portable brewing set

27/06/2009, posted by Cha in teaware

I received this set a week or two ago.  In case you are unfamiliar with the gaiwan, it’s considered by many the best tool to brew delicate teas like white or green tea.  It is a very practical tool , easy to handle and can be used both as a teapot or as a cup. It’s origin dates in the Ming dynasty and if you are familiar with Chinese martial arts movies, the gaiwan is often displayed there. I will talk another time about the gaiwan in detail , right now I just want to show you my pics :

Now I only need a  portable tea table that can contain this set and I’m good .

an unknown oolong

07/06/2009, posted by Cha in tea,video

I have compiled a video out of some pictures of a oolong brewing session.  Oolong tea goes up to 9-10 infusions and likes hot temperaturs.  Unlike most of the green teas ,  it takes several infusions for the tea leaf  to expand .  This is caused by the oolong manufacture process which is by far the most complex of the rest of the tea classes. Most oolongs are manufactured in 10 steps ( I will describe the process in another post) , and some , like Iron Buddha  ,  require up to 18 steps.

Oolong  varieties can come in completly different shape and colors , and they are partially oxidized ( between 20% and 80%).   Some age like pu’erh teas and are very expensive. The best ones are from Fujian province and Taiwan.

The oolong from the clip and pics is a gift from a friend.  I don’t know it’s name but it sure is tasy and reminds me of flowers.

Here is the photo compilation as a youtube movie:

And next are the pics :

Be sure to eat before drinking oolong , especially if it is brewed using the kung fu method.

(I will update the pic description some day describing each step)

A raw pu’erh

04/06/2009, posted by Cha in journal,tea

I’ve waited  all day long for  this tea. After a long day , pu’erh teas act like a good companion.   Each infusion of pu’erh teas are slightly different , and they can be infused from 10 to 30 times , depending on it’s quality and age. In other words , they comfort you , just like an old friend.

This tea is not very old , it was produced in spring last year , but I enjoy it tough. The same tea , aged 6 years ( produced in 2003) has a different taste  and can go up to twenty  infusions at least . The aged one reminds me of apples , somehow. I am always amazed how good tea remind me of fruits or flowers without actually being blended.

I’ve played a bit with my camera , here are some picture. Just enjoy them like I did with the tea.

This post will be updated later , as well as my css .