Couple of tea questions

I've been doing a little reading and I came across a thread that mentioned drinking out of your gaiwan; however, I'm a little confused. Given the short steep times of some teas, either you would have to gulp it down or you're letting it steep for a couple of minutes.

...and of course, a few recommendations. I've never been a serious tea drinker; but there has not been a tea that I didn't really like. I enjoy greens, whites, oolongs, and black teas. I have a few samples ambrose hooked me up with (wuyi shui xian rock tea-zheng yan, and a wuyi ooling shui xian). I really enjoyed the "earthy" and floral/smokey flavor. I give them big thumbs up.

barracudamagoo said:

I've been doing a little reading and I came across a thread that mentioned drinking out of your gaiwan; however, I'm a little confused. Given the short steep times of some teas, either you would have to gulp it down or you're letting it steep for a couple of minutes.

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A gaiwan can be used like a teapot. After a short seep the tea is poured into another cup.

A gaiwan can also be used to seep and drink. This would be more common with green tea leaves. Think of it as the 'long glass' method with a lid.

Just brewing in gaiwan - lots of leaf, short brewing times.
Brewing and drinking from gaiwan - little leaf, left steeping, top ups.

At least that's for me.

Some good info here

Gawain brew & drink-- I bought a couple of those screen-topped glasses; I think they're called flasks at Dragon Tea. They're wonderful at work. I use only abut 2.5g of leaf in it, and I top it up all day, leaving always about an inch and a half of liquor in the bottom. People seeing it ask, "What's THAT???" My response: "What, this? Well this is just some An Ji Bai Cha, and to my knowledge, it is still pretty much legal in most states." I saw newsreel footage of early Army intelligence officers drinking directly from little purple clay teapots in WWII. I do not really like strong, strong tea. I'm not much of a fan of Assam and other powerful concoctions. I wonder how folks are able to stand the heat and the strength of drinking directly from a zisha teapot. I use relatively cool water to brew lucha. If the gaiwan has very little leaf and is of sufficient size, it works. I prefer drinking directly from the screened flask--I end up with less leaf in my mouth.

I gave the gaiwan a shot this morning with the tea in it. It is left over from yesterday, and was on its 5th or 6th infusion; therefore, I figured it would benefit from being left in longer. Not bad, I think it was a good idea because the flavor was a little weaker (probably because it was about finished). I don't think I would do this with the first infusion (with the tea still in the gaiwan), but probably after the 4th.

I plan on placing a order with jas-etea for some more Wuyi Shui Xian Rock Tea-Zheng Yan, because its good stuff. I have a few others I'm thinking about:

Big Red Robe "Wu Yi Rock Tea" Fujian Oolong (sometimes known as Da Hong Pao)
2009 Wuyi Medium-Roasted Da Hong Pao Rock Tea - Ban Yan Srping Tea
Sampler set: Classic Menghai Raw Pu-erh Tea recipes

I see a lot of buzz about Pu-erh teas so I thought I would put it on the list. What do you think?

You know what comes next............

ouch said:

You know what comes next............

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No; but I have a feeling it involves me spending more money.

barracudamagoo said:

No; but I have a feeling it involves me spending more money.

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Not just more...Large quantities in repeated amounts ! Ouch can fill you on the "Tong is a sample" approach to puerh

barracudamagoo said:

I gave the gaiwan a shot this morning with the tea in it. It is left over from yesterday, and was on its 5th or 6th infusion; therefore, I figured it would benefit from being left in longer. Not bad, I think it was a good idea because the flavor was a little weaker (probably because it was about finished). I don't think I would do this with the first infusion (with the tea still in the gaiwan), but probably after the 4th.

I plan on placing a order with jas-etea for some more Wuyi Shui Xian Rock Tea-Zheng Yan, because its good stuff. I have a few others I'm thinking about:

Big Red Robe "Wu Yi Rock Tea" Fujian Oolong (sometimes known as Da Hong Pao)
2009 Wuyi Medium-Roasted Da Hong Pao Rock Tea - Ban Yan Srping Tea
Sampler set: Classic Menghai Raw Pu-erh Tea recipes

I see a lot of buzz about Pu-erh teas so I thought I would put it on the list. What do you think?

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Glad to see youre enjoying these teas I would add some jasmine pearls, Premium Dark Roasted Tie Guan Yin, Imperial Anxi Mao Xie. Also skip the sample on the da hong pao just add 2 100 grams in your basket call it a day. Yes its that good

Just wait till you try some nice sheng pu and start to ask about yixings. Then you know its all over Ouch called it when he saw me turn into a tea head

ambrose said:

Also skip the sample on the da hong pao just add 2 100 grams in your basket call it a day. Yes its that good :

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Which, Da hong pao: the big red robe, or the wuyi shui? Also, what was that black tea you sent? It's pretty darn good too.

barracudamagoo said:

Which, Da hong pao: the big red robe, or the wuyi shui? Also, what was that black tea you sent? It's pretty darn good too.

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This one here

I dont actually remember what else I put in there. It may have been yunnan gold black tea, some sugar rounds it out and actually makes it better.

I don't know man, I really like it the way it is. Maybe I'll give a little bit of sugar a shot though.

I'll be picking up some of the da hong pao you recommended, as well as a few other puerhs that Steve recommended

Placed an order with jas-etea the other day.....and so it has begun!

barracudamagoo said:

Placed an order with jas-etea the other day.....and so it has begun!

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Another one bites the dust.

Atleast the dust in our fields are tasty!

Carlin said:

Another one bites the dust.

Atleast the dust in our fields are tasty!

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Hey, I don't do any tea dust. I am looking for the beautiful tea leaves.
Tea dust is for tea bags.