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Silver Buds Yabao from Verdant Tea

Thanks to Bonnie for this very generous sample and many others I have yet to try

I was suprised when I tasted this Pu-erh! It tasted more like a white tea! When brewed the water (I was going to brew this “gaiwan style” but when I measured 6 grams on my scale it looked like a LOT of tea..but for western style it only needed 1.5 teaspoons..why is that? how come so much for a small 4oz gaiwan??) is almost clear and it takes awhile for the buds to “open up” a little bit. This tea had a very strange camphor/piney note which I can’t accurately describe, it wasn’t unpleasant..just different for my tastes. It had a very sweet, sugary aftertaste and the piney/earthy note lasted until the 5th infusion. This is my second verdant tea and I have to say that they have an extremely high quality of product!! I will definitely be purchasing from them again !!

People who liked this

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Comments

Hesper June
Hesper June 2012-07-26 16:43:30 -0400

I have been thinking of getting into gaiwan brewing, but something about it all intimates me.
I think that you use more leaves because of the shorter steep times but also the many steeps you can get…someone please correct me if I am wrong!
Sounds like a very yummy tea:)

Bonnie
Bonnie 2012-07-26 17:12:31 -0400

The size of the gaiwan may have been 6g for an 8oz so use less for a 4oz gaiwan. I think the Yabao is potent anyway. I also like it iced. Gaiwans are not hard. Think of them as a cup or glass with a lid that lets the leaves breathe and the water circulate to provide maximum flavor. You can do this with a mug. Go to the verdant website to see a video about how to do this.

Bonnie
Bonnie 2012-07-26 17:20:49 -0400

Oops…the measurement is about 1g per oz of water so western style conserves your Yabao unless you are sharing with others and want many sweepings from a gaiwan where you’d get 18 rounds instead of the 5 western steepings.

Relmaster
Relmaster 2012-07-26 21:17:51 -0400

The verdant website says 5 Grams of tea per 4-5 Oz Gaiwan! But the western brewing only uses 1.5 Teaspoons per 8 Oz of tea? How come so much tea is used in the Gaiwan (in a smaller gaiwan/amount ) compared to the western brewing? It seems like I am using a LOT of tea to make it in a Gaiwan (Plus I am concerned about caffeine.. 5 Grams of tea is a lot of tea compared to a teaspoon..I have a scale! ;) What is the measurement/way you make it in a gaiwan? Thanks Bonnie..you are always so helpful :)

Relmaster
Relmaster 2012-07-26 21:22:38 -0400

Hesper June I was also thinking the same thing..Gaiwan brewing intimidates me as well..it seems so much simpler the “western” way..especially when I use my “Piao I” infuser…OMG I LOVE this infuser..it works AMAZINGLY well!! I highly recommend it!!!!!!!

Bonnie
Bonnie 2012-07-26 21:39:49 -0400

The gaiwan steep is very fast and there are 18 infusions instead of 5 ( western style) so you can’t compare the two as equals but as being different experiences. You wouldn’t use a gaiwan with 5g just before running off to work. I often use a brew basket or just do western style because unless I want to spend a good deal of time with a tea, 18 steepings just isn’t going to happen.

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