Sloppy Gong Fu.
Darjeeling isn’t something that I’d normally Gong Fu – but I was kind of curious about this one, and I was craving white tea so I thought it might work for something a little more informal before work today.
5 Seconds – 1st Infusion
- Sweet, thick mouthfeel
- Notes of hay, cream, malt, fresh flowers, and hazelnut
- Kind of a “sugar cane” top note
8 Seconds – 2nd Infusion
- Same but with astringency in the finish
- And more of a grassy body flavour
8 Seconds – 3rd Infusion
- A little brisker/more full bodied
- Dry hay, hazelnut, almond skins, grass, malt
- Some floral undertones
- Same astringency in the finish
10 Seconds – 4th Infusion
- Significantly lighter coloured liquor that prior infusions
- The taste was much the same, though
- Honestly? I’m not super into it but that could just be because I feel ill today too…
15 Seconds – 5th Infusion
- Got a little of its initial sweetness (sugarcane and hazelnut) back at the top of the sip
- But the body is very grassy
- And the finish REALLY astringent
- Reminds me of cough syrup; not in flavour, but in the mouthfeel of it after a spoonful
So, on that unpleasant note… I’m actually going to end the session.
To be completely fair to the tea, I feel pretty sick today so I don’t know if my palate is where it normally is and I’m definitely not in the same head space as I generally am, either. So, it probably wasn’t the world’s best day for Gong Fu. I really thought it might make me feel better though.
It just… didn’t.
Can you explain these Infusions you do with a tea?
It’s the Gong Fu method of brewing tea – the traditional Chinese style; though my particular Gong Fu session was a bit lazy/short for most Gong Fu. There are SO MANY interesting Gong Fu tutorials on Youtube, and a lot of written explanations/tutorials on line but I think this is a good one to start with because it gives some background on what the style is along with showing a demonstration:
https://youtu.be/9ngRCtNINCA
Thank you Roswell! I will check this out.