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Submitted by: Ian

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Truth be told the leaves are probably not as long as I thought, I just had a brief look at first and pulled out some long-ish leaves, but these were very stalky. I found out more about them yesterday by laying out the spent leaves on some paper, they were all different, very irregular so perhaps not factory made but they are fairly broken up and so there is a very small amount of bitterness, but this is even with driking it quite strong. I brew my green tea in a small glass now, and these leaves once fully expanded (4th - 5th re-infusion) filled a half full glass. The seaweed is something I noticed straight away and I'm glad I have someone who agrees! There is something at the back of the mouth, I could say if it was perfumey or something else, but it lingers. I love the aftertaste! The smell of the dry leaves is intense, I just assume this is because it is fresh. Presumably the higher grades aren't picked as late as a few weeks ago? I have recently read that it 'should' be brewed at 90C, but I just took the water to about 95 and poured. Is it right that water used for chinese tea should not be boiled (at least not for too long) since it de-oxygenates? It is a fine balance! You have to make sure it has the right mineral content, isn't stale and has little to no chlorine. Well our water is hard so I filter it, but then it sits around and de-oxygenates, so I have to be careful. If this was your favourite tea then I would very much like to try a higher grade. My personaly favourite is the first good tea I bought a few years ago: Anji Bai Cha. I just recently bought some more from Jing Tea, of the Pre-Qing Ming variety. Its dry leaves are of the most heady and intense aroma I have had the pleasure of sampling, and even back when I understood little of the 'Umami' or 6th taste, I recognised that within it, and I always wanted it with marmite (yeast extract = loads of glutamate) on toast! Do you have some of this tea in England which you could send? Or is it with Hu and he would send it over from China? I am looking forward to his fresh crop in the Spring! I have your articles on tai Ping and they are very interesting, thanks. Ian

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Submitted by: Julian

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Thank you for your fascinating post. I read and re-read it several times. Very interesting. I have to say I was similarly ecstatic this time last year after trying out Hu's tea. I get slightly worried when you say dried green tea leaves have an intensely fresh smell. Other customers have reported similar experience from reputable vendors. This is highly unusual, and is usually a sign of added flavouring, because even the best green tea in the world would not have this aroma on dried tea leaves. Green tea is made from young tea buds which although contain high levels of theanine (the 6th taste unami you mentioned) and catechins content, does not yet contain enough aromatic oils. (Oolong tea aroma oils is obtained from more matured leaves which are then bruised and withered to increase the natural fragrance.) HQ's Dragon Well tea King grade, which is harvested only on the first day of spring, has a striking nasal and orchid aroma, which is rare amongst green tea, but even at this rarest of grade, the dried tea leaves do not have that smell. Having said that, Anji Baicha has been famous for hundreds of years due to its high theanine content. As for brewing temperature, there is no hard and fast rule. It really is a function of - leaf amount (more leaves, lower temperature) - tea quality (higher quality, high temperature) - other brewing parameters (how you pour water, whether your vessel has been pre-heated, how you steep, how you throw in the leaves etc) - whether you are talking about kettle temperature, cup temperature. Further info can be found in <a href="http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/make-green-tea.html">How To Make Green Tea</a> Hu's main crop is not available this year, but I am giving away a more expensive wild cultivated tea which is organic at for free, which I am shipping at 100 grams per $5 postage directly from China. It is not as good as his main crop, but still is pretty good. Here is the feedback from Stig from Copenhagen: The wild variety of Hou Kui is an interesting tea with its rustic notes initially reminiscent of burnt feathers (! - you know, after having plucked the fowl one holds it over fire) and swamp water before nobler tastes take over and make it clear why this variety has been cultivated into a more fragrant character (I guess - and look forward to next spring!). This wild variety does finish in more than a hint of seaweed, but that may be subdued in the selective process of upgrading the variety. Thank you very much for sharing this experience with me (and I haven't received an invoice yet) - the wild Hou Kui is well worth drinking! For these high grade gardens, harvesting dates are only limited to 2 to 3 weeks in March/April. I hope I have answered all your questions. Are you back in UK now? Gosh it's summer again and all my friends are getting ready for the vacations! All the best. Please contact me with email if you want the free tea. Julian

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Submitted by: Ian

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Yes, I think you answered all of my questions but one, which is whether or not water is unnecessarily harmed by over-boiling (which I read somewhere). I shouldn't worry about the tea aroma, I think it may be in part due to the contrast I see between this fresh tea and other poorly packaged tea I've had which went old quickly, and also the contrast with teabag tea. The intensity perhaps is not chemical but emotional! I think too that Anji Bai Cha is a special tea, and it is not intense as an aromatic essential oil is. In fact, I read somewhere (it may have been here!) that some people cannot detect theanine, so perhaps if there is a scale on which lie people who are insensitive to very sensitive, I lie at the latter end, which would explain why I go mad about green tea! Maybe it would have something to do with my consumption of marmite and MSG... I still have a lot to learn about tea and I'm glad. Thanks again, Ian

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Submitted by: Julian

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Ian, glad to know I have been of some help :) The idea that boiled water hurts tea quality is usually explained by the lack of oxygen once it has been boiled, or re-boiled. I am neutral on this issue. I think you really have to test it yourself to find out. Personally, I use only boiling water, which for brewing green tea and white tea may seem unusual. Part of the reason is because I drink only the higher grade tea. They are more tolerant and versatile. Also any cooling is achieved by keeping my kettle high when pouring, and the use of unheated glass etc. I also like to use small quantity of leaves at a time which gives me leeway in the brewing parameters. In China, people always use boiled water. Part of the reasons is hygiene. Second reason is boiled water is regarded as more lively and hearty. Several well known tea masters have recommended using boiled water, even for green and white tea. Coming back to theanine and unami ... A scientific study says 1 in 5 population cannot taste unami. Have to confess I am like you, theanine is absolutely mesmerising ... I even bought myself a theanine supplement but the effect is not as pronounced as drinking tea. Further details can be found at ... <a href="http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/theanine.html">Theanine</a> 10 Astonishing Facts

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