Tea of the morning…..
And that is about all the tea I drink anymore. I used to drink at least three 24 oz pots a day. However, a kidney stone in August changed that. So far keeping it to one pot a day, with the occasional second pot has kept me on track. Yes, I do still pay attention to what is going on around here, just not quite as closely as when I could drink tea with abandon!
My usual morning tea of late is Malachi McCormick from Harney. Today, I was ready for a change. This is one I came across this morning in my stash I will probably never finish. I have only a few more pots left of this one, and with good reason. It is a great example of a well balanced Keemun…..not too smokey, not too astringent, slight cocoa notes, and just perfectly warming me up today.
Today is a big day. It is the third of four holiday concerts for my kids, tonight being the HS Holiday Band/Jazz Band Concert. My DD, a freshman, plays the flute and electric bass. It is her debut as the bassist for the HS Jazz Band. She has been playing the bass for about 2.5 years, and this is the whole reason she started playing….. She is very excited! :D Anyway, however you celebrate the season, I wish you blessed time with those you love, and safe travels getting there!
Usual teapot method.
Third tea of the morning……
Yes, another value priced Keemun. This one is a little more complex than the English Breakfast from Harney. Very slight smoke, more toasty actually, stronger cocoa note than Harney. No astringency. This one seems to be where I am leaning, but all of the complexity of this one is in the front notes of the taste. The end notes are rather smooth and kind of simple. I am not looking for a huge kick at the end, but a little nudge would be nice!
I am beginning to wonder the differences in the tea based upon the year and the weather experienced during that growing season. I really only have harvest information on one company’s tea…… The leaves look very similar in shape and the amount of tips in the last few tasted today, except for the Heng Ru which has slightly finer leaves.
Usual mug method.
Tea of the morning…..
I only had enough left for a mug of this. It is now gone, and I was sad enough to go forward with my Upton order. Even though I have a ton of other Keemuns, I do really like this one!
I also have new steeping paraphernalia. I now posses a ForLife 15 oz tea mug in white. I had been considering a gaiwan, but really this fits my current needs better (and the infuser also fits both of my teapots. I also know I would have issues with the pouring as I am kind of klutzy!) It is nearly half the size of my smaller teapot.
15 oz mug, 2 tsp tea, freshly boiled water, 4 minutes. Lightly sweetened.
Tea of the morning…..
Happy Dance! I have a tin of this in my cupboard! I love it when I can get this excited about a tea that is so affordable. Don’t get me wrong, I love my more premium teas and savor every sip, but I consider the affordable ones my lifeline. (Also, I have to give kudos to Upton for their extremely fast shipping!) I love that you don’t have to spend a huge amount of money to have good tea every day.
This one is everything a good basic Keemun should be. I did finally find my samples of Hao Ya A and Hao Ya B grades of Keemun, so I am incredibly excited to see how they compare. (I can’t include those samples in my 24 teas, though. My rules for that group of teas was that it had to be an offering or trade from someone else, and not something I paid for with money.) If I don’t get to them sooner, I am going to have to do a huge run of all the samples I have purchased and not gotten around to trying……maybe a “New Teas for the New Year”?
