Newbie tea questions

I let it drip into the pot, but then who cares what I do.8^)

I'm only about a year or so into the tea journey, and when I began I was told my taste would change. Not only has what I like changed, but how teas taste to me has changed. When I had my first Keemun Hao-Ya and other Chinese black teas, I didn't get it. They were kind of woody and funny tasting to me. I preferred the Indian and Ceylon teas. They tasted more like what I was used to. I just kept trying a variety of teas, samples from Upton and Special teas and teas from local tea shops and Asian markets. Now I love Keemuns, Yunnans and other Chinese black teas, and prefer them to Indian blacks. That's just one example.

I'm no expert, but I'd recommend that you just keep drinking tea often and try a variety of kinds. At various points you may want to revisit some that didn't do much for you to see if your tastes have changed. And don't feel bad, I often don't taste the hints of this or that flavor that other's note in their descriptions of tea. But I do know what I like and enjoy the hell out of it.

I'm sure there is a way to train yourself to "taste" tea, just like for wine tasting.

Blues

PS. What does English countryside weather taste like anyway?

All things being equal if the infuser is a basket it stays in the teapot. The first cup of tea or so will drop the water line below the basket. If the infuser is a ball with a chain use the lid to secure the chain so the ball is above the water line. If the infuser is a spoon you can tap the handle on the teapot rim to remove excess liquid then simply place the spoon on a folded napkin. Keemun is a complex tea so that would be my last recommendation. I'd recommend store brand commercial teas noted for their consistency for example English Breakfast. They all taste different enough so just learn the difference. There is no right answer but ask yourself why you like one better than the other. Tasting tea is more about understanding yourself than the differentiation of any given set of particulars.

Jim

Ty-phoo brewed to the colour of chocolate and thinned with a dollop of double cream, ripe Stilton, fresh bread and Devon butter, pickled onion and a slice of hothouse tomato dressed with smoke from the oak fire in a Lake District pub hearth. Old pipe smoke and clean wet dogs. Heather. History and passion.

-DM

On Sat, 06 Mar 2004 15:21:22 GMT, "Dog Ma 1" tripped the light fantastic, then quipped:

Spot on.

Tee

Awesome poetry Mog Ma. Thank you.

--Tom

-oo- ""\o~

------------------------------------ "H*mo sum, humani nil a me alienum puto." Terrance

Sorry for the typo and replying to my own post. I meant Dog Ma.

--Tom

-oo- ""\o~

------------------------------------ "H*mo sum, humani nil a me alienum puto." Terrance

What drips out of the infuser immediately after it is pulled out of the liquor isn't any different than what just passed through the infuser during the last second it was in the pot or mug. I always let mine drip into the pot/mug for a few seconds. Why waste it?

-- Randy (if replying by e-mail, remove SPAMFREE from my address)