Red Blossom Tea Company

Aaaaaaaaaaand I’m sick. And on a super busy weekend, no less. I’ve got not one, not two, but three musicals to play in today. And tomorrow. Looks like I will be drinking a lot of tea in the next 48 hours. This is the first go today, a super solid, deep, tasty Tieguanyin, one of my favorites in the Oolong family.

Crisp and clear, deep, and sweet with fruity, floral overtones, this is the tea that is going to save my day.

Blend Review:

Time for another new blend! How about a green tea and an anxi oolong? Why the hell not?

Time to taste a mix of Organic Celadon Pearl green tea and Money Picked Tieguanyin anxi oolong Tea, both from Red Blossom Tea Company in San Francisco. I had no reason or purpose to mix these two, just curiosity and the desire for something different today.

I used pretty much the same amount of each, maybe a tad more green. About 1 tablespoon of Tieguanyin and 1 heaping tablespoon of Celadon. Water was pulled off the burner at the first sign of bubbles, and I kept the steeping time down to 45 seconds, the recommended time for the green tea, the shorter recommended time of the two.

Thinking about it before I try it, the earthy, nutty, slightly smoky taste with a clean and clear feel and finish of the Celadon Pearl green should mix well with the roasted nut, rich, more fruity taste of the Tieguanyin anxi oolong.

Let’s find out:

Color is a nice orange/yellowish, almost but not quite clear. Slightly darker than a regular green tea. Looks a lot like a darkish India Pale Ale, for those beer folks out there.

Aroma is wonderful. The Celadon green tea really has a chance to shine in this mix, the Tieguanyin oolong perks up to the aroma very nicely. There is a certain sweetness in there from the Tieguanyin that REALLY enhances the experience. It’s like a green tea with big, huge extra flavor but without the bitterness of the extra steeping time.

On first sip I notice a nice, crisp, clean, super dry mouthfeel. This is definitely an enhanced green tea, not the other way around. The taste has all the qualities of a very good green tea, with extra sweetness and a very nice extra flavor: The roasted nut flavor of the Tieguanyin takes the nutty, earthy flavor of the Celadon and gives it a nice boost.

Overall, these two teas are very interesting together. I think they mix really well, especially for someone that likes the taste and feel of a good green tea, but also likes tea with a little more kick while trying to avoid any bitter qualities.

Good stuff! This will make a GREAT late fall, early winter sipping-while-reading tea!

3rd steeping. The individual flavors, both aroma and taste, are blended even more now. It’s hard to pick out each one, where the 1st and 2nd steeping had distinct Earthy, smoky, nutty, slightly fruity and ocean-ie aroma and taste, the 3rd steeping they are more mixed and harder to pick out. I’m getting a bit more of a bitter feel this time as well.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still damn good, just not quite as good as the 1st and 2nd steeping.

Had to do some work in San Francisco with the ladyfriend yesterday, so I made a trip over to Red Blossom to introduce her to my Mecca. We hung out for 15-20 minutes, smelled some great teas, chatted with the good folks working there, and walked out with a Pu-erh for me and a Honey Orchid Oolong for her. More on those later, but today was steeping number 2 for Red Blossom’s Monkey Picked Tieguanyin Anxi Oolong tea.

I am a big fan if this one, hence the forcing myself to wait a couple more days before trying my new Pu-erh. It’s such a great, solid, straight up, straight forward Oolong.

The second steeping, in my opinion, is even better than the first. It’s a bit more subtle, but the different tasting motes are a bit more balanced. The Earthy aroma and taste that dominated the 1st steeping was not as dominant today, which let the smoke and fruit flavors loose.

And, maybe it’s my brain/bad memory, but it seems to be overall a bit smoother, with a slightly cleaner, not as dry, finish than yesterday.

This is such a solid, well balanced, enjoyably drinkable tea.

I used a little more leaves this time, and steeped them for a bit less. Combine that with a good pre-rinse, and wow, did it bring out that flavor! This is an amazingly complex tea, and I think I am just now starting to get close to its potential.

The aroma is the first thing that really opened my eyes. The Earthy smell hits you first, followed closely by a hint of smoke. Red Blossoms description mentions roasted nuts, and on second smell, that’s just right. (don’t trust my nose, just so you know…) The aroma isn’t done there. In addition to all this complexity, the Earth, roasted nuts, smoke, even a hint of ocean, it is still super light and crisp.

Then there is the taste. It has a dry feel right when it hits your mouth, but not bitter dry. Sort of a refreshing, soothing, Earthy dry. The taste is just as well balanced and complex as the aroma. In addition to the Earth, roasted nuts, the hint of ocean, there is also a hint of fruity taste. And all these flavors some together is a surprisingly light, crisp, and sweet tea.

Definitely a go to Anxi.

2nd steeping. The pre-rinse really does help with this tea. The aroma and taste are so much clearer, brighter, and more pronounced while not getting that bitter taste and feel from oversteeping. The sweet taste is the best thing about this tea, and the rinse really brings it out and lets it shine.

With that beautiful sweetness, combined with just a hint of smoke and nuts and some fruity overtones, this is maybe one of the better balanced teas I have ever had.

This will be one tea I will continue to go back to in the future. It’s so well balanced it’s actually kind of silly. A hint of roasted smoke, but just a hint. It’s not so strong as to hide the bright earthiness and nutty presence. Surprisingly light and just a bit sweet, this is a GREAT go-to basic Oolong. No frills, no catches, nothing special, just straight up solid and amazing.

3rd steeping. Remembered to rinse again. Makes a big difference. Brighter, fresher in taste and aroma.

This one has a beautiful earthy, grassy aroma, leading to a clean, refreshing, earthy taste with hints of grass and nuts.

2nd steeping on the same leaves. I actually remembered to rinse them this time. It really freshened up the flavor. Light and fresh earthy and nutty aroma is more present, the taste is much cleaner both in the initial sip and the aftertaste. Very good tea!

Slightly smoky, with a strong presence of roasted nuts in the aroma lead to a wonderfully balanced tea. Just the right amount of bitter-ish bite balanced with an earthy, roasted nut, all combining to create a smooth, super drinkable Oolong.

4th steeping. Still good. Bitterness is further down and flavor is finally not as bold as the first three. Still very good, could probably get one more out of these leaves.

3rd steeping. Still getting better. Bitterness is down, taste is still bold and beautiful. Smoky, earthy, nutty.

Oops. I left this batch steeping for a bit too long. I usually don’t mind when that happens, and this is no exception. It’s just a tad on the big, bold and bitter side, with a bit of a coffee aroma, but I still like it.

This is also the 2nd steeping of these leaves, maybe that has to do with it.

Strong, slightly bitter Oolong. Smoky, almost woodsy flavor. Good, probably better in the winter.

I don’t drink a whole lot of white tea, but this makes me want to. Simple but full flavored, earthy, with a strong hint of wet grass and straw.

This White Tea blows me away every time I pour it. It’s one of the few teas I try to always keep on hand, as well as a Tung Ting and a Gunpowder. Each time I can’t decide what interesting tea to have on any particular day, I go for one of my old standbys. This is one of those selections.

Smooth, sweet, crisp and clean. An amazingly smooth base with hints of wood and earth, and one of the best finishes of any tea I have brewed. It’s just so… clean.

The last leaves I had from this purchase I decided to make into a sun tea. I really like these white tea leaves as sun tea, they work very well in a cold setting. The woodsy, earthy, crisp and clean aroma and taste still pop nicely when cold brewed.

The balance is a little different from a hot brew, the hint of nuts s not as strong, and the woodsy flavor is much more prominent. That may be why it’s one of my favorites to use as a sun tea.

Finally getting to the bottom of the jar of this one. I bought it just over a year ago and have been using it for both hot and cold tea.

I really love this white tea. The light, woodsy, wet earth taste, the fresh, crisp aroma, it’s simply a solid, wonderful everyday white tea.

Sun tea review:

Still have more of this one left. I love it, and I’m trying it in different ways.

Today’s way: Sun tea. I left it out for longer this time, setting it out at about 7:30AM and picking it up at around 10PM. Band camp week. Long days.

I love the way it comes out. You still get all the crispness, the woodsy, nutty hints. Everything is present, in just the right amount. Great balance, even from outside in the sun, even with a 15.5 hour steeping. hehehe

I have enough of these leaves left over now for one more steeping. Hmm….

Another great white tea used for sun tea:

It’s outside right now starting on the brewing, but it’s not the first time I’ve done it, and I’m thinking about it already.

I have a few white teas on my shelf right now from Red Blossom, and I’m finding that I almost like them more as sun tea than as hot tea.

I have it outside on the side of the driveway, two tea balls floating in a gallon jug of water. I tried more and less in the past, 2 balls seems like a good amount for a well balanced taste, full of everything these tasty white teas are known for, but still subtle and smooth.

This one I particularly enjoy. It’s a little woodsier flavored than the other whites I have tried, and the nutty, earthy flavor still shines through the slower, cooler steeping process.

I just wish it was ready now…

-E

It’s been a while since I have had this one by itself. I’ve been using it s a base to blend with fresh mint, or my super smoky Lapsang Souchong. Or both. Because yum.

But today, even though it is rainy and dreary out and that usually puts me in the mood for something thick and in my face, I decided to have a go with this one.

I did want it a bit bolder than the nice summer tea, hot or sun. So I added more leaves. A bunch more. I went from my normal 3 tablespoons to 4 heaping tablespoons. I kept the steep time where Red Blossom Tea Company recommends, right at 2:00 for my 32 ounce Bodum Assam teapot.

I like.

All of the regular Shou Mei tastes are there. Woodsy, nutty, earthy aroma and flavor. There is no bitterness and very little tannins present. But there was something extra there today. Something almost, well, Autumny. The woodsy flavor, my favorite aspect of this tea, had a bit of extra flavor. Closing my eyes I could almost picture myself walking through my grandparents walnut orchard in the winter. The fruits and nuts are gone, and that strong, pungent, but somehow soothing wet wood scent wafted through the air. It’s not the same flavor, this tea does not taste like walnut wood, but it has that feel. That special orchard in the Winter feel that you really can’t explain without demonstrating.

If you ever get the opportunity to walk through an orchard in the Winter when the sun pops out after a rainstorm, take it. There is not much like in this world.

The taste is the same. That woodsy flavor has really been released and let loose to run in the open. It’s not overwhelming, by any means, but it has been given permission to show off just a bit.

I’m glad I discovered this, with slightly less leaves this is a great Summer brew, either hot or sun tea. But add more leaves, and it takes on a new life, totally fitting for a cold, wet, rainy Autumn morning.

-E

Sitting here bloated and guilty from overeating yesterday, it’s time for some tea.

In the past, I have used too much Lapsang, giving it too much of that smoky flavor, hiding the white tea goodness of the Shou Mei, or too much mint, making it bity.

I think I got it pretty close this time. 3 heaping tablespoons of the Shou Mei mixed with about ½ of a teaspoon of Lapsang Souchong, and only 2 dried mint leaves in a 32 ounce Bodum Assam.

That mix gives plenty of smoke flavor from the Lapsang, plenty of mint flavor from the mint leaves, but neither hide the light, delicate, woodsy and nutty flavor of the Shou Mei.

I’m learning, and having fun discovering new blends and then trying to perfect them.

Time for a new blend! Sort of…

Today’s blend is an Organic Shou Mei white tea and a Lapsang Souchong black tea, both from Red Blossom Tea Company, and some freshly dried mint leaves from Nob Hill Grocery Store.

First, let me say two things:

1. I have tried the Shou Mei/Lapsang blend before and liked it a lot. The super smokey feel and taste of the Lapsang works really well with the simple, solid, woodsy flavor of the Shou Mei. For my 32 ounce Bodum Assam I found that 3 tablespoons of Shou Mei to 1 teaspoon of Lapsang is a good mix, but you have to add a bit more Lapsang for additional steepings.

2. The mint leaves were an experiment a couple weeks ago. I went to the local grocery store and bought the only fresh mint leaves they had and dried them hanging in my room. In the future I would go to a farmer’s market or natural food store like Sprouts or Whole Foods and get a more specific mint leaf. After I research, of course.

Now, on to todays blend. First, the mix:

32 ounce Bodum Assam teapot
3 tablespoons Organic Shou Mei
1 teaspoon Lapsang Souchong
4 dried mint leaves
Quick rinse, about 15 seconds
Pulled the water off the stove at first boil
2 minute steeping time (recommended by Red Blossom for Organic Shou Mei base)

Here we go!

I could tell when I poured the water over the leaves this would be a good one. The first whiff I got from it made me smile. The Shou Mei base is a great, solid, white tea base for a blend like this due to it’s light, gentle, fragile taste with strong hints of wood, nuts, and Earth. Mix a bit of that uber campfire smoke taste of the Lapsang Souchong, and the two blend very well.

Now add the mint. Here is where I didn’t know what would happen. I don’t notice much of the mint in the aroma, the Lapsang pretty much owns the nose. But when I taste it, there it is. The mint is right there, present and accounted for. It works really well with the base Shou Mei and the smoky Lapsang, adding just a bit more depth and flavor.

Basically, I get a lightish, woodsy tea with a strong feel of smoked mint. Very interesting.

I would certainly try this again, but maybe with slightly less Lapsang, maybe ¾ of a teaspoon instead of a whole one, and 3 mint leaves instead of 4.

But yeah, today’s blend is a damn good one! I can already picture myself sipping this while reading on a cool, rainy Winter’s day.

-E