2003 Yiwu Raw Puerh

28/09/2010, posted by Cha in tea

This tea goes in the “I shouldn’t drink this tea alone” category.  The taste was wonderful from the first infusion, when the leaves weren’t even unfolded completely. It had a somehow fruity taste and in effect it was chilling. I can still feel the aftertaste even now after 1 hour since my last cup.  It was one of the teas that go on the back of the mouth by itself.   Stéphane has a better description here ( You can also acquire it on his blog ) . I had only one sample, but I  am considering to save some money so that I can acquire a full cake  .

This post also has two little side stories.

The three photos depicting tea  are from the same infusion.  The main reason why I posted them is to show the effect of cup color on tea color.  You may not believe it immediately, but besides the color, the taste also gets affected. Keep in mind that the cups are made of same material and have the same dimensions. Only the color differs.  The green cup had a somehow ‘fresh’ feeling while the brown one made the tea ‘stronger’ and some (forest-autumn ) notes were distinctive .  Interesting.

The teapot was initially intended to be used for green tea ( gasp) . I have read that many successfully use yixing teapots  to brew green tea (with extra care), but I failed. I was not satisfied, the results did not compare to a gaiwan. Now , this teapot is used for raw puerh.

Scoops

26/09/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

I have acquired these scoops as I was walking  through my city. They are not made out of bamboo and they look quite rough.  The person who crafted them probably never imagined they would be used for tea .

I don’t want to be a somebody who can drink tea only if  he has the most exquisite teaware made in  the most traditional regions by the most reputable masters.  If  I’ll do that one day, I guess I will understand why I need that.  Until then  … . I will try to use as much local items as possible. I started to use regular (but nice and simple) plates and  other kind of objects that are simple and (not necessary , but often)  cheap.

I strongly believe that every piece of  teaware can become great if we put enough soul in it. After all, the human factor is the most important in gongfu ( at least, I think that way).

Qing Hui Ni Clay “Shi Piao” Yixing Clay Teapot

22/09/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

Handmade and kiln roasted at the perfect temperature. Breathes well and is easy to cultivate through brewing tea. It will only increase in beauty as it ages. This teapot has a dignified and traditional shape. Its handle and spout are well-proportioned. This is a product of exquisite craft – simple and refined. It has a tight-fitting lid and a smooth flow of liquid. Practical and useful, this is a product of the highest value. This teapot comes with a certificate of authenticity.

About the creator: Zhou Shun Fang is a nationally certified practitioner of fine arts and a member of Yixing pottery association. A fifth generation craftsman of Yixing teapots Mr. Zhou has been taught the art of teapot making by his father and grandfather. He enjoys rendering traditional teapot designs in an elegant fashion often using older and rarer clays to give his creations a vintage look and feeling.

[Bottom Inscription] “Zi Ni Lao Zuo” (entirely handmade by Zhou Shun Fang, Qing Hui Ni clay)

Yixing Cups

18/09/2010, posted by Cha in teaware

I have acquired  this tea cups from Canton Tea a while ago.  I enjoy  sipping tea from them , even tough they are some how larger (50 ml) than my usual cups . For weeks now,  I used them the most.

While I determined that the size and shape of a cup play a important role,  I was not aware of how the color affects tea. Until recently, almost all my cups had the interior white.  These cups have the same size, same material , but different color.  Perfect for such tests. I was surprised to learn that color does affect the perceived taste.  Also, the cup material seem to add it’s own character to the tea.  Other cups of the same size and thickness, but from a different material, give a different feeling.

Now I have two more things to try  in terms of cups : unglazed and antique cups.

If you like these cups, you can buy them here. Use the code LEAF for a 10% discount.

Snow Dragon

17/09/2010, posted by Cha in tea

Besides the well-known puerh teas, or red teas, Yunnan also produces some excellent green teas . They are usually made from the da ye (large leaf) variety and have a distinctive flavor.   Usually, they support a larger number of infusions than other green teas and in terms of price, they are cheaper.  I usually acquire 250g or more tea from this category and use them on a almost daily basis.

However, Yunnan also produces white teas. The tea called Snow Dragon is one of them. Its looks is as impressive as it’s name.  The are meticulously hand-processed, each leaf being twisted by hand. Based on my readings, “Snow Dragon” is made entirely from small bud shoots picked in a 3 day window of time . I can confirm the small bud part based on the look of the wet leaves.

When brewed, the leaves unfold and produces a transparent liquor , with hints of yellow. Even if it’s so meticulously  crafted, this tea is very forgiving. However, if you pour water directly on the leaves , the tea will bite back and your infusion will be slightly bitter. Be sure to pour on the wall of your gaiwan or, if you don’t want to do quick infusions, wait for the water to cool first, and eventually , use a smaller quantity of leaf.  Another thing that I like about it is that you can obtain a great number of infusions (for this category). Six or seven infusions is not uncommon.

Initially, I imagined this tea was a green tea, even if  I acknowledged the white tea characteristics.  Upon further reading I found out it’s white and suddenly, it  became  obvious.    This serves as a proof that I have yet much to learn.

Luanze Oolong – Gao Shan

13/09/2010, posted by Cha in tea,video

This came in one of the samples Stéphane has sent me when I acquired some teaware from him. I have to say, the teas from him are something else.  Initially I imagined the softness from these oolongs is from the charcoal, but after brewing tea  with plain water  I can say the charcoal isn’t the only reason why the oolongs from him are so soft on the throat and back of the mouth.

I had some notes regarding the taste but I can’t find them . Describing a taste is something I don’t like to do anyway.  I remember I was very surprised.  The first infusion was a little bit strange, but I think it was caused because I didn’t pour correctly.  And I was using a somehow big quantity of leaf so I was sure to use short infusions.  After the first infusion, the tea was very consistent and as I got near the end infusions, I remember the tea changed a bit to something more familiar.  It was a nice experience. The confusion at the first infusion actually added more value to the overall feeling.

Because I video recorded the first infusion (by myself) , I didn’t pour correctly and I got the tea to open right only in the second infusion.  Somebody familiar with oolongs and gong fu will see that in the video. A note on the samples I received: they yield a great number of infusions . After I brewed a lot of infusions in the first round, I had another round several hours later.

This Luanze Oolong – Gao shan is from Shan Lin Shi , Taiwan , and was harvested by hand in 10 April , 2009.  This info was all available on the sample I received.

Luanze is an oolong cultivar from Taiwan, while Gao Shan means High Mountain .  Shan Lin Shi is a high-elevation tea growing region in Zhushan, literally Evergreen Grove Creek ( according to Babelcarp )

2008 Jing Mai

05/09/2010, posted by Cha in tea

A nice shu puerh from @cantontea .  Following is the description from their site:

An outstanding cooked puerh that already demonstrates the complex notes sought after in a young puerh which indicates it will continue to mellow and improve with age. The raw nutty notes are softened by the dry, ripe fruit hints and the lingering sweet aftertaste.

I have to say,  the tea is very nice.   I believe I will buy one or two cakes ( one for immediate consumption, and one for aging, as Canton Tea recommends ) . It has the look and taste older cakes. The taste is unexpected for a cake this young. However,  it doesn’t have that  yang ”heating’ effect as the older cakes. Perhaps, that develops in time. I’ll double check the next time . Keep in mind that this yang effect I am talking about is a subjective feeling,  related to the energetic effect of the tea.  I may be wrong and it’s certainly not something you would ask  your tea merchant.

Upon investigating the name, I have found that JingMai is short for JingMaiShan ,  which is a Langang County mountain of whose slopes leaves for Puer are harvested ( via Babelcarp).

To brew this kind of tea (shu puerh) I am using my dragon egg.  Unfortunately, my camera batteries went out so I could not take  pics with all the infusions, nor with my new cups.   I’ll present them in another post.    Making pictures for all the infusions take a lot of time and I can only do it when decent light is available. I am thinking to start to reduce the number of photos on my posts, or at least, for some of the teas.

Tea Outdoor

01/09/2010, posted by Cha in journal

Another month, another tea carnival from the Association of Tea Bloggers.  This month, the carnival is hosted by  Brett at Black Dragon Tea Bar and the topic is Tea Outdoor .

Last week was a week without tea, but spent outdoor. Initially I planned to have a lot of tea outdoor, but I decided to make a (big) pause.  However, sometime the missing element, tea in this case, is obvious when absent.  I have found so many beautiful places for tea and I felt so many times ” Ah, a **** Tea would be so good now” .

I usually have tea outdoor while I am at my parents.  Some teas are better under certain circumstances. For example, I feel that the best time to have a Tie Guan Yin is during summer evenings, near a lot of flowers. Most of the Tie Guan Yin  I tried have a floral taste, so it seems natural for me to surround me with flowers while drinking it.   And,  I can feel that this tea is best during evenings.

The first time I tried Tie Guan Yin outdoor I also learned that Gongfu cha doesn’t need a lot of fancy and rare items. You can brew tea with the tools you have at hand.  I understood that being okay with yourself  is the most important thing. The human element and the environment are key aspects to tea. We can’t always choose the environment, but , it has a deep impact on how the tea is perceived.

The whole Tie Guan Yin experience is better described here .  I just want to say that if you choose your tea well, all the outdoor experiences are memorable.  I feel that the environment has the capacity to enhance the tea. Choose the tea well, and you will stop to admire the surroundings and start to become part of it.