545 Tasting Notes
The husband is on night shift currently. So I made him a cup of Thomas yesterday evening when he first woke up. He did not drink a 2nd steep. So late last night right before bed, I drank it with a bit of half and half (the milk was unopened and I didn’t want to open it for just a tad of it) to temper it down for nighttime. I know this did not decrease the caffeine content but somehow tea with milk seems more relaxing. I also slightly oversteeped to compensate for the dairy I knew I’d be adding. It still overpowered the tea too much.
PS This is out of order. I should have logged this before the previous tealog on Jackee.
2nd steep.
Preparation
I think I’ve found my ideal Jackee this morning. I gave him the same treatment as I gave Thomas yesterday – decrease the steep time 15 sec and the water temperature 5° – as I found them both just a bit strong for my exact taste but still totally crave worthy. While I did not have success with Thomas this way, I did with Jackee.
He was creamy caramel. He was buttery. He had some smokyness. He was a deep dark honey as he cooled. I love this Jackee. Does he get a ratings bump? He does. He’s now tied with Thomas and A&D’s Yunnan. I cannot pick a favorite.
Preparation
It was sad. Thomas got left by the wayside and did not get entirely drunk. Poor Thomas.
2nd steep.
Preparation
Well, at least he won’t be hungover in the morning!
Gasp – I thought he was Abandoned!
I’m please to report that Thomas was not hungover this morning. Although, he does not feel inclined to go out. His mates did abandon him on the sidewalk on their way to yet another pub, leaving Thomas to find his way home alone in the night. He’s plenty pissed about that and it would not be wise to knock on his door.
I satisfied my craving for Thomas from last night this morning. In an effort to calm the bitterness and dryness, I steeped for 15 sec and 5° less than I normally do. Oh pooh, it turned honeyed biscuit Thomas into a rather plain uninspiring black. Then, a third of the way through the cup with it cooled from hot to warm, the honeyed biscuit was back with only a bit of bitterness at the end of each sip and no dryness. I like it! But I think I like bitter and dry honeyed biscuit Thomas that I can drink hot and is wonderful too. Perhaps I’ll steep him this way on days I desire a more mellow black tea. But I think I’m going back to 3 min 30 sec and 200° F.
I still find it a bit amazing that I can actually taste differences in a tea just with slight changes in parameters.
Preparation
With some black teas, that dryness is impossible to avoid. It is just part of that leave and that oxidation process. No amount of monkeying with the steep will get rid of it.
Indeed, you are right. I sought to only decrease it a bit. But I lost the essence of Thomas in doing so.
Despite waking up this morning feeling tired, I didn’t want a tea with much bite so I chose the mellower Napal. I don’t think I used enough tea leaf so both steeps were on the weak side. I kept getting floral today and thinking violets with a honeyed sweetness.
I had a yucky headache last night which is all got today but I think is the cause of the continuing tiredness into midday. I might have some Yunnan after lunch for a bit more of a caffeine punch. Massive backlogging of teas from the past week will be coming later as well.
2nd steep: 5 min, 200° F, more than a pinch of fresh leaf.
Preparation
Headaches suck. I hope you feel better soon!
Violets! Mmmmmm :)
That sounds delicious, and makes me sorry I missed Round 1!
Thanks, Stephanie!
Tea Bird ~ All the Rounds I have were yummy! Have you tried any A&D? I have all of them but Series 3.
I bought series 2, and got some of 3 in a swap (Caravan), but series 4 was long gone by the time I learned of it. I eagerly await 5 ;)
I know. I keep checking back, in case it’s a another small number of sets series. I don’t want to miss it.
Backlogging.
Yesterday morning’s breakfast tea was the brawny Thomas. Even at 3 min 30 sec, his 1st steep is astringent and drying. His 2nd steep is perfect though. Definitely my preferred steep. I wish both steeps could come out that good. 2nd steep: 5 min, 205°.
Preparation
Steeped my second cup of Yunnan with dinner (southwest chicken bake, broccoli, and couscous). Less smokey, less bite, less strong. More goodness continuing on to another cup. I hope to try one of the new bagged tisanes tonight.
Preparation
Cravings for a specific tea don’t usually occur often for me. Normally, I’ll want a cup of tea, maybe I’ll have an idea of what type of tea, and then I’ll go to my tea cupboard, look at the teas, and pick one or peruse until one makes its need to be drank known. The past three days, not only did I want tea but I wanted a certain tea. First, the odd urge to try a jasmine tea despite my mistaken belief that I wouldn’t like a floral tea, then Dragonwell saying drink me now and lots of me, to today’s Yunnan calling. I could not resist. But who can, when such a handsome tea makes his intentions know?
I steeped for 15 sec less again today, making that 30 sec less than the recommended steep time, and I think I’ve found my ideal time for this tea. Smoky but not too smoky, strong but not bitter, and all around enjoyable, sure to lead to increased drinking.
On Saturday at Earth Fare, I splurged on some tea purchases looking to lay in some tisanes for evening consumption. I got two Earth Fare blends on sale, Cold Season Tea and Red Wellness, and a berry tisane from Two Leaves and a Bud. I also got brave and brought a Puerh, Numi’s chocolate one. It had a coupon on it, and who can resist four boxes of sale tea? I need to lower the top shelve in the tea cupboard to convert it to housing for tea, which will make one and two-thirds shelves in the cupboard for tea.
Preparation
Backlogging.
Last night, I enjoy 2 steeps of Dragonwell with a late night snack while watching the end of PBS’s Masterpiece Classic most recent rendition of Emma. I did not like this production of Emma very much. I did like the Dragonwell very much though. 2nd steep: 4 min, 165°.
Preparation
Out picking up groceries at our small regional organic/natural grocery chain, Earth Fare, after lunch today (Indian buffet – yum!), I hadn’t had any caffeine yet and was thirst so I stopped at the chilled beverages section to pick up an “iced” tea to drink on the way home. Earth Fare brand bottled teas are often on sale for $1, as are their “vitamin waters” drinks. I had planned on getting a black tea for the caffeine content but I’d just left the aisle with sodas on it (I did not get any =) ) and was thinking about ginger ale.
This tea is sweetened lightly, not rot your teeth sweet like other canned or bottles teas, and you can taste both the green tea and the ginger. The slight taste of the citric acid, I think that’s what it is at least, is minimal. For a chilled bottled tea, this one is quite good I’d say.
