What Green Are You Drinking

[Victoria]

Those leaves look really tasty. I’m waiting for some fresh Longjing to arrive in the coming weeks.

I do not remember seeing Chinese green tea vendors discussed much on the forum. Do you have online stores you have had good experiences with?

faj I’ll ask around and get back to you. I’m getting the Longjing from a friend in China but not sure if he’s selling more.

@faj my Longjing source said the lot is now sold out. I see TeaHabitat, based in Los Angeles, CA, has two 2020 Longjing available. A few other friends have ordered Chinese greens from Tea Trekker, in Northampton, MA. I haven’t tried their teas yet though, but their web site is full of interesting information, and I’ve heard good things about them.

[faj]

I see TeaHabitat, based in Los Angeles, CA, has two 2020 Longjing available. A few other friends have ordered Chinese greens from Tea Trekker, in Northampton, MA. I haven’t tried their teas yet though, but their web site is full of interesting information, and I’ve heard good things about them.

Thanks a lot for the information, very much appreciated.

I do not remember seeing mentions of members purchasing Chinese green teas shipped directly from China, whereas it is common for Japanese greens and other Chinese tea types. I wonder if it is just because members drink less Chinese green teas, because of a lack of western-facing vendors, or for other reasons.

[Janice]

I see TeaHabitat, based in Los Angeles, CA, has two 2020 Longjing available. A few other friends have ordered Chinese greens from Tea Trekker, in Northampton, MA. I haven’t tried their teas yet though, but their web site is full of interesting information, and I’ve heard good things about them.

Thanks a lot for the information, very much appreciated.

I do not remember seeing mentions of members purchasing Chinese green teas shipped directly from China, whereas it is common for Japanese greens and other Chinese tea types. I wonder if it is just because members drink less Chinese green teas, because of a lack of western-facing vendors, or for other reasons.

I’ll order puerh shipped from China but not green tea. In the best of circumstances shipping times are unpredictable. I usually order from tea trekker or seven cups.

[Victoria]

I’ll order puerh shipped from China but not green tea. In the best of circumstances shipping times are unpredictable. I usually order from tea trekker or seven cups.

I forgot about Seven Cups in Phoenix, Az. They have quite a few Chinese greens, and what looks like a very high quality Shi Feng LongJing. I’ve thought of ordering some yancha from them for some time now.

[Janice]

I don’t drink sencha or shincha because I’m too sensitive to bitterness. So while the shincha thread is busy I enjoy some fresh Chinese greens to celebrate the new harvest. My favorite tea is Tai Ping Hou Kui, ordered from Seven Cups. I have the perfect pot for steeping it, a gaiwan from Seong-Il. It’s not the traditional shape but it’s a beautiful delicate piece.

DA2DECB7-10DD-4E9C-B971-4112CF8D36D9.jpeg (238.37 KiB) Viewed 10940 times

[faj]

My favorite tea is Tai Ping Hou Kui, ordered from Seven Cups.

I would be curious to know more about your experience. I have bought Tai Ping Hou Kui once or twice in the past in small amounts, and while it was good, I found it to be very light in aromas. Not having sampled several sources, it is hard for me to tell if the tea I got was representative of what to expect of that tea, or if I brewed it right.

[Victoria]

My favorite tea is Tai Ping Hou Kui, ordered from Seven Cups.

Such beautiful leaves, I’m very tempted to order some. I have same question as faj, regarding aroma and flavor profile, and if it is super light. Really like how Seven Cups shows the hand making process for each individual leaf and that “No chemical fertilizer, pesticide, or herbicide was used in the production of this tea.”

[LuckyMe]

@Janice Beautiful shot! Tai Ping Hou Kui has the most stunning leaves of any tea.

@faj, my experience was similar to yours. It’s a good tea but quite delicate in flavor. I ordered it from Yunnan Sourcing last year but didn’t reorder this year as I like greens with a more assertive flavor.

[faj]

faj, my experience was similar to yours. It’s a good tea but quite delicate in flavor. I ordered it from Yunnan Sourcing last year but didn’t reorder this year as I like greens with a more assertive flavor.

To me, I would say it is a matter of how "rich" the tea is. If its taste is not strong but it is otherwise well balanced, with good aftertaste and nuances, that can be wonderful. Some teas can be better when infused lighter, because I feel there is a tendency for the brain to extrapolate on weak smells in a way that gives a sense of complexity which you can lose when the aromas are stronger.

But there is a point beyond which you have to wonder if the tea is that weak because it is low quality or stale...

[gld]

faj my Longjing source said the lot is now sold out. I see TeaHabitat, based in Los Angeles, CA, has two 2020 Longjing available. A few other friends have ordered Chinese greens from Tea Trekker, in Northampton, MA. I haven’t tried their teas yet though, but their web site is full of interesting information, and I’ve heard good things about them.

I always order Meijiawu Village from Tea Trekker, I like it more than the other greens, sadly they sell out before I can reorder. Over the years I've ordered a lot of lackluster Longjing from good sources. This is not supposed to be the strongest year for Pre-ming so we shall see. I might look into ummm.... "post-ming" if there is a definition for it for another round of green experiment. I sent off for a bushel full of Thai puer, so I'm up for challenges.

[LuckyMe]

To me, I would say it is a matter of how "rich" the tea is. If its taste is not strong but it is otherwise well balanced, with good aftertaste and nuances, that can be wonderful. Some teas can be better when infused lighter, because I feel there is a tendency for the brain to extrapolate on weak smells in a way that gives a sense of complexity which you can lose when the aromas are stronger.

But there is a point beyond which you have to wonder if the tea is that weak because it is low quality or stale...

No disagreement here. A light tea doesn’t necessarily mean one devoid of flavor. For example, Anji bai cha and Silver Needles aren’t intense teas but are still complex and nuanced in their own way. Maybe lack of complexity would be a better description.

Quality or freshness can be factor but not always. There are some teas that are just one-dimensional and don’t have much character. Many first flush teas taste fine but don’t have much depth.

[debunix]

Not really sure where Genmaicha belongs.....but since the tea portion is basically green....I just discovered that Genmaicha is quite nice as sparkling cold tea. Seems like a good thing to discover at the beginning of summer.

[LuckyMe]

Anji Bai Cha from my Yunnan Sourcing that just arrived. It’s got a nice freshness to it but I may have brewed it too light.

[Jules_Ludwig]

First Shincha of the year is a Yabukita from Kumamoto.
Very fresh, sweet and fruity. Typical for that cultivar.

20200530_070722_compress75.jpg (160.07 KiB) Viewed 10696 times

[gradiva]

I don’t drink sencha or shincha because I’m too sensitive to bitterness. So while the shincha thread is busy I enjoy some fresh Chinese greens to celebrate the new harvest. My favorite tea is Tai Ping Hou Kui, ordered from Seven Cups. I have the perfect pot for steeping it, a gaiwan from Seong-Il. It’s not the traditional shape but it’s a beautiful delicate piece.

Also drinking some Tai Ping Hou Kui but ordered from Teavivre. So good