread since it has gone off topic from “tell your beginner self” to “help this one beginner make tea at work”?
LOL,
Well Technically the topic is tips for “a beginner” as In one singular beginner, who is switching from coffee and looking to drink tea at work…

Sorry if I am dominating this conversation with my newbie questions
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Baisao
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 2:05 pm

ChihuahuaTea wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:45 pm
Baisao wrote:
Sun Jun 19, 2022 1:14 pm
Victoria and pedant—

Should this be divided into another thread since it has gone off topic from “tell your beginner self” to “help this one beginner make tea at work”?
LOL,
Well Technically the topic is tips for “a beginner” as In one singular beginner, who is switching from coffee and looking to drink tea at work…

Sorry if I am dominating this conversation with my newbie questions
Ah, you are so right! I thought this was the other thread. It’s getting hard to follow. Hahaha!
ChihuahuaTea
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Sun Jun 19, 2022 2:28 pm

I have learned a ton just in the past few days so I am super appreciative. I am o really looking forward to this tea journey
ChihuahuaTea
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Mon Jun 20, 2022 2:54 am

Baisao wrote:
Fri Jun 17, 2022 2:54 pm
ChihuahuaTea wrote:
Fri Jun 17, 2022 2:45 pm
Baisao wrote:
Fri Jun 17, 2022 1:41 pm


It's a fermented tea from Yunnan. There are various styles of it and because it is fermented it has an unusual flavor. The market is flooded with foul tasting shou (aka shu). These can have barnyard or fishy notes. Better ones will not have these flavors and will be a joy to drink, especially after a large meal.

It is a dark tea and is close to coffee in mouthfeel. However, and I don't know why, I haven't found any shou to have much caffeine or other stimulating effect. It's unfermented sibling, sheng, is notoriously stimulating!

Generalizations
Shou: fermented, not-stimulating, soothing to the stomach
Sheng: unfermented, stimulating, hurts the stomach
Any recommendations as to purchase online?
I've had both of these shou and they are nice. The fermentation level is compost-y without getting funky barnyard/fish odors. They are excellent for digestion:

https://www.thesteepingroom.com/product ... 18ac&_ss=r

https://www.thesteepingroom.com/product ... e94f&_ss=r

Full disclosure, I am personal friends with the owner and that's also why I am familiar with them. She is very picky about shou, disliking those low quality odors I mentioned above. She's pickier than I am about it.
Does this need special storage? Is it a puer and keeping it in an airtight container is bad? Or treat this like any othe tea (seal it up, cool dark place)
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LeoFox
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Mon Jun 20, 2022 6:07 am

No time to enjoy or brew a tea properly? Limited equipment? What's the point then to drink anything other than cheap, mediocre tea in cheap mediocre teaware that will just move you along with work?

Anything else will be a waste.

If I were back in the office, I would probably just drink some indian/Ceylon stuff, and then have a nice session at home.


As for storage, etc, etc. Doesn't matter for cheap junky tea. Do whatever. Won't make a difference in this kind of setting.

If you think boiling teabags in an electric tea kettle is good enough- why stop? Hahahah - actually that kind of treatment might work for stuff like this

https://www.wuyiorigin.com/collections/ ... brick-2015
.m.
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Mon Jun 20, 2022 9:00 am

LeoFox wrote:
Mon Jun 20, 2022 6:07 am
No time to enjoy or brew a tea properly? Limited equipment? What's the point then to drink anything other than cheap, mediocre tea in cheap mediocre teaware that will just move you along with work?

Anything else will be a waste.
I disagree. I don't believe there is a proper way of brewing or drinking tea. Surely, there are teas that need special attention and treatment, otherwise they'd be wasted, but there are also lot of decent to high quality teas that can be truly enjoyed in various ways (i've had some of the most amazing tea sessions with a puerh brewed in a tomato jar wrapped in old sock). Of course, what i call "quality" may for someone else mean "mediocre". :lol:
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