New to Tea and I Need Help Part #1

[whiteweed]

OK, I PMed Ouch and as I set here waiting for his always generous help I realized that I am not the only one that would like an answer to this. I have dabbled in tea for a while, have been seen in the tea store at the mall, had a present of Oolong from a friend. Before I start in to this any further I would like to know what I am doing. My main purpose of getting more into tea is to move away from coffee a bit for what I feel may be better for ones health.

I am going to try to organize this in a way to help reach my goal of finding what I fell is right for me and spend as little doing it.

First I would like to have help with definitions of all of the following:
Pu erh- please touch a bit on the sub sets
Oolong- briefly touch on the different tea (sub sets also) also: I realize this is a big subject.
Sheng
White
Yellow
Green
Black
Matcha

Please explain verbs used also, like "chi" which is something I really need to get moving.

If the OP does not make sense PM me and I will edit. Since YMMV part two will go straight to more than likely be brewing.

 

[Neognosis]

I am in the same boat, just starting to collect and enjoy teas.

I'm going to try searching the net and looking on wikipedia for answers to most of the questions you ask.

 

[smalltank]

www.inginuitea.com
www.teavana.com

 

[whiteweed]

I am in the same boat, just starting to collect and enjoy teas.

I'm going to try searching the net and looking on wikipedia for answers to most of the questions you ask.

Thanks for joining in. I have read a some also and was wanting to hear what our memebrews had to say. I realize it is just a few ounces at a time on ordering, and the way I brew is real fundamental, like my first acupuncturist, he would just throw the tea in a mug and add water, spit the leaves back in the cup as he enjoyed. He was the real deal though, he had been a surgeon in China for fifteen years.

 

[temjeito]

Hi! I'm a shaving n00b, but tea I know a little bit about! Here goes:

First, almost all "tea" comes from the same plant--thea sinensis. Like wine, the quality and attributres of the finished product vary depending on climate, soil, altitude, processing, fermentation, storage, blending, etc.

There are four main different types of tea: white, green, oolong and black

WHITE TEA
-New buds are plucked and dried before they open.
White tea has a very little caffeine, and a light flavor. I find it very soothing, especially when I am sick.

GREEN TEA
-Unfermented tea. Freshly picked leaves are dried.
Green tea is low in caffeine.

OOLONG TEA
-Semifermented tea. Leaves are "bruised" to expose chemicals in the leaf to oxidation. Oxidation is halted at a certain point (shorter than for black tea).
Many scented teas have oolong tea as their base.

BLACK TEA
- leaves are withered, rolled, fermented and dried. Black tea has the highest caffeine.

Black, Oolong and Green teas can all be mixed with other ingredients to create scented teas. For example, green tea is often mixed with jasmine blossoms. Black tea is mixed with bergamot to make Earl Grey tea.

Teas can come in loose leafs (whole or broken), rolled balls, compressed cakes or bricks, or powder.

Pu'erh is a compressed oolong tea thought to have healthful properties, especially for digestion. "Sheng" usually refers to the "raw" compressed tea that is used to make Pu'erh. Sheng cha can be used "as is", but is often ripened and/or aged

Matcha is a powdered green tea used during the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

I am not familiar with "yellow" tea, but Wikipedia says this is prepared similar to green tea but with a slower drying phase. "Yellow tea" apparently can also be used to describe any tea served at the Chinese Imperial Court.

I hope this is a helpful start. There's a tea-drinkers' forum called "steepster" that might be worth exploring (http://steepster.com), and there's some information also at Teavana's site (http://www.teavana.com/tea-info/new-to-tea).

Like everything else, you can get really caught up in the different varieties, methods, etc., and spend the rest of your life (and way too much money) exploring the intricacies and accessories of tea drinking.

Or, you can just find a few you like, figure out how to prepare them so they work for you, and enjoy them!

Welcome to tea!

 

[whiteweed]

Hi! I'm a shaving n00b, but tea I know a little bit about! Here goes:

And a fine job, I am going to look into the whites with more interest, as well as Oolongs that are on the light side. I will have to checkout the tea forum for sure. I am thinking that i just want to find a few I like and that will be good for me.

One question about the amount to buy, and storage life. I think my family would go through about 50g a every two weeks if we can use a tea that can be resteeped.

 

[StillShaving]

Don't forget to check out the Badger and Blade Tea FAQ, there is some information there about brewing different tea varieties. As you may know, JAS-eTea (Steve) is a fellow member who carries different types to tea and his website has more tea information as well as samplers which are a good way to play around to decide what you really like.

 

[whiteweed]

Don't forget to check out the Badger and Blade Tea FAQ, there is some information there about brewing different tea varieties. As you may know, JAS-eTea (Steve) is a fellow member who carries different types to tea and his website has more tea information as well as samplers which are a good way to play around to decide what you really like.

Well blimey, I fell like a flibbertigibbet, I need to get out more. I have sent Steve a message on his site, I am sure he will get me lined up. Watched a YouTube video on the use of a gaiwan. Thanks for the heads up on the FAQ page, that is the ticket.

 

[Kazeryu]

Pu'erh is a compressed oolong tea...

This is not correct - Pu'erh is a type of tea different from the categories described above. It's often touted as being a category of tea unto itself although I believe wikipedia is right in that it is technically Heicha. Unlike most teas, pu'erh is intended to continue to ferment/age after it has been processed and should ideally be aged for years (some would say decades) before consumption. This is why the year of production for pu is so important. There are a number of places which will tell you in detail how pu'erh is made (wikipedia, for one, although perhaps not the best) and stored for aging so I won't bother with that here.

Sheng/Green/Raw pu'erh refers to the 'plain jane' version of processing pu'erh. This variety is considered by many to produce better flavour at the cost of requiring more aging to become palatable. It also tends to improve more with age and for a longer time than the other version of pu.

Shou/Black/Ripe pu'erh has an additional fermentation step in the processing stage. This produces a tea which is ready to drink sooner than "raw" puerh, but with a loss of certain complexities of "raw" flavour and the addition of other flavours which some find disagreeable. While ripe pu will also benefit from aging, it will typically reach its peak and begin declining much sooner than raw pu.



"Chi" is a term that is difficult to translate properly - literally it translates as "energy", which sometimes causes it to be confused with caffeine content. I won't attempt to define it other than to say it's a tricky one having to do with the tea's overall character.

 

[whiteweed]

"

Quite a bit to think about there, that is why the pu erh is going to be way down the road I think.

Steve has got my first setup on the way.

 

[Sunflake]

Get down to Teavana, smell, taste ask questions. Tasty homework.

 

[Doc4]

One question about the amount to buy, and storage life. I think my family would go through about 50g a every two weeks if we can use a tea that can be resteeped.

Except for pu-erh, the rule of thumb is "use the freshest available" ... kind of like Beaujolais Nouveau. (There are some oolongs that are sold aged, but that is a minor exception.)

Most good teas can be "re-steeped" ... that is, you pour hot water into the gaiwan, pour out the tea, drink, repeat, until the tea loses its flavour. But it's all done in one "session", so it's not like you can come back and re-brew yesterday's tea leaves and expect good stuff.

This is not correct - Pu'erh is a type of tea different from the categories described above. It's often touted as being a category of tea unto itself although I believe wikipedia is right in that it is technically Heicha. Unlike most teas, pu'erh is intended to continue to ferment/age after it has been processed and should ideally be aged for years (some would say decades) before consumption. This is why the year of production for pu is so important. There are a number of places which will tell you in detail how pu'erh is made (wikipedia, for one, although perhaps not the best) and stored for aging so I won't bother with that here.

Sheng/Green/Raw pu'erh refers to the 'plain jane' version of processing pu'erh. This variety is considered by many to produce better flavour at the cost of requiring more aging to become palatable. It also tends to improve more with age and for a longer time than the other version of pu.

Shou/Black/Ripe pu'erh has an additional fermentation step in the processing stage. This produces a tea which is ready to drink sooner than "raw" puerh, but with a loss of certain complexities of "raw" flavour and the addition of other flavours which some find disagreeable. While ripe pu will also benefit from aging, it will typically reach its peak and begin declining much sooner than raw pu.

"Chi" is a term that is difficult to translate properly - literally it translates as "energy", which sometimes causes it to be confused with caffeine content. I won't attempt to define it other than to say it's a tricky one having to do with the tea's overall character.

Generally good info, but I'd say that sheng is the "better" type of pu-erh, rather than "plain jane" ... it's the stuff that ages well and tastes the best. Shu gets the "hurry up and be ready NOW" extra treatment, which makes it much less palatable.

Get down to Teavana, smell, taste ask questions. Tasty homework.

He's already graduated from Teavana-grade tea to JasE-tea-grade tea & learning, so he can probably skip teavanna for now ...

 

[Kazeryu]

Generally good info, but I'd say that sheng is the "better" type of pu-erh, rather than "plain jane" ... it's the stuff that ages well and tastes the best. Shu gets the "hurry up and be ready NOW" extra treatment, which makes it much less palatable.

+1

I didn't mean "plain jane" in a perjorative sense, just that it is the default/normal processing method.

 

[whiteweed]

Most good teas can be "re-steeped" ... that is, you pour hot water into the gaiwan, pour out the tea, drink, repeat, until the tea loses its flavour. But it's all done in one "session", so it's not like you can come back and re-brew yesterday's tea leaves and expect good stuff.

He's already graduated from Teavana-grade tea to JasE-tea-grade tea & learning, so he can probably skip teavanna for now ...

Yes, I am going use this to have a bit of a family (at least my son) time together. I am concerned that the giawan I order will be on the small size, if so we will just get two and have some rounds of tea. It will be a great way to bust up the stress of our schedules and his first year stress. The wife will be watching QVC. Thereis a good youtube video showing the routine of the brewing steps.

As far as Teavanna goes if I want something in my tea, I will source it and put it there my self. Speaking of I would like to get some chrysanthemum I have studied this, raised them and have already mad some teas with some, but it need oolong as a base. The cooling effect is what i am looking for.

If this is like my shaving journey I will have my favorites nailed down in a year or so. Unless I can find the Ardi of Oolong or Sheng faster. I am afraid as i have seen that great taste cost more. I fell it is to soon to be worried about that right now.

 

[DanInFla]

Yes, I am going use this to have a bit of a family (at least my son) time together. I am concerned that the giawan I order will be on the small size, if so we will just get two and have some rounds of tea. It will be a great way to bust up the stress of our schedules and his first year stress. The wife will be watching QVC. Thereis a good youtube video showing the routine of the brewing steps.

As far as Teavanna goes if I want something in my tea, I will source it and put it there my self. Speaking of I would like to get some chrysanthemum I have studied this, raised them and have already mad some teas with some, but it need oolong as a base. The cooling effect is what i am looking for.

If this is like my shaving journey I will have my favorites nailed down in a year or so. Unless I can find the Ardi of Oolong or Sheng faster. I am afraid as i have seen that great taste cost more. I fell it is to soon to be worried about that right now.

not sure what Steve at Jas-e-tea is sending you but i am sure its good. I have been drinking tea for a couple of years now and slowly upgraded my tea quality. I have always been scared away of the pu-erh, mostly due to reading how people explain it and the almost cult like following. All the reading made it sound super complicated and the choices are overwhelming when you shop on line. I ended up getting a sampler of 6 types of sheng from Jas-e-tea and i have been really happy. i was a little nervous that it was going to taste completly differnet than other types of tea that i have enjoyed. I think it is pretty much the same but obvioulsy it tastes different. like going from sirloin to ribeye. similar, but much better.

i would suggest you get a raw (sheng) pu-erh sampler from steve. I have been VERY happy.

 

[galopede]

Here in Britain, we have another type of tea called "Builder's". It's made from a variety of Indian/Sri Lankan black teas and stewed so strong you can stand the spoon in it.

Gareth

 

[Doc4]

Yes, I am going use this to have a bit of a family (at least my son) time together. I am concerned that the giawan I order will be on the small size, if so we will just get two and have some rounds of tea.

What you can do is get a "fairness pitcher", and decant the gaiwan into that, and then pour into two cups.

(Or just pour back and forth between cups, like this guy does. He uses a yixing pot, but pouring from the gaiwan is the same idea

If this is like my shaving journey I will have my favorites nailed down in a year or so. Unless I can find the Ardi of Oolong or Sheng faster. I am afraid as i have seen that great taste cost more. I fell it is to soon to be worried about that right now.

IMHO, there is plenty of tasty & inexpensive tea out there ... you pay more for the elite stuff, of course, but like with wine sometimes the hefty price is as much about prestige and supply/demand as it is about inherent quality differences.

Here in Britain, we have another type of tea called "Builder's". It's made from a variety of Indian/Sri Lankan black teas and stewed so strong you can dissolve the spoon in it.

Gareth

ftfy

 

[whiteweed]

not sure what Steve at Jas-e-tea is sending you but i am sure its good.

Dms Si Ji Chun Four Seasons was the one he recommended and I followed his suggestion. If I never tried another tea I would be perfectly fine with this tea. He certainly knows how to ship product to me this reflects on how the business is run, definitely takes care of the customer.

i would suggest you get a raw (sheng) pu-erh sampler from steve. I have been VERY happy.

I am differently going to try a sampler of the sheng, I willget this with my upcoming order of more Dms Si Ji Four Seasons.

I had a pile of boxes on the porch this morning, As I feared the gaiwan is to small, it is 50ml, but I also ordered a Reshi that is 450ml I think and I think it will be my favorite. This will allow me to have a steep for lunch and a resteep for the mug to take to work because I hit the door right after. It worked great today, and my son had some waiting on him as he walked in the door right o que. Do not get me wrong, I think if I had a set with picture and a bigger set it would be fine. The small gaiwan will work fine fo the morning run.

 

[DanInFla]

a 450 ml gaiwan will be fine for most teas but not pu-erh. well, i guess it would work for pu-erh, but you are going to use A LOT of tea. brewing pu-erh, you brew a lot more tea per water than most teas i have done. you use a lot of tea, but brew for a very short amount of time (15 seconds to 45 seconds in my experience). i will let some of the pu experts chime in, but if you used that 450ml gaiwan for pu, you are going to go thru a lot of tea very fast.

 

[DanInFla]

a 450 ml gaiwan will be fine for most teas but not pu-erh. well, i guess it would work for pu-erh, but you are going to use A LOT of tea. brewing pu-erh, you brew a lot more tea per water than most teas i have done. you use a lot of tea, but brew for a very short amount of time (15 seconds to 45 seconds in my experience). i will let some of the pu experts chime in, but if you used that 450ml gaiwan for pu, you are going to go thru a lot of tea very fast.

FYI, i use the 50 ml gaiwan from Steve and its great for pu.