Pi Lo Chun

This tea tasted too bland for me.

Yet another green tea we won’t be ordering again. We did like TeaSource’s Pi Lo Chun Imperial—this one is a different story. My aunt said to her it tasted “like food” and when pressed what kind said “frankfurter.” I think it does have a brothy, umani undertone to it. Something in it anyway we don’t really like.

I picked up this tea from TeaSource a few days ago, about $6 for 4 oz I think. I’m trying to get into greens, I drink mostly oolong and pu’erh now; but, I’m hoping to learn to appreciate a little simpler brew. I first heard about this variety of tea on DragonTeaHouse.biz, and was intrigued.

The dry leaves of the tea and it’s liquor have a fresh, spring aroma, perhaps with slight floral notes. The taste however is less than ideal for me, a harsh and bitter vegetal taste along with a subtle sweetness is clear after the first few sips with a lingering metallic after taste and astringency. The second and third steeping are less bitter and better described as grassy, they are also slightly sweeter, but the aroma fades somewhat. I steep this tea with 3g of leaves in 5 oz of 170ºF water for 2 mins. The normal 175ºF is a little too hot and the astringency becomes somewhat over powering. Despite it’s bitterness, the tea is still somewhat enjoyable for me, it’s bitterness is somewhat refreshing in moderation and the quick simple brew means I don’t have to commit a lot of time and effort. Certainly a good deal for the price.