I decided to steep this in the gaiwan today, because… why not? So, 4g of leaf in a 4oz gaiwan, boiling-ish water, several steeps in the 20-40sec range. It’s tasty! Very malty and a bit fruity. I’m not sure if it’s appreciably different than it was steeped western-style, but I’m also not really paying enough attention to notice subtleties. It’s a nice, consistent, versatile blend though.
Well it has been over a year and everyone I know thinks my tea obsession is a bit out of hand, so… I guess I’m not a total newbie anymore. :)
I’m drinking a lot more pure tea these days, though I still love a good flavoured blend too. Current favourites: Chinese and Taiwanese blacks, fresh Chinese greens, oolongs both green and roasted, sheng puer.
I really love companies that buy directly from tea farmers, and have an emphasis on quality and sustainability. Favourites: Verdant, Whispering Pines, Eco Cha, White 2 Tea. I live in a small town in the middle of nowhere, so I buy almost all my tea online.
For hot tea, I’m usually brewing in either a 100ml gaiwan, or a 10oz mug with a steeping basket. For cold tea, I cold brew overnight in 500ml mason jars.
My cupboard on Steepster doesn’t include small samples, just the ones I have at least 15g of. So if you see something you’re interested in, I probably have enough to share. :)
Northwestern Ontario, Canada
