http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ Seven Cups Tea Forum Forum: FAQ en Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:37:39 +0000 http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-88 Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:08:05 +0000 johnemiba 88@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>I just iced some Home Store Puer 2004. I'm ashamed to say that I like it! </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-86 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:43:45 +0000 johnemiba 86@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Soapy is a good descriptor for some iced green oolongs. When I make it, sometimes it comes out soapy, sometimes it tastes awesome. I think it has mostly to do with the temperature. </p> <p>I have actually iced Da Hong Pao! It's pretty awesome. It's still very robust. I mean, it's worth it once (for science!), but it's not worth it for the price. Save the Da Hong Pao for the tall glass or the gaiwan. Ice some less expensive Wuyi oolongs and you'll get roughly the same experience. :D</p> <p>That being said, for the one or two times I've iced Da Hong Pao, I enjoyed it, but as I drank it, I felt some kind of vague guilt. Like maybe something wasn't karmically right. I don't know what I'm saying. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-85 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:43:36 +0000 andrew 85@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Its clear that a lot of thought is going into the brewing method as well as what leaves to use. No doubt this is the dilemma familiar to all tea brewing, hot or iced.</p> <p>johnemiba has an interesting idea in drinking it fresh to save the aromatic quality of the tea. This makes sense since a cold brew will naturally mute the aroma of a tea and retaining those aromatics seems to be the real trick in iced tea.</p> <p>When I first noticed the dimmed aroma, I opted to ice teas with their flavor focused in the body and finish. Black teas certainly fit the bill, and the more robust Chinese green and white teas do too. Theoretically the darker oolongs could work out pretty well too, although I've never tried it. Has anyone iced Da Hong Pao in the bold name of science?</p> <p>By contrast, scented teas seem to come up lacking when iced. In trying to retain the scented quality and light flavor on ice its easy to over brew. I'd also agree with johnemiba in that the greener An Xi and Taiwan oolongs are better hot when their aromas can really shimmer. In my experience, a strong brew of green oolong tastes soapy when iced. Is there a remedy to this, lucas or lake? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-82 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:46:35 +0000 johnemiba 82@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>I'm ashamed to say it, but I drink tons of iced tea - most of which are from Seven cups. Iced white tea is divine! I just ran out of Shou Mei from icing it. For iced Oolong, I love medium to dark ones like Tieguanyin or MeiZhan. Light oolongs are good iced too, but I prefer those warm. Skillfully brewed iced green tea can also be a transcendental experience, especially HuangShan Mao Feng, and (hate to say it) Dragon well. </p> <p>I make iced tea by the quarts, which usually lasts me a few hours. I start with a 32oz mason jar. To save on ice costs, I now put a few cubes in the jar, fill it to just under the halfway mark and stick it in the freezer. </p> <p>Then, you start the water brewing. I use that cordless electric spouted kettle, which is awesome for bubble-watching. For whites and greens, I pull the kettle for crab eyes, but no hotter than minnow eyes. For oolongs, I wait for the chain of pearls. </p> <p>While that's heating, I prep the press. I use that gravity press for iced tea. Not a pretty process, but it does the trick. Use whatever measurement works for you for 32oz of liquid end-product - I know everybody does it differently. </p> <p>I let the water swirl in and fill the press halfway up. Steep to time.</p> <p>By now, your jar is nice and frosted and with a thin layer of ice over the water. Pour the tea in there. That evens out the solution and brings the tea to room temperature or a tad warmer. </p> <p>I don't put that in the fridge, I leave it on the counter and return to it over the period of a few hours. You can put a little mason jar lid on it, if you want. It's the perfect quantity for me. I don't make more because I don't keep it over night. I've found that high quality tea goes way flat if left in the fridge even overnight! While returning to my jar of tea, I usually have the second steeping brewing the whole time. The second steeping is always awesome like this. Then, after a half of gallon of tea in you, you'll feel awesome! </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-79 Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:14:00 +0000 admin 79@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>I think most tea is good as iced tea. When I was in Taiwan earlier this year and visiting various mountain areas, the tea maker that I was traveling with each morning put some oolong into bottles of water that we were taking along. It was very refreshing. </p> <p>Caffiene is dissolves in water easily. Happy housecleaning. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-77 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 08:00:26 +0000 lakewaves222 77@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>I put my Oolongs and some sweeter greens in room temperature water and immediatley put it in the refridgerator and leave it infuse for 4 to 8 hours , then pour through a stainer.. Turns out perfect... They say this method does'nt bring out as much of the caffiene , but I beg to differ with some of the Oolongs that I do this way, as I usually go on a cleaning frenzy after drinking about a liter...LOL ...Lake </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/8#post-55 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:15:40 +0000 admin 55@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Hi Andrew<br /> I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to answer this one. I am getting ready to go to China, and this is a subject worthy of more time then I have right now. Please forgive me and will try to attack this question when I have time on my trip.<br /> Austin </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/12#post-49 Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:16:43 +0000 lucas 49@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Andrew, I agree - that is how I have picked most of my info. I am glad for this forum and hope that as its membership grows I will be able to learn even more. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/7#post-48 Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:14:53 +0000 lucas 48@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Green tea has less caffeine per steep than black tea, because you brew it in cooler water. For black tea, almost all the caffeine will dissolve in the first cup. For green, it will come out more slowly as the same leaves are brewed multiple times. Since all the caffeine hits you at once for black tea, the effect feels stronger. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/7#post-47 Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:06:43 +0000 Colin 47@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>I seem to remember reading somewhere (unfortunately I can't remember how credible the source) that the first leaves on the plant near the bud tended to have slightly more caffeine than leaves further down. Since typically these are used in higher quality teas, it seems like that means high quality teas have a little more caffeine on average. Maybe someone more knowledgeable on the matter can confirm or deny...</p> <p>I've wondered why it is that people have the notion that green tea has less caffeine than black -- that in general less oxidation means less caffeine. One hypothesis might be that the caffeine in less oxidized teas is released more slowly, spread out more over infusions, where black tea releases its caffeine more in the first infusion. I don't know if this is true, but if it were, it would mean less caffeine in the first infusion of green tea than black tea.</p> <p>Another possibility is that maybe there's more theanine in low oxidation tea... it's been suggested that that amino acid can mitigate some of the effects of caffeine.</p> <p>Anyone else have any insight? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/7#post-46 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 22:35:25 +0000 admin 46@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>It is a myth that caffeine increases because of processing. The is however a change in the tea polyphenals and well as amino acids. I don't know about some of the other chemicals. According to Chinese medicine the less oxidation the more cooling, the greater the oxidation the more warming. You could think of cooling affecting inflammation types of disorders and warming affect metabolism disorders. Tea in general is concidered to be the perfect herb because it is the only one that can be used daily, and is important as a preventive medicine. The Chinese feel that tea is effective at addressing 20,000 issues. (In Chinese Culture, that's a lot)<br /> Austin<br /> Austin </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/9#post-45 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 22:24:55 +0000 admin 45@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Tea is harvested from early spring through the early fall in China depending on the tea and the area. There are even the rare winter harvests. Tea is an evergreen plant and can survive some very cold temperatures.</p> <p>There are a multitude of variables in tea as in wine. The harvest this year will be very early because of an unusually warm winter. That doesn't look good in some areas. Some tea is harvested in the fog, and some tea the best comes from the longest period of direct sunshine between dawn and noon, and some tea the best is the slopes facing east. A couple of years ago there was a very cold winter that took some of the robustness from some black teas, but added to some greens. </p> <p>The last three years we have had Sichuan tea, the first greens in China, in March. The first harvest was in February this year, but we would get any back until early April because both Zhuping and I will be in China the last part of March. The quanity of good bud tea will be limited this year because it got hot too fast and the tea is growing too fast. It may mean a bumper year for oolongs and black tea.<br /> Austin<br /> Austin </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/12#post-44 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 11:30:48 +0000 andrew 44@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Lucas,<br /> I appreciate it very much that you are sharing your experience on these subjects. The collective opinions of enthusiasts are, I think, the best way to learn. </p> <p>The Chinese saying which Austin wrote in response to my quality and grading question, “you can study tea for a lifetime and not learn all of the names,” continues to resonate. It becomes more and more apparent to me that even the most fundamental questions about tea beg an ocean of information. I must be content to take it in one bucket (or tea cup) at a time! </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/6#post-43 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 10:19:31 +0000 Colin 43@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>I like to use a filter that attaches to the faucet directly. That way I'm not using water that has been sitting in a container, and so it has plenty of oxygen to enhance the "structure" and help bring out the flavors in the tea. Whether or not you need a filter at all depends on the quality of your tap water, I would think -- mine's pretty hard so I like to filter out some of the minerals. It's good to have a few minerals remaining though, or you can end up with tea that tastes flat.</p> <p>I believe at Seven Cups they use bottled water that's been carbon filtered only (gets out microbes while leaving in some minerals). Is that right, Austin? Do you aerate the water before using it to restore some oxygen? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/10#post-42 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:18:07 +0000 admin 42@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>There is not a similar grading system for Chinese teas, and there is unlikely for there to ever be one. An agency of the Chinese is setting up standards for Chinese tea, but I think these standards will not be very meaningful to the average consumer. There are books in Chinese that discuss the characteristics of the better known teas, but these books are pretty thick. Some teas, Longjing for example, could take up 10 or 15 pages. There are over 50,000 producers in China. There is an old Chinese saying that says, 'you can study tea for a lifetime and not learn all of the names. Different teas have completely different criteria for quality, and even still, there may be disputes between tea masters. Even the grading system for black tea, even though there is one, is not an honest indicator of what you are buying. Tea is a very subjective substance and has resisted tenaciously being turned into a commodity.<br /> Austin </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/12#post-41 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 22:56:18 +0000 admin 41@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Yes! Ask a lot of questions. Fair Trade certification is just beginning in China. Outside of China the tea industry is primarily plantations, while China is primarily small family farmers. Certification is expensive. While prosperity in the countryside in China is not what it is in the city, tea is a pretty good crop. It is unlikely to have really good tea coming from workers that are treated poorly. Good tea requires skill. Quality diminishes with quantity as a general rule. I'll bet you the vineyard workers in France are priced by the wine makers. The same is true in China for quality farmers. The proof is in the tea.<br /> Austin </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/5#post-40 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 22:42:13 +0000 admin 40@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Wow! That's a bunch of questions.</p> <p>Ok, the method I would suggest to start is using a nice thick water glass. Almost everyone has one and it's cheap. Start simple and easy. If you have good tea, it will be forgiving and the brewing as the will stop before the tea over brews. You can also do this in a cup. Making tea is not that difficult. You can learn how to get the best results later. Here is some more info. <a href="http://sevencups.com/culture/tea-culture-guide/how-to-steep-tea/" rel="nofollow">http://sevencups.com/culture/tea-culture-guide/how-to-steep-tea/</a></p> <p>There are cupping standards for black tea cupping. 5 minutes with boiling water. I'd say for most people, forget about this. Usually, the tasters are evaluating tea for blending. This whole process have less relevance for Chinese tea that is unblended.<br /> Austin </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/5#post-39 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:12:13 +0000 lucas 39@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Allow me to refer you to <a href="http://www.metafilter.com/comments.mefi/52447">this post</a> on a different forum, which has several useful links. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/12#post-38 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:08:55 +0000 lucas 38@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Also - you seem to have many questions about tea! I am only offering some of my opinions and limited experience. Hopefully more knowledgeable people can chime in on some of your other questions. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/12#post-37 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:06:55 +0000 lucas 37@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>I have searched around for these kinds of products, and the best sites I have found are this one and <a href="http://www.rishi-tea.com." rel="nofollow">www.rishi-tea.com.</a> The quality and variety of teas from Seven Cups is in general superior. If you look hard, you can also find certain kinds of tea that are listed as fairly traded or grown in environmentally friendly ways. The trick is to find a supplier that you feel you can trust (i.e., do you believe them when they tell you where your tea is coming from). Don't be shy to send emails to the supplier and ask questions. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/14#post-36 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 18:03:03 +0000 lucas 36@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Well, it depends - do you like the flavor of tea? What teas have you already tried? If there is a family (oolong, green, black, etc) of tea that you are drawn to already, you should just start exploring that. </p> <p>That said - I have noticed that the hardcore coffee drinkers I know have tended to be drawn to rooibos tea (which I really can't stand personally) and to pu-erh tea. Pu-erh's can be very dark, and certainly give you a boost, and can be quite complex. They can also be something of an aqcuired taste, even for tea lovers. A good tea to start out with pu-erhs can be found <a href="http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/product.php?productid=5169&#38;cat=6&#38;page=1">here</a>, or you could try one of the offerings <a href="http://www.sevencups.com/tea_shop/catalog/Loose-Leaf-Puer-Tea-price0-p-1-c-274.html">from Seven Cups</a>.</p> <p>Of course, all quality teas have quite complex flavors, and none of them will have as much caffeine as coffee. Still, pu-erh and some of the more heavily fermented oolongs, I have found, tend to get me moving a bit - they are reputed to increase metabolism. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-35 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:52:25 +0000 lucas 35@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>In the summer I brew lots of iced tea. I find that a quality tea will lend itself well to being served cold. The trick is not to put it on ice -- this will dilute it. Brew it strong and just put it in the fridge overnight. I usually brew it the same way I would to drink it hot -- several infusions of one set of leaves, brewed in small batches and poured into one pitcher. You get better flavor if you let it warm up a bit before drinking ("cool" tea instead of "iced"). certainly avoid sugar.</p> <p>I like using teas with a slight flowery note, like many of the oolongs - Tie Guan Yin, for example. I also use camellia flower pu-erh. I won't brew my most expensive teas to drink cool, since it kind of wastes the experience of really savoring each cup, but it is nice to have some refreshing cool tea when its hot out. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/11#post-34 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:47:03 +0000 lucas 34@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>For most teas, you want the smallest possible airtight and lightproof container. Tea tins in various sizes and styles are readily available. Check the lids to make sure that they are really air tight. Teas kept this way can last up to a year or more, depending on what kind ot is. Green teas do not last as long, more heavily fermented teas store longer. </p> <p>For pu-erh tea, you may want to store and age it. This requires a low humidity environment with consistent temperature and no exposure to strong odors. </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/14#post-33 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 05:08:05 +0000 andrew 33@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Do you have any specific recommendations for coffee drinkers who are interested in tea as an alternative beverage that can offer both a caffeine boost and flavors of comparable complexity to coffee? More generally, do you have any recommendations for someone who is interested in Chinese tea but not sure where to start? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/13#post-32 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 05:04:41 +0000 andrew 32@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Some may shudder to consider it, but many of us in the west really enjoy our tea iced. For those of us who insist on a cold brew, are there any Chinese teas that are complement ice cubes particularly well? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/12#post-31 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 05:01:39 +0000 andrew 31@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>What guidelines can you offer consumers who are interested in buying tea from producers that maintain ethical standards of labor and brokers who offer an equitably traded crop? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/11#post-30 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:59:00 +0000 andrew 30@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>What is the best way to store tea? When tea is properly stored, how long will it maintain its flavor? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/10#post-29 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:56:19 +0000 andrew 29@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>What qualities should a good tea exhibit? What distinguishes one grade tea from another? Many black tea producers utilize India’s “alphabet soup” nomenclature as a uniform grading system for their products; is there a similar grading system in Chinese tea production? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/9#post-28 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:54:05 +0000 andrew 28@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>When are teas harvested? How do the conditions of a tea’s harvest affect its flavor? How soon does a new crop appear on the western market? </p> http://www.sevencups.com/forum/topic/8#post-27 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:49:43 +0000 andrew 27@http://www.sevencups.com/forum/ <p>Like any other agriculture, tea presumably owes much of its character to the mercy of the seasons. Can you elaborate on ways in which annual weather conditions influence the flavor of tea? In other words, are there specific flavors characteristic of teas harvested in exceptionally cold or wet years when compared to those harvested from exceptionally dry or hot years? </p>