This is QUITE a small tuocha! And it is a very slow unraveller, even after a rinse and steeping for three minutes. Resulting in a very light brew on that first steep — too light, really. And bland because of it. The tuocha looks like it absorbed a little water, but still kept its form. But it’s unusual for me to steep a tuocha for three minutes on the first steep, so I really didn’t want to go over three minutes. Rethinking this though, I should have steeped until there was a HINT at least of a dark puerh that I would have enjoyed drinking. But that is what I figured out on the second steep! Still, the tuocha is hardly unraveled but the steep is MUCH darker and the taste is lovely. Like a cup of coffee. Rich and dark, just like I love shou. No negative qualities here at all. Even after the second steep, the tuocha needed a bit of prodding for a delicious third steep and then a delicious fourth. Note to self: Just steep the first cup until it’s a drinkably dark brew color.
Steep #1 // 1 tuocha for full mug // 22 minutes after boiling // rinse // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 1/2 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 6 min
Steep #4 // just boiled // 10+ min
This is You :-D
Profile
Bio
Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.
Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
whisperingpinestea.com
justea.com
harney.com
Dammann Freres
fusionteas.com
shop.Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea.com
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
Mandalatea.com
verdanttea.com
Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
angrytearoom.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas
My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.
Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!
I’m always in search of: Hattialli, Qu Hao black, Jin Jun Mei, teas using marshmallow root.
My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors
My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again
I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer… I have a dumb phone so can’t access internet on that. As of 12/20/21 my wifi might start getting unreliable.)
Happy sipping!
Location
USA
