Busy day yesterday, too busy for logging tea, but not too busy to drink them. This was my cup(s) (three to be precise) of the morning. I spent a lot of time with it, letting it roll over my tongue. The first few sips I was a bit disappointed, this has some astringency when hot especially when too much hits the mouth at once and when swallow too quickly. However when it cools a bit, sipped slowly and left to sit on the tongue for a few seconds, it is pure heaven. I get these lovely cool powdery notes of cocoa, lichen and mushrooms with a bit of smoke. I did find the Keemun Congou to be easier to drink, but knowing how to approach this, it’s lovely. I think next time I shall try shorter steeps.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 0 sec

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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.

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Baker Street, Berea, Ohio

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