Question regarding rolled roasted teas

Semi-oxidized tea
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Victoria
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Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:25 pm

S_B wrote:
Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:10 pm
Where can I buy Chen Huayin teas?
On the topic of Chen oolong, I can only speak from personal experience but if you are outside the US, I highly recommend directly buying from Chen. It is much fresher that way, giving you a much better example of the intended product. It tends to come completely vacuum sealed in smaller portioned bags. I also find his packaging very aesthetically pleasing. That doesn't speak to the product at all, but I appreciate the simplicity of his packaging. That said, if ordering from Chen please be aware that receiving the wrong tea is not unheard of. I have had it happen to me personally, and know others that have experienced the same thing. It isn't a lost in translation issue, either - beyond that, I don't know the details of his situation so I won't speak further to that point.

There have been some other vendors mentioned that seem to have decent oolongs as well! I would recommend slowly trying a few offerings from here and there, and see what oolongs really stick with you! Best of luck on your roasted oolong journey!
Sorry to hear this happened to you. I order from him three times per year, for several years now, and have never received an incorrect order. I agree about the vacuum sealed 25gr packs being very useful to keep oolong fresh, with packaging nice to handle and look at. With some other vendors if I’m not going to finish a 100 or 150gr pack, I then need to do an extra step and repack, vacuum sealing into smaller portions.
swordofmytriumph
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Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:50 pm

@Victoria, what vacuum sealer do you use to repack the tea? I’ve been shopping around for one...amd looking for one that works well with the really heavy duty bags we like to use for tea (the thick non see through kind).
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Victoria
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:03 pm

swordofmytriumph wrote:
Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:50 pm
Victoria, what vacuum sealer do you use to repack the tea? I’ve been shopping around for one...amd looking for one that works well with the really heavy duty bags we like to use for tea (the thick non see through kind).
Okay, so I finally got Private Preserve inert gas wine preservation system recommended by Baisao. It uses argon, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen to displace oxygen from the bag. Instead of buying a new heat sealing system, I happen to have a hair curling iron that heat seals packets really well. A flat iron would work well also; it’s a cheap space-saving alternative to getting a more professional sealing system. I also got oxygen absorber packs. Technically I’m not vacuum sealing, just removing as much air as possible and heat sealing. Several members have mentioned FoodSaver for a vacuum sealer system, and impulse sealers for more fragile wiry teas.

I add oxygen absorbers to bag, heat seal up to 1/8” of edge of bag (leaving space for gas extension tube to be inserted), spray gas into bag, remove tube, seal the rest of bag quickly as I remove tube.
Teachronicles
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:42 pm

S_B wrote:
Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:10 pm
Where can I buy Chen Huayin teas?
On the topic of Chen oolong, I can only speak from personal experience but if you are outside the US, I highly recommend directly buying from Chen. It is much fresher that way, giving you a much better example of the intended product. It tends to come completely vacuum sealed in smaller portioned bags. I also find his packaging very aesthetically pleasing. That doesn't speak to the product at all, but I appreciate the simplicity of his packaging. That said, if ordering from Chen please be aware that receiving the wrong tea is not unheard of. I have had it happen to me personally, and know others that have experienced the same thing. It isn't a lost in translation issue, either - beyond that, I don't know the details of his situation so I won't speak further to that point.

There have been some other vendors mentioned that seem to have decent oolongs as well! I would recommend slowly trying a few offerings from here and there, and see what oolongs really stick with you! Best of luck on your roasted oolong journey!
I never had an incorrect order until relatively recently. I ordered something like 150g of medium roast and 50-100g of light roast. The quantities were mixed up and i received 100g of medium roast and 150g of light roast. It's not a huge deal cause i like the light roast a lot, but i would have liked to have more medium roast because I prefer that once its settled. I love his packaging as well for the same reasons you and @Victoria mentioned, i can finish 25g within a reasonable amount of time.
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Victoria
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:07 pm

Teachronicles wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:42 pm
I never had an incorrect order until relatively recently. I ordered something like 150g of medium roast and 50-100g of light roast. The quantities were mixed up and i received 100g of medium roast and 150g of light roast. It's not a huge deal cause i like the light roast a lot, but i would have liked to have more medium roast because I prefer that once its settled. I love his packaging as well for the same reasons you and Victoria mentioned, i can finish 25g within a reasonable amount of time.
I think for a small tea farmer and producer it’s probably pretty tough to deal with paperwork and a bunch of small international orders. From what I understand in Taiwan small orders in most shops are 300gr or 1/2 jin, with many vendors not wanting to waste their time with anything less. My orders always took this into consideration. Pretty cool though that Chen makes vacuum packs as small as 25gr.
Teachronicles
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:23 pm

Victoria wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:07 pm
Teachronicles wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:42 pm
I never had an incorrect order until relatively recently. I ordered something like 150g of medium roast and 50-100g of light roast. The quantities were mixed up and i received 100g of medium roast and 150g of light roast. It's not a huge deal cause i like the light roast a lot, but i would have liked to have more medium roast because I prefer that once its settled. I love his packaging as well for the same reasons you and Victoria mentioned, i can finish 25g within a reasonable amount of time.
I think for a small tea farmer and producer it’s probably pretty tough to deal with paperwork and a bunch of small international orders. From what I understand in Taiwan small orders in most shops are 300gr or 1/2 jin, with many vendors not wanting to waste their time with anything less. My orders always took this into consideration. Pretty cool though that Chen makes vacuum packs as small as 25gr.
Oh ya, I wasn't gna make a fuss about it, and your absolutely right regarding small orders. I feel very lucky to even have access to chens tea, I shouldn't be nitpicking.
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Bok
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:27 pm

Victoria wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:07 pm
I think for a small tea farmer and producer it’s probably pretty tough to deal with paperwork and a bunch of small international orders. From what I understand in Taiwan small orders in most shops are 300gr or 1/2 jin, with many vendors not wanting to waste their time with anything less. My orders always took this into consideration. Pretty cool though that Chen makes vacuum packs as small as 25gr.
Usually, smallest single (packed) unit in Taiwan is a 150g pack, as Victoria correctly said half jin (300g) is really the lowest people buy without making the merchant waste their time, more standard is a jin (600) per tea. Exceptions only apply to premium and rare teas. I do not think many would bother packing tea in 25g units for the customer... Chance of getting a good price for such a peanut order would also be extremly low (if bought sur place in Taiwan), more likely an annoyance tax would be added :mrgreen:
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:36 pm

Victoria wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:07 pm
Teachronicles wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:42 pm
I never had an incorrect order until relatively recently. I ordered something like 150g of medium roast and 50-100g of light roast. The quantities were mixed up and i received 100g of medium roast and 150g of light roast. It's not a huge deal cause i like the light roast a lot, but i would have liked to have more medium roast because I prefer that once its settled. I love his packaging as well for the same reasons you and Victoria mentioned, i can finish 25g within a reasonable amount of time.
I think for a small tea farmer and producer it’s probably pretty tough to deal with paperwork and a bunch of small international orders. From what I understand in Taiwan small orders in most shops are 300gr or 1/2 jin, with many vendors not wanting to waste their time with anything less. My orders always took this into consideration. Pretty cool though that Chen makes vacuum packs as small as 25gr.
This is actually part of the reason why Chen was interested in working with us... saves him a lot of time in packaging / paper work / fulfillment.
swordofmytriumph
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:12 pm

Dang though, 600g is a lot of oolong...I’d have to be married to the tea I was buying to get that much in one go.

And that’s some pretty high tech stuff @Victoria, for the sealing. I can just see it now, using my straightener to seal stuff. I haven’t actually used it on my hair in years. :lol:
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:32 pm

swordofmytriumph wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:12 pm
Dang though, 600g is a lot of oolong...I’d have to be married to the tea I was buying to get that much in one go.
All relative, you just get more liberal with how much leaf you throw in the pot. Also I do rarely feel the need, or in this case economic necessity, to squeeze every little bit of flavour out of the tea. I just stop when it tastes best and starts to fall off.

Just last week during the Chinese New Year holiday, I finished a 150pack in a week, plus almost another of aged tea and a few bit and bops here and there.

In the past I pushed my teas to 12 rounds and more for high mountain, now I barely want to go over six.
Teachronicles
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Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:36 pm

Bok wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:32 pm
swordofmytriumph wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:12 pm
Dang though, 600g is a lot of oolong...I’d have to be married to the tea I was buying to get that much in one go.
All relative, you just get more liberal with how much leaf you throw in the pot. Also I do rarely feel the need, or in this case economic necessity, to squeeze every little bit of flavour out of the tea. I just stop when it tastes best and starts to fall off.

Just last week during the Chinese New Year holiday, I finished a 150pack in a week, plus almost another of aged tea and a few bit and bops here and there.

In the past I pushed my teas to 12 rounds and more for high mountain, now I barely want to go over six.
I wonder if it's a Western thing to steep a tea till there's absolutely nothing left, do you find people in Taiwan will just stop when they feel like it? To be honest, i hear about people pushing teas for extremely long steeps getting everything they can out of the tea and I always feel a bit guilty if I feel like I'm done with a tea even though I know I can get more tea out of it.
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Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:11 am

Teachronicles wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:36 pm
I wonder if it's a Western thing to steep a tea till there's absolutely nothing left, do you find people in Taiwan will just stop when they feel like it? To be honest, i hear about people pushing teas for extremely long steeps getting everything they can out of the tea and I always feel a bit guilty if I feel like I'm done with a tea even though I know I can get more tea out of it.
I got one friend who brews his high mountain teas no more than three times.

I know others who brew a very light brew forever, basically never really getting to a point of full potential (in my taste book), leaving you forever wanting.

There is people of every brewing shade around. But generally I would say people do not need to be too frugal with their leaves as they are relatively abundant.

I push a tea that has potential, like premium Dancong, or if I ever drink it and it is nice, Puerh. I have too much tea to want to waste time with a cup I do not fully enjoy any longer. I would not feel guilty about it, if there is anything more precious than tea, it is time.
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Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:47 am

swordofmytriumph wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:12 pm
Dang though, 600g is a lot of oolong...I’d have to be married to the tea I was buying to get that much in one go.

And that’s some pretty high tech stuff Victoria, for the sealing. I can just see it now, using my straightener to seal stuff. I haven’t actually used it on my hair in years. :lol:
One Jin is the way I prefer to order if I can help it, for teas I like anyway! (or more appropriately for teas I know I can handle a full Jin of~)
swordofmytriumph
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Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:54 am

Bok wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:32 pm
swordofmytriumph wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:12 pm
Dang though, 600g is a lot of oolong...I’d have to be married to the tea I was buying to get that much in one go.
All relative, you just get more liberal with how much leaf you throw in the pot. Also I do rarely feel the need, or in this case economic necessity, to squeeze every little bit of flavour out of the tea. I just stop when it tastes best and starts to fall off.

Just last week during the Chinese New Year holiday, I finished a 150pack in a week, plus almost another of aged tea and a few bit and bops here and there.

In the past I pushed my teas to 12 rounds and more for high mountain, now I barely want to go over six.
Yeah, I guess if I had more I probably wouldn't be as sparing with my leaves either so that's a good point.
swordofmytriumph
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Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:00 am

Teachronicles wrote:
Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:36 pm
I wonder if it's a Western thing to steep a tea till there's absolutely nothing left, do you find people in Taiwan will just stop when they feel like it? To be honest, i hear about people pushing teas for extremely long steeps getting everything they can out of the tea and I always feel a bit guilty if I feel like I'm done with a tea even though I know I can get more tea out of it.
Usually I stop when I don't enjoy it anymore. So wherever that is. If I'm not liking it anymore there's no reason to go further since the whole point is enjoyment, so I don't feel guilty. So it depends on the tea, how much I push it. If I'm still enjoying it then yeah, I'll keep going and push it a little. There was a green tea from Hojo that I had a while back and it just kept giving. I got like 17 steeps out of it which is unheard of for a green, heck that's long for an oolong or puerh!

Only time I feel guilty is if I'm still enjoying it but I just can't fit any more tea and need to go to bed, or run errands or something.
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