Verdant green tea #3 for the evening.
First infusion:
Hmm, my nose isn’t detecting any aroma. Maybe it’s tired. Mmmm, this is clearly different from the other two. I almost got the sort of tea flavour one gets from a black tea, which is interesting. It’s sweet as well, but much different from the dragonwell as there’s more body to it. I was strangely just reminded of an earl grey… yep, still getting that weird association. (It just occurred to me that I may be interpreting the citrusy note from my earlier review as the bergamot from an earl grey, but I can’t be certain).
Huh – I just went back to my first tasting note, and it totally isn’t meshing with what I’m tasting here, but I think I used a fair bit more leaf previously, given that I only steeped it for 1 minute that time. Also… wondering a touch if my teaball still had traces of Coconut Cream Pie lingering in it. Please don’t rag on me about the teaball – I know it’s less than optimal, but I only have two “open-water” infusers. Maybe I should have strained it instead. Actually, I had contemplated that earlier… I guess I forgot.
Anyways, this one probably is a poor comparison, in retrospect. I’m really thrown by how it’s tasting a bit like a black tea. Ah well. I know it was great the first time around. Might try a second infusion later, but I’ve kind of lost the will to bother at this point.
I think I should also compare these three in a more gong-fu sort of style (although I doubt I have patience for 3-second infusions, I could do 15 or 30 second ones). A fun experiment another night.
Preparation
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Krystaleyn- I have had similar issues with my tea strainer lately. For example, I usually steep herbals like peppermint in my glass tea press. The last couple times I steeped it in my infuser and thought I cleaned it really well. The last couple teas (black) I’ve steeped in it were horrible tasting. I wasted a few cups of quality teas, because the peppermint was so strong even after cleaning it. S I think I’ll steep my herbals in glass now-it is much easier to clean.
As far as I know, I haven’t usually had a problem. I reserve my semi-fancy steeper for straight teas (no herbals, flavourings (aside from jasmine), etc.), and although the plastic is stained, it seems to be just fine (it provided me with delicious dragonwell today). My metal infuser basket seems to be similarly resilient, and it has had all sorts of things in it. Mind you, it’s also sturdy enough to scrub with a scouring pad, which I have done once or twice. The teaball had never given me problems to my knowledge, but it is definitely more difficult to clean, and I admittedly didn’t try too hard with it this time. Makes me wonder if I’ve had inadvertent cross-contamination in the past. I really should reserve it for strong-flavoured herbals and the occasional flavoured tea, but I just can’t afford more infuser baskets right now (or, not at 12.99 a pop from DavidsTea, which is the only place I’ve located them as yet), so sometimes it gets used for something like this.
I can only imagine what peppermint would do to the flavour of a good tea. Good thing I hate it and only very rarely steep something containing it! Not that there aren’t other strong, lingering flavours too, but I imagine that would be pretty gross.
It was rather sickening. That’s why i used the glass press in the past, but now I wont forget again-I hope.
I noticed that when I used my tea ball in the past, it was fine at first but then there were issues later on, the more I used it. Eventually it started to rust, no matter how well I dried it after washing! and the mesh was puckering as well. I hadn’t noticed the flavour residue issue… in my tea ball, though I had that concern with my plastic tea master.
Looks like we both had awkward tea experiences yesterday Kristaleyn :/
I had to get strong tea smell out (lapsang souchong) by cleaning with baking soda which removed the smell! Now, I have a dedicated pot for that and puer especially and clean stainless mesh with the soda. Also hands carry smells when tasting so you have to watch that too.
I’ve thought of the Baking Soda idea, but I always forget to do it. :)) Thanks Bonnie.
Thanks for the tip, Bonnie! I know I had tried to clean it once with vinegar/baking soda, but I’m not sure it did a great deal. So many irritating little crevices that are hard to reach.
@Indigobloom – I’m not sure if mine is rusting, but it’s definitely discoloured. Bleh.
Another easy cleaning tip is denture tablets. They send up little bubbles into all those tiny places that are hard to get a cleaning tool into.
Ooh! Interesting. Are they expensive?
Now here is a conundrum….if I answer…..people will think I have dentures, If noone answers, someone is not helpful or is shy or is not telling the truth or something like that. So, since I should know because I’m the ole lady in the room…then NO they are not expensive but get um at a store like Walmart or Target because just like TP and Laundry Soap that sort of thing would be less expensive there.
I thought they were pretty cheap myself. I love that I can soak some thing and literally forget about until the next day. They are designed for things like tea stains on stuff that stays in your mouth, so they safe little work horses!
brilliant idea!!
Bah I can totally tell I wrote that comment on my nook late night. Look at that grammar!
Thanks Indigobloom!
Krystaleyn- I have had similar issues with my tea strainer lately. For example, I usually steep herbals like peppermint in my glass tea press. The last couple times I steeped it in my infuser and thought I cleaned it really well. The last couple teas (black) I’ve steeped in it were horrible tasting. I wasted a few cups of quality teas, because the peppermint was so strong even after cleaning it. S I think I’ll steep my herbals in glass now-it is much easier to clean.
As far as I know, I haven’t usually had a problem. I reserve my semi-fancy steeper for straight teas (no herbals, flavourings (aside from jasmine), etc.), and although the plastic is stained, it seems to be just fine (it provided me with delicious dragonwell today). My metal infuser basket seems to be similarly resilient, and it has had all sorts of things in it. Mind you, it’s also sturdy enough to scrub with a scouring pad, which I have done once or twice. The teaball had never given me problems to my knowledge, but it is definitely more difficult to clean, and I admittedly didn’t try too hard with it this time. Makes me wonder if I’ve had inadvertent cross-contamination in the past. I really should reserve it for strong-flavoured herbals and the occasional flavoured tea, but I just can’t afford more infuser baskets right now (or, not at 12.99 a pop from DavidsTea, which is the only place I’ve located them as yet), so sometimes it gets used for something like this.
I can only imagine what peppermint would do to the flavour of a good tea. Good thing I hate it and only very rarely steep something containing it! Not that there aren’t other strong, lingering flavours too, but I imagine that would be pretty gross.
It was rather sickening. That’s why i used the glass press in the past, but now I wont forget again-I hope.
I noticed that when I used my tea ball in the past, it was fine at first but then there were issues later on, the more I used it. Eventually it started to rust, no matter how well I dried it after washing! and the mesh was puckering as well. I hadn’t noticed the flavour residue issue… in my tea ball, though I had that concern with my plastic tea master.
Looks like we both had awkward tea experiences yesterday Kristaleyn :/
I had to get strong tea smell out (lapsang souchong) by cleaning with baking soda which removed the smell! Now, I have a dedicated pot for that and puer especially and clean stainless mesh with the soda. Also hands carry smells when tasting so you have to watch that too.
I’ve thought of the Baking Soda idea, but I always forget to do it. :)) Thanks Bonnie.
Thanks for the tip, Bonnie! I know I had tried to clean it once with vinegar/baking soda, but I’m not sure it did a great deal. So many irritating little crevices that are hard to reach.
@Indigobloom – I’m not sure if mine is rusting, but it’s definitely discoloured. Bleh.
Another easy cleaning tip is denture tablets. They send up little bubbles into all those tiny places that are hard to get a cleaning tool into.
Ooh! Interesting. Are they expensive?
Now here is a conundrum….if I answer…..people will think I have dentures, If noone answers, someone is not helpful or is shy or is not telling the truth or something like that. So, since I should know because I’m the ole lady in the room…then NO they are not expensive but get um at a store like Walmart or Target because just like TP and Laundry Soap that sort of thing would be less expensive there.
I thought they were pretty cheap myself. I love that I can soak some thing and literally forget about until the next day. They are designed for things like tea stains on stuff that stays in your mouth, so they safe little work horses!
brilliant idea!!
Bah I can totally tell I wrote that comment on my nook late night. Look at that grammar!
Thanks Indigobloom!