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The tea smells oddly smoky with the typical Keemun scent that smells to me like leather. It’s not a full out Lapsang Souchong type of smokiness but it is definitely there. The taste has a nice carmelized flavor to it. I understeeped it a bit since I’m in no mood for bitterness today but I suspect trying this tea that it wouldn’t have had bitterness anyway. It’s fairly good. I do not taste the cocoa overtones that the description promises but perhaps they come out if the tea is steeped longer.
Preparation
Last week I ordered a medley of sample sized herbal fruit teas from Upton Tea Imports. I loved all the fruit tisanes I’ve had iced over the summer, and am looking for a more affordable option than Teavana. This is the first tisane of seven I am trying.
I used 7tsp of tea to 42oz of water. Brewed it as 7tsp/16oz and added the rest cold to the tea. It’s pretty light in color, a light pink, and smells of strawberry. I think I will need to cut the water down to 21 ounces to make a better flavored tea. I wish I had more of this to experiment with, but alas, I do not. I won’t rate it as I am the one who butchered it.
Preparation
That’s the way to make iced tea! Instead of reducing the water volume, you could increase the steeping time to 10 min next time. I don’t do my fruit tisanes for any less than 10 min in boiling water. But then again I don’t drink them because of personal preference, just to rate them so go right ahead and throw my advice out the window if you wish lol. (Except I was surprised the blood orange you have me was decent hot though!).
The part that was hotbrewed was a really deep crimson color, but I think I added too much water. On the package they suggested 1tsp/8oz water, but I think for iced tea I should half the water…I’ll play around more with the next sampler.
I’m glad the blood orange was tasty hot, I was a bit scared of that tea and never gave it a chance. I don’t know why I was scared of it when I enjoyed Teavana’s wild orange blossom and Taracco Ruby Orange….but I couldn’t bring myself to drink it!
Hmm… I don’t feel the need ever reduce water (or increase leaf if you look at it that way) for iced, but I’ve heard that. I guess I’m just blessed w/ tastes that lets me conserve money:) Haha- based on their sour apple (which I know is just comparing same companies, and not like teas), I know exactly why you were concerned lol.
My recommendation is to never steep anything with Hibiscus longer than 8 minutes (I usually stop at 6) because otherwise you’ll just have HIBISCUS and very little else.
Thanks to Rabs and the geek pride give away, this tea was mine after rolling an 8 today. This deliciously rich amber brew held up well to a little cream and sugar and was just what I needed to lighten my spirits today. Thankfully there are a few cups worth to this sample. I can’t wait to make a pot tomorrow morning!
Part IV: Halmari CTC BOP (TA 27) vs. Nahorhabi Estate BOP CTC Cl. (TA 18)
The long-delayed fourth round! This time it’s two single-estate teas going head-to-head. With their more impressive pedigrees than previous competitors, I imagine they’re donning elbow-length white gloves instead of boxing gloves.
Dry leaf: Both teas are CTC (crush-tear-curl) process, so they take the form of tiny rolled-up balls rather than leaves. The Halmari has more of the “Grape Nuts” appearance that many of us associate with CTC teas; the Nahorhabi tea balls are smaller and less perfectly round. The Halmari has a subtle aroma of lightly toasted bread. I did not discern any distinctive scent in the Nahorhabi.
When the two teas were brewed, the Halmari produced a liquor that was lighter and browner; the Nahorhabi liquor was deeper in color and had a more reddish tone. (Note: In this round, the teas were brewed with 8 oz. boiling water rather than the Showdown standard of 6 oz. I’d like to pretend there was a rationale for this, but the truth is that I just forgot to stop pouring. :)). Accordingly, I added a little less almond milk to the Halmari.
When tasted, the Halmari had a pronounced biscuity flavor that was quite pleasing. The Nahorhabi had a somewhat richer, maltier character. Interestingly, when I drank the longer-steeped dregs from the brewing vessels (Pyrex cups) after downing the “official” test cups, the Halmari tasted more bitter.
In this (highly subjective) decision, I give the edge to the Nahorhabi, for its deeper color (I’m a sucker for that reddish hue), more complex character and greater tolerance of oversteeping. I think it would be an excellent choice for anyone looking for a morning Assam that is full-bodied but not at all harsh. The Halmari would be my pick when I’m seeking that distinctive biscuity flavor; I can see it working well for afternoon tea. It might also be the better choice for someone who drinks Assam without milk (a concept I have trouble grasping :lol). Just be sure not to let it steep longer than the recommended three minutes.
Part III: CTC Irish Breakfast Blend vs. Scottish Breakfast Blend
It’s Saturday morning, so it must be time for another round! And in the spirit of the current World Cup games, today’s match is international, pitting Ireland’s finest against the pride of Scotland. The CTC Irish Breakfast Blend is all Assam, while the Scottish Breakfast Blend is a melange of Assam, Ceylon and Yunnan teas.
Dry leaf: The CTC has the characteristic “Grape Nuts” appearance of CTC teas, and a medium brown hue. Like the CTC’s previous competitor, River Shannon, the Scottish Breakfast is an orthodox tea composed of small, broken, brown-black leaves.
As before, the CTC steeped to a rich copper shade, the kind of reddish hue that brightens my mood just looking at it. The Scottish Breakfast yielded a cooler-toned brew with some depth to it. Both stood up well to the addition of almond milk.
On tasting, the CTC’s malty, archetypally Assam flavor came through once again. It was somewhat one-dimensional, but that dimension happens to be the one I’m seeking in my wake-up tea. The Scottish Breakfast was a little bit heartier, and the Yunnan in the blend (not as prominent as in Upton’s Mincing Lane blend) peeked through and added some interest and warmth.
Either of these would start my day in a way that is both comforting and invigorating. Again, the CTC gets the edge for coming closer to my ideal, with its cheerier appearance and extra-malty flavor. It’s the one I would turn to on most mornings, while I might pick the Scottish Breakfast when I needed a slightly stouter ally to gird me for the day ahead.
[See Part I for methodology and explanation of what this is all about.]
Part II: CTC Irish Breakfast Blend (TB12) vs. River Shannon Breakfast Blend (TB20)
First, a look at the dry leaves: The CTC had the “Grape Nuts” appearance common to CTC teas, and a medium brown hue. The River Shannon, an orthodox tea, was composed of small, broken, brown-black leaves.
Both steeped to a rich copper shade, the CTC a tad deeper, and did not get washed out when I added the almond milk.
When tasted, these two proved to be cousins, or perhaps siblings in a very large family. The CTC had a rounded, very malty flavor that reflected its all-Assam composition. The River Shannon’s flavor was slightly more subtle and interesting, and the tea was only slightly less full-bodied. However, subtlety is wasted on me when my eyelids are still at half-mast.
The CTC’s character — simple, malty, bold without bite — gave it the edge for me. The River Shannon would make a tasty, hearty, cheering cup at any time of day, but the CTC is closer to my ideal of an Irish breakfast tea.
What this is all about: I ordered eight different Assams and Assam blends from Upton, with two intentions: 1) Find an Assam that I enjoy enough all by itself to crown it my new favorite morning tea. 2) Identify a suitable replacement for the discontinued Hattiali Estate Assam, a full-bodied BOP that I often blend with the milder, fruitier Banaspaty Estate Assam to make a near-perfect a.m. cup.
Procedure: For each face-off, I brewed two cups of tea, using 6 ounces of boiling water and 2.3 grams of tea, steeping each for the time recommended by Upton (or, in some cases, by the user reviews on their site). I added a splash of unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk, as is my custom with strong black teas.
Part I: CTC Fine Assam (TA11) vs. Assam CTC BOP Estate Blend Organic (TA15)
The CTC Fine Assam is a powerhouse! I boldly steeped it for four minutes, on the advice of an Upton reviewer who said this would bring out the full flavor. I’m thinking next time I’ll go with the recommended one to two minutes, because at four minutes I found it slightly bitter and throat-numbingly tannic.
The Assam CTC BOP Estate Blend Organic, steeped for the standard three minutes, was much milder, rather a relief after the CTC Fine’s frontal assault on my taste buds. By itself, I would find it enjoyable if not memorable. To be fair, I might have perceived more flavor in it if I had tasted this one first. This was like sipping a delicate pinot noir after drinking a cabernet with lots of backbone — the nuances are sure to get lost.
Result: A draw. The Assam CTC BOP Estate Blend Organic seems too mild-mannered to be my “reveille tea” but would be pleasant as a second cup or at a later hour of the day. The CTC Fine Assam, on the other hand, is one of those archetypal Assams that strides right up, slaps you in the face and yells, “WAKE UP!!!” That’s more aggression than I want on most mornings, but it looks like a good candidate to replace the Hattiali, as it is certainly strong enough to punch up any tea I blend it with (including its opponent in this match). Neither has the maltiness and personality to take the Assam crown by itself.
Preparation
1.5 tsp instead of the standard 1. Perhaps this is a lighter tea that requires more steeping time to fully brew? Medium amber color. Smell remind me of European milk chocolate. Or maybe chocolate chip cookies. Strong tea (but not overhwhelming). Lots of tanins for sure but mild aftertaste. Slightly bitter but not in a bad way. Very Asian flavor. It’s immediately obvious you are drinking a Chinese tea the moment it hits your tongue. Viscosity is pretty thin. This would be good with some cookies or a pastry.
Preparation
The dry leaves smell like nothing so much as genmaicha. The wet leaves post-steep smell like seaweed. The brewed tea itself is like neither of those things.
Preparation
So then what is it like? Inquiring minds want to know:)
Like a koan.
What’s a koan?
see wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dan
Um… how can something taste like a koan?
(backlogging)
I finally found a chawan that I liked, so I pulled out the chawan, chasen (whisk) and chashaku (scoop) and fixed a bowl. It’s supposed to froth, isn’t it? I didn’t get any frothing.
Erm. Wow. Drinking green tea as matcha really emphasizes a lot of the things I don’t like about green tea. This one felt like drinking a bowl of grass.
I’m going to leave off the rating for a bit until I’ve tried a couple different varieties and see how they compare. I’m not sure if I don’t like it because I don’t like matcha or because of the tea itself.
(Don’t worry about the tools and such going to waste – the husband loves matcha, so now he can prepare it properly).
Awesome your hubby loves matcha!=D He should be on steepster if he isn’t already.;)
Oh, and I haven’t gotten frothing down either. The ones I’ve had that do froth do so right away upon my adding the water so I don’t think it’s anything I’m doing.
What I bought:
Chashaku: http://bit.ly/diHxwW Standard
Chasen: http://bit.ly/c55ePD – They have 2 options, a 75 and 120 strand whisk. More strands means (theoretically) that it’ll be easier to froth (more stuff getting pushed around with the same amount of effort).
Chawan: http://bit.ly/b9m64E – this is where I was being picky.
1. Color – must not clash with green matcha in it (some color combinations were weird to think about).
2. Size – Large enough to comfortably whisk, but not a bowl. Something too large and the tea would cool before I drank it (I drink green tea slow – I practically bolt fruit tisanes). The 20oz options are just TOO BIG.
3. Not lumpy. I just don’t like the look of the lumpy ones, I prefer slip cast or wheel pottery to completely hand made (hand finished is okay, too, just not free form).
4. More upright in shape than outward (not explaining this one well). Essentially, want a smaller surface of tea for cooling, because, again, I drink green tea slow. I know that technically different shaped chawans are for different types of preparation, but I don’t plan to build that much of a collection (the husband can spend HIS allowance if he wants to!).
5. Needed a “foot” (or pedestal). Something to help hold onto, and also I like the look of them better.
Think that was it…
I’m interested in trying matcha as I do like green tea, and I love the green tea latte made with matcha that Starbucks carries. I hesitate to buy the gear for the same reason, what if I don’t like it?
Wow! And I thought I put thought into researching my set. I, too, based my set on the chawan- just after price. I was so focused on what the chawan looked like, I never thought of factoring the color of the matcha into it. I had no matcha when I placed my order so I figured buying each item individually from UTI would be expensive, although I definitely want to try their matcha at some point.
@mrawlins2, my only suggestions would be to find a company that has a good return policy and to post the matcha in the “Take it away!” thread.
Cofftea – I really wanted to buy the chawan from Etsy, but just couldn’t find one that I liked for a price I was willing to pay. While price wasn’t a big factor in my purchase, the only one I that “spoke” to me was this one: http://bit.ly/9LQG0u It’s a bit much.
My husband will never get on Steepster. When I ask him about new teas, he’s like “it’s good” or “eh… I dunno”. He doesn’t want to read about new teas either because he’d want to try them and we have “enough” tea in the house. LOL.
Mrawlins2 – I wouldn’t worry about purchasing a bunch of tools if you want to try matcha, the only thing you really need is a whisk (and it doesn’t have to be a specialized bamboo whisk, an Aerolatte ( http://bit.ly/buDWw9 ) will work just fine (especially if in the future you want to do lattes). We also use ours for hot chocolate. YUM.
mrawlins2, you could just buy a whisk (and a spoon, optional) and make the matcha in a normal bowl. If you like it, you could get a nice bowl afterward. The whisk is only around 11 dollars on Amazon.com
I’m coveting this one http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33835026
Cool stuff denisend! The only thing I would suggest is play around with the amount of matcha you use…too much might be too bitter, and too little might be too weak. And make sure the water is cool enough….that was the mistake I made the first time I tried matcha. Oh, and sometimes how much you make can affect how you like it…I usually only use 3-4 ounces of water, because I know that it’s too strong for me to drink a full 8 ounces of at once (plus it cools down too much for me…I only like it when it’s hot!)
Shanti has a good point, too much matcha can upset my stomach. One thing I could never understand about chawans is why is it so big if you’re supposed to use a small amount of water?
I think part of it is that the bowl needs to be weighty enough to withstand being passed from person to person without breaking. It has to be deep enough that it won’t spill as it’s passed from hand to hand. It is also a piece of art, so that could affect the size. The other thing I’ve read is that sometimes the tea is shared communally, so that might account for the need for a large bowl. Also, the bowl has to be large enough to facilitate whisking…a shallower, smaller bowl would both be harder to move around in and might splash and spill.
I forgot to add, the size of the bowl will affect how slowly the tea cools down…a more shallow bowl will cool quickly than a deep one.
Cofftea – he seems to do good work; I wouldn’t mind paying that much if it was something that would be used regularly. In my house, though, a chawan is going to just be an occasional use item.
I’m also commissioning a mug from this potter: http://bit.ly/alWYhE
I love those swirls.
Shanti – A lot of the points that you brought up are the reasons why I was looking for a smaller chawan (rather than the 20 oz monsters I was finding at some sites!). Even accounting for the extra space, I’m not going to be preparing a lot!
Let me look for some of the resources I found on the shapes (I apparently didn’t bookmark them). I seem to remember that shallower bowls are generally used for thin matcha, but I can’t remember why.
Mine is 16oz and even if I prepare a half bowl, I can (albeit very slowly and carefully) get it to the living room.
denisend, I checked wikipedia and it says they use shallower bowls for thin matcha because thin is served in the summer (thick in the winter) and the shallow bowl lets the tea cool faster :)
Huh, I didn’t realize it was seasonal. Makes sense- I have used the term “blanket for my tongue” to describe it:)
Cofftea, I thought you don’t usually make thick? Did you write a tasting note for koicha style? I’d love to read it :D I’m too scared to try it that way hehe
Thick is relative. It’s not thick by the definition you have. I recieved 2 different set of steeping instructions. One said 1 scoop per 8oz water and the other said 1 scoop per 3oz. The closest to the authentic definition of thick will actually be my powdered sencha tomorrow moring. 1.5g/3oz water. I’d prepare it thicker in a heart beat, I just don’t have the funds to buy matcha any more often than I am now. Heck, I really shouldn’t buy it as much as I do. Unless of course you want to share, you matcha hoarder hehe;)
Oooh good luck tomorrow morning!
I know, I’m evil and should be on that show Hoarders :D
(BTW I’m going by “thick” via what Haruka (steepster member), my Japanese teacher, and wiki says, so I think it’s the “authentic” way, but I am not 100% sure)
But to each her own! Heck, right now, I’m going to mix some into my cocoa. I still want to try it with drinking chocolate like you make it someday, but my arteries are like “noooo! don’t kill us!” cry
Haha! You could always use unsweetened cocoa power instead of official drinking chocolate mix (and fat free milk of course). I’m not sure if the amounts would be equal though. What is a shame is that you have 3 pouches and your rating is so low. I hope you find a way to get that up:) And share it w/ friends:)
I know, I need to up my rating…I do like it more now that I’m recognizing it for what it is. Like Ricky said, comparing it to regular matcha is like comparing apples and, well, oranges :D
Oh yes. I totally agree.
In a multiple steep/oolong mood today :) I am finding I really like greens and oolongs for work, because I don’t have to think about sugar or milk (I have not yet evolved beyond sugar and milk in my black teas ;) and the fact that one teaspoon of tea goes reeeeealy far :)
1st steep: My water temp was a leeeetle low (around 180) but I went for it. 4 min. It made for a very light (tea was almost clear!) but nutty/woody cup. Not getting anything floral or vegetal. No bitterness.
2nd steep: being more careful of temperature. Steeped at a perfect 190 for another 4 min. Another very lightly colored tea steep. I’m getting a delicate nutty flavor. Very nice.
3rd steep: 190, 4 min. Getting some floral notes! Yum! Ends with the nutty flavor. Someone on the Upton site said that this tea really comes into its own on the 3rd steep, and I have to agree! The liquor is even a bit darker – interesting!
I’m going to take a little break for lunch, and hope for some more steeps this afternoon! I’ll edit this post.
EDIT: Time got away from me! I have to run to class now and can’t do another steep. Sigh!!
Preparation
Absolutely hate it, tasted like fermented spinach
You might try steeping it in cooler water for a shorter time. I think I steeped it for 2 or 3 minutes in 160 degree water and it came out really nice, very light and sweet. In general I’ve found that I don’t like green teas when I steep them as hot as is recommended or as long.
160 is actually the low end of what’s recommented. Most sources say 160-180 for 2-3 min so that’s right on target. At least from what I’ve read.
Gyokuro can be hard to get right and it requires much cooler water than sencha to make it sweet. Ocha’s got a pretty good explanation of how to brew it best.
http://www.o-cha.com/brewing-gyokuro.htm
@Auggy, thanks! This is one green I haven’t had before so it’s good that I know this before I try it:)
No problem. Japanese greens pretty much have a whole other set of rules for brewing and the lower the water temp, the sweet it usually ends up. Which is kind of awesome. On the flip side, though, you get it too hot and it is NASTY.
@Cofftea: Thank you for the information! I’ve always see the 180 degrees for 3 minutes and it wasn’t working for me. It’s nice to know that I should be thinking of this as a range of time and temperature.
Green tea specifics like these have made me a bit more hesitant to try them over something like the blacks and oolongs. :( Well, I’ve got Adagio’s gunpowder on the way, so we’ll see how it works out!
Marlena, I hope the direction that everyone has given you helps you brew up a better cup of this!
The page Auggy has linked you to is right on the money. I’ve found Gyokuro works best if I use approximately two teaspoons of leaves per cup and steep at 55C/130F. It’s a really lovely green tea if you get it right but tastes absolutely foul if you get it wrong.
Well, from what everyone has said, I need to get another sample and keep this page next to me as I brew. It may be a while, as i have a HUGE selection of teas and the DH is complaining, nicely, of course.
Yeah, I think I did it much too hot. Sounds like Japanese greens and Chinese greens are quite different. I like most of the Chinese greens I’ve tried, but I also think I’ve known more by the time I tried them, so I did it better.
@Marlena, try 2tsp in 4oz of water in 160 degree water for 2 min. I’m going to be preparing all of my Japanese greens traditionally from now on, although it’s gonna take some getting used to not drinking 6oz cups. The amount of water varies by type of Japanese green and ranges from 2-8oz.
@Auggy, not according to my Den’s Tea info. Gyokuro is steeped at 160 and Premium Gyokuro is steeped (2 tsp) in 2-3oz of 140 degree water for 2.5 min. I could VERY well be wrong, but I’d think to be called premium it would need to have “premium” in the name. Maybe not.
Dear Everybody. I have some samples from other sources, and I am trying all your methods and I don’t Like it. It’s either bad spinach or, worse – Seaweedy or fishy, both of which I really, really don’t like. I have to say it was much better at the lower temps, but it’s not for me. I don’t like fish or seafood or seaweed at all, so therein is the problem. Oh well
