The unthinkable, I actually enjoy Kudingcha

I never, truly never, thought I'd enjoy this bitter brew.. .but the other night after a hellish 16+ hour work day I found myself not wanting a subtle green but a sucker-punch to the throat and another go-round with Kudingcha. I posted a while back about my attempts with this "tea" and my complete displeasure.

This time I brewed it in my gaiwan and with very hot water and for shorter steeps, and I LOVED it. How's that for an about face? As I said before I enjoy bitter (Guiness, Chionotto, etc.), but all of my attempts to brew it in a teapot on a larger scale were horribly unpalateable, but in the gaiwan with two needles it was a whole new ballgame.

Crazy, but true... just figured I'd share.

- Dominic

Reply to
Dominic T.
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Haha... good to hear!

Was it you who previously said "anything that tastes this bad MUST be doing me good?"

I drink kuding regularly with my wife, and she chuckled when I recounted the quote. If you take it slowly, and brew perhaps a single stick at a time, it can be as surprisingly good as you describe. If it's simply too bitter, I'd be tempted to vary the brewing parameters.

Juding can be a good cure for "tea tummy" / "tea drunkeness", too. It's rather settling, especially if you've been overdoing it with the greener, fresher varieties of lucha, wulong, young sheng pu'er.

Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Reply to
HobbesOxon

Dominic snipped-for-privacy@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com8/30/06

16: snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com

I share your appreciation of "bitter" (or "sour" as some would have it). Not a Kuding fan, I do brew it once in awhile, with but one stalk-leaf in the cup. You are brave to put in two. I really like the bitter underlying notes in some new sheng Pu'erhs; they add something balancing. Also, some of the sweeter Anxi and Taiwan Oolongs benefit from a bit of a bitter foundation. Just my thoughts.

Michael

Reply to
Michael Plant

No matter how you brew it can't make it camellia sinensis. I put this next to other herbals associated with tea like chrysantemum.

Jim

Dom> I never, truly never, thought I'd enjoy this bitter brew.. .but the

Reply to
Space Cowboy

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