1 tsp for 8 oz
So the hype is well deserved. I was half hoping I wouldn’t like this because the list of “must-have” teas is getting long and expensive, but holy moly, this is good. Soooooo smooooooth and rich like chocolate. I look forward to brewing it in various ways to find how I like it best, but already I could drink it the way I prepared it today every day.
I am still in awe of how tea can be so varied. Comparing this to another top tea, Butiki’s Taiwanese Wild Mountain Black, it doesn’t seem like they could be the same beverage at all. But they are equally good in wildly different ways. Amazing…
ETA: A second 3 minute steeping was also delicious though obviously lighter. I might try 2min and 3min next time. And maybe I’ll try just one 4 minute steeping too.
Preparation
Comments
We’re both in awe of our good fortune it seems, having tasted two of my favorite tea’s (well worth the money considering the price of a vente Starbucks which can’t be resteeped).
Laoshan Black I prefer brewed Western Style using the Verdant directions (I make a big pot,so adjustments must be made since you really can’t get a proper result by simply doubling or tripling the amount of tea…a bit less is wise.) The Butiki Tea I ALWAYS warm the gaiwan first, put the tea in dry and wait a minute to catch the scent. No way would I skip this step! Then, I brew short steeps. The only other method after warming in the gaiwan, is to pour after steeping into an aroma cup…which is turned over into the sipping cup allowing the fragrance to be concentrated. Usually I only do this with oolongs.
We’re both in awe of our good fortune it seems, having tasted two of my favorite tea’s (well worth the money considering the price of a vente Starbucks which can’t be resteeped).
Oh yes Bonnie! Agreed! Curious… what are your preferred brewing parameters for these two teas?
Laoshan Black I prefer brewed Western Style using the Verdant directions (I make a big pot,so adjustments must be made since you really can’t get a proper result by simply doubling or tripling the amount of tea…a bit less is wise.) The Butiki Tea I ALWAYS warm the gaiwan first, put the tea in dry and wait a minute to catch the scent. No way would I skip this step! Then, I brew short steeps. The only other method after warming in the gaiwan, is to pour after steeping into an aroma cup…which is turned over into the sipping cup allowing the fragrance to be concentrated. Usually I only do this with oolongs.