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“What’s in your cup?” This morning’s tea was truly a new experience – Keemun Orchid by Tea Horse courtesy of KittyLovesTea. Premium Keemun Hao Ya is my usual morning tea. By comparison, this Keemun is quite unique! I brewed 1 tsp. (3g) / 8 oz. & 6 oz. / 212*F / 4 min. without sweeteners, milk, or cream.

- Fragrance: A lush but gentle smokiness that reminds me of fine pipe tobacco & a light floral scent.
- Liquor: Golden amber
- Aroma: Lush, winey, & smoky
- Flavor:
8 oz.: A smooth, winey, med-bodied Keemun, with a pleasing velvet-like orchid aftertaste that persists long on one’s palate – truly special. At 8 oz., the lush winey Keemun character is more potent than the cocoa notes.

8-min Re-steep: Nearly as enjoyable as the first cup. With a little less potent winey character, the orchid notes are easier to appreciate.

2nd Cup – 6 oz.: With this higher leaf-to-water concentration, the orchid flavor is much more obvious and the cocoa notes are easier to appreciate.

8-min Re-steep: Nearly identical to the first 6 oz. cup.

An exceptionally unique Keemun.

Thanks to KittyLovesTea for providing this delightful generous sample. Unfortunately, per KittyLovesTea, “they have recently closed down. :( “ Thus, I feel very fortunate to have tasted this Keemun Orchid, which was also my first orchid tea experience.

Method:
- RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter
- http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39311-perfect-tea-spoon
- http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/37731-my-weigh-durascale-d2-660-digital-scale
- Brewed western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a Finum brew basket http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket.
- http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39312-teavana-perfect-preset-tea-timer

“What’s in your cup?” This morning it’s a favorite – Organic Morning’s Journey. Today I brewed 1 tbsp. (5g) / 8 oz. / 205*F / 4 min. and found it to be SO ROBUST that I added more water. Then I remembered, I typically steep 5g at: 3, 4, 6, & 8 minutes. It pays to check one’s stepping notes before brewing. (In my defense, it was the first cup of the morning.) This black tea is the definition of full-bodied!

I’m going to miss Organic Morning’s Journey. Since this cup puts us half way through our 4 tin stash, of which there is no more, I’m genuinely interested to see how Hugo Tea’s Full Steam compares.

Today, is my 3rd foray into Chinese Gongfu brewing and my first with Pu-erh tea.

Per TeaVivre’s Recommend Brewing Guide:
Gaiwan 3oz / Tea: 1piece / 6 steeps: rinse(10s),10s,10s,10s,15s,20s,30s / 100ºC/212ºF

I selected this tea as it seemed to be a very approachable pu-erh that’s uncomplicated to prepare.

Method:
1 mini tuocha (6g – My Weigh Durascale D2 660 )

RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter

Butiki 6oz. Gaiwan http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39240-butiki-flower-gaiwan
TeaVivre’s Double-wall Glass Tea Cups http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39708-teavivre-double-wall-glass-tea-cups

A Teavana Perfect Preset Tea Timer http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39312-teavana-perfect-preset-tea-timer was used in the count-up mode to control the brewing time.

I improvised with what we had on hand. I used a classic Revere Ware SS Copper-bottom stove-top kettle to boil water. A cutting board served as a tea tray/desk for collecting water.

In lieu of a tea pitcher & a matching tea strainer, a Noritake Bleufleur Creamer pitcher 11oz. (Japan) http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m7U_-XkLDGw6vqi0oOJrD1g.jpg with a Finum brew basket http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket placed in the pitcher were utilized. Every two steepings were combined in the Noritake pitcher then served. The lid on the Finum helped to retain the tea’s temperature in the pitcher between servings. No sweeteners or milk products were added.

Results:
With Gongfu brewing, one can readily appreciate the quality of the leaves and their transformation. The 10-second rinse produced light amber-colored water and the mini tuocha was still solid. After the 1st 10-sec. steep, the solid mini tuocha changed to dark brown leaves that appeared similar to the richest topsoil. The liquor was transformed into a rich dark chocolate brown.

Impression:
The aroma was earthy and reminded me of a barn environment or of well-composted aged top-soil. The medium-bodied flavor was very smooth without bitterness or astringency. There was nothing objectionable about either the aroma or flavor. All six steeps were very consistent in aroma, flavor, and body especially since I was combining every two steeps in the tea pitcher before serving.

After sharing this Gong Fu session with my wife, I felt very relaxed. Both my wife and I found this to be a very enjoyable tea especially for a pu-erh novices like ourselves.

Using a tea like Pu-erh, that’s recommended to be brewed at 212℉, certainly simplifies gongfu brewing compared with teas that require a lower specific temperature. This point is especially true when one doesn’t have a thermo tea pot or kettle with a variable temperature control or presets.

Thanks to Angel Chen and TeaVivre for this very enjoyable free Pu-erh sample.

Today, was my 2nd foray into Chinese Gongfu brewing.

Per Verdant http://verdanttea.com/teas/laoshan-black/#brewing:
“Gongfu Brewing: Use 5g brewing of leaves for a medium gaiwan or yixing pot. Heat the gaiwan or pot with boiling water and pour out. Add leaves, rinse leaves with boiling water for less than a second. Use this steeping to heat cups and pour over yixing. Steep each round for 2-3 seconds, increasing time by 3 seconds each steeping after the third steeping. Enjoy at least 15 infusions.”

Since neither the ounce capacity of the “medium gaiwan” nor the number of ounces of water per 5g of tea were specified, I reviewed the gaiwans currently offered for sale on Verdant’s website. They were all listed as 5oz. Thus, I chose 5oz. per steep.

I selected this tea as I’m very familiar with how it tastes brewing western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a Finum brew basket. I wanted to see how changing the brewing method would affect the flavor profile.

Method:
RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter

Butiki 6oz. Gaiwan http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39240-butiki-flower-gaiwan
TeaVivre’s Double-wall Glass Tea Cups http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39708-teavivre-double-wall-glass-tea-cups
A Teavana Perfect Preset Tea Timer http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39312-teavana-perfect-preset-tea-timer was used in the count-up mode to control the brewing time.

As this was my 2nd Gongfu brewing, I improvised with what we had on hand. I used a classic Revere Ware SS Copper-bottom stove-top kettle to boil water. A baking pan served as a tea tray/desk for collecting water.

In lieu of a tea pitcher & a matching tea strainer, a Noritake Bleufleur Creamer pitcher 11oz. (Japan) http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m7U_-XkLDGw6vqi0oOJrD1g.jpg with a Finum brew basket http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket placed in the pitcher were utilized. Every two steepings were combined in the Noritake pitcher then served. The lid on the Finum helped to retain the tea’s temperature in the pitcher between servings.

Results:
It’s much easier to visually appreciate the quality of the Laoshan Black leaves and their transformation from long twisted wiry dark chocolate brown leaves that unfurl significantly to become large long whole leaves when infused.

Surprisingly, the Gongfu method produced very similar results to Verdant’s recommend Western brewing instructions. Perhaps, if less than 5oz. per steep were used, additional nuances may have been more apparent?

I was also surprised that this tea could actually be steeped 15 times. While it’s a full-bodied tea, it’s not the most robust black tea I’ve experienced. Towards the end, the liquor became more golden-amber and the flavor took on a more mild character of the unique Laoshan Black profile. By the 15th steep, the color had become a light-golden. The obvious disadvantage to this method is the time necessary for 15 steeps.

Using a tea like Laoshan Black, that’s recommended to be brewed at 212 ℉, certainly simplifies gungfu brewing when one doesn’t have a thermo tea pot or kettle with a variable temperature control or presets.

These handmade glass tea cups fit quite nicely into one’s hand and are quite comfortable to hold even when filled with black tea that’s brewed at higher temperatures. The double-wall design insulates like a double-pane window. The clear glass also allows one to truly appreciate the color and clarity of the liquor. Additionally, the clear glass works well visually with gaiwans and yixing teapots of many colors & styles.

The Butiki Flower Gaiwan is very attractive with a great deal of detail and multiple color accents and in it’s design.

It has a maximum capacity of 8oz. filled to the top of the out-turned lip. The maximum capacity, not including the lip, is 6oz.

This porcelain gaiwan is very sturdy with a total weight 338g: saucer 96g, bowl 165g, lid 77g. Consequently, it does a great job of retaining heat, aroma, and flavor.

Today, was my first foray into Chinese Gongfu brewing. Thus, it was also the first time I used a gaiwan http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39240-butiki-flower-gaiwan and TeaVivre’s Double-wall Glass Tea Cups http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39708-teavivre-double-wall-glass-tea-cups.

Recommended Brewing Instructions:

Mehtod:
RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter

I selected this tea as I’m very familiar with how it tastes brewing western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a Finum brew basket http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket. This is my regular breakfast tea. I wanted to see how changing the brewing method would affect the flavor.

As this was my first my Gongfu brewing, I had to make do with what we had on hand. We don’t yet have a water boiler http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39783-zojirushi-ve-r-hybrid-water-boiler-and-warmer-cv-dsc40-4-liters or a variable-temp electric kettle http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39130-bonavita-1-liter-variable-temperature-digital-electric-gooseneck-kettle. I used a classic Revere Ware SS Copper-bottom stove-top kettle to boil water, which was then poured into a tea mug with a DAVIDsTEA Thermometer/Timer http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/36677-davidstea-thermometer-and-timer in the thermometer mode. A meat cutting board served as a tea tray/desk for collecting water.

Even though all the teaware used was first rinsed with boiling water, 3oz. of boiling water when first poured into the tea mug with the thermometer immediately cooled to 190℉. (3oz. was simply not a large enough quantity of water to overcome the ambient temperature of the tea mug. Normally, 8oz of boiling water poured into a room-temperature mug will immediately cool to 197-199℉.) Thus, a 10 sec. reheat in the microwave was needed. The water was allowed to cool to 194℉, then added to the gaiwan.

A Teavana Perfect Preset Tea Timer http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39312-teavana-perfect-preset-tea-timer was used in the count-up mode to control the brewing time. In lieu of a tea pitcher & a matching tea strainer, a heavy Pyrex measuring cup and a small fine kitchen strainer were used.

Results:
Using the Gong-fu method produced a more nuanced flavor profile with enhanced aroma c/w Teavivre’s recommend Western brewing instructions. Steeps 4-6 were a little lighter than the first three. However, they still had more flavor than the 3rd steep using their Western method.

The obvious disadvantage to this method is the time necessary for 6 steeps each of which only produces 3oz. Additionally, since this was my first endeavor with Gong-fu brewing, I was focusing on the procedure and my technique, which somewhat distracted me from discerning the aroma & flavor differences between these two techniques.

Each morning, tea is my reward for starting the day to which I greatly look forward and thoroughly enjoy. This morning I wanted a rewarding tea that would be especially easy on my stomach since I had heartburn last night. A quick look through our pantry revealed my favorite staples and a large number of new tea choices. However, this wasn’t the morning for a new tea experience. After thoughtful consideration, Laoshan Black was the obvious choice!

Technique:
1 Tablespoon – 5g (My Weigh Durascale D2 660), 8-oz filtered water (TDS: 73 PPM), heated to 212*F, brewed with a Finum tea basket in tea mug without sweeteners, milk or cream. Four steeps: 3, 4, 6, & 8 minutes with successive steeps being less full-bodied.

Fragrance: Potent Chocolate!
Dry leaf: Long twisted wiry dark chocolate brown leaves
Liquor: Clear bright mahogany red
Aroma: Wonderful, very POTENT Chocolate!
Infused Leaf: Greenish brown long whole leaves
Body: Full-bodied, but not as robust as a Mangalam Second Flush FTGFOP1 Assam or a Premium Keemun.

Impression: The malty chocolate/barley flavor is very well balanced and quite unique! Some black teas that have a natural chocolate profile, taste similar to somewhat bitter dark cocoa. L.B. has a natural delicate sweetness and is creamy smooth, mellow, and relaxing without any hint of bitterness or astringency. Simply wonderful and not to be missed! And yes, easy on one’s stomach too!

Organic Morning’s Journey Black Tea – 2012

Introduction:
Per The 2012 Hugo Tea 2.6 oz. (75 g) tin:
“Behold friends! This is the 100% organic black tea blend you’ve been seeking. Morning’s Journey is my private blend of three black teas from three countries. This loose blend holds unparalleled balance and flavor, ready to sustain your adventures—no compass or knapsack required. Keep it close and brew it often.”

Blend of three black teas from three countries:
Fellow Steepster members have guessed Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling, and perhaps Pu-erh. (However, since the teas come from 3 different countries, it can’t contain both Assam & Darjeeling.)

Per Hugo Teas (from review comments):
• “We hope it wouldn’t ruin your day if we told you that there isn’t any pu’erh in our Morning’s Journey—rather, there are only 100% Organic black teas here. But there are certainly pu’erh-like flavors.”
• “It does have darjeeling in it! Nice work! The other two teas are Yunnan and Ceylon :-). Happy Tea-Drinking.”

liberteas has an excellent review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2012/11/02/organic-mornings-journey-black-tea-from-hugo-tea/

“Amount: 1 Tbsp / 8oz water Temp. 205*F (96*C) Time 3-4 min.”

Technique:
1 Tablespoon – 5g (My Weigh Durascale D2 660), 8-oz filtered water (TDS: 72 PPM), heated to 205*F, brewed with a Finum tea basket in tea mug without sweeteners, milk or cream. Three steeps: 3, 4, 6, & 8 minutes.

Fragrance: Woody, warm, relaxing, pleasant, and moderately-strong
Dry leaf: Color – A few gold tips with amber, green, & dark chocolate brown < 1mm long twisted wiry leaves and small pieces.
Liquor: Clear, moderately dark copper
Aroma: Wonderful, relaxing, with a distant hint of cinnamon
Infused Leaf: Color – Mostly milk chocolate and some rustic brown leaves with some larger pieces of green leaves
Body: Full-bodied for the initial infusion and the first re-steep. Subsequent re-steeps require longer infusion times and result in a medium-bodied cup.
Caffeine: Invigorating without being aggressive like Irish-Breakfast can be.

Impression:
I’ve been enjoying multiple cups of the Organic Morning’s Journey recently. The flavor profile includes malty-ness, muscatel, and a mild caramel notes. Organic Morning’s Journey has a natural mild sweetness combined with a creamy smoothness that provides a mellow and relaxing yet invigorating cup without any hint of bitterness tartness, or astringency. This is one of the very few teas that my wife will substitute for her all-time favorite tea – Earl Grey. Very well done Hugo Teas! It’s easy to see why this was such a highly-rated tea!

Tyler,
How will your 2013 Full-Steam Black Tea compare to Organic Morning’s Journey?
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Laoshan Black Tea – 2013 Late spring into early summer harvest

Introduction: Per : http://verdanttea.com/teas/laoshan-black/
“While most black teas are batch-oxidized over an hour, the He Family’s Laoshan Black is spread out and allowed to roast and oxidize in the sun for three full days before being finished. This brings out the thick and creamy notes, and full body.

The wet leaf of the Laoshan Black has a potent rich aroma like melting chocolate infused with tawny port wine. The complexity of the aroma follows through beatifully in the early steepings with thick malty flavors, roasted caramel notes similar to Wuyi oolong, and a building aftertaste. Each sip reinforces the next building up to a highly satisfying sweet and savory profile.

The incoming batch of Laoshan Black is a late spring into early summer harvest. This time of year in Laoshan is known for producing the heaviest body teas. This harvest will be darker and maltier than the early spring harvest with more chocolate notes. This is the first harvest that Mr. He has spearheaded since our last visit to his village in the spring, and he is working towards a darker richer aesthetic in crafting. We are very excited to share!”

“Recommended Amount: 1 Tablespoon of tea for 8oz of water”

Technique:
1 Tablespoon – 5g (My Weigh Durascale D2 660), 8-oz filtered water (TDS: 72 PPM), heated to 212*F, brewed with a Finum tea basket in tea mug without sweeteners, milk or cream. Four steeps: 3, 4, 6, & 8 minutes with successive steeps being less full-bodied.

Fragrance: Potent Chocolate!
Dry leaf: Long twisted wiry dark chocolate brown leaves
Liquor: Clear bright mahogany red
Aroma: Wonderful, very POTENT Chocolate!
Infused Leaf: Greenish brown long whole leaves
Body: Full-bodied, but not as robust as a Mangalam Second Flush FTGFOP1 Assam or a Premium Keemun.

Impression: I’ve been enjoying multiple cups of the Laoshan Black recently. The understated chocolate/barley flavor is very well balanced and quite unique! Some black teas that have a natural chocolate profile, taste like somewhat bitter dark cocoa. L.B. has a natural delicate sweetness and is creamy smooth, mellow, and relaxing without any hint of bitterness or astringency. Very well done Verdant! It’s easy to see why this is such a highly-rated tea!