Guide to Indian Black Teas

Indian black teas are known for their strong aromatic liquor and a full-bodied flavor. The leaves used to make Indian tea come from the assamica variety of camellia sinensis (which give the tea that stronger flavor). Tea in India dates back to 500 BC and only black tea was produced until the recent decades. Here are the major types

Assam

Comes from the Assam region in North Eastern India, where it is grown near sea level in very humid conditions and high temperature. The tea has a strong malty flavor and amber color. It is often used in creating blends like English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast. Collected in two flushes – First flush in late March, while the second flush is collected later and considered superior due to containing golden tips.

Darjeeling

This tea comes from India’s cool and wet Darjeeling region. Produced from harvests from 3 flushes – where the first is most sought after while the 3rd (aka. Autumnal) is of lesser quality. Its leaves yield in a thin-bodied, floral liquor of light color with a distinct muscatel flavor. Although classified as black tea, Darjeeling undergoes an incomplete oxidation process (<90%) in most cases.

Nilgiri

Grown in the southern part of the Western Ghats mountains in Southern India, between 1000 -2500 meters above sea level. A lot of the tea undergoes the CTC process, resulting in dust for tea bags, but the full-leaf version is rather sought after and expensive. Nilgiri is a brisk and flavorful tea with an especially intense aroma and a dark-amber liquor.

Munnar

Produced in the city of Munnar, in Kerala state located in southern India.

Kangra

Also known as Himachal tea, grown in the city of Kangra in Northern India 3500 – 5500 meters above sea level. Its leaves have a reddish-brown color and the liquor has a floral character.

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The Art of brewing Pu-erh

Here is a very detailed and very ceremonial video of how to handle and prepare Pu-erh tea, starting with roasting of leaves, to brewing them. It also gives tips on what water to use and some customs surrounding the tea. At the end it feels very rewarding to see the ready tea being poured into cups, with its nice, saturated color – looking just delicious!

Making Kombucha Tea

For all those who are still unfamiliar with Kombucha Tea, this is a great video which instructs you on how to make your own kombucha at home. Kombucha is a fermented tea, prepared by using a microorganism culture (mushroom also called SCOBY for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). This tea is said to be beneficial for digestion, better skin condition and improver eyesight among other things.

 

Guide to Taiwanese Oolong Teas

Oolong tea from Taiwan is also known as (Imperial) Formosa Oolong. Thanks to the ideal growing conditions, Taiwan porduces some of the best oolongs in the world. Sweetness and floral notes is something that most of these oolong teas have in common, where as some have a more ‘baked’ aroma then others.

Pouchong - (also known as Baozhong or Qing Cha) a light floral oolong that undergoes a low oxidation and withering process (8% – 18%). It is lightly rolled with leaves of long, slightly twisted shape and with the most green color of all oolong teas. It is often placed somewhere between green and oolong teas. It originated in Pinglin where it is still produced. There are three main varieties of Pouchong – Wenshan, Nangang and Lanyang.

Dong Ding - (“Ice Peak” also known as Tung Ting) medium oxidized oolong tea (15% – 25%) that grows 600 to 1200 meters above sea level in Dong Ding Mountain. This tea is rolled slightly more then Pouchong, the leaves resemble a ball-shape. Its flavor has hints of honey and a long aftertaste resembling honeydew melon. It is believed that the first plants of Dong Ding Oolong tea were taken from Wu Yi, China.

Gao Shan – (High Mountain Tea) high mountain tea which  is also medium oxidized with characteristic semi-ball shape. It grows at high altitudes of 1000 meters or more. This is more of a general term for high mountain tea variations like Alishan, Lishan, Wushe, Yushan and Meishan fall into this category, where Alishan is the top-priced one. They commonly have a sweet, nectar-like fragrance and a light taste. Da Yu Ling is a high mountain tea that comes mostly from plantations located between 2300 – 2600 meters above sea level, which are the one of the highest tea regions in the world.

Tie Guan Yin – (“Iron Goddess”) this tea is heavily rolled into ball-shapes and can come in different roasting levels. The more roasted kind will have a strong baked aroma and a brown color, where as the lightly-roasted types and more green. It is mainly produced in China where the most famous An Xi Tie Guan Yin comes from, however the Taiwanese variation from Nantou uses a different variation of plant, but uses the same production technique.

Dong Fang Mei Ren – (“Oriental Beauty” also known as Bai Hao Oolong or Peng Feng) one of the Champagne Formosa Oolongs, it has leaves reminiscent of autumn foliage or even fire, with its brown, red and yellow colors. It consists of mature leaves picked with its best grades picked during the summer. The leaves are heavily oxidized (50% – 70%) and undergo a heavy withering process. This tea has a sweet, smooth taste with baked, ripe-peach aroma. In order to accentuate it’s flavor it is customary to add a few drops of champagne. Origin of it’s name dates back to early 20th century when Queen Elizabeth II was presented with a sample was inspired  to call it “Oriental Beauty”.

Jin Xuan – (Milk Oolong, Silk Oolong) perhaps one of the more special oolongs, as it has a distinct milk/creamy aroma, which develops due to the growing climate and conditions. It is a completely natural aroma and it does not occur as a result of any artificial flavoring. This tea has a very sweet and creamy aroma and a light, smooth finish. The leaves are heavily curled and have a dark green appearance.

Cui Yu – (Jade Oolong) semi-oxidized oolong tea, also referred to a ‘green oolong’ because of its green appearance. It has a floral character and tightly curled leaves. It gives of a sweet scent, very similar to Jasmine and is a great entry point to Taiwanese Oolong teas.

Si Ji Chun - (Four Season Oolong) is also a High Mountain Tea, that was developed in the 1980s. It is semi-oxidized  with ball-shaped leaves and a smooth, sweet, light flavor. Most of Si Ji Chun comes from low altitude plantations, which makes this tea both economic and widely available. The reason why it’s grown in low altitudes is because the flavor and quality of this tea remains the same regardless of how high the plants are grown.

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Buying tea online

Buying tea from online vendors

It is important to use trustworthy and reputable sources when buying anything on the internet – the same applies to tea. If you’re careful and you know your tea facts you can find many interesting and rare teas online, that you won’t be able to get anywhere else. Here are some of the more popular places among tea drinkers!

• O-cha – site might not look so hi-tech, but O-cha has some great teas to offer. They specialize in Japanese tea, anything from senchas to matchas. Here you can also buy kits, tea utensils and teaware, limited edition teas and organice offerings. Shipping is worldwide (from Japan), so anyone can enjoy their tea.
• Tea Spring – here you can purchase some of the best Chinese teas, especially greens. They offer black, oolong, white, yellow, green, herbal and pu-erh tea. The website has a clean look and there are pictures off all teas, so you can see what you’re buying. The orders are shipped from China to any place in the world.
• Adagio Teas –  Adagio is a very popular source for teas, it has a wide selection of teas from different regions – Japan, China, India, South Africa. On the list are also flavored teas, herbal, decaf and english classics and even more fun – you can create your own signature blends and name them! Your blend is then available for others to review and purchase. This site ships only to the United States but there is another site directed at European customers which you can find here.
• TeaCuppa – this store offers a mix of Chinese and Japanese teas – pretty much all the types and additionally you can buy tea gifts, gadgets and other accessories. Shipping is worldwide!
• Jing Tea – a UK based vendor that ships worldwide. Their website is very clean and easy to navigate, the teas here are well presented and overall it’s an enjoyable shopping experience. Here you can find great quality and rare teas from China, Japan and India. They also offer a selection of organic and fair trade teas.
• Jing Tea Shop – this is a place worth checking out for pu-erhs, greens and oolongs from China with fresh arrivals every harvest year. They ship from China to a lot of international destinations.
• Rishi – this company is not only an online vendor, as they also have stores and sell their products at various locations in the US. They have a truly rich offer including different varieties of Japanese green teas, Chinese tea, but even Chai, Yerba Mate and Iced teas. The majority of their offerings are organic and fair trade. Unfortunately shipping is only to the US and Canada.

Tea on Ebay

It is possible to buy tea on Ebay – two recommended stores are Yunnan Sourcing and Dragon Tea House. Yunnan Sourcing has black and oolong teas, but what they really specialize in are pu-erh cakes and good prices. They ship worldwide from China. Dragon Tea House on the other hand is a huge store offreing all kinds of Chinese teas and tea accessories. It’s worth taking a look at, because their listing is very rich and you certainly can’t say no to the prices.

How to bring your infusers back to their days of glory

I was trying to find some tips about how to clean tea-stained infusers, but to no avail. I decided to test different ways of cleaning infusers myself and coming up with some tips that make it easier.

Not all of us always have the time to properly wash and scrub infusers after every brewing and sometimes we even leave the tea leaves in the infuser for a second and third brewing. That’s when tea stains start creating and a brown crust starts covering the once new and shiny tool. Of course you can scrub it with a sponge and water or detergent, but that usually takes a long time and is kind of tedious. To be honest, it’s not possible to completely avoid the tediousness of it, but you can save time on using other solutions. Here are the things I tested that worked a little better:

• I found that the best way to clean them was to use an old toothbrush and baking soda. You put the brush under water and then dip it in the soda. The crust and stains come off easier and because of the small brush bristles you can even polish the mental net until it’s shiny again. Thanks to the toothbrush you can access and part of the infuser without a problem. Optionally you can try to put the infused into a mixture of water and baking soda overnight, but usually anything that’s soaked even only in water is bound to be easier to clean.
• Alcohol helps as well, although it works much better with the thick crust, then a slight staining. If you pour some vodka or other high-percentage alcohol onto a cotton pad and you can polish the infuser. This pretty much works best for the solid parts, not so much with the straining net.
• Out of curiosity I also tried low-alcohol mouthwash – but no surprises there, it didn’t help at all.

The Tea Infuser Guide

There are many tea infusers out there and it’s good to take all their pros and cons into account, before buying any. I have tested a lot of different types, but I ended up using just one – the most practical, easy to use, one that helps to brew the perfect cup of tea. Let’s review our options first…

	Tea Filters Also called T-SacsI can’t think of any good reasons to use tea filters if you’re a regular tea drinker, unless you’re traveling and you want something disposable. Pluses – they will give you a flavorful liquor, you don’t have to clean them. One the other hand you can get a bit of a papery flavor in your tea. It can be a good substitute for tea hardware, they have a lot of space for the leaves to unfurl, but if you’re concerned about the environment there are better choices.
	Tea Strainer Strainers are pretty easy to use and you will get a great infusion every time, because the leaves can float freely. This is a very basic choice and has many uses. Cleaning them is not too much of a hassle. They come in different designs and forms, made of stainless steel or bamboo, with handle and without.
	Tea Ball These are sieves in the shape of a ball which have a little chain attached to them. You open them by putting one half to the side or to the back. They are very inconvenient to clean, when you dispose of the tea you have to open in, your hands get all wet, you don’t know what to hold onto, there is no handle or anything – as a result you end up having a bunch of leaves on your hands and then you realize that you have to scoop some out anyway. The largest tea balls can give you a good infusion, but the smaller models I wouldn’t bother with.
	Tea Tong Just like tea balls tongs come in different sizes – 6,5cm, 5cm and 4,5cm (in diameter). All of these are very easy and fast to clean – you press the handle together and empty the ball, clap the halves over the garbage can a few times, without needing to touch the leaves. The smaller models have very little space, however the 6,5cm is the ultimate tea tool, you can see the leaves float inside, there is lots of space for them to unfurl and give the fullest flavor. The only minus with large Tong infusers is that they may not fit into narrow glasses.
	Tea Tube Tea Tubes can look really stylish, but some can be rather hard to clean, depending on what mechanism they have. Some have a lid on one end which you can detach and then pour water though it – this means the leaves will land in the sink, things get messy – not very desirable. The one on the left is an easier model. There are cup-size tubes and pot-size tubes, I believe both can yield in an alright infusion, but there is still an issue with how much space there is for leaves.
	Tea Egg Tea Eggs basically work the same way as Tea Balls, except for you can’t see what happening inside. In this way I think Tea Balls are a better choice, because you can see at what brewing stage the leaves are. I generally wouldn’t advise any infusers on chains, as they are quiet problematic when it comes to cleaning.
	Tea Spoon From a long personal experience I can say that tea spoons produce the most flavorless tea liquor you can imagine. Like the tong it’s very easy to clean, but the tea has no space to expand. It’s almost as if you paid for a whole cup of tea and only getting half of it. This is a big no-no, especially if you’re drinking expensive teas.
	Gadget Infusers Cute and fun, in shapes of houses, fruits, hearts even sharks, however not very practical. These are usually hard to clean and don’t provide enough space for the tea. They make great collectibles for display, perhaps occasional tea making, but are not recommended if you want something fast and convenient.

Out of all these I would say the large Tong infuser is an all time favorite – good for you and good for the tea. You don’t need to get your hands dirty using it, you gat you enjoy the tea leaves and their full potential and if you take care of it well it may be come just the lifelong friend you were looking for.

How to choose and buy a Tetsubin

A Tetsubin (Cast Iron Tea Pot) can be quite a pricey investment and it is good to think about how you’ll be using it and what you want it for before buying one. There are many benefits of using a tetsubin, as it can distribute heat evenly and enrich water in iron, thus enhance the way your tea will taste. These are a few things to consider.

 

1. Are you going to make the tea only for yourself of for more people? If the tetsubin will be your personal tea pot, it can be small in size and doesn’t necessarily need to have a stainer, because you can put the leaves directly in the pot. If you are going to brew large amounts of tea in it, it’s better to choose a tetsubin with a stainer, because then you will avoid over-brewing the tea if leaves are left in the water for a longer time.
2. Tetsubins can come either with or without enamel coating on the inside. The uncoated pot will give off extra iron into the water and improves the taste of tea. If the water you are using is already rich in iron or minerals you should buy an enamel coated pot, as the extra iron might negatively affect the taste of tea. The coated pot is however the safest and most popular choice, the enamel will also prevent the pot from rusting.
3. Check the weight of the pot. Some pots may look like a tetsubin, but they are really made of clay or some other material. A real tetsubin made of cast iron is quite heavy. Also make sure that the pot is not to heavy for you and white trying it out it will weigh even more when there is water inside.
4. Look at the price. Real, quality tetsubins are usually not cheap. The prices often vary from 40 EUR (50 USD) and can even be as high as 150 EUR (200 USD).
5. Finally, choose a design that suits you. Tetsubins come in many different styles and colors, with different relief patterns. The decision is yours to make!

Guide to Chinese Red Teas

Chinese Red Tea (Hong Cha) is known as Black Tea in the western world, but is also referred to as Congou by the international tea trade business. It’s easy to get confused, because Red Tea for us means Rooibos Tea from Africa and black tea in China is Pu-erh. To get around this problem it’s easiest to call Red Tea ‘Chinese Red Tea’, 

Qi Men Hong (Keemun) - ”Red tea from Qi Men” a tea from Qimen County of Huangshan City, in Anhui province. Considered the elite of Chinese Red Teas. Appears in various grades for example Gongfu, Mao Feng, Hao Ya, Ji Hong. This tea has winey and fruity taste with hints of pine and plum and cheaper grades can be bitter. It was first produced in 1875 and was the first red tea that came from Anhui. It became popular in England as an ingredient of the English Breakfast blend.

Dian Hong (Yunnan) – “South Cloud” is sometimes considered a gourmet tea, because higher grades contain ‘golden tips’ the fine tea buds. It comes in three grades Broken Yunnan – a cheap tea used for blending with fewest amount of buds, has a strong flavor. Yunnan Gold has a milder flavor, with some brassiness and a red liquor. Yunnan Pure Gold is considered the best of Dian Hong and consists only of golden tips covered with fine hairs, which are much lighter in color then the previous grades and produce a finer, sweeter liquor. Produced of course in Yunnan province.

Lapsang Souchong – “Smoky Sub-variety” very different from other black teas, refered to as smoked tea because it’s leaves are smoke-dried over pinewood fires. Initially the leaves were dried over fire when tea damand was high, as it would speed up the drying process. It’s has a strong and smoky flavor and aroma characteristic to campfires or tobacco. This tea comes from the Wuyi region of Fujian province.

Jin Hou – “Golden Monkey” from Fujian province. A celebrated tea of higher status, as consists of buds, but also has a specific appearace – tea leaves are part yellow part brown. According to a legend this tea would grow in inaccessible places, so monks trained monkeys to pick the leaves. The flavor of this tea is considered light, with honey notes and no astringency. Golden Monkey is the equivalent of Silver Needle among white teas.

Ying De Hong - ”Red tea from Ying De” a tea from Guangdong province, with a cocoa-like aroma. Its best grade is called Ying Hong NO.9. This tea was first introduced in 1959. The rolled leaves sometimes resemble oolong teas, as they have a clumpy, curled appearance.

Ju Qiu Mei Hong  - produced in Hang Zhou in Zhejiang province, is a rare gong fu tea created during the 50s, has tight, thin and long leaves. has a dark color and a deep, rich and sweet aroma.

Ching Wo – a tea from Southern China, Fujian. It’s a deep, full-bodied tea with coppery infusion and light flavor and aroma.

Ping Suey – “Ice Water” a tea from Zhejiang province

Zao Bei Jian – from Sichuan province with a reddish liquor and mellow, clean flavor

 

Guides – Chinese White | Chinese Yellow | Chinese Oolong | Japanese Tea

Guide to Chinese Oolong Teas

Oolong teas is categorized between black and green tea and often referred to as Blue teas in China. Oolong Teas undergo an oxidation process between 10 – 70% and they are more roasty and defined in flavor rather then delicate like green and white teas.

Tie Guan Yin – “Iron Guan Yin” (Goddess of Mercy) a famous Chinese tea from An Xi in the Fujian province. It’s very close to green tea, as it undergoes little oxidation, but lacks the green tea astringency. The flavor and aroma also differs greatly depending of if the leaves have been lightly or heavily roasted. There are many varieties of which the nest ones are called Guan Yin Wang, meaning Guan Yin King.

Da Hong Pao – “Big Red Robe” famous and legendary tea from Wu Yi Mountain, said to have cured the mother of a Ming Dynasty emperor from illness, who ordered the bushes from which the tea came to be clothed in red robes 0 thus the name Big Red Robe or Scarlet Robe. The brown-color leaves have a curled and twisted, non-uniform appearance. It has a rich and deep flavor with a floral note.

Dan Cong – “Single Bush” as the name implies the tea is made of leaves from a single tree. The Dan Cong trees have a single trunk and they grow tall (about 1,8 meters) and straight up. This tea is sweet and peachy.

Shui Xian – “Water Fairy” is a very dark tea with a honey fragrance, originally it’s grown on Mount Wu Yi, the cheaper varieties grown elsewhere in Fujian province have more of a burnt taste. Also referred to as Shiu Hsien or Water Sprite

Fo Shou – “Buddha’s Hand” a tea first introduced during the Song Dynasty, the leaves are tightly rolled and the tea has delicate fruity flavor

Shui Jin Gui – “Golden Water Turtle” has a bright green color after steeping and is one of the famous Wu Yi Rock Oolong Teas.

Tie Luo Han – “Iron Arhat” is one of the famous Wu Yi Rock teas. It’s a strong tea with slightly curled appearance. Also occurs under the name Iron Warrior Monk

Bai Ji Guan – “White Cockscomb” a very light Wuji tea with yellowish leaves. The name came from a story about a rooster who gave up his life protecting his child from an eagle.

Rou Gui – “Cinnamon” – tea with a sweet aroma reminiscent of cinnamon developed during Qing Dynasty. When processed in traditional ways the leaves of this tea have a dark brown color. This tea is also known as Cassia Bark Oolong tea.

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