Hello everyone, I hope you’re all having good weekends! I decided to do gong fu with this tea today because I felt like I wasn’t getting the full potential when I tasted it western-style. I mostly used TeaVivre’s parameters, but adjusted the amount of water to 4 ounces and then used 4 grams of tea, which turned out to be 4 pearls. I also used 200 degree water instead of boiling.
The method: 4g tea per 4oz water, 200 degrees, 10s rinse/30/50/70/90/120s
Rinse (10s): very light, woody, golden raisins (the pearls puffed up but held their shape)
Steep 1 (30s): strong bitter cocoa with some woodiness, burnt sugar (the pearls fell apart completely!)
Steep 2 (50s): very earthy in a mineral sense (licking a rock comes to mind), bitter cocoa
Steep 3 (70s): mellower earthiness, autumn leaves, dark but not bitter cocoa
Steep 4 (90s): very similar to steep 2, earthy and highly mineral
Steep 5 (120s): similar to steep 3, mellow earth with autumn leaves, buttered toast!
So, I was not a big fan of those highly earthy and mineral steeps… In fact, I didn’t finish either of them. Just blegh. My favorites were the first and last steeps, which suggests to me that maybe I should try this again with shorter steeps? Or maybe I’ll just stick to western-style with this one.
Any suggestions for a gong fu method that won’t bring out so much earthy/mineral flavor would be greatly appreciated! I only have enough of this left for one more cup or session… So I want to get it right! :P
I also noticed that there’s a tad bit of water left in the bottom after I drain the leaves. I’m assuming this is okay, since I don’t see how I would get all of it without dumping into a strainer. Would love to be corrected if I’m wrong!
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Burnt Sugar, Cocoa, Earth, Mineral, Toast, Wood
Preparation
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This is a great tea! Hope you are having a good weekend too! I’m at work actually, boo.
Thanks Stephanie! What’s your favorite way to brew this one? And I’m sorry you have to be at work! :(
I like it semi-western! Long and super rich steeps for me :)
I usually only get 2 or 3 steeps that way though. Sorry it’s not tasting like you’d hoped!
How long do you usually let it go for? The website recommends 5-10 minutes, sheesh. :P
4-5 mins usually
It DOES take a while for those pearls to unfurl!
I am dying to try this!!!!
Oh Sars – I have a shitload and I don’t love it so I can send you plenty
MzPriss, I don’t love it either so far. Going to try the Stephanie method last and hopefully that makes it for me!
I can try the Stephanie way – people seem to love it, but I havent so far
Cam sent me some, MzP. I’ll try it and report back. :o)
It sounded like just the kind of thing I would love so I got one of those Teavivre tins of it. I can’t get it to the point where it tastes the way others describe it tasting.
Luckily mine was one of the free samples I chose, so I didn’t pay for it. It’s not bad, but it seems fairly nondescript to me, and I don’t seem to get chocolate like others do. :(
I used 4 pearls in 6 oz. for 5 min. Seemed to work pretty well. I thought it was good! I definitely found a little cocoa.
Interesting that everyone’s experience is so different!
Stephanie it always surprises me how differently people experience tastes and smells in tea
This is a great tea! Hope you are having a good weekend too! I’m at work actually, boo.
Thanks Stephanie! What’s your favorite way to brew this one? And I’m sorry you have to be at work! :(
I like it semi-western! Long and super rich steeps for me :)
I usually only get 2 or 3 steeps that way though. Sorry it’s not tasting like you’d hoped!
How long do you usually let it go for? The website recommends 5-10 minutes, sheesh. :P
4-5 mins usually
It DOES take a while for those pearls to unfurl!
I am dying to try this!!!!
Oh Sars – I have a shitload and I don’t love it so I can send you plenty
MzPriss, I don’t love it either so far. Going to try the Stephanie method last and hopefully that makes it for me!
I can try the Stephanie way – people seem to love it, but I havent so far
Cam sent me some, MzP. I’ll try it and report back. :o)
It sounded like just the kind of thing I would love so I got one of those Teavivre tins of it. I can’t get it to the point where it tastes the way others describe it tasting.
Luckily mine was one of the free samples I chose, so I didn’t pay for it. It’s not bad, but it seems fairly nondescript to me, and I don’t seem to get chocolate like others do. :(
I used 4 pearls in 6 oz. for 5 min. Seemed to work pretty well. I thought it was good! I definitely found a little cocoa.
Interesting that everyone’s experience is so different!
Stephanie it always surprises me how differently people experience tastes and smells in tea