Tea Varietals

Guy Juan
Posts: 108
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:22 pm

Sun Jun 23, 2019 10:39 am

teaformeplease wrote:
Sun Jun 23, 2019 9:24 am
The same problems that occurred on TeaChat exist here as well. There are many who feel they are gatekeepers, though no one gave them that authority. Why they need to be condescending instead of helpful is beyond me.

OP: Camellia Sinensis var. Sinensis is smaller leafed and prefers cooler climates. Camellia Sinensis var. Assamica is larger leafed and is generally found in warmer clients. Within each of those, there are many cultivated varieties. Assamica will generally have a more robust taste.

It is my understanding that tea is a bit less cut and dry than coffee. Everything is in the processing so leaves from any variety can be processed into any of the categories of tea. Just as some apples are better for baking, some varieties are better for making oolong.

Until fairly recently it hasn't been standard practice for tea companies to tell consumers what variety was used. That is still the case for most tea companies in the U.S. For that reason the differences that cultivars make in the cup are not really common knowledge.

You might find these resources helpful:

http://www.teagenius.com/index.php?opti ... Itemid=113

https://teaepicure.com/tea-varieties-cultivars/
Thank you teaformeplease. Those links were also very helpful! I really like the apple analogy, everyone knows apples :D I use them quite a bit for explaining differences in coffee. It’s quite amazing how vastly different each tea can be all from one single plant depending on those variables. I tried a pu-erh yesterday for the first time and it was very earthy, smooth and clean tasting. It might sound odd but the earthiness reminded me of a fresh flowing creek with mineral rich soils reminiscent of when I was a kid playing and searching for salamanders. I look forward to trying more and comparing the differences. Once again, down the rabbit hole into a world of new discoveries and I can’t wait to experience them all. :P
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Tillerman
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Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:14 pm

@teaformeplease Nice comments! I, agree. That said, I think that @Bok simply got a little ahead of @Guy Juan and this led to frustrations on both sides.

I would suggest that camellia sinensis v. sinensis vs. camellia sinensis v. assamica is the same sort of difference as that between arabica and rustica. The reference to SL28 is, I suspect, a reference to a cultivar (or more likely a specific clone) and this is also the case with tea. And, just as any coffee, theoretically, can be washed or not and roasted to different level, any tea cultivar can produce any type of tea - and often is. However, certain teas are judged to be preferable when made with certain specific cultivars.

@teaformeplease is absolutely correct: until rather recently, specific cultivars were rarely, if ever, mentioned by vendors (although that is slowly changing) so their influence was not widely known. As someone who claims expertise with Taiwanese oolongs, I do know what to expect from a Lishan qing xin wulong with low oxidation and no roasting (or at least, I pretend I do) but I haven't a clue what "washed SL28 roasted to the second crack" would, or should, taste like. After tasting a lot of coffee (but sorry, I don't drink coffee), however, I suspect I could learn to recognise what the influence of different cultivars is. In tea, there are so many different cultivars that no one ever can claim to be an expert in all of them. I think that what @Bok was suggesting is: drink a lot of tea and ask questions about cultivar from the vendor (or grower). You'll start to see patterns develop and you'll learn how roast and oxidation levels affect these patterns.

I don't know if this helps or harms but should you have more questions please ask them. I, for one, amy happy to try to help.
Ethan Kurland
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Sun Jun 23, 2019 3:07 pm

Tillerman wrote:
Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:14 pm
I think that Bok simply got a little ahead of Guy Juan and this led to frustrations on both sides.
I had decided to stay away from this thread & Guy Juan, but Tillerman, the tension started with me. Bok said what he said after I was attacked in print by Guy. I would not want you apologizing for me. I do not apologize, I explain a bit.

I take offense with a comment in capital letters about not trusting vendors here because they are trying to sell. I suspect & dislike a few things but that is unimportant. I pointed out ?s being repeated, advice being ignored....& essentially I was told to "piss off". That's okay for this guy and his thread, no jabs, sarcasm, snarkiness…. I'm gone.

I am uncomfortable about something & stated it for you, Tillerman, & others to consider or ignore. Perhaps teaformeplease thinks that makes me feel that I am a gatekeeper. over & out, cheers
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