Hot Tea

[Trunk]

rotating amongst

Hot tea, qi gong and guitar

has become a happy standard.

[ralis]

Just had to add some levity this morning. Hahaha! This tea will sell for 35,000/18 oz. and will work wonders both for one's health and wallet. The secret is growing this tea in Panda shit. Apparently the shit that Panda's produce is top grade stuff. I guess Panda shit is superior to bullshit! :lol:

 

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/09/worlds-most-expensive-tea-grown-in-chinese-panda-poo/

[Gerard]

I love chinese tea ceremony, the best tea for this is pu-erh tea.

Here you can find really precious tea, directly from china:

http://www.yunnansourcing.com

the prices are pretty good.

 

Plus the link to someone who tries puerh teas almost on a daily basis and writes (in detail) about the findings:

 

http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/

 

Very useful info since there are literally hundreds of puerh offerings from the many factories (and local farmers involved in small level production) that produce them.

 

There are also others but you can't go wrong with the Half Dipper.

 

By the way, if you consume this tea go for the ripe (shou) variety as the raw one (sheng) is too astringent but the best for ageing (+15 years). Aged puerh is magic but buying it is crazy expensive, so age your own teas.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Gerard

[konchog uma]

Ditto!

 

The dao ren green is smooth and mellow. I like to keep it, along with gunpowder green, at my desk so that I can choose my preference in the moment.

 

i was gonna order the dao ren but then at the last minute i got the gunpowder... my gf and i both like gunpowder but we weren't sure about a light green tea, cause we have 2 of those right now and we don't drink them voraciously

 

and a half pound of pu'erh!! wow that stuff is good.

 

i like your new pic what is that on your head?

[Trunk]

Went to the asian market to get more pu erh, my favorite of those I've tried, but they were out! And they were out the last time I tried!!! Went across the street to another asian market/herb store and found a big box of it for $3.39. The quality was so weak and bad that I threw it out after trying a cup. (It really was that bad.)

 

Called Peet's tea in Pasadena and they had some!, they call it "Ancient Tree" (~$20 for a 1/4 lb tin). Went there and picked up the tin and shook it and it sounded like a rock or a piece of bark was in it, not tea. Tried a cup, considerably different from the pu erh that I've had before but still recognizable ... but *really* dark, like coffee, smooth mellow and rich. And look what it looks like!

 

[Harmonious Emptiness]

bought some Dragon Well, LongJing, tea yesterday. If you have not tried this type of tea yet, mmmm, must do.

 

Also thought I'd mention something I didn't know before my first gong fu tea experience:

 

To get the full flavour of Chinese tea, you need a small pot and fill it with enough tea that it only has to soak for 10 seconds to give a nice flavour. Then pour all of the pot into a medium cup, or into a second small pot which you use to pour into small cups.

 

The first pot of tea does not have to sit very long, and is poured into the second pot/container to heat it up, then the container is poured over the pot and cups to heat them up. This is thought of as an offering as well.

 

Funny how this relates to the story of "your cup is too full, empty your cup." Lol, the zen master must have been offering the first pot and overflowed the cups to heat them up, when the man couldn't help himself to say something rather than receive the blessings of this first offering. Maybe not only his mind but also his spirit needed to be silently open to the master's offer .

[Gerard]

bought some Dragon Well, LongJing, tea yesterday. If you have not tried this type of tea yet, mmmm, must do.

 

Glad to see you enjoyed this awesome Chinese green, highly recommended.

[Aetherous]

I used to rely upon the whole gongfu way of tea...for a couple of years I was obsessed! It's an awesome method (when you're being served) and I think it can reveal the essence of the tea more than anything.

 

But lately I've been totally satisfied with just throwing a Twinning's tea bag into a cup of hot water. Boom, done.

 

I've only tried their English Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties...but yeah, I recommend trying Twinnings, for when you want the essence of tea without the elaborate ceremony.

 

http://www.twiningsusashop.com/list-all.html

[humbleone]

per Gerards recommendation in another thread picked up some Pu-Erh tea last week. This one place I shop, in our local chinatown had bewildering choice of Pu-Erh. Tastes really good, I have been adding some cardamom to it.

 

also picked up Ti Kuan Yin tea, the description says 'Iron Goddess of Mercy'

 

http://www.tenren.com/tikuanyintea.html

 

does anyone here know the benefits of Ti Kuan Yin?

[GreytoWhite]

You set the temperature and time and it'll do all the work for you.

 

How hot are you setting your water? I found with mate that it was best at about 165-175 Fahrenheit.

[konchog uma]

 

Called Peet's tea in Pasadena and they had some!, they call it "Ancient Tree" (~$20 for a 1/4 lb tin). Went there and picked up the tin and shook it and it sounded like a rock or a piece of bark was in it, not tea.

 

cool stuff, i just ordered some pu'erh (of course) and some ancient forest tea from (of course) MountainRoseHerbs

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/tea_bev/tea_black.php#t_b_t_af

 

looking forward to trying some ancient tea

[flyinghigh]

Just had to add some levity this morning. Hahaha! This tea will sell for 35,000/18 oz. and will work wonders both for one's health and wallet. The secret is growing this tea in Panda shit. Apparently the shit that Panda's produce is top grade stuff. I guess Panda shit is superior to bullshit! :lol:

 

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/09/worlds-most-expensive-tea-grown-in-chinese-panda-poo/

 

Haha, interesting.

That reminds me of Indonesian Kopi Luwak (civet coffee). The beans used for this special coffee have been eaten the cat-like civet and passed through its intestines.

"The omnivorous, tree-climbing civet cat prowls the coffee plantations at night picking and

consuming the finest and best ripe coffee cherries. These pass through the civet and are

collected in the droppings. Beans emerge without their fleshy coating, but entire and appear

undigested. They are extracted by washing and carefully cleansed before being processed.

"

http://www.baliorchidgardens.com/coffeeluwak.html

[Harmonious Emptiness]

cool stuff, i just ordered some pu'erh (of course) and some ancient forest tea from (of course) MountainRoseHerbs

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/tea_bev/tea_black.php#t_b_t_af

 

looking forward to trying some ancient tea

 

Hey, how was this Pu-ehr Anamatva? I'm thinking about investing in a Pu-ehr cake. Was this loose tea? I've been drinking some cheap "Pu-ehr heads" which are broken off of larger cakes but I find they have a bit of a fishy taste which I read means they are not stored well when aged (probably next to drying fish).

 

Just found out about this book which is high on my wishlist now:

 

 

 

Also a really good link from Reid's website about Oolong benefits: http://www.danreid.org/daniel-reid-articles-health-benefits-tea-oolong-tea-as-soma-all.asp

 

excepts:

Alkaline: High Mountain Oolong alkalizes the digestive tract, bloodstream, and cellular fluids, neutralizing the acidity which permits formation of cancerous tumors and causes many other degenerative conditions. Blood and tissue acidity is the primary cause of loss of calcium from the bones and teeth, and this in turn leads to osteoporosis and tooth decay. Drinking this tea daily therefore helps prevent these conditions as well as other health problems associated with calcium deficiency.

Diuretic: The tea's mild diuretic properties promote swift elimination of the toxins and acid wastes flushed from the blood and tissues by the antioxidant and alkaline elements in the tea.

 

Blood Adaptogen: High Mountain Oolong contains medicinal factors known as "adaptogens," which adapt the body's vital functions to changing conditions in order to maintain a healthy state of equilibrium. This balancing effect is strongest in the bloodstream, where it regulates blood pressure, balances blood sugar, and prevents thickening of the blood.

[C T]

A few useful facts and tips:

 

http://chinese-tea.net/10-famous-tea.htm

 

http://www.fmltea.com/Teainfo/tea-brewing.htm

[Elliot]

I usually drink green tea but also Rooibos tea, I want to try more though

[Trunk]

An article on Tea and Bone Health.

[Trunk]

Open & honest:
A friend of mine makes a modest commission from the sale of Rooibos tea. Still, I'm being honest about my experience w/ it; I wouldn't be posting if I wasn't impressed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


In the couple of years since this thread started, I've been drinking tea daily (still love my 2 qt carafe), trying different teas, and Rooibos (African Red Tea) has become my default tea... I'd have to say, my favorite by a margin.

Reasons:
1. It is not astringent (drying). On the contrary, I find it to be somewhat moistening. Most teas are astringent to some degree and so are contrary to one of the reasons I drink tea: to hydrate.

2. It is healing, in ways that I don't fully understand. Part of it, according to a doctor friend of mine, is that it prompts blood circulation. When I first started drinking it I had the distinct sensation that a stuck place within me unstuck. Link to the wikipedia entry on Rooibos w/ some of the healing details.

3. Of course, it tastes good.


Upon trying it, I was impressed enough that I bought 1 pound of bulk Rooibos from OrganicRooibosTea.com and it is lasting me months and months. Enter discount code of "DESTINY" (no quotes, all caps) at check-out for %10 off. Get it where ever you want; I'd still recommend it.

- Trunk

p.s.
I still think pu-erh is exceptional, and a number of other greens, oolongs, that I enjoy and go to occasionally.

[C T]

Most teas are astringent to some degree and so are contrary to one of the reasons I drink tea: to hydrate.

 

 

It has been whispered quietly (to me) that astringency levels could be reduced if you use a Tokoname teapot to brew your tea in.

 

Apparently Tokoname is the only kiln that still produces hand-crafted teapots! And the specific/unique iron content in their clay is what makes their teapot magic for reducing astringency.

 

Hence, for any serious tea connoisseur, i'd think it might be worth checking out/investing in a Tokoname kyusu.

 

Kanpai!

[silent thunder]

Well this thread has inspired me. It's tea time.

Walked away from coffee and caffeine a couple years ago and tea went with it.

 

Time to integrate tea into my life again.

Now where to start.... mmmm

[Aetherous]

Personal view:

Start with picking up a good loose leaf oolong, or green. I mean really good; one which they recommend at a tea store (or online (linked is one of my favorite green teas)) that will likely be higher in price per oz.

Steep it for 30 seconds to 1 minute at the correct temperature; I personally do it immediately when I hear the water begin boiling in the kettle. You may also want to wash the leaves first for a few seconds with the hot water (then pour it out), before actually steeping. This will wash off contaminants, in theory, as well as begin to open the leaf up.

With this way, you will get all of the subtle flavors and essence, without the bitterness, and without a lot of caffeine. Just how it should be.

 

I think a good cup of tea is really the foundation of the rest of your considerations...which could include gongfu tea sets, gaiwans, water filters and enhancers, etc. Those are just ways of making a cup of perfection even more perfect.

[doc benway]

I'm fortunate enough to have a Shifu who loves good wulong tea.

He orders some of the best of each year's early Spring crop from Taiwan so I buy some every Spring.

It's my favorite though I also like a nice cup of Camomile or Masala chai as well.

I used to do the gongfu thing exclusively but I've relaxed on that and only do that for company.

[i am]

Well here's a plug for my favorite tea company.

http://www.sevencups.com

 

Teavana is kind of like the Starbucks of the tea world, except Starbucks actually has pretty decent coffee...

But if they get more people started on loose leaf tea, they're ok by me.

Edited August 26, 2013 by i am

[Rara]

Now this is a thread that I can get on board with!

 

My ritual is green tea (lemon flavour) bag in the morning with a drop of honey. Then, I have a selection of fruit teas, laapsang, chai, caromile and loose leaf oolong and jasmine green teas. So whenever I fncy a 2nd or third cup, I will pick up whichever I fancy at the time too.

 

I like to have guests too so presenting such a variety makes everybody happy. Oh, I have normal tea and coffee granuals as well for those that want to stick to what they know.

[i am]

For me, oolong all winter, green all summer, with an occasional yellow thrown in here and there. At home I have a clay pot and actually "brew" the oolong tea. At work, and pretty much always with green tea, I just put the leaves in a glass and pour not-quite-boiling water on them. Drink till there's about 1/4 left in the glass, refill. Sometimes as many as 6 times. Lots of trips to the water cooler.

[Trunk]

One of my favorite threads,

fun and care free.