545 Tasting Notes

74

I used the right extra black tea with this this morning. Delicious cup. No second steep.

Black pottery mugs = 12 oz. Even one and a half teaspoons.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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84

It seems like it’s been quite awhile since I’ve had any Tiger, though I think I had some last week. Either way, today’s mug was pure comforting, strong, yumminess. Again, using a more correct amount of leave for water, the Tiger had more taste without necessarily being stronger/more steeped tasting.

2nd steep: 5 min 30 sec.
To my husband. ♥

All the standard ceramic mugs = 10oz. One rounded teaspoon.

Preparation
3 min, 30 sec

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78

Accidentally blended with A&D EG this morning.* Not good.

See previous tealog.
Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
Ezzirah

OH NO! I hate it when I do that!

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74

This morning I went to make my customary EG and A&D Ceylon blend that I so enjoy. I picked the top tin off my Series 1 stack and had already added the tea to my freshly washed and still wet infuser basket when I noticed that it was A&D Napal, not Ceylon. I’d had Napal out of Series 1 last. I usually have Ceylon on the top of the stack because I’ve been making a lot of these EG and Ceylon blends. I paused for a moment and considered just having a mug of straight Napal. Then I decided to go ahead and try a EG and Napal combo, thinking EG darjeeling. I should have went with my first instinct.

The resulting tea had a floral soapy taste that I did not enjoy and was quite drying. I poured out the last third of the cup and threw out the leaves without resteeping.

EG + Napal = NO

Maroon and teal striped pottery mug = about 14oz. Used a well rounded teaspoon and a half.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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67

I had a mug of Honeybush Apple while watching Project Runway last night. I am coming to the conclusion that I like this tea but don’t love this tea. I think it is due to my tastes though rather than any fault of the tea itself. I love caramel and I like spiced apple drinks pretty well but I do think I’m not a caramel apple fan. I enjoy the first half of the mug pretty well but the second half of the mug decidedly less so.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 6 min, 0 sec

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78

I had a mug of Darjeeling Goomtee this evening around 6pm, which is rather late for me to be drinking a black tea. But it was storming, I had just gotten over a headache, and I was feeling tired. So I allowed myself one.

I’ve been increasing the amount of tea leaf I use lately with enjoyable results. In my supposedly 8oz mugs, except they aren’t 8oz mugs. Since realizing this, I’ve measured the amount of water I usually put in them and am finding more are 10-12oz, with some of the pottery ones being much bigger. I am measuring mugs as I go and adjusting the amount of leaf accordingly, also with enjoyable results. I do tend to prefer my teas on the lighter side and the lower end of steeping times, but this change just seems to bring out the flavor more rather that producing the result of a longer steep. So there will be some small text at the bottom of my posts to aid in the memorization of the approximate volumes of my small collection of about a dozen mugs by repeat writings and readings of the information. Ignorable by all ya’ll, as it is just for my usage.

I also remember reading that darjeelings may like a slightly lower temperature than is normally used for black teas. So I tried steeping tonight at 200° F instead of my usual 205° F that I use for black teas and tisanes.

This mug was smoother and fuller than I remember this darjeeling being with the typical darjeeling taste being more toward the end of the sip. As it cooled, a more darjeeling flavor came through. I really like how this mug came out and it will prolly make me want to reach for this tea more. I’m interested to try A&D’s Napal like this now. I may also try an even lower water temperature of 195° F.

2nd steep: 6 min.
Went to my husband when he woke up before going on night shift. He was running late so I forget to ask him how he liked it. I believe this is the first time he’s had this tea.

Like a lower water temperature for this one. Also, 4 min seems to be the preferred time for the 1st steep.

Dark blue pottery mug = nearly 12oz. One and a half even teaspoons.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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78

Backlogging.

My Monday morning cup. With honey. Yum. No second steep.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Hi ya’ll. It’s not a comment contest, but it is possible free tea in the future. If you didn’t get a chance to plant a tea tree for Adagio’s Earth Day promotion, planted a different tea tree and want to try some of the assam black tea from India, or just want some free assam black tea, please adopt a branch of my tea tree here: http://www.adagio.com/trees/adopt.html?planter=482_24 (I didn’t know how to get to this page before since I don’t have Facebook or Twitter but I saw how someone else did it and figured it out.)

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62

Backlogging. Also on Sunday.

This is the first cold brew steep from this set of leaves, as opposed to the second cold brew steep from this set of leaves that I previously drank and tealogged. The first cold brew of these leaves was for 24 hours, then the tea was strained out. Again, like the Lemon Sencha that was my first cold brewing experience, the Wild Cherry Sencha was light and refreshing but with less bitterness than the Lemon Sencha. I would cold brew this tea again. Flavored green teas are working well for cold brewing so far. Up next may be a tropical sencha, the only other flavored one I have.

For those who cold brew teas, how long do you usually let them “steep” for?

Preparation
Iced
I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Hi ya’ll. It’s not a comment contest, but it is possible free tea in the future. If you didn’t get a chance to plant a tea tree for Adagio’s Earth Day promotion, planted a different tea tree and want to try some of the assam black tea from India, or just want some free assam black tea, please adopt a branch of my tea tree here: http://www.adagio.com/trees/adopt.html?planter=482_24 (I didn’t know how to get to this page before since I don’t have Facebook or Twitter but I saw how someone else did it and figured it out.)

AmazonV

i steep cold brew from dinner to lunch on weekends, sometimes dinner to dinner!

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76

Backlogging. Sunday, late afternoon.

My husband and I enjoyed a pot of A&D’s EG and this Ceylon blended, one rounded teaspoon of each in a two cup pot.

2nd steep: 7 min.
An additional rounded half teaspoon fresh leaf of each tea was added.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec
I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Hi ya’ll. It’s not a comment contest, but it is possible free tea in the future. If you didn’t get a chance to plant a tea tree for Adagio’s Earth Day promotion, planted a different tea tree and want to try some of the assam black tea from India, or just want some free assam black tea, please adopt a branch of my tea tree here: http://www.adagio.com/trees/adopt.html?planter=482_24 (I didn’t know how to get to this page before since I don’t have Facebook or Twitter but I saw how someone else did it and figured it out.)

Tea-Guy

There ya go! ;-)

I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Thanks Tea-Guy! You got the first branch. I sent out a couple of emails and will post in my comments for awhile and hopefully, I can fill my tree up! =)

Jillian

Consider me interested. :)

Do you know what kind of Assam it is?

I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

This is all the info I have:

India, Assam
India had been growing tea since the early days of the British Empire. Its Assam region produces a hearty Black tea reminiscent of malt.

It only wants your name, zip code, and email. Go ahead, you know you want to. You don’t have to do anything and if it pans out, it’s free tea. Plus my poor tree has mostly unadopted branches. =(

Jillian

Aww, poor tree. :(
I’ll sign up for some in that case – I think I’m incapable of saying no to free tea. ;)

I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Thanks Jillian! Isn’t free tea a wonderful thing.

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74

Backlogging. Sunday.

My husband and I shared a pot during a late afternoon lull to perk us back up. This was prolly the best I’ve had my EG and Ceylon blend to be. I used a rounded teaspoon of each for a two mug pot. The tea was strong. I could taste the bergamot and the Ceylon. I think A&D’s Ceylon is definitely my tea of choice to blend with this EG. Though I am not adverse to experimenting with others, I can’t say that I think I will.

2nd steep: 7 min.
I add a rounded half teaspoon of each tea as neither of these teas will steep quite strong enough on the second steep alone.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec
I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Hi ya’ll. It’s not a comment contest, but it is possible free tea in the future. If you didn’t get a chance to plant a tea tree for Adagio’s Earth Day promotion, planted a different tea tree and want to try some of the assam black tea from India, or just want some free assam black tea, please adopt a branch of my tea tree here: http://www.adagio.com/trees/adopt.html?planter=482_24 (I didn’t know how to get to this page before since I don’t have Facebook or Twitter but I saw how someone else did it and figured it out.)

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Profile

Bio

I’m 33 years old, studying pharmacy, and have a surly cat named Bin. I love tea, coffee, beer, wine, and most things food and beverage related. I also love music, movies, reading, writing, and learning new things.

I’ve drank tea all my life but about five to six years ago, my close friend Spautz got into tea and got me more into tea. I drink black teas and tisanes/herbals most. Since receiving a variable temperature kettle from my parents for Xmas this past year, I’ve been drinking more greens, oolongs, and whites. I’m very very new to puerh. That is, I’ve had only one.

Ratings scale:
90-100 Awesome
80-90 Great
70-80 Good
60-70 Nice
50-60 Decent
40-50 Drinkable
30-40 Meh
0-30 Awful

Would I order this again ranking:
5 – definitely
4 – likely
3 – maybe
2 – neutral
1 – no

Location

Charleston, SC

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