Thanks to Bonnie for this very generous sample and many others I have yet to try
I was suprised when I tasted this Pu-erh! It tasted more like a white tea! When brewed the water (I was going to brew this “gaiwan style” but when I measured 6 grams on my scale it looked like a LOT of tea..but for western style it only needed 1.5 teaspoons..why is that? how come so much for a small 4oz gaiwan??) is almost clear and it takes awhile for the buds to “open up” a little bit. This tea had a very strange camphor/piney note which I can’t accurately describe, it wasn’t unpleasant..just different for my tastes. It had a very sweet, sugary aftertaste and the piney/earthy note lasted until the 5th infusion. This is my second verdant tea and I have to say that they have an extremely high quality of product!! I will definitely be purchasing from them again !!
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I have been thinking of getting into gaiwan brewing, but something about it all intimates me.
I think that you use more leaves because of the shorter steep times but also the many steeps you can get…someone please correct me if I am wrong!
Sounds like a very yummy tea:)
The size of the gaiwan may have been 6g for an 8oz so use less for a 4oz gaiwan. I think the Yabao is potent anyway. I also like it iced. Gaiwans are not hard. Think of them as a cup or glass with a lid that lets the leaves breathe and the water circulate to provide maximum flavor. You can do this with a mug. Go to the verdant website to see a video about how to do this.
Oops…the measurement is about 1g per oz of water so western style conserves your Yabao unless you are sharing with others and want many sweepings from a gaiwan where you’d get 18 rounds instead of the 5 western steepings.
The verdant website says 5 Grams of tea per 4-5 Oz Gaiwan! But the western brewing only uses 1.5 Teaspoons per 8 Oz of tea? How come so much tea is used in the Gaiwan (in a smaller gaiwan/amount ) compared to the western brewing? It seems like I am using a LOT of tea to make it in a Gaiwan (Plus I am concerned about caffeine.. 5 Grams of tea is a lot of tea compared to a teaspoon..I have a scale! ;) What is the measurement/way you make it in a gaiwan? Thanks Bonnie..you are always so helpful :)
Hesper June I was also thinking the same thing..Gaiwan brewing intimidates me as well..it seems so much simpler the “western” way..especially when I use my “Piao I” infuser…OMG I LOVE this infuser..it works AMAZINGLY well!! I highly recommend it!!!!!!!
The gaiwan steep is very fast and there are 18 infusions instead of 5 ( western style) so you can’t compare the two as equals but as being different experiences. You wouldn’t use a gaiwan with 5g just before running off to work. I often use a brew basket or just do western style because unless I want to spend a good deal of time with a tea, 18 steepings just isn’t going to happen.
I have been thinking of getting into gaiwan brewing, but something about it all intimates me.
I think that you use more leaves because of the shorter steep times but also the many steeps you can get…someone please correct me if I am wrong!
Sounds like a very yummy tea:)
The size of the gaiwan may have been 6g for an 8oz so use less for a 4oz gaiwan. I think the Yabao is potent anyway. I also like it iced. Gaiwans are not hard. Think of them as a cup or glass with a lid that lets the leaves breathe and the water circulate to provide maximum flavor. You can do this with a mug. Go to the verdant website to see a video about how to do this.
Oops…the measurement is about 1g per oz of water so western style conserves your Yabao unless you are sharing with others and want many sweepings from a gaiwan where you’d get 18 rounds instead of the 5 western steepings.
The verdant website says 5 Grams of tea per 4-5 Oz Gaiwan! But the western brewing only uses 1.5 Teaspoons per 8 Oz of tea? How come so much tea is used in the Gaiwan (in a smaller gaiwan/amount ) compared to the western brewing? It seems like I am using a LOT of tea to make it in a Gaiwan (Plus I am concerned about caffeine.. 5 Grams of tea is a lot of tea compared to a teaspoon..I have a scale! ;) What is the measurement/way you make it in a gaiwan? Thanks Bonnie..you are always so helpful :)
Hesper June I was also thinking the same thing..Gaiwan brewing intimidates me as well..it seems so much simpler the “western” way..especially when I use my “Piao I” infuser…OMG I LOVE this infuser..it works AMAZINGLY well!! I highly recommend it!!!!!!!
The gaiwan steep is very fast and there are 18 infusions instead of 5 ( western style) so you can’t compare the two as equals but as being different experiences. You wouldn’t use a gaiwan with 5g just before running off to work. I often use a brew basket or just do western style because unless I want to spend a good deal of time with a tea, 18 steepings just isn’t going to happen.