i thoght we could use this topic for finding where teas are and learning about brewing teas and history and such, i know when buying taiwanese/ chinese tea it can be difficult because of the name or the spelling some times one tea will have more than one name even in chinese it could have many names an example would be a new tea or a tea that was introduce or made in two different countries.
oriental beauty, is called that because more than 100 years ago the western people that came to the orient and drank it thought it was like a dargeeling so they called it oriental beauty, other names for the same tea are manderin oolong or white oolong, because it has white hair tips in it
many foreignors like English tea (indian tea), I hope you guys are trying the Taiwanese teas, oriental beauty or sweet Pengfeng Oolong (椪風茶) or Oriental Beauty Tea for which Miaoli is famous. remember in Taiwan tea shops you always try the tea before you buy and you don’t have to buy some people think, well if they get me sitting down they got me but no really many people come in and just have some tea and come back later and buy or don’t buy at all. now China is different there you never try the tea they just show you a bag or box and you buy or not, how do we say, let the buyer beware! taiwan also has lots of nice black teas, (they have a malty taste) you might want to try as well the oolongs, I also drink indian teas, anyway just my opinion. I do like Earl Gray (flavored with oil of bergamot). this tea is from India or Sri Lanka, some black teas also come from Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Keemun tea from China.
A few places to learn about tea:
The tea museum in Pinglin. Usually someone is on hand who speaks English or you can arrange ahead of time for a tour.
I find the Baochung tea from Pinglin very delicious. It is easy to appreciate even with a completely untrained palate and os is ideal for those first trying out Chinese tea.
Tea Promotion centre in Mucha. 8-2 Lane 40, Sec 3, Chinan Road, Sec 3
02 2234 0568
Near Jenda university (National Chengchi) in Mucha there is a shop in an old house where you can sample more than a dozen different types of tea. Good for an introduction and you can of course buy what you like. From the front gate of the uni go straight and not right. Pass the Welcome and head up the road (it gets very steep here). About 100 yards past the Welcome you’ll see the shop on the left.
Is anyone a fan of Puer tea? It’s like the blue cheese of tea, heavy, musky, almost smokey flavor. Delicious though.
Here’s a trick a tea master taught me. After you have transfered your tea from the slender cup to the rounder sipping cup, you sniff the slender cup to enjoy the lingering aroma. However, if you then wave the slender cup in the air, making a few passes so that air cools the inside, and then sniff it again, you will often get a completely different aroma. The first sniff could give you a grassy aroma, while the second sniff of the cooler cup could give you the smell of honey.
So Eastern Beauty is an Oolong?
I was told that it was actually a black tea, specifically a Lapsang Soochong. And I was told that Lapsang Soochong translates into Chinese as 正山小种.
But Eastern Beauty tastes nothing like I would expect A Lapsang Soochong to taste. For those who don’t know Lapsang Soochong, it is a black tea from China with a very intense smokey taste. Supposed to come mainly from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian. In the west it is now a very old fashioned tea, probably not even an old ladies tea these days since the old ladies who drank it have mostly passed on.
Anyway, I like the stuff, but it is very very hard to find in Chinese teashops. I have only ever found it once, and that was in a very westernized Chinese teashop (i.e. one with a massive selection of imported black teas from India)
Can anyone clarify?
I recently visited Xiamen and bought a black tea that the shop assistant told me was a 正山小种, but again it tastes nothing like the Lapsang Soochong I am looking for. Definitely a black tea, but no smokiness. It is actually quite sweet.
Would be very interested to hear anyone’s knowledge on this area.
Recommended teas would also be useful.
But please recommend Mainland stuff since I am stuck in the Mainland!
I got this pm from icetea a few days ago. I’m sure he won’t mind me passing on the info in it:
[quote]we specialize in Chinese/Taiwanese methods. but also teach many other methods including and other Asian countries to include Japan Korean and England russain…ect the list is vast.
we have classes about the brewing methods of Chinese/Taiwanese tea … . Also “The Art of Making Tea” and history of tea and the classification of teas and how to tell them apart
the address is:
Lu-Yu Tea Culture Institute
3rd Fl., 64, Heng-Yang Rd., Taipei, Taiwan 100
Tel (02) 2331-6636 ext. 9
FAX (02) 23897789
Wu-Wo Tea Association
wu-wotea.com.tw/index.html [/quote]
If you are in China you must try the green teas and the pu-erhs, I think thats funny and kind of true the way ““mucha man”” said puerh is the blue cheese of tea. Well it does have a very woody earthy taste. If its a good tea it will be nice and smooth. I hope some of you guys and girls can join my group too groups.yahoo.com/group/teaarts/ getting back to china green teas would be dragon well, green snail, the china puers are vast buy and aged one but dont spend too much money on it, look at the tea if it is in compressed form like a brick the color should not be fresh green but dark and red to brown. if you want anymore information i hope you could post in my group
look at the pics of the outting we had…
My name is steven.
I am an American in Taiwan and am a member of non-profit Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony [無我茶會] , I live in Taipei. We sometimes go out as a group sightseeing and drink tea too, it is nice to have some friends in Taiwan and tea is just the right key for making new friends, all foreigners and locals are welcome to come and drink or learn about tea
Take care and drink tea, …steven
ps:: i prefer english but if you write in chinese it is ok too.
icetea@email.com
teaarts.blogspot.com/
wu-wotea.com.tw/
groups.yahoo.com/group/teatalk/