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gmathis

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Amgoorie Estate STGFOP1S First Flush TA49 from Upton Tea Imports

gmathis drank Amgoorie Estate STGFOP1S First Flush TA49 by Upton Tea Imports

After several weeks of scrimpily, scroungily sipping scraps of swaps and samples (say that five times fast!) I splurged with this sumptuous selection from Upton.

At 4 minutes, it steeps a deep burgundy-brown and tastes the same color. Rich and crusty-malty, and - just because I was very excited to open a new packet and was very generous with the leaf - almost on the edge of bitter. I think that can be fixed next time by backing off the measurements a bit.

2013-02-09 15:43:36 -0500

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gmathis 2013-02-09 17:15:27 -0500

Second steep was much better. The edge was gone. (Usually I don’t like that in a second steep.) The residual bread-crusty taste makes me look forward to a cup done properly.

Which raises a question…once you’ve fried a tea on the first steep, are the leaves ruined from that point going forward?

Michelle Butler Hallett 2013-02-09 17:56:40 -0500

I think that depends very much on the tea. I wrecked some ginseng oolong a while ago with near-boiling water and didn’t even try a re-steep. Maybe I should have.

gmathis 2013-02-09 19:03:32 -0500

Guess it depends on how temperamental the oolong is. Good ol’ Assams don’t get their feelings hurt too easily.

Michelle Butler Hallett 2013-02-10 10:43:44 -0500

Hahaha! They’re pretty sturdy.

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Somebody asked me once when I became a tea junkie; I think it dates back to college when I needed caffeine for a 7 a.m. class but chose not to do coffee. My favorite teapot is a medium-sized Brown Betty given to me by my Mema; the painted flowers are chipping off, but the size and feel is perfect. I rejoice when I get a morning to brew a pot of loose tea starting with a kettle; not a bag and a hot pot.