82

Sipdown no. 5 of 2016 (no. 226 total).

We drank this one in quantity during the BF’s evil grippe as well. He found it sufficiently gentle and sufficiently hot that it had medicinal value for him. Because it was being drunk in quantity, I mostly prepared it Western style, and I have to say that although I could discern a flavor some of the time, it was pretty much too subtle for me most of the time.

In the gaiwan, which I just tried again with the last little bit, I get more flavor. There’s a sweetness and a grassy/hay-like flavor. With a little bit of wood and something slightly (and oddly) marine-like as well.

I like the idea of white teas, and I think they look pretty, but I am not sure they are for me. I’ve had some really good flavored ones, but the plain ones often either have an eau de dead plant thing going on, or are just so subtle I’m not sure I’m tasting the tea to its full potential.

Perhaps I should have someone who knows how to make a good cup of white tea make one for me. My kids always say the bread and butter tastes better when I spread it than when they do.

Rasseru

3g 3mins 175-180f?

Rasseru

maybe even more, 185f/80c would be fine

__Morgana__

I used 5g for 1 min at 175 and then for 1.5 min at 180 this time per *yyz*’s advice on steeping silver needle.

Rasseru

I always wonder if theres a scientific approach to less leaf & more time vs Less time & more leaf.

I might have to experiment with an excel graph handy one day

__Morgana__

There probably is. If I’m not getting a lot of flavor out of something, I usually bump the leaf up instead of increasing the time first. If that doesn’t solve it, I keep the greater amount of leaf and bump up the time (except with greens, where I’m always worried I’m going to end up with bitterness if I go for more than a minute and a half).

Rasseru

I just did your way, and it is very similar to my way. Its still very much in the nose and subtle in the mouth. Reminds me of a white wine that has been really chilled where the flavour is less prominent the colder it gets.

I dont get the ‘eau de dead plant’ thing, I get dry wine, flowers, soft headfeel, maybe even citrus & bananas. But very much needing to sniff it while drinking

Rasseru

oh and sweetness, a bit of sugar or maybe caramel

Rasseru

I would try doubling the time to see if that helps. You can steep white tea at this temp for a while

__Morgana__

The dead plant is more with white peony than with silver needle. Haven’t had it with silver needle.

Rasseru

Ah ok, i get you now :)

Nicole

Not that you’ve had bad white teas by any means, but for me, pretty much the only ones that don’t taste like water to me are from Shang. I could send you some samples if you wanted.

__Morgana__

Nicole, that’s a lovely offer but I have many more to try and I’ll be disowned if I allow more tea in the house. :-)

Dexter

I’m not a huge white tea (or green or green oolong for that matter) fan. Then I discovered moonlight which led me to aged whites….. moonlight and aged whites are “light” but really flavorful – yeah I like them. If you are wanting to like white tea, I would take a look into them. Shang has a really good aged white brick…. just saying…(Nicole has recommended a good one).
Once you’re allowed more tea in the house of course….

OMGsrsly

Mariage Freres says… 5 g / 200 ml – 85°C – 15 min. It actually does work for some silver needle. Might be worth a try?

__Morgana__

Thanks! Will try the steeping tips with the next silver needle and will keep the recommendations on file for 2018 when I come out of lockdown. lol

Rasseru

Is the shang silver needle really that good? I am down to my last 10g, and wanted to by a decent amount of fresh spring flush when it comes around in a few months

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Comments

Rasseru

3g 3mins 175-180f?

Rasseru

maybe even more, 185f/80c would be fine

__Morgana__

I used 5g for 1 min at 175 and then for 1.5 min at 180 this time per *yyz*’s advice on steeping silver needle.

Rasseru

I always wonder if theres a scientific approach to less leaf & more time vs Less time & more leaf.

I might have to experiment with an excel graph handy one day

__Morgana__

There probably is. If I’m not getting a lot of flavor out of something, I usually bump the leaf up instead of increasing the time first. If that doesn’t solve it, I keep the greater amount of leaf and bump up the time (except with greens, where I’m always worried I’m going to end up with bitterness if I go for more than a minute and a half).

Rasseru

I just did your way, and it is very similar to my way. Its still very much in the nose and subtle in the mouth. Reminds me of a white wine that has been really chilled where the flavour is less prominent the colder it gets.

I dont get the ‘eau de dead plant’ thing, I get dry wine, flowers, soft headfeel, maybe even citrus & bananas. But very much needing to sniff it while drinking

Rasseru

oh and sweetness, a bit of sugar or maybe caramel

Rasseru

I would try doubling the time to see if that helps. You can steep white tea at this temp for a while

__Morgana__

The dead plant is more with white peony than with silver needle. Haven’t had it with silver needle.

Rasseru

Ah ok, i get you now :)

Nicole

Not that you’ve had bad white teas by any means, but for me, pretty much the only ones that don’t taste like water to me are from Shang. I could send you some samples if you wanted.

__Morgana__

Nicole, that’s a lovely offer but I have many more to try and I’ll be disowned if I allow more tea in the house. :-)

Dexter

I’m not a huge white tea (or green or green oolong for that matter) fan. Then I discovered moonlight which led me to aged whites….. moonlight and aged whites are “light” but really flavorful – yeah I like them. If you are wanting to like white tea, I would take a look into them. Shang has a really good aged white brick…. just saying…(Nicole has recommended a good one).
Once you’re allowed more tea in the house of course….

OMGsrsly

Mariage Freres says… 5 g / 200 ml – 85°C – 15 min. It actually does work for some silver needle. Might be worth a try?

__Morgana__

Thanks! Will try the steeping tips with the next silver needle and will keep the recommendations on file for 2018 when I come out of lockdown. lol

Rasseru

Is the shang silver needle really that good? I am down to my last 10g, and wanted to by a decent amount of fresh spring flush when it comes around in a few months

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Bio

I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

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