I moved to a new place where it's practical for me to make tea in the kitchen near the gas stove, and I have to say that I'm finally enjoying gong-fu -made tea. Previously I always had to make it using a variety of methods all involving electrically heated water - and that never worked for me. It's hard to describe what precisely I did not like but I think the tea comes out harsher-tasting and also more watery, even if it's brewed very strongly. Yesterday I made some green oolong using gas stove and a small gaiwan, then I made a Rou Gui from Hou De and both came out very nicely. I'm still experimenting and I think I can bring out more complexity out of the Rou Gui, it did get some rave reviews but I'm only perceiving a fairly simple, smooth, enjoyable drink not that different from Tung-Ting from TenRen, which I also liked. Today I made a 2003 Yi Wu Zheng Shan Shi Pin puer and it was simply amazing. Raisin notes and spice fuse sweetly and lightly, and the aroma is to die and/or kill for.
I recently ordered from them and now I'm pissed off that I did not order this tea (I had a small sample from long ago). Anyway, just now I'm trying to gong-fu Silver Needles and they're coming out just smashingly, as well.
Apparently, no one else here minds electric water, but for me it's a deal-breaker! (For the record, I tried different kettles and I
*really* wanted for it to work because that was the only way for me to gong-fu at the time.)