Teas best suited for grandpa style

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d.manuk
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Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:33 am

I'm interested in knowing what teas you think work very well for brewing grandpa style.


Personally I think a Chinese green or silver needle works great. But it has to be a higher quality grade so that it doesn't really get bitter and only has sweetness.
t-curious
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Sat Oct 05, 2019 12:06 pm

I’ve enjoyed sheng this way.
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tjkdubya
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Sat Oct 05, 2019 10:01 pm

Teas that you might think have good aroma and the basic structure is there, but the body feels a bit thin (i.e., something missing in the "middle")... G-brewing seems to round them out nicely.
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debunix
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Sat Oct 05, 2019 10:42 pm

I love a fine gaoshan grandpa style. A few leaves go a long way.
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tjkdubya
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Sat Oct 05, 2019 10:56 pm

debunix wrote:
Sat Oct 05, 2019 10:42 pm
I love a fine gaoshan grandpa style. A few leaves go a long way.
So good. I think grandpa style can really flatter greener oolongs.
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debunix
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Sat Oct 05, 2019 11:29 pm

I enjoyed the special offer Fu Shou Shan in gongfu infusions, but felt like I got more joy from it when infused grandpa style, fewer longer infusions, more time to enjoy the wonderful scent of the tea.
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Bok
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Mon Oct 07, 2019 12:23 am

the better the tea, the more suitable it is for neglectful handling. :mrgreen:
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aet
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Mon Oct 07, 2019 4:33 am

Yunnan green tea will always be bitter if brew grandpa style. If any other CN green , that would be Huang Shan Mao Feng - some higher grade though. I like black ( red ) Ye Sheng Hong ( from wild trees ) , can put just 3g into the 500ml bottle and leave it. Some people drink sheng like that and some also Shu. I have a frined who leavs his shu over night in thermos and drink it next morning , he says reminds him a juice made of dates back in his home.
It is always about small amount and preferably bigger leafs. Also Ye Sheng Ya Bao can be brewed this way or some flower tea , like wild roses.
Hmm
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Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:05 am

Do people still do the initial "washing" of the leaves with grandpa style or is that step just completely gotten rid of? If so, how do they do it, if e.g. in a mug? If not, aren't they concern about dust, dirt, or pesticides, etc.?
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Bok
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Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:09 am

Hmm wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:05 am
Do people still do the initial "washing" of the leaves with grandpa style or is that step just completely gotten rid of? If so, how do they do it, if e.g. in a mug? If not, aren't they concern about dust, dirt, or pesticides, etc.?
If I were concerned about that with any tea I consume, I just wouldn’t drink it in the first place... a simple rinse won’t do anything for pesticides.
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aet
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Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:33 pm

Hmm wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:05 am
Do people still do the initial "washing" of the leaves with grandpa style or is that step just completely gotten rid of? If so, how do they do it, if e.g. in a mug? If not, aren't they concern about dust, dirt, or pesticides, etc.?
Rinsing is for washing the dust and soak up the leafs. The first ( washing ) steep is usually dull / not rich so not sure if any point to drink it. It is also faster then later steepings it self. For hard pressed teas or old teas it takes few infusions before u get some "juice" out of it ( For that the grandpa style doesn't matter coz leafs just sit there and slowly brew / release their stuff out ) .

But as Bok said, should you consider the hygiene issues with this tea, no point to drink it at the first place.
Teas like puerh can catch lots of dust beginning from the production till the packaging. Also other teas which can be just dried out in open on concrete patio in front of the farmers house near some road and then just swept into the bag ( even in whatever high altitude mountain villages ) .
So I'd recommend to drink teas produced in bigger factories where drying is happening in drying drums , selecting and quality control is set for some national or international standards , yet those teas are more than likely from bushes and if doesn't have a valid organic certificate , it would be "pested" hard. Washing doesn't get rid of the pesticides ;-)
Hmm
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Tue Oct 08, 2019 11:11 am

aet wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:33 pm
Hmm wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:05 am
Do people still do the initial "washing" of the leaves with grandpa style or is that step just completely gotten rid of? If so, how do they do it, if e.g. in a mug? If not, aren't they concern about dust, dirt, or pesticides, etc.?
Rinsing is for washing the dust and soak up the leafs. The first ( washing ) steep is usually dull / not rich so not sure if any point to drink it. It is also faster then later steepings it self. For hard pressed teas or old teas it takes few infusions before u get some "juice" out of it ( For that the grandpa style doesn't matter coz leafs just sit there and slowly brew / release their stuff out ) .

But as Bok said, should you consider the hygiene issues with this tea, no point to drink it at the first place.
Teas like puerh can catch lots of dust beginning from the production till the packaging. Also other teas which can be just dried out in open on concrete patio in front of the farmers house near some road and then just swept into the bag ( even in whatever high altitude mountain villages ) .
So I'd recommend to drink teas produced in bigger factories where drying is happening in drying drums , selecting and quality control is set for some national or international standards , yet those teas are more than likely from bushes and if doesn't have a valid organic certificate , it would be "pested" hard. Washing doesn't get rid of the pesticides ;-)
I'm not really concern about pesticides in the teas I drink, nor did I think rinsing really accomplished much but I suppose rinsing the leaves is just something I've done so long, that it would feel weird to get rid of that step. When people drink grandpa style, are they still somehow rinsing the leaves, and how do they do it, if there's no lid to stop the leaves from pouring out?
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debunix
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Tue Oct 08, 2019 11:22 am

Bok wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 12:23 am
the better the tea, the more suitable it is for neglectful handling. :mrgreen:
Up to a point, yes. But I've realized some very fine teas that are brilliant when brewed gongfu cha become muddy and disappointing or certain flavors that give a great base in short infusions can take over grandpa style, or when brewed in a thermos (which I do a lot in order to have tea when away from my tea table for several hours or a day at a time). Bold young shengs, fine delicate greens, and white teas often just don't translate to longer/relaxed/lazy/neglectful brewing. And some teas that lack a little zing when brewed gongfu cha and enjoyed with great attention shine (milk oolong, joy of hot-start all day cool infusions in water bottles, I'm looking at you!).
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aet
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Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:00 pm

Hmm wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:05 am
Do people still do the initial "washing" of the leaves with grandpa style or is that step just completely gotten rid of? If so, how do they do it, if e.g. in a mug? If not, aren't they concern about dust, dirt, or pesticides, etc.?
From what I see ( in Kunming at least ) they don't. If they drink grandpa style , that would be primary green tea which they just throw few g in the bottle and pour the hot water during the day ( 2-3 times ) before change . My father in law ( local ) doesn't drink water. Literally he can't stand the taste of plain water. He needs to have few leafs in the cup or bottle if drink something ;-)
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d.manuk
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Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:42 pm

@aet do they have a bottle that has a filter at the end for easier drinking or do they use their teeth to filter out the leaves?
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