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“My first tea at work! I brought in a mug, a thermometer, my Finum Brewing Basket, and some tea, of course! I figured I’d start wearing down some of my samples. I don’t want to be brewing stuff I...” Read full tasting note
“Ever since teaplz had this as her work tea a day or two ago, I’ve been tempted to torture myself try this one again. I thought I’d try using a little cooler water so I put the water into the pot...” Read full tasting note
“Well, I only steeped 2 minutes this time, as directed. I’m adding a couple rating points, but I’m still not happy with the flavor. Maybe this is supposed to taste bitter. My mouth feels so dry...” Read full tasting note
“I really want to like this one because it’s so pretty. Looking at the shape of the leaves and smelling the brew, I was expecting something between a jade oolong and gunpowder. I need to try the...” Read full tasting note
Known as Huo Qing (Fire Jade), this green tea is an example of a round-fried tea that is skillfully wok fired and shaped by hand into tightly-rolled, shiny, dark green pellets. As Jade Fire unfurls, the brisk flavor and aromatic notes of fresh pine cone and wild orchid are revealed.
Rishi Tea specializes in sourcing the most rarefied teas and botanical ingredients from exotic origins around the globe. This forms a palette from which we craft original blends inspired by equal parts ancient herbal wisdom and modern culinary innovation. Discover new tastes and join us on our journey to leave ‘No Leaf Unturned’.
My first tea at work! I brought in a mug, a thermometer, my Finum Brewing Basket, and some tea, of course! I figured I’d start wearing down some of my samples. I don’t want to be brewing stuff I haven’t tasted yet in the office.
I measured the water temperature in the office, and it tops out at 180. Bah. So I guess that means greens and whites for now, until I get a kettle. I’m scared of exploding water in the microwave, so blacks will have to wait.
Anyway, this one steeped up to a very light color. I adjusted the temperature and steep time to maybe mellow out some of the astringency and weird mineral flavors that I got the first time I tasted this one.
The infusion was really a very light cream-yellow, almost the color of a white tea. And the smell coming off of it was a lot more buttery than I remembered. But the leaves smell kind of gross wet. I can’t describe it. But it’s unappealing.
The taste this time… woah. Okay, so the mineral weirdness is still there. But now I’m really, really tasting pine cones. Like, wet, kind of old pine cones, mixed with a vegetal taste that’s really kind of like spinach. And then it’s blending into a sweet taste, but this only happens after the cup has cooled. I think the rating is staying where it is. This one isn’t exactly the best thing I’ve ever tasted, by far.
It’s good for mindless sipping, but I can’t say that I’m particularly enjoying the flavors that I’ve extracted out of this one.
Ever since teaplz had this as her work tea a day or two ago, I’ve been tempted to torture myself try this one again. I thought I’d try using a little cooler water so I put the water into the pot and let it sit for a moment before putting the leaves in and I left the lid off while brewing.
With the horror that is the second steep of this, I’ve forgotten how much I enjoyed the first steep. Actually, I think this is better than the other time I’ve had it because I can get a hint of buttery, grassy sweetness. There is a little brine-like tingle left on my tongue but it isn’t really salty – more like a salt lick which, if anyone has ever licked one (yes, I have*) have a mineral taste that doesn’t burn like straight salt and is a little… almost sweeter. Or at least the pink ones I used to give my hamster do.
As the tea cools, more of the salt-lick/mineral taste is coming out, almost overpowering the sweet grassy green taste I had at the beginning of the cup. Almost but not quite. But the dry taste it leaves in my mouth is stronger and not that fun. I’m bumping up the rating a little bit because even with that mineral taste, the tea is nice. I’m still going to try a second steep, but I full anticipate burning salty horror.
*For the record, I don’t lick a lot of salt licks. But you know, I was curious.
ETA: Second Steep @ 2:00. The not-brine taste at the end is more tingly but as long as the tea is still pretty hot, it is okay. But the second it starts to cool, I start making faces as I sip.
5g/12oz
Yay! Glad I could inspire you to um… make a very bizarre cup of tea! I’m not quite sure if my bizarre cup was even that bizarre, because of my water situation/problem/mess. Hrm.
Growing up on a farm (I did) … one learns what lots of interesting substances taste like, salt licks included.
@teaplz, Any tea-related inspiration is good! And actually, the second steep wasn’t bad! I just have to drink this hot and quickly and that keeps the mineral/salt taste down to a decently pleasant tingle. So yay! I’m not so scared of this one anymore!
@gmathis, Any idea if the salt licks for cows and other livestock taste the same as the ones for hamsters?
I kind of forgot if you liked the tea or not…I was too busy laughing at the licking of salt licks. My mom is a geologist, so I grew up watching her randomly lick rocks. Yes, I too have licked many a rock and a salt lick…but I think it was set up for deer to lick. I think I’ll pass on the salty mineral tea here.
My hamster lore is really rusty. I don’t recall providing salt licks for the various and sundry hamsters we had growing up, although a) family legend goes that Henry the Great (before my time) would ride in my older brother’s model train box car and b) we had a white one that liked to steep himself in his water bowl, then sit in his green-tinted litter (this was…uh…a while back…) so he was half green from the posterior up.
Okay, between picturing Steepsterites licking (then rating) rocks and multi-colored hamsters having little hot tub parties in water bowls, I’m cracking up.
Well, I only steeped 2 minutes this time, as directed. I’m adding a couple rating points, but I’m still not happy with the flavor. Maybe this is supposed to taste bitter. My mouth feels so dry after each sip that I want to chug a glass of water now.
I really want to like this one because it’s so pretty. Looking at the shape of the leaves and smelling the brew, I was expecting something between a jade oolong and gunpowder. I need to try the first steep again when I am not so sleepy, as I don’t quite remember it. The taste was good… not much of a surprise. Hardly worth $90/lb though (don’t worry, I only got $1.80 worth).
2nd and 3rd steeps went down easy and the astringency settled my slightly upset stomach, but I’m getting this salty aftertaste in the back of my throat after two small cups. Did I just drink some sea water? Pickle brine? Strange.
I still have some of this left! Such a weird little tea… I need to make myself drink it. But yay for tea at work!!!
Glad to see things at work are calming down!=D
Teas I don’t like, I try too. And then I play with them. I tried adding some dried fruit, or skillet-toasted grain (rice) – only takes a few minutes in a frying pan on the stove. Makes all the difference.
Yay, work tea! :)
How long did you microwave the water to hit 180?
Matt, I tested the temperature of the water in my Flavia coffee/tea machine, and it’s at 180.
I’m sort of afraid of boiling water in the microwave! I’ve heard it super-boils and then can actually explode. :(
You think that’s the temperature of those hot/cold water coolers as well? Three minutes should be fine, it won’t explode unless you cover it. BUT if you don’t cover it a little, it absorbs all the icky smell from the previous person’s food.
I tested the temperature of my hot water cooler, and it topped out at 160. Perfect for sencha but… not much else. :P
Yeah, I might just buy that kettle. Or not drink blacks for a while!
It only will superboil if the container you are microwaving has no scratches or imperfections. You can avoid superboiling by putting something in the container, like a wooden stick…I saw Alton Brown do that. :)
Dude! Mythbusters did something on this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_OXM4mr_i0&NR=1 Apparently it only happens with distilled water but still!
(Okay, Wikipedia says it can happen with any liquid, not just pure ones but the Mythbusters’ video is still cool because it’s Mythbusters.)
Mythbusters!!!! Thanks for linking Auggy! OMG I have missed that show sooooo much, because I don’t have a TV anymore. :(
(Heh, I had a superboiling incedent a few days ago…I heated the water in a pyrex measuring cup, and it exploded when I poured it into my teapot…it was so cool though!)
Well you know, Shanti, someone very smart once told me that you can avoid superboiling by putting something in the container, like a wooden stick.
;)
@teaplz I was curious actually on how long you heated the water in the microwave to hit 180
Hi mattscinto, I think it depends on what model of microwave you have to determine how long it takes for the water to get to 180, not to mention the amount of water in the cup…anyone know for sure?
Matt, I meant that I used the water from my Flavia machine, which tops out at 180 for the tea. I haven’t actually heated any water in the microwave just yet.
That’s awesome that you have a quick and easy way to get 180 degree water. Yay for the flavia machine!=D
@teaplz oh. i see :)