Erm. Okay so if I had a good tea tasting weekend, today must have been miserable. So don’t stay away from this one cuz of my review, k folks???
Anyhow, I made it through four steeps. The first was incredible.
Flowers drizzled in honey having a party on my tongue. Oh yes, I was mightily impressed!
but then the second steep had a distinct and sharp bitterness about it that took me very much by surprise. The orchid honey note was still present, but hugged on both ends by a sharp vegetal bite. (I don’t think I burnt it, but I suppose it’s possible. I remember waiting atleast one minute, more likely three, before dunking my ceramic tea filter with the leaves in it)
Oh maybe I used too much leaf? I used my perfect tea spoon, and it was just slightly below the full mark. Except even after my last infusion, the leaves didn’t fully expand. Almost as if they didn’t have enough room?
Bah.
The third and fourth steeps were unremarkable, pretty standard for a greenish oolong… and touched by that sweet round aftertaste I find in later infusions of tea. I used to get it on the fifth or sixth steep, but now with my issues it seems to creep up earlier. I can’t say I like it, in fact I really can’t stand it. but then I can’t mention it either in a review because I doubt that it’s a true feature of the tea…
Anyone have any similar experiences? or not? I know it’s likely just me but I though I’d check!
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I’m sorry, this is unrelated to the tea…but you have a spoon with measurements inside of it?
no measurements, it’s just a sturdy spoon meant to help measure tea. It’s deep so shaky hands wont spill any! (like mine!!)
If the water was too hot that could lead to some unwanted bitterness. I think oolongs are best at 180 F (you can translate that to C for me. ;-)
Butting in here, but it’s 82 degrees, Amy. :) And if you’re ever not sure about the temperature conversion, Google has this nifty feature in that the Google search bar will actually do a LOT of conversions for you! Go to Google and type in “180 degrees F” and see what comes up at the top of the page.
…It’s pretty slick. :)
Amy: I agree!! but why would it show up on the second steep and not the first? also my thermometer doesn’t reach all the way into the mug so I have no way of determining the true temp. I usually end up just guessing…
I’m sorry, this is unrelated to the tea…but you have a spoon with measurements inside of it?
no measurements, it’s just a sturdy spoon meant to help measure tea. It’s deep so shaky hands wont spill any! (like mine!!)
If the water was too hot that could lead to some unwanted bitterness. I think oolongs are best at 180 F (you can translate that to C for me. ;-)
Butting in here, but it’s 82 degrees, Amy. :) And if you’re ever not sure about the temperature conversion, Google has this nifty feature in that the Google search bar will actually do a LOT of conversions for you! Go to Google and type in “180 degrees F” and see what comes up at the top of the page.
…It’s pretty slick. :)
Amy: I agree!! but why would it show up on the second steep and not the first? also my thermometer doesn’t reach all the way into the mug so I have no way of determining the true temp. I usually end up just guessing…