You can also download the .pdf here.
Although an episode did not come out this week (due to technical difficulties that are being resolved), a few teas were reviewed as well as some things here and there.
Tea
Orange Blossom Oolong (video) – This tea gives a nice dark orange liquor (see picture and video below). Off the nose, I am getting a musky & bitter citrus aroma (the oolong is semi-fermented). This oolong provides a nice medium bodiedtea that has …. (read more)
Temperature: boiling
Duration: 2 minutes
Rating: 76/100
Japan Genmaicha – This is my first time having the Genmaicha. After having many Japanese teas, I finally decided to give it a try. The story of how it started reminds me a lot of the legend of the Lapsang Souchong and its origins (they both were … (read more)
Temperature: 90°C/195°F
Duration: 1 minute
Rating: 76/100
Diplomat’s Tea (video) – As I said in the video, this bright first flush Darjeeling provides a bright and slightly unsettling Muscatel edge. However, accompanied with the woody, wet stone aroma, the appeal is great. Complete with all that you would … (read more)
Temperature: boiling
Duration: 3 minutes
Rating: 75
Japan Tamaryokucha – This Japanese green tea is pleasantly grassy with creamy, medium weight body that lightly lingers on the top of the palate (cf. umami). Alongside this briny grass-like flavor comes a nuttiness resembling almonds … (read more)
Temperature: 80°C/175°F
Duration: 2 minutes
Rating: 66/100
Notable links
Also, congratulations to Claragh, our 300th Facebook fan. She will be receiving a package sometime next week (still to be decided). If you like to win our next contest, be our 300th Twitter follower (@teatimetuesday).
This Tuesday (24 November 2009), the TeaGschwendner Early Grey review episode will be released! Keep an eye on this site, Facebook or Twitter for the release. As always, comments, suggestions, and questions are always welcome (post them on the Facebook fan page wall or [at] reply @teatimetuesday on Twitter as the email is down currently). Every question will be answered and some will even be featured on the show.
Have a great weekend,
Posted in Tea Time Tuesday, roundup | 2 Comments »
Exciting week in the world of Tea Time Tuesday. Alongside this week’s kickoff episode, quite a few tea reviews were logged.
Teas:
Assam Numalighur – This Assam is a CTC BOP second flush and it is very suddenly apparent when you see, smell, and taste this tea. To start off, it has a deep brown, chocolate liquor (similar to coffee). It has a robust malty aroma that is unilateral in that it is strongly simple and flat… (read more)
Temperature: boiling
Duration: 4 minutes
Rated: 80/100
Japan Shincha Kirisakura – This tea is great! Off the nose, I am getting a muscatel & vegetal aroma with a hint of cherry. It’s a full bodied green tea that lingers little and offers a very light briskness (0.75 out of 5, really that mild). You get a light buttery sweetness on the tongue alongside and a milder vegetal than… (read more)
Temperature: 60ºC/140ºF
Duration: 3 minutes
Rating: 87/100
Nilgiri Blue Mountain - This mild black tea gives off a bicuity aroma with a definite astringency. On the palate it is very lingering as it dries the mouth. Moving towards the rear of palate it provides a strong citrus bite (in line with the astringent aroma). Highly brisk, this tea is a great wake up tea… (read more)
Temperature: boiling
Duration: 3 minutes
Rating: 62/100
Vietnam Yen Bai OP – This Vietnamese tea reminds me very little of an Assam in the aroma. Although it has that “biscuity” steam that billows from the cup, it is very light on the nose. Starting off, you get a strong and stout smokiness off the palate. You get a slight grape lingering that is overshadowed… (read more)
Temperature: boiling
Duration: 4 minutes
Rating: 71/100
Japan Gyokuro - This tea is a calm Japanese green. Getting a light vegetal aroma (spinach-like). Very subtle, alongside a lightly citrus background (between a under-ripe peach and an clementine). The taste is equally as light. Chartreuse in color. Not as creamy as some other Japanese greens… (read more)
Temperature: 60ºC/140ºF
Duration: 2 minutes
Rating: 67/100
Video:
In this episode, Griffin Kelton (@griffinkelton), your host, sits down with Spencer Shell (@spencershell) to talk about how to get started on the journey of tea… (read more)
That wraps up this week for Tea Time Tuesday. If you would like to keep up with things during the week, keep an eye on @teatimetuesday or the Facebook fan page.
Posted in Tea Time Tuesday | 3 Comments »
In this episode, Griffin Kelton, your host, sits down with Spencer Shell to talk about how to get started on the journey of tea.
This episode kicks off the new season of Tea Time Tuesday in a new location (TeaGschwendner Raleigh) and with a new spin. There are now two tiers of episodes. This is an example of tier one. Typically 3-5 minutes in length, tier one will be a beginner tea series, specially targeted at those just getting into tea or who haven’t delved into at all. On the other hand, tier two is directed specifically at those who are interested in tea and want to learn the most they can. These episodes will be 5-7 min. in length and packed with information from every aspect of tea! Both tiers will include the same tastings. The difference will be in the amount and depth to the knowledge shared. Don’t forget to email your questions to griffin@teatimetuesday.com. All emails will be answered, some featured on the show. Also, those who email in will be sent samples of my favorite tea featured on the show next week!
Music from this week’s episode:
- Intro: “Crown on the Ground” by Sleigh Bells
- Outro: “The Way We Get By” by Spoon
Remember to check out Tea Time Tuesday on the web:
http://teatimetuesday.com
http://twitter.com/teatimetuesday
http://facebook.com/teatimetuesday
http://vimeo.com/teatimetuesday
Your hosts:
Griffin Kelton – http://twitter.com/griffinkelton
Spencer Shell – http://twitter.com/spencershell
N.B.:
If you look closely at the background, you can see the “Spirituality of Tea” by Jason Witt (http://twitter.com/jasonwitt). Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition).
Posted in Episodes, Tea Time Tuesday | Tagged albermarle, amazon, charlotte, episode eight, evening show, facebook, griffin, griffinkelton, griffinkelton.com, gschwendner, how to get started, jason witt, jasonwitt, jasonwitt.org, kelton, nc, ncsu, north carolina, one, raleigh, shell, spencer, spencershell, state university, tastings, Tea Time Tuesday, teatimetuesday, teatimetuesday.com, TG, TGUSA, the spirituality of tea, tier, twitter, two, wake country | 3 Comments »
Today I enjoyed Babington’s Darjeeling 2nd flush (3 min @ 90ºC). The dry leaf has a very nice, tart peach & apricot aroma to it. Right after steeping, the leaves had a very pleasant biscuity aroma. The liquor of the tea was a nice golden orange. Mild on the palate, this is a light black tea with a lingering flat taste. Overall, I enjoyed it.
Rated: 80/100
(Source: steepster)
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged teatuesday tea tuesday babinton's darjeeling 2nd second flush | 1 Comment »
Knights of the Roundtable
roundtable, n: a meeting of peers for discussion and exchange of views.
That is what The Tea Roundtable is all about. Brought to you by Tony Gebely of WorldofTea.org and I, Griffin Kelton, The Tea Roundtable (TRT) is place for all people, from tea enthusiasts to rookies (even masters to shop owners), to share, learn, collaborate, meet, and last, but most certainly not least, to drink. That is the vision behind this community.
community, n: a body of people sharing an interest, idea, or purpose.
In order to have a community, we need a body of people. That is where you come in. If you are reading this blog, it is fair to assume that you like tea to some degree. With that assumption in mind, I present to you the goal of TRT: bringing people together who want to participate in the great journey tea has to offer and providing a place for that to take place. Combining that with our vision, you have the TRT. So if this interests you in any way, Tony and I would love to see you all there. Also, Billy Shall of Narien Teas, is sponsoring our first contest. The first member to contribute twenty-five meaningful posts to the forum will win an entire year of tea! (N.B.: In order for these topics to be considered valid they must be meaningful and be spread across multiple forum categories (moderators and administrators have discretion over this.) Best of luck members and new members to be! If you don’t win this time around, don’t worry – there will be more contests down the line. Please share this new community with your friends!
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- The Tea Roundtable
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- The Tea Roundtable
Posted in Tea | 4 Comments »
@Terraburn asked me a question today: “is there a tea that I could drink throughout the day? So far it seems like tea is for certain times.” I am going to include a list of some later in this post; however, I want to start by saying that tea is all about the personal experience. The aroma, flavor, and time spent all coalesce into a adventure that it different every time. In short, certain teas are recommended for specific times and it is fine and well to enjoy them accordingly. Though, it is up to you when you enjoy your tea. With that in mind, I have compiled a list of all day teas from
Excellent book
The Tea Companion by Jane Pettigrew. Each tea is categorized by country of origin and linked to a reputable tea vendor alongside their description.
Indian teas
Asaam
Khongea – “This tea from Khongea Estate is famous for its rich flavor and malty characteristics. It is strong yet smooth, yields beautiful dark liquor. You can have it in many ways. It is perfect with milk.” (auraTeas)
2nd Flush Darjeeling
Puttabong – “From a first-rate estate, this is a full-flavored selection with hints of chestnuts and pleasing muscatel notes. The cup is rich enough to support a touch of milk or cream but is also excellent plain.” (Upton Tea Imports)
Darjeeling Autumnal
Margaret’s Hope – “This second flush “champagne of teas” has a superb fragrance, very complex bouquet and classic muscatel characteristics. The liquor is golden in colour with a pronounced rounded character. Enjoy this tea daily.” (Notting Hall)
Darjeeling Green
Ayra – “As soon as the pack got opened, we got an overwhelming sweet fragrance with an undertone reminiscent of the fruit plum which is also ‘musky’. It is a complex flowery tea with complex hints of ‘caramel like’, honey, burnt sugar, slightly nutty, buttery etc. characteristics.” (Thunderbolt Tea)
China
White
Silver needles
Yin Zhen (silver needles) – “White tea from China. Silver Needle is among the most revered of Chinese teas, produced in the Fuding and Zhenhe districts of its Fujian province.” (Adagio Teas)
Green
Lung Ching (Dragon’s well) – “Green tea from the Chinese village of Dragon Well (Lung Ching in local parlance). Dragon Well tea has a distinguished shape. Its leaves are broad and flat, a result of laborious drying.” (Adagio Teas)
Oolong
Shui Hsien (water sprite) – “Shui Xian Oolong Tea or wu-long tea is a very popular variety of Oolong tea and one the common favorites among Gong Fu tea drinkers. Shui Xian Oolong Tea tea can be found in most Chinese restaurants menu, where the spelling “Shui Hsien” is more commonly used.” (TeaCuppa)
Japan
Matcha with whisk
Gyokuro – “Harvested just two weeks of the year, this refined Gyokuro from the Fukuoka Prefecture is shade grown under straw mats.” (Le Palais Gourmet)
Matcha – “Our premium organic matcha is custom blended and ground under granite wheels. The result is an exquisite quality ceremonial grade matcha with a bold deep color, rich texture and a delicate bouquet.” (Le Palais Gourmet)
Genmaicha – “A modern take on the classic Japanese green tea with Matcha, grilled rice and popcorn. This nutty and flavorful tea is a great pick-me up.” (Le Palais Gourmet)
Taiwan
Pouchong – “fragrant, sublime tea from Taiwan” (Adagio Teas)
I hope this list can help you tea drinkers (and you vendors). If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask me at @teatimetuesday or griffin@teatimetuesday.com. Have a great rest of your Monday!
Posted in Matcha, vendors | Tagged china, green, india, japan, matcha, oolong, taiwan, Tea, white | 2 Comments »
Tea has benefits far and wide. Containing powerful antioxidants, many claim it is the cure to a plethora of ailments; however, all good things must have their limitations. Tea is no exception. And although its possession of minerals is no surprise, what may surprise you is that one of these is Aluminum (Al).
Aluminum
Although the FDA has classified Al has G.R.A.S. (Generally Regarded As Safe), it is by no means “good” for you. Many question the validity of the FDA’s claims in regard to Al, with good reason too. When levels of Al are elevated in the body, toxicity sets in that can lead to encephalopathy, osteomalacia or aplastic bone disease, proximal myopathy, increased risk of infection, increased left ventricular mass and decreased myocardial function microcytic anemia with very high levels, sudden death (HCBI). The most dangerous and common symptom is the accumulation of plaque in the brain. This plaque is insoluble and its accumulation has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s (Blaylock Wellness Report, Vol. 1 Issue 4). Aluminum levels (on average) are 1420 micrograms/g in of oolong tea, 576 micrograms/g in black tea, and 520 micrograms/g in green tea (Tottori Women’s College, Kurayoshi, Japan).
Don’t let this stop your daily enjoyment of tea though. Under normal conditions (normal renal function), the Al should pass through you body and you should be unaffected. Al is only absorbed by the body, it seems, when higher levels of acidity are present (Clinical Chemistry).
They look deadly, dont they?
The pH of tea is around 6.5, which is relatively neutral, neither a base or an acid. So you should be fine right? Assuming you don’t add that lemon to your iced tea. Lemons have a pH of around 2, which is highly acidic. Ergo, tea with lemon has a higher acidity leaving room for that nasty aluminum to remain in your blood and wreak havoc on your body.
Grant it, you can probably still add lemon to your tea and not suffer any of the side affects of Al toxicity. So feel free to enjoy your tea with that lovely citrus we all love. But, it sure does make you wonder. What are you really drinking?
Posted in Health, Tea | Tagged acid, aluminum, aluminum toxicity, iced tea, lemon, pH, Tea | 2 Comments »
Episode 5 and 6 were a lot of fun! Unforunately, I was unable to talk to you all about Matcha, the tea, as much as I would like to. The tea plant is rumored to have been brought over to Japan by a Budhist monk Dengyo Daishi. Matcha, as I mentioned in ep. 5, comes from the Gyokuro tea variant. This tea is planted in the beginning of May and grown for twenty days in 90% shade. After that, they are covered by sheets of bamboo to reduce the light even further. These low light levels increase the levels of chlorophyll in the leaves giving it that dark green tint. In addition to that, this causes lower levels of tannins. Tannins are what give most teas an astringent/bitter taste. Without this, Matcha is allowed a sweeter, lighter flavor.
(Thanks to Harney and Sons Tea for the image.)
Posted in Matcha, Tea, Tea Time Tuesday | Tagged matcha | Leave a Comment »
Break away from the traditional tea experience and discover with me some alternative ways to enjoy Matcha. Easy, nourishing, and delicious!
Don’t forget to check out http://therescue.invisiblechildren.com
Posted in Episodes, Matcha, Tea, Tea Time Tuesday | Tagged episode six, facebook, griffin kelton, heart, iced, invisible children, latte, lemonade, lra, matcha, paper route, part two, rescue, shiny toy guns, Tea Time Tuesday, twitter, wish, you are the one, 抹茶 | Leave a Comment »
