This morning, courtesy of Terri HarpLady, I’m pleased to review Tiger Assam by Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, Western style: 8 oz / 1 tsp (2.3g) / 212*F / 4 min. without sweeteners, milk, or cream.

Leaf: Thin twisted chocolate-brown, with some gold 1 cm or < in length.
Fragrance: Mild
Liquor: Clear, amber
Aroma: Malty and sweet
Flavor: Malty with a mild sweetness

4-min: A very smooth, bold, rich, mildly sweet, malty Assam. After drinking ½ a cup of this bold Assam on an empty stomach (I know better!) I had the sense that I should eat something right away. A slice each of Wegman’s Marathon Bread and Ancient Grain Bread with Cranberries toasted with Smart Balance Heart Wise Light margarine helped. I then enjoyed two slices of Vermont Bread Co. organic soft multi-grain bread with margarine and Crofter’s Raspberry Organic spread. There was zero bitterness and a very mild sense of astringency. A rather invigorating morning cup

Re-Steep:
4-min: Smooth but not yet full-bodied, so I let it steep longer.
5-min: Light-bodied
6-min: Moderate body
7-min: Moderate body
8-min: Smooth, moderate-bodied.

Impression: A very smooth, bold, rich, and invigorating morning cup to enjoy with your breakfast. Well done!

Thanks to Terri HarpLady for sending us this gracious sample.

Method:
RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39311-perfect-tea-spoon
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/37731-my-weigh-durascale-d2-660-digital-scale
Brewed western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a brew basket http://steepster.com/teaware/royal-albert/45581-old-country-roses-afternoontea-mugs
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket.
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39312-perfect-preset-tea-timer

Flavors: Malt

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Terri HarpLady

Glad you like it. As a general rule, I can never drink Ceylon or Darjeeling teas on an empty stomach, or green, white, or puerh teas either. Sometimes I can get away with an Assam, but usually not.
I think that’s one of the reasons I love Chinese blacks so much, as they don’t usually have that effect on me.

looseTman

Yes, I did. Thanks! Agreed, Chinese black teas appear to be much easier on the stomach. I’m now having a cup of Raspberry Greek yogurt to further settle my stomach.

looseTman

I’ve now reached my first Steepster milestone – 100 tasting notes.

MzPriss

Congrats on 100!

looseTman

Thanks MzPriss!

Terri HarpLady

Yay for 100 notes!

looseTman

A drop in the bucket compared to many of you all!

caile

100 notes – yay!! Your reviews are always great!

looseTman

Thanks caile!

mrmopar

Woo HOO! Congrats brother!

looseTman

Thanks brother! With 4 elderly parents from 85 to almost 96 years old, it’s taken awhile to rack up the first 100, but they make sure we’re not bored!

boychik

I like reading your notes. They are very precise. What do you do for living? You must be a scientist.

looseTman

I have over 10 years experience in cardiovascular ultrasound research.

boychik

My admiration for you. Saving people’s lives every day.

MzPriss

I like the notes as well. Very detailed.

looseTman

boychik, My experience focused on preventing cardiovascular disease as opposed to physicians who routinely save lives.

looseTman

Thanks MzPriss!

TheTeaFairy

Congrats on both the notes and what you do for a living :-)

looseTman

Thanks TheTeaFairy!

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Comments

Terri HarpLady

Glad you like it. As a general rule, I can never drink Ceylon or Darjeeling teas on an empty stomach, or green, white, or puerh teas either. Sometimes I can get away with an Assam, but usually not.
I think that’s one of the reasons I love Chinese blacks so much, as they don’t usually have that effect on me.

looseTman

Yes, I did. Thanks! Agreed, Chinese black teas appear to be much easier on the stomach. I’m now having a cup of Raspberry Greek yogurt to further settle my stomach.

looseTman

I’ve now reached my first Steepster milestone – 100 tasting notes.

MzPriss

Congrats on 100!

looseTman

Thanks MzPriss!

Terri HarpLady

Yay for 100 notes!

looseTman

A drop in the bucket compared to many of you all!

caile

100 notes – yay!! Your reviews are always great!

looseTman

Thanks caile!

mrmopar

Woo HOO! Congrats brother!

looseTman

Thanks brother! With 4 elderly parents from 85 to almost 96 years old, it’s taken awhile to rack up the first 100, but they make sure we’re not bored!

boychik

I like reading your notes. They are very precise. What do you do for living? You must be a scientist.

looseTman

I have over 10 years experience in cardiovascular ultrasound research.

boychik

My admiration for you. Saving people’s lives every day.

MzPriss

I like the notes as well. Very detailed.

looseTman

boychik, My experience focused on preventing cardiovascular disease as opposed to physicians who routinely save lives.

looseTman

Thanks MzPriss!

TheTeaFairy

Congrats on both the notes and what you do for a living :-)

looseTman

Thanks TheTeaFairy!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

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Bio

My wife and I enjoy shou that:
- is Full-bodied, thick, rich, creamy smooth
- produces a full-mouth feeling with a long pleasing finish
- w/o obvious acidity, astringency, or bitterness
- Retains this profile & is complex enough to enjoy for multiple steeps

Notes of interest:
- natural rich chocolate (as opposed to too bittersweet cocoa)
- honey, caramel, stone fruits, sweet potato, barley, fresh baked bread

Notes not of interest: Floral, vegetal, woody.

Cost-effective organic teas or teas that meet the EU Food Safety Commission Pesticide Maximum Residue Limit EUROFINS are greatly appreciated. Many people drink tea for the anti-oxidant health benefits. So why would health conscious tea lovers drink tea that contains pesticide residues?

Complete steeping instructions on the bag are greatly appreciated:
tsp. (g) / oz. / temp. / rinse? / min. for both Western & Gongfu brewing.

Our recent orders have been from: Yunnan Sourcing, King Tea Mall, Whispering Pines, & Arbor Teas. Kudos to them as they have all been extremely helpful.

Our cupboard doesn’t include the many greatly appreciated samples generously provided by Steepsters’s favorite tea suppliers and by several very kind Steepster members.

Current Gogng Fu Brewing Method:
20g / 6 oz / 205° / 60s preheat / 60s warm leaves / 5s rinse / 5 min rest / 5s / 5 / 7 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 /30 / 45 / 60. Every two steeps combined in a sharing pitcher.

High quality water is essential for excellent tasting tea.
Our 450’ well provides hard water. For details see: http://steepster.com/looseTman/posts/176233#comments.

Solutions:
#1. Rainsoft water softener with
Q2 computerized control valve

#2. Abundant Flow Water
Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System with an Impact Alkaline re-mineralization filter
Model: Zeta RO: https://www.afwfilters.com/drinking-ro-systems/6-stage-alkaline-zoi-zeta-reverse-osmosis-system-16.html
Includes:
- Dow Filmtec TFC R.O. membrane
- Omnipure Inline Post filter
- Impact Alkaline Filter
All filters made in USA & NSF-Certified.
-———————————
Options:
- Aquatec ERP-500 & ASV 2000
- 3/8" Output
- HM Digital DM-2 TDS meter

My profile picture is a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, a winter visitor to our woodpecker feeder.

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Mid-Atlantic, USA

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