/ck/ - Food & Cooking

Decided to start drinking tea again. I can't have coffee I'm very sensitive to caffeine. Green tea is fine but I prefer herbal. Had two cups of lavender tea after dinner. Taste pretty good.

>>12979230
Tastes like sweet baby corn. Very good

Today I drank Song Zhong Dancong. It’s good, very floral.

Tomorrow I might brew up some of my stash of China’s State Guest House tea which I managed to obtain a few tins of.

I saw puer in a normie store few days ago. worrisome. how do we keep them out?

>>12980096
was it in teabag form

>>12980122
I see tins of cheap shitty mini tuos at lots of normalfag places with tea.
>>12980096
Nobody wants to bother with brewing weird tea that smells funny and has to be broken up with a pick, considering how nasty cheap puer is I wouldn't worry about it getting popular outside of Asia.

>>12980232
whats wrong with tuo chas? I occassionally use those for the convenience and imo i found them pretty ok

ive seen puer in tea bags, thats even worse

just bought these mini tou chas, and its taste like this shit they stored in, any way i can get rid of this god afwul smell and taste or is it suppose to smell like a rotten cat asshole?

>>12980820
did you drink the 1st steep............?

>>12980845
of course not, i even did 2 baths cause it was so dry

Have you guys ever had Gyokuro Hojicha from Ippodo tea? Its so fucking good.

>>12980854
ok
well most pu erhs always smell funky
have you drank "normal" puer before?
the mini tuos ive tried dont differ that much from regular puer

if its very different from the regular puer you've tried maybe the storage wasnt good

>>12980860
>Gyokuro
>Hojicha

what is this forbidden black magic
how much did it cost you?

>>12980883
Ive bought it before in the nyc store, Ippodo Tea Co. NYC, in person but at one point amazon was selling it in 100g bags for only like 25 bucks. I dont remember how much it cost in person.

If you have the ability to go and get it in person I would. Its one of my top favorite teas.

>>12980820
Hang onto it for a year or two and see if it's better then.

>>12980122
yes. and with its health benefits stamped all over. in a plastic packaging. bet it tastes like shit.
>>12980232
>considering how nasty cheap puer is
exactly. it can’t be produced on a mass scale in a factory and still be drinkable. I hope.

Has anyone here ever made hojicha using sencha?

I wanna be a neet again so I can make 1l+ of tea and drink it over the day

So I went to Japan and I tried this. It's fucking delicious. Any know a good guide to make it at home?

>>12982131
It's literally just tea with lots of milk and sugar.

>>12982192
Okay but what tea and milk ratios

>>12982222
Are you daft? 1/4 ratio, as it says on the can.

>>12980820
Leave them outside the plastic bag in an area mostly free of odours for a week. Wash 2x 10sec each. This should do the trick, if it still smells/tastes fishy/rotten then they are shit tea.

>>12982131
Darjeeling and keemun are basic teas you can find just about anywhere.
A little bit of googling says "royal milk tea" is a Japanese brewing method closer to masala chai than the usual British or Asian methods.
You simmer the tea in a pot for a few minutes and strain into a cup. Most recipes seem to call for 50/50 milk and water in the pot but technique varies.

>>12982274
Fuck off retard.

>>12982303
How long should I steep the tea for? Also should I add the milk after it's steeped or with the water so they both boil together?

>>12982374
if its close to masala chai then mix the milk and water and brew in that over heat, try 3 mins as standard to go by colour

>>12982374
Dunno. I've never made it and the youtube videos I'm watching all make it slightly differently.
I could describe the techniques I'm seeing to you and relay my personal sense of the overall basic recipe, but that would be silly. The blind leading the blind.

>>12982453
Me again. I went ahead and gave it a shot anyway.
I don't have any darjeeling or keemun on hand so I tried assam and yunnan (3g each). The can also lists "uva", which seems to be a sort of tea from Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan tea is usually called "ceylon" in Western shops, but I'm fresh out of that too.
150mL of water in a pot, boiled and then reduced to a simmer. (some recipes say this is slightly too little water)
Tea in, simmered for ~2 minutes
Then I added 150mL milk (some recipes say this is slightly too much)
Instructions said "slowly bring back up to a simmer" but not at what heat setting or for how long this should take. With my burner at med-low, this took me about 8 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid gross milk film. (it filmed over anyway.)
Strained into a cup and added a bit of sugar.

Does it taste like the canned thing? No idea, never had it.
How does it compare to the usual English cuppa? In a word: thicc. The milk is sweeter and creamier, and the tea itself is "fuller".
The masala chai comparison earlier was apt, although obviously there aren't a dozen spices here.

Slightly too much hassle for a single serving but worth scaling up for guests.

>>12982131
They have the cans at the Japanese market near me but I’ve bought the instant royal milk tea mix packets and they tasted not that great but similar

>>12982303
>You simmer the tea in a pot for a few minutes and strain into a cup
Would a percolator be perfect for this?

>>12982787
No. Why do you even own a percolator? They aren't good for anything.

>>12982787
no, use a sauce pan

>>12979291
is that spider legs

>>12982817
>drink bugs BIGOT

>>12980891
placed it on my tea bucket list to try

thanks

>>12982817
looks like some kind of silver needles

What kind of tea should I drink now, when my crush turned out to be a validation-milking tease, who told my manager that she ”doesn’t feel comfortable working” with me, once she got enough of playing with my feels? That WHORE.

>>12983913
Alcohol. Or passionflower. Passionflower is hard to get locally though. Just drink some black tea. The l-theanine should help give you some peace of mind.

>>12983913
A nice tall glass of "get the fuck over yourself", with some "go blog about it" on the side.

So some questions about the gongfu and western methods.
How many of you actually rinse them with the hot water, and dump that water into individual cups? Does it make it a difference? I'm sure you could just pour the water into the sink if you do that step.
What exactly makes the gongfu method make a "better" tasting tea? I can't see a difference in waiting for a 3rd or 4th steep than just steeping the tea leaves longer. Even then the western mehtod can still do an extra steep or two. How is everyone's experience with either?

>>12980883
>>12980891
For NYC-fags and anywhere else there's a Mitsuwa, they usually have a pretty respectable tea selection.
The Edgewater Mitsuwa also has an ito-en store that has Gyokuro almost all of the time.

>>12981917
I have. It's mostly useful if you have some sencha that has gone stale. Otherwise it's kind of a waste unless it was really cheap sencha.

>>12984044
Pouring the rinsewater into the cups is to pre-warm the cups.
Not wholly necessary, but a nice little bonus.

>>12983904
nope

>>12984044
you can do 5-9 steeps with gongfu method, each time the taste and the smell of the wet leaves slightly changes. Each round of steeping is like a mini ritual. With western method its common/easy to oversteep and theres not as much opportunity to savour all the subtle elements of the tea.

>>12984044
i pour the 1st steep into the drinking cup, then i dump that into another cup (waste water)

its just to get it warmed up + bring up to nose to smell.

>>12983943
Got plenty of black tea. Thanks mate.
>>12983966
kek

>>12984044
when you calculate it it only takes 2-3 minutes longer to have a quick gongfu session than to brew a pot of western tea and have a few cups of that. It's not as difficult as it looks

>>12984236
then what is it? you can even see the hairs

>>12979230
>>What are you drinking today?
same as any day

>>12986012
>dilmah
ehw

>>12986012
does that mouse come with a ball?

>>12986029
bruh it's premium tea, you just don't good taste
>>12986073
worse, it's optical

Just had my black teas for the winter come in. Which should I have first, Keemun, Darjeeling, or Earl Grey?

>>12984044
If I just want to relax in front of the computer with tea I go western. If I have a relaxing solitude time (zazen meditation) I go gongfu and treat every steeping like an event.

Genmaicha

I want to make Ochazuke with either black or green tea
What tea goes best with vinegary rice and broiled miso-salmon?
And how do I brew it

>>12986629
I do 50/50 dashi and genmaicha
Brew normally but just little stronger than regular and pour on

>>12986363
Went with the keemun, brewed western style. It tastes like it's been lightly sweetened with just a hint of bitterness. I remember reading somewhere a tea farmer said he sometimes finds tea without a little bitterness feels a bit "lonely." This is a lot that embodies that idea. It makes me eager for chilly fall mornings when the tea will be even more satisfying .

>>12986686
Decided to do a second steeping. It's a little sweeter this time and less bitter. Thicker too, almost like coffee. Maybe from steeping it longer? I've never had that happen on later steepings, western of gungfu. I might have pulled the leaves too early on the first pot. Either way, it's still flavorful enough that I'm considering a third pot.

>>12985947
tea legs

Just bought a nice kettle with temperature presets for different teas. I opened it up and it already has a few rust spots on the inside :^)

Sencha
Taiyaki
Mizu yokan

bump

>>12986012
why is that mouse so dented
are you going to be able to use it with the cup crowding your mouse room?
why the fuck do you have ketchup readily available at your desk

Pic related. Even just the smell is heavenly

Anyone know of a decent matcha that isn't going to break the bank? I bought some recently that smelled more fishy than like tea, and its color seemed a bit darker than what I'd seen people drink...

>>12990521
doesn't really exist, so don't waste your money buying matcha you don't enjoy and throw out anyways. Buy some nice matcha and have it as a treat once in a while

>>12990525
Ah, that's a shame. Do you perchance have any recommendations for something on the nicer side, then?

>>12979230
My green tea Kombucha

>>12990390
Emergency ketchup

>>12990586
I have any online recommendations but if you live in a major city there should hopefully be a Japanese tea store with good enough matcha, the store near me imports marukyu koyamaen brand matcha which I really like. Buy small amounts (20g tins) because you want to use it all within a month before it starts to oxidize and go stale. if you are drinking matcha make sure to buy Ceremonial/drinking grade and not culinary grade which is for making matcha candies etc.

I'm drinking Lipton.

I was given this as a gift from family returning from China. It's delicious but I can't tell exactly what is is past some dark green tea or maybe a subtle oolong. Tried to use Google translate app on it but it just spots out goofy shitty. Anyone care to take a stab at it?

>>12991804

>>12991804
>>12991810

寿眉 = Shou Mei
福鼎 白茶 = Fuding White Tea


misc small text
传统 自然 健康 = traditional, natural, healthy
手工制作 = handmade production
经典"藏"品 = classical (hidden) product --a pun is made here using 藏 instead of 产, implying its a hidden treasure

yi lai xiang is the brand. 意来香

Do you guys know where I can find pic related in the US? My ex got me this on a trip to Spain, but we're no longer on speaking terms so I can't ask her. I'm currently drinking a hibiscus tea that I got about a month back, with strong cherry notes, in case anyone was wondering.
>>12991774
>Lipton
The memories I have attached to it are great and all, but Lipton doesn't actually taste that good.

>>12991851
Damn you beat me to it, fellow chink.

>>12991856
Same.

>>12991856
>>12991869
:^)

just happened to be browsing /ck/ while sitting on the loo

Thanks for the assist!

>>12991910
Drink tea and you won't be at the loo that long.

I thought you would know that.

What is a good place to store my tea? I'm keeping them in a ledge the size of a mailbox, and as it's filled to the brim with packages, and finding a certain one and putting it back is like playing chess, I still struggle with having enough variety to be satisfied. Tips?

Tereré is the patrician's choice in a hot sunny day.

>>12979230
I have that same mug, it's so nice. Also what is that funnel thing called?

>>12992586
NC 4L. Heath is great

it's a strainer?

>>12992369
2nd ledge

>>12994146
I, well, I uh... touché. Am just too lazy to build one.

How to make myself like Lapsang Souchong again?
Used to be my daily drink, but one day I caught a stomach bug during an epidemic, and barfed liters of blood, gut linings, stomach acid, with Lapsang taste mixed in (drank it just before the symptoms hit), and now that’s all I remember when I attempt to sip some.
It’s scent makes me really miss it. But the taste is otherworldly repulsive now. Help.

frens, i'm a person who loves salty taste and I don't usually like hot tea, any tea to recommend?

>>12992378
just ordered my first mate pack(the malta one) with a bombilla, how much gram does one should use? according to the package 50g? seems a lot desu, my 500g pack would last for like 5 days

>>12994455
You've developed a food aversion, m8.
Your only options are to keep forcing yourself to drink it until you like it again or hire a therapist.

>>12995416
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f87wvXMa-Rk

>>12994728
Try tibetan butter tea. You can use cow products, since you probably don't have any yak dairies nearby, but goat is better, if available. Can't remember the exact recipe, but it has salt, as well. And in my experience (at home, never been to Tibet), lots of shaking/mixing, to the point it's not that hot anymore.

What's the deal with Twinnings Earl Grey? It tastes and smells completely different from any other brand or bergamot oil I've ever had.

>>12995416
I have the cachamate with spearmint nd lemon verbena, and the Boca Juniors Brand. Idk why it says that on the import sticker, I think it’s implying you’re gonna brew it classical style and keep drinking t and passing it around. I just eye the amount and throw it in a strainer.

>>12995633
Apparently they changed their formula in 2011 and added lemon oil.

>>12995658
>tfw THE Earl Grey is not earl grey anymore

>>12995667
I think it only applies to their domestic blend, in the purple box.
The international blend in the yellow box should be unmolested.

>>12995694
Oh? That's good news, then. I don't live in UK so that's the version here.

>>12995728
There's no guarantee that it's the original formula either, though.

>>12995750
It says that it's "flavoured with the distinctive notes of citrus and bergamot." So it probably has lemon and/or other fruits.

>>12982274

>>12982340

>says ratio on can of nasty fucking milk/sugar tea
>calls reddit user out
>no u RETARD!!!!!!!!!

Fuck I wish reddit never would have leaked over here

>>12996206
stop shitposting m8

Tea? You know, its kinda funny, but Ive actually never had that.

>>12996257
Hi.
Keep your youtube gossip out of the tea thread, thanks.

>>12991804
double thanks, I had a small sphere of tea that I received as a gift and was curious about

I like green tea but I only really like the first steep. Unlike other teas where the tea just changes over steepings and stays flavorful and interesting as the leaf opens up, all the good stuff comes out in the first steeping of green tea, you can even visibly see it in the white foam that comes out, and every steeping after that is relatively flat. Still drinkable, but not as enjoyable.

>>12995604
Not going to the shrink because of tea. Forcing myself it is, then.

>>12991853
Lipton tastes like corn syrup

Toasted mate for ya boy, wish I had a good chai desu though

>>12996543
the shrink gonna give you exposure therapy anyway, so

>>12996530
Same with green oolongs?

>>12996779
Green oolongs I feel can go through a few steeps (talking gong fu at least) and not lose too much. Green tea though, it's like all the zestiness steeps out in the first infusion, so you get one cup that's great and full of fresh flavor, and then the next infusions are just what's left over

>>12996795
Exactly why I don't drink green tea, except green oolongs and a few exceptions that haven't disappointed me gongfu (namely some basic bancha and a sheng pu er with a surprising taste of violet).

>>12995630
that is a great suggestion, tyvm

>>12990390
this pic is pretty old, breh

>>12997439
Not strictly tea but you could also try some konbucha. NOT the kombucha meme, but kelp tea. It's basically savory broth.

>>12995416

No idea bro, I've never brewed my own hot mate, just had it with friends. Tereré (basically a kind of iced mate that is consumed primarily in Paraguay and some regions of Brazil) is a different matter, there's no real complicated method to building it up like mate and you can basically freestyle it, use whatever you want as flavouring. Some people have it with various spices, natural or instant fruit juice, iced tea and even soft drinks and beer though that's kinda too much for me. Also, there's some pretty wild flavours in the market - pic related, in my local neighbourhood market, some tereré flavours like cherry, grape, pineapple, coffee and even "energy drink flavour", whatever that is.
If you search for it on YouTube you'll probably be able to find some pretty good tutorials on mate though (that is, if you can stand the horrifyingly annoying uruguayan/argentinian accent).

>>12995416

No idea bro, I've never brewed my own hot mate, just had it with friends. Tereré (basically a kind of iced mate that is consumed primarily in Paraguay and some regions of Brazil) is a different matter, there's no real complicated method to building it up like mate and you can basically freestyle it, use whatever you want as flavouring. Some people have it with various spices, natural or instant fruit juice, iced tea and even soft drinks and beer though that's kinda too much for me. Also, there's some pretty wild flavours in the market - pic related, in my local neighbourhood market, some tereré flavours like cherry, grape, pineapple, coffee and even "energy drink" and "ice blue", whatever those are.
If you search for it on YouTube you'll probably be able to find some pretty good tutorials on mate though (that is, if you can stand the horrifyingly annoying uruguayan/argentinian accent).

Today I had bao sheng me shenga tinga chong cheng.

>>12996795
>>12996847
bs
3 good steeps, it just has the most variance in flavor per steep out of any tea

>>12998730
English or Gongfu?

>>12998739
gongfu

Anyone drink chamomille? Does it actually calm you down?

>>12998730
You can call it "variance" but the first steep is clearly the best steep. The subsequent steeps taste different because all the good stuff came out in the first infusion, and now the second and third steep are "variance" because they're lacking the things that the first steep had, not really coming into anything new

>>12998885
just drink puerh if you want more steeps tbqh

>>12999313
Oh, TRUST me, I DO!
But I'm just saying, green tea is tasty, but the only steep worth a damn is the first

>>12999348
imo this is only true for green/white teas. Especially japanese greens, the 1st steep is so much the best.

for oolongs i still give them a quick rinse
puer 1st steeps are gross and black teas 1st steep gives me a headache

>>12999348
not him but,

imo this is only true for green/white teas. Especially japanese greens, the 1st steep is so much the best.

for oolongs i still give them a quick rinse
puer 1st steeps are gross and black teas 1st steep gives me a headache

>>12999618
>Especially japanese greens, the 1st steep is so much the best.
I don't really agree. It's usually the second one when the leaves have had time to open up more. Third and beyond are different, yes, but are usually just more astringent. It really depends on the time and temperatures for each steep.

oh god yes my dong ding finally came in
butter, yeast, bread, nuts, mellow, sweet, I missed it

What are some teas with maximum tannins? Is it worth the potential side effects?

>>12999790
Underrated stuff. I personally prefer it over Tie Guan Yin

Tieguanyin
>>12999790
Looks nice

>>13000179
Both are good but you are wrong about that

Matcha castella and tieguanyin

Castella

mate is just so good i had to order some from pampa direct, any experience with them /tea/? shit is just crazy cheap there

What am I in for anons? First time trying loose leaf. I mostly drink Twinings Irish Breakfast Tea or Earl Grey.

>>13000448
i like vahdam, their black earl grey is nice(the green tea earl grey is awful).

>>12979230
What tea is best for throats & warming up your voice in your opinion?

>>13000448
>AnCom tea
no thanks

>>13000585
I don't think any tea on its own does that, but honey is known for soothing the throat, so any tea you add honey to and gargle a bit might get your throat ready to sing.

>>13000585
honey, lemon and ginger "tea"

>>13000585
Slippery Elm

>>13000585
hedge mustard, aka "singer's herb"

>>13001336
>"singer's herb"
thats just reefer

>eat no vegetables: im pushing mud & have to scoop the shit out of my hole when i wipe
>eat vegetables: rock hard, only shit twice a week but comes out clean, no wipe needed

Why is supermarket tea so drastically different to quality tea? Can’t believe I’m drinking the same plant.

>>13000258
You just haven't had the right ding dong yet, anon...

I'm glad for Autumn

Mao jian with chestnut mochi

Gozenguri
Whole chestnut covered with chestnut bean paste and mochi

Nice box

>>12995416
just a bit more than half of the mate bro, yerba puffs when hidrated

>>12992378
based i put ice on top of yerba so i't wont fly, because i always breath in like a fucking moron

>>13000593
>>AnCom tea
anarcho-communist?

>>13005195
Yes, anon. You almost got the joke about the colours.

>>13004372
whats that furry ass motherfucker?

>>13005225
got it. the less i expose myself to communist bullshit the saner i remain

So I'm going to try to reduce a pot of tea to see if I can make an essence that I could dilute later. I will begin my experiment shortly, and I'll update you on the results as they come.

>>13005384
The tea I'll be using is this random black I had lying around, prepared in a clay gaiwan with 90-95°C water, brewed for 15+5 seconds with one 10s rinse prior. I will extract 5 times and then attempt reducing in a pot.

>>13005384
Try an imitation of Russian or Turkish tea while you're at it. They leave the tea in pot over a heat source to simmer for a good while and dilute with hot water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUDU8vjxVeI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7RxWSXkpRg

>>13005421
how to you plan to reduce? boiling the water off will fuck with the flavour/compounds

>>13005421
I used about 4.5g of the tea. The first brew was too astringent, and so it was discarded and the process was repeated. It is finer than the black tea I'm used to, which is the most likely reason for the taste. I poured aside a small cup for later comparison. As tasted right now, it is an uncomplicated black tea, a bit oversteeped, even after adjusting for the finer leaves. The volume in the pot is about 350ml.

I will now set the plate for medium high and reduce the volume by about one half.

>>13005526
I intend to see in what way will the taste be fucked. That is also the reason why I'm using this lower qualtea.

>>13005542
With the pot now at a bare simmer, the tea smells a bit different than the one in the cup. So far no changed smells, it just lacks the sharp front note. It is possible that I just can't smell it because of the steam scalding my nose a bit, but after repeating the test more carefully, I still perceive the difference.

>>13005575
The tea is now bubbling strongly, but still not at a rolling boil. It has formed some froth at the edge of the pot.

>>13005581
The tea has reduced to a little below 300ml by now, and it seems that despite occasional stirring, it has burned in a few places. If the taste fouls, it could be a strong factor, however it should be noted that so far it was boiling quite gently. I will increase stirring.

>>13005591
The tea has reduced to 200ml now. It smells slightly burnt.

>>13005596
The tea has now reduced to half its original volume. I will compare the taste of a 25ml portion of original brew, a 25ml portion of pure reduced tea, and 25ml of 50% solution of the reduced tea.

>>13005611
The cups are, in order from left to right, pure reduced tea, 50% diluted reduced tea, original brew. It can be seen that the diluted tea, even though it should have the same amount of water as the original, is significantly darker.

>>13005639
Missing from previous post: the cups will now be referred to as, in order from left to right, cup 1, cup 2, and cup 3

A powdery residue has settled in cup 1. In this context it should be noted that the tea was poured through a fine mesh strainer twice before reducing.

The taste of cup 1 was surprisingly weak initially. It lost the astringency and gained a subtly burned quality. It also became slightly sweeter. As the remaining tea was drank, I found that the taste was concentrated in the residue at the bottom of the cup. It was a very focused astringent and acidic taste. It lasted only a brief moment.

>>13005678
Cup 2 is very bland. The residue was stirred before drinking. It dispersed the astringency evenly and made it only barely noticeable. It is not a terrible cup of tea.

>>13005691
Cup 3 was very cooled by this time in the experiment. It was more acidic in taste, and had a smell, which the other cups did not-or had a very limited amount.

>>13005709
Overall the experiment is a failure on grounds of preparation: the tea used in the experiment possessed very limited taste notes and thus it is difficult to assess how much was lost in the process. From the limited results however, it can be extrapolated that boiling off water does indeed impact taste, however it cannot be determined if the influence was positive or negative.

Notes for future attempts:
•Make sure to brew the tea regularly beforehand in order to know the process of producing quality tea for comparison
•Use tea that has more complex taste
•The reduced liquid is prone to separation - stir before all transfers and ingestions
•Stir vigorously and use lower heat settings during the reduction process to avoid burning the pot

>>13005761
Now I have a pot of shitty concentrated tea :/ maybe I'll use it to make tea syrup

>>13005761
One final note to the experiment:
An independent tester (me mum) disliked the reduced brew, and, even in greater concentrations, described it as "tasteless". The test was blind with the same setup as my comparison, only with a new cup of regular tea brewed for heat. Having tasted the reduced ones again, I think I mislabeled the word "astringency". The reduced brew distinctly lacks tannins, which can be tasted in the regular tea.
Thus, I reassess the outcome of the experiment as a success, the result being that reducing tea by boiling results in crap tea.

>>13005851
Now I'll to get me a rotovap :^)

>>13005542
>>13005581
>>13005591
>>13005639
>>13005678
>>13005761
I'm not sure what you were trying to accomplish here, but here's some (You)s, champ. God speed.

>>13005851
Neat, now just do this >>13005428
It should work much better.

Brewing up some old Tenguian. Surprised it still tastes fine.
>>13004372
That mochi looks dank.

Green tea going in. I am supposed to pour out the first brew and drink the second?

>>13007653
You can drink the first. It's usually puer where the first cup is unpalatable.

>>13000272
i really need castella now

Any alchies in here? Japanese raisin tree tea is wonderful for hangover prevention, and after. Doesn't taste too bad either.

I tried the Harney and Sons lapsang souchong today. I like it, but feel like it really needs to be a lot more deep and complex.
I guess I'm trying to find the tea equivalent to Islay Scotch and am kinda let down.
Are there better brands?

Also, headed to the asian market tomorrow, what should I grab.

>>13007653
for non japanese greens/whites i just do a very quick rinse. (<10 seconds)
for japanese greens i dont bother

for puer 1st steep is always thrown out like the other anon said, but i do it for black tea too.

>>13008267
Get some boxes of sea dyke brand oolong if you see any.
Lapsang is made with lower quality tea generally, there are some versions that use nicer material but they are either very lightly charcoal roasted or not smoked at all.

>>13008267
ive only tried this lapsang so idk, but maybe you can have a look
https://yunnansourcing.com/products/traditional-smoked-zheng-shan-xiao-zhong-lapsang-souchong-black-tea

>>13008592
>sea dyke brand
not him but their oolong is good? i always just dismissed it as a "budget" brand

>>13008598
Sea dyke is the best budget oolong tea. Very drinkable good quality for the price. Probably some of the best tea you can get at a random gook market unless you are really lucky.

>>13008612
hmm didnt know that
will try some next time

Been drinking Puh Er at this tea house I work in. What does an expensive one taste like. There's too many

Pic related teas that served for free to customers

I fell for the meme

>>13003691
Probably because it ain't the same parts

This.

Is any tea healthy or do people drink tea for the taste?

>>13009034
healthier than soda, most health claims just feel like marketing to me. same shit as "drinking red wine can reduce heart cancer" ect. i personally drink it as a replacement for soda and it does taste great + caffeine

>>13009051
Is it healthier than water maybe? I might look into the scientific literature for evidence, particularly with herbal teas. But then again so much research out there is misleading p value fishing garbage with poor methods.

>>13009034
i remember reading an article somewhere that japanese men have lower rates of lung cancer despite high rates of smoking because they drink green tea every day

not sure how true that is though

Just tried a tea with lemon balm as an ingredient and it tastes so disgusting and sickly. I feel ill from drinking it. Tastes like lemon flavoured cough drops or mosquito repellant.

>>13009102
maybe? it does have anti-oxidants and other compounds, safe to say it probably isn't worse for you than water

>>13008625
Puer can have such a range of flavors it's hard to categorize.
The brroad strokes are
Ripe - nuts chocolate leather loam etc
Raw - sometimes bitter mineral sweetness dried fruit sometimes smokey
Aged raw - medicinal dried fruit aged tea taste
The chinks really value puer that has a long after taste, sweetness can linger in the mouth for 20 minutes or so.

Tea, thyme, oregano, fireweed

I'm a tea bag pleb. I drink Lipton Matcha everyday. How do I upgrade to the more authentic experience? Recommend me some real good Matcha.

>>13009476
DUDE fireWEED LMAO

>>13009973
wow... How do you even put matcha in a teabag?

>>13010325
Gross

>>13010325
literally extra tea dust in a bag

>>13010451
Does it have some whole leaves to hold it together?

>>12979230
>Looks like green beans
Cant wait to get my canned green bean tea.

>>13009476
Interested but confused about yoyr setup, what is in the glass vat? And what are you eating with it?

Drink more tea

>>13003691
only tea and tomatoes have such great duality in quality

where can I buy affordable matcha?

Darjeeling Tea. All other teas are shit, even green

>>13015650
How about green darjeeling?

>>13015650
based
>>13016170
i've never had good green indian tea

>>12979230
my mom went to france and brought me back some tea as a gift. its so fucking good. feels nice sitting on my back deck with the fall weather and sipping some nice warm tea

Just got encha latte grade matcha 60grams for 28$. Tastes like spinach. How'd I do?

>tfw too stupid to brew tea properly
i just put the leaves in the cage thing and add boiling water to the pot right

>>13016599
yes, makes sure there's enough room for the leaves to move around, also use ~90c not boiling & 3 mins steep time for black tea

>>13016599
No and no.

>>13016585
French tea is super underrated. Kusmi and Mariage Frères are both great

>>13016591
trash

>>13018132
Funny you mention mariage because that's what she got me.

Where do I get this?

>>13018359
i have some from Yunnan Sourcing. Don't recommend it honestly

>>13018379
Oh dang, I was really excited by the "profile of scotch" flavor pallet.

sipping some uji hojicha
so good

>>13019676
Something about hojicha makes it super comfy in cool fall weather.

how do you prepare first flush darjeeling /tea/?

What is THE BEST herbal tea?

Bump!

Come on anons, you c-can do it! D-don't let the thread die now!

>>13009476
do you live in an ikea store?

>>13020276
Camellia sinensis

>>13019676
based

>>13016197
Kashmiri noon chai is pink pretty and delicious. And green tea

How big is your tea stash? I haven't ordered tea samples in months out of guilt for not finishing what I already have. It takes a while for me to clear anything out unless I pick out teas I'm almost finished with. I might have a problem. Pic unrelated but cozy.

>>13023649
I've got a rotation of 3 nice teas that I drink for the taste and experience, and then a big fuck box of Harney and Son's Hot cinnamon black tea for everyday.

>>13023649
My last order was about 1.5 kilos of tea. It's just about time for me to order another kilo.

Sipping on some pai mu tan and warming the water for good ol pu erh. Dunno what type though

>What are you drinking today?
PG Tips

>>13023649
ordered ~0.7kg 1 months ago so i have around 1kg total minus what i've drunk

>>13020276
Buckwheat
or
Mint
or
Rooibos

>>13023968
Good lord. I'm not sure if my entire stash measures up to 1.5 kilos. How do you get through all that tea without having to throw anything out?
>>13024370
Some asian market sencha I found. Pretty good actually, but it's just a substitute for me ordering more expensive green tea from Japan. Can't read the label so couldn't tell you more about it.

>>13025499
>How do you get through all that tea without having to throw anything out?
I almost exclusively drink puer so it keeps indefinitely. Also I brew at least 7 grams a day so that's ~2.5 kilos per year.

>>13025525
>7 grams a day
in a single session or 2 sessions?

>>13025531
That's a single session in my 140ml gaiwan.

>>13025499
Ah, makes sense. I end up having to do a purge of older teas or stuff I know I won't drink at least once or twice a year. I've only tried a few puerh teas but I know it's something I need to branch out into, if only for the sake of having something that keeps well.

>>13025535
damn, i use 5g/~250ml. i've tried 5g/~100ml and it tastes pretty much the same, with several different types of teas

>>13025544
Puer is fantastic but it's a hell of a rabbit hole to go down. Would recommend to anyone with a findom fetish.
>>13025591
>It tastes pretty much the same
I wish my friend

>>13025599
Maybe when I have a steadier income. Those giant tea cakes are sexy, but my wallet says otherwise. Samples it is.

>>13025627
I feel ya. If you buy cakes from the major tea factories like dayi taetea and xiaguan it's pretty affordable. I rarely pay more than $10/100g. If you can swing it grab one of these $10 tuos, it's a great starting point with 10 years age on it and if you like it you can get 500g bags for $45 or so. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Xiaguan-Te-Ji-Tuo-Cha-Pu-erh-2009-100g-Raw/291143019693

>>12995416
it depends on the size of the gourd/mug you're going to use
for normal sized gourds 50gr is ok
i like small gourds for quick "cebadas" and 20-25gr is ok for them

>>12995627
except for the part when the guy moves the bombilla the video is really good, better explained that some argentinian videos i saw

Somebody help me make a liter of iced tea. I keep fucking it up and it never tastes right. I just want something that tastes like iced tea you'd get at a restaurant.

>>13026885
Use bagged lipton, cold brew overnight and sweeten with karo syrup.

>>13026885
Actually if you want it to taste just like restaurant iced tea buy a bag of Ice tea concentrate from sysco.

>>13026885
Brew it hot then put it in the fridge. Much better and more flavorful

>>13026885
How are you doing it?

>>12979230
Any aus here? I cant decide what tea i really like.
trying to finish off my lipton extra strong box first before i try a small pack of nerada again?

bushells? tetley? dilmah?

I've tried "billy tea" its horrid.

last twinings? seems too posh and you have to open a box per tea bag?

>>13029062
Stop buying tea bags. Unless you live in the bush your local grocer will have at least one tin of loose leaf tea. If you live near a city go to a chink store.

>>13029082
eh, im set in my ways. im probably not gonna change it. just wondering which store bought one tastes best.
im not really about the whole green tea or loose leaf hippy stuff.

>>13029178
Enjoy the sweepings from the factory floor.

>>13029178
cringe

>>13009034
Tea, if we're talking just steeped tea leaves, is good for you. The polyphenols in tea have been shown to have a good for the cardiovascular system and skin and might possibly help prevent some cancers.
>>13009051
>most health claims just feel like marketing to me. same shit as "drinking red wine can reduce heart cancer" ect.
Red wine has different polyphenols that are, on their own, good for you too, but unlike tea, red wine comes with alcohol, which is harmful. Tea isn't alcoholic, tea isn't sugary, and there isn't enough caffeine to cause harm like coffee could. It's just good for you.

>>13029082
Supermarket loose leaf too isn't much of a step up from tea bags

>>13030166
Depends.
A big box of mystery Indian tea from Walmart's international section won't be much better, but a metal tin of Twinning's or Alokozay is notably better.

anyone have a recommendation for Da Hong Pao that doesn't just smell/taste of charcoal and hopefully isn't too expensive?

>>13030192
Didn't they stop harvesting real da hong pao in like 2006

>>13030192
If you want real Da Hong Pao, you're gonna be paying 30 bucks a gram

>>13030204
>>13030207
oh well, i'll stop looking then. there are nicer cheaper teas i prefer anyway

>>13030265
>In 2002, a wealthy purchaser paid 180,000 yuan - almost $28,000 - for just 20g of China's legendaryDaHongPaotea.
Yea just get big red robe instead, that's what they have been selling you anyway, most of it is pretty charcoaly since that's the traditional processing but there are some productions that are lightly roasted these days.

>>13030297
>lightly roasted
thats what im looking for, any recommendations? yunnansourcing all seems to be heavily roasted

>>13030312
There are a couple on yunnansourcing.com
Specifically the mei zhan wu yi is described as light roast plus the "light roast tie luo han" also the wild da hong pao is not described as light but looks much greener than most. Unfortunately the .us site has a much more limited selection.

>>13030351
Also if you make an order from ys.com get a sample of this
https://yunnansourcing.com/collections/hunan-fu-brick-tea/products/2009-gao-jia-shan-wild-fu-zhuan-hunan-brick-tea
It looks like mulch but it's shockingly creamy, like the aftertaste and mouthfeel you get when you eat whipped cream out of the can.