This was quite a pleasant tea! The scent of the dry leaves is nice and roasty. With the first infusion, there was a nice bitterness and astringency. The roasted flavor was particularly strong the first infusion, enhanced by the bitterness. There were grassy notes, almost like grass that’s been cut and has been sitting and drying for a couple days. Still pleasantly sweet, but mild.
I’ve got enough of this left to try it once more and, depending on how my tastings of the other Dong Ding Oolong samples I ordered from Life in Teacup go, I’ll make a decision about which one to order more of first!
Preparation
Comments
you might want to try steeping at a lower temp next time. bitterness and astringency, i’ve never seem in a dong ding oolong…
I’ll be a little more careful next time. Thanks, Amy. I unfortunately don’t have a precise electric kettle at this time, so I make some estimates on occasion. :P
I’ve got my eye on this electric kettle that allows you to set a precise temperature. It’s $50, so I have to budget it. But hopefully I’ll have it soon!
If the roasted flavor was too strong on the first steep, a shorter steep time will probably help. :))
Uhm… it’s at Target. haha. I can’t remember the brand, but it may be Mr. Coffee or something like that, but there’s a digital display and you can set the temperature you want exactly. I can’t seem to find it on their website, but it’s in my local store and another one I was at somewhere else in CA, too.
I used to think $50 was expensive for an electric kettle, but it’s reasonable, esp when compared to the Breville at $250. And anything less than that in todays prices lacks quality IMO.
I definitely agree, Scott. I’ve just got a limited budget and more bills than I can always afford.
The Breville is something in my distant future, I’m figuring! Unless I can make my blog SUPER popular and convince them to send me one for free to write about. Then again, even that would be distant future! ;)
you might want to try steeping at a lower temp next time. bitterness and astringency, i’ve never seem in a dong ding oolong…
I’ll be a little more careful next time. Thanks, Amy. I unfortunately don’t have a precise electric kettle at this time, so I make some estimates on occasion. :P
Thinking about it, I probably steeped it for too long. Was a little distracted at the time.
Fail!
I don’t have an electric kettle either. I did have a thermometer for a while but lost it. ;)
I’ve got my eye on this electric kettle that allows you to set a precise temperature. It’s $50, so I have to budget it. But hopefully I’ll have it soon!
If the roasted flavor was too strong on the first steep, a shorter steep time will probably help. :))
which one are you getting for $50??
Uhm… it’s at Target. haha. I can’t remember the brand, but it may be Mr. Coffee or something like that, but there’s a digital display and you can set the temperature you want exactly. I can’t seem to find it on their website, but it’s in my local store and another one I was at somewhere else in CA, too.
I used to think $50 was expensive for an electric kettle, but it’s reasonable, esp when compared to the Breville at $250. And anything less than that in todays prices lacks quality IMO.
I definitely agree, Scott. I’ve just got a limited budget and more bills than I can always afford.
The Breville is something in my distant future, I’m figuring! Unless I can make my blog SUPER popular and convince them to send me one for free to write about. Then again, even that would be distant future! ;)