I decided to brew this grandpa style in an extra large mug, and the results were amazing. The aroma was the signature roasted aroma that Wuyi teas are famous for, the the color of the tea was a deep red characteristic of a heavily roasted tea.
The first infusion was very strong, with flavors of dark chocolate and a metallic taste (kind of like the description of the tea posted above). The tea finishes with the characteristic Wuyi aftertaste, but because the tea was so strong, it also has a hint of something else present.
The second infusion was dark amber in color, and the aroma wasn’t as strong. The taste of the tea had also changed a lot, and wasn’t as bold as in the previous infusion. Instead, fruity flavors began to assert themselves, and the tea was significantly sweeter. Also, the aftertaste was purely mineral, without even a hint of whatever it was that was lingering during the first infusion. I find that this was a much more balanced cup of tea, which leaves me to wonder how the third cup will improve (given that in my experience, the third cup is usually the best for Oolong teas).
The third infusion is lighter than both of the previous ones in terms of both color and taste. It is sweeter than the other two, and tastes of caramel, fruit, and flowers. Truly a unique balance which results in a superior Big Red Robe.
The forth infusion is noted by the flavors all starting to fade. It is like the third infusion, yet sweeter, and the more delicate flavors are harder to distinguish.
During the fifth infusion, I noticed that the leaves were really starting to get broken up
into small pieces, which suggests that I am nearing the end of the session. Also, the tea was very mellow, with none of the boldness that characterized the eraly steepings. It has become very difficult to distinguish individual flavors, leaving behind a kind of general sweetness and a mineral aftertaste.
When it’s all said and done, it is a wonderful Big Red Robe, easily the best of the three different one I’ve tried. I’ll definitely consider buying this in larger quantities in the future.
Preparation
People who liked this
Comments
Really nice tasting notes. I like coming back to your notes to see how the session is going. I’m amazed you got so many steepings doing this in big mug!
I think my favorite way to do this tea is stuffing my yixing pot about halfway with leaves, and then doing lots of short steepings. It starts very bold, as you can imagine, but all those complex things you were describing can take their time unfolding. I definitely recommend it (or something similar) for future sessions.
Yeah, one of my goals for this year to to get a yixing pot. Yixing teapots seem to have a whole lot of interesting options to try when it comes to brewing, and everyone seems to agree that they are well worth the money. If you have any recommendations for pots that are of good quality and not prohibitively expensive, pm me.
Also, thanks for the comment about how I update my notes. I have a hard time remembering the subtleties of a steeping after about 25 minutes, so I figured it would be better to update my notes with each steeping to be as accurate as possible.
Really nice tasting notes. I like coming back to your notes to see how the session is going. I’m amazed you got so many steepings doing this in big mug!
I think my favorite way to do this tea is stuffing my yixing pot about halfway with leaves, and then doing lots of short steepings. It starts very bold, as you can imagine, but all those complex things you were describing can take their time unfolding. I definitely recommend it (or something similar) for future sessions.
Yeah, one of my goals for this year to to get a yixing pot. Yixing teapots seem to have a whole lot of interesting options to try when it comes to brewing, and everyone seems to agree that they are well worth the money. If you have any recommendations for pots that are of good quality and not prohibitively expensive, pm me.
Also, thanks for the comment about how I update my notes. I have a hard time remembering the subtleties of a steeping after about 25 minutes, so I figured it would be better to update my notes with each steeping to be as accurate as possible.