No matter how hard I try I cannot get myself that interested in plain white tea (but yes, I keep trying)
The first time I brewed this I let it steep too long which was definitely a mistake. Steeping in cooled water for around 60 seconds seemed to yield the best results. It is sweet, and delicate and light but I think perhaps the subtle nature of white tea is kind of lost on me. This was a pleasant cup but I really prefer flavored white tea if I am going to drink it…. sorry purists!
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If you drink alot of black teas, I can understand how it gets lost on you. I think before I tried Whites, I was into greens during the summer. Then I found a bag of Shou Mei White that I had stashed away. This was the perfect white to transition to, b/c ithad slightly deeper toasty aspects to it. Plus I prepared it Gongfu using more tea and shorter steeps. So I was drinking that, & then went on to lighter whites. I really like them, but drink them mostly in the summertime.
Flavored whites can be good as long as the flavoring isn’t too much & masks the tea.
I think it was Shou Mei, or it may have been Bai Mu Dan.
perhaps I will try again in the summer…
One big problem with white teas is how delicate they are. If you do not prepare the tea in precisely the correct manner, much of the flavor is lost, resulting in a bland, boring cup.
For this reason I tend to avoid white teas — the risk/reward is too skewed.
But prepared correctly they can be absolutely full flavored. It just takes a lot of dialing in to get them just right.
I’ve never had much luck with white teas, either. Too often they taste like vegetable water to me, so not my thing. (The one unflavored exception being Chicago Tea Garden’s Silver Needle – it gave me delightful nectar and sweetness.) But hey, if I managed to find one unflavored white tea that I liked, I bet you will too!
cold brewing might be a good way to bring out their flavors…?
Jim-I have to dial in most of my teas to get them right.
Amy:
I’ve never cold brewed a white tea, but you’d probably have to use double the leaf when doing so (or nearly so). I’d use a Pai Mu Tan white, something a little bolder:
I think a Pai Mu Tan is better for cold brew or hot if you’re looking for a fuller white. Read the customer reviews too, they may help you as well. Hope this helps— :))
Thanks fore the advice Scott. I think I should just give up and stop spending my money on white tea. ;-)
Jim is correct. You have to add more leaf….
Maybe with my next order, I’ll buy some Pai Mu Tan and send you some!
If you drink alot of black teas, I can understand how it gets lost on you. I think before I tried Whites, I was into greens during the summer. Then I found a bag of Shou Mei White that I had stashed away. This was the perfect white to transition to, b/c ithad slightly deeper toasty aspects to it. Plus I prepared it Gongfu using more tea and shorter steeps. So I was drinking that, & then went on to lighter whites. I really like them, but drink them mostly in the summertime.
Flavored whites can be good as long as the flavoring isn’t too much & masks the tea.
I think it was Shou Mei, or it may have been Bai Mu Dan.
perhaps I will try again in the summer…
One big problem with white teas is how delicate they are. If you do not prepare the tea in precisely the correct manner, much of the flavor is lost, resulting in a bland, boring cup.
For this reason I tend to avoid white teas — the risk/reward is too skewed.
But prepared correctly they can be absolutely full flavored. It just takes a lot of dialing in to get them just right.
I’ve never had much luck with white teas, either. Too often they taste like vegetable water to me, so not my thing. (The one unflavored exception being Chicago Tea Garden’s Silver Needle – it gave me delightful nectar and sweetness.) But hey, if I managed to find one unflavored white tea that I liked, I bet you will too!
cold brewing might be a good way to bring out their flavors…?
Jim-I have to dial in most of my teas to get them right.
Amy:
I’ve never cold brewed a white tea, but you’d probably have to use double the leaf when doing so (or nearly so). I’d use a Pai Mu Tan white, something a little bolder:
http://uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=catalog.asp&itemID=ZW55&begin=0&parent=Teas%3EWhite%3EChina&category=White&sortMethod=0&categoryID=59
http://uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=catalog.asp&itemID=ZW56&begin=0&parent=Teas%3EWhite%3EChina&category=White&sortMethod=0&categoryID=59
http://uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=catalog.asp&itemID=ZW58&begin=0&parent=Teas%3EWhite%3EChina&category=White&sortMethod=0&categoryID=59
I think a Pai Mu Tan is better for cold brew or hot if you’re looking for a fuller white. Read the customer reviews too, they may help you as well. Hope this helps— :))
Thanks fore the advice Scott. I think I should just give up and stop spending my money on white tea. ;-)
Jim is correct. You have to add more leaf….
Maybe with my next order, I’ll buy some Pai Mu Tan and send you some!