goddamn it i can’t believe i just steeped this for 9 min :(
am i right that it would be kinda respectable to dump some out and add water until it’s not bitter? that’s a thing that people do?
…. WAIT WAIT wait. how is it possible that this tea isn’t horribly bitter?!?!?!
i didn’t add water or anything and sure it may not be the best steep of this tea but i swear i am amazed that i can drink it and it’s only slightly more potent than i would like. after 9 minutes!!! how is that even possible?!
this accidental power steep has kinda given me a whole new level of appreciation for this tea. grace under pressure. i’m gonna drink much more of you caramel! cuz now that i’ve seen your inner beauty, i understand you much more.
People who liked this
Comments
I want to like that one more
i know what you mean whatshesaid. i bought a big tin of it and was like ‘meh’ and gave most of the tin away slowly. but today something clicked! and i’m glad it finally did. now i will appreciate it with a new perspective.
interesting how illusive tea can be sometimes! such a tease.
It didn’t turn horridly bitter because the base is Chinese, and the rule of thumb for the majority of Chinese blacks is that you have to really go out of your way to ruin them. They have very little bitterness and astringency in them.
Good to know!! How can a person tell if the base is Chinese?
it says in the description of all their teas really basically “Chinese black tea flavored with caramel”. i just don’t know the differences between teas, but now i’m sure i will remember chinese blacks. and how they like to be abused. ;)
i plan to read some books on tea eventually. so i can learn more. just haven’t quite gotten there yet.
thanks Angrboda
Whatshesaid, you can’t. Not unless they tell you. But if you get an experience like this one where something extremely oversteeped stands up to it and remains drinkable you can make an educated guess that it might be Chinese. :) It seems that most often your average flavoured black has a Ceylon base or some sort of blended base.
Shmiracles, this is one of the major reasons that I prefer Chinese over Indian blacks. Indian teas in particular are often terribly finicky and demanding, whereas I find I can get away with most things when brewing Chinese. Chinese blacks just suit me better. :)
As for really being able to tell the different characteristics between regions, I’m afraid that’s largely a question of experience. Books will help, certainly, because they can give you an idea of what to keep an eye out for, but most of it is paying attention while drinking. (Non-flavoured, obviously, because flavouring can hide the base quite effectively)
I want to like that one more
i know what you mean whatshesaid. i bought a big tin of it and was like ‘meh’ and gave most of the tin away slowly. but today something clicked! and i’m glad it finally did. now i will appreciate it with a new perspective.
interesting how illusive tea can be sometimes! such a tease.
It didn’t turn horridly bitter because the base is Chinese, and the rule of thumb for the majority of Chinese blacks is that you have to really go out of your way to ruin them. They have very little bitterness and astringency in them.
Good to know!! How can a person tell if the base is Chinese?
it says in the description of all their teas really basically “Chinese black tea flavored with caramel”. i just don’t know the differences between teas, but now i’m sure i will remember chinese blacks. and how they like to be abused. ;)
i plan to read some books on tea eventually. so i can learn more. just haven’t quite gotten there yet.
thanks Angrboda
Whatshesaid, you can’t. Not unless they tell you. But if you get an experience like this one where something extremely oversteeped stands up to it and remains drinkable you can make an educated guess that it might be Chinese. :) It seems that most often your average flavoured black has a Ceylon base or some sort of blended base.
Shmiracles, this is one of the major reasons that I prefer Chinese over Indian blacks. Indian teas in particular are often terribly finicky and demanding, whereas I find I can get away with most things when brewing Chinese. Chinese blacks just suit me better. :)
As for really being able to tell the different characteristics between regions, I’m afraid that’s largely a question of experience. Books will help, certainly, because they can give you an idea of what to keep an eye out for, but most of it is paying attention while drinking. (Non-flavoured, obviously, because flavouring can hide the base quite effectively)