Autumn Hearth

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Bi Luo Chun Competition Grade from The Tea Farm

Autumn Hearth drank Bi Luo Chun Competition Grade by The Tea Farm

Ho hum! Tried this months ago and then again the other day and I really just couldn’t drink this. I don’t have much experience with Bi Luo Chun and while “soapy scent” doesn’t sound appealing, I don’t think that’s the issue. It’s a bad taste, I’ve experienced before, mostly in green teas, usually from swaps but occasionally from my own stash. I think it’s just old and *Michelle*’s tasting note confirms that for me. So I shall not rate, just want to make a note for myself.

My New Year’s resolution I already began a couple months ago: I’m drinking down my greens. I will try to stay in season this year with them, but at least drink within six months, ideally four. After I tossed this, I had a nice long glass tumbler session with some Verdant Dragonwell-style Laoshan Green. I got my mom several Verdant greens for Christmas, a glass tumbler and just bought her a Zojirushi yesterday for her birthday next week. Can’t wait to try the Laoshan Bi Lo Chun green with her!

2012-12-31 12:36:21 -0500

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Alex_Allen 2012-12-31 14:31:21 -0500

Hi autumn, long time no chat! I hope you’ve been well. I just wanted to share my experience of “competition grade” teas vs family farm teas. I have tried a few teas entitled competition grade, and none of them matched up to the micro-lot type teas offered by such companies as verdant and seven cups. One of these is the bi luo chun. I have tried several varieties of bi luo chun, including a competition grade, and the best by far is the one by Seven Cups. Never bitter, always umami and nutty, very powerful flavor. If I could afford it, I would totally send you a sample :)

Autumn Hearth 2012-12-31 15:38:54 -0500

Thanks for sharing the info and recommendation Alex, not too surprising but good to have it confirmed! I shall be sure to check out Seven Cups sometime this year, maybe after the spring harvests roll in. Hope you are doing well, have you found a new job? I’m waiting a bit, there was an organic grocery store coming to town that has been delayed and the toddler starts pre-school in the fall.

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Druid, artist, poet, mum, lover of tea, ritual and myth. I grew up on Celestial Seasons herbals but fell in love with straight loose leaf tea working at my local Teavana for a year. I am grateful for the introduction and the experience, but have moved on.

I see tea as an experience for the senses, I like to imagine tasting the land and the weather as well as the effect of sun, air, fire and the human hand. I have a soft spot for shu pu’er, yabao, scented oolongs, wuyi oolongs, taiwanese tea as well as smooth naturally sweet blacks, creamy greens and surprisingly complex whites.

I began ordering lots of samples from Upton to educate myself on different varieties of tea we didn’t have at work and have fallen head over heels for the unique offerings from Verdant Tea. I am learning things I like: buttery mouthfeel, surprising sweet or spice notes, woodiness, mineral notes, depth and complexity and things I don’t: astringency, dry and sour notes.

I collect tea tins and am in danger of collecting pots, though I am trying to restrain the urge due to current lack of space. I brew mostly in a glass infuser mug or a tea maker, only using cast-iron for company now (still need to get a gaiwan) and tend not to sweeten my teas unless they are British or fruity and iced, which is not often.

As far as ratings, I lack a definite system and haven’t been assigning numbers lately, wanting to spend multiple sessions with a tea first. I usually only log a tea once, unless it is a new harvest or I have significantly different observations, but will go back and edit or comment if I find something interesting or new.