TokyoB wrote:
> On Oct 7, 12:22�am, Rainy > wrote:
> > Are Dan Congs always a little bitter? I tried maybe 5-6 of them and
> > they've always had bitter aftertaste for me. It tastes a bit like if
> > you add a few drops of alcohol to a glass of water. At the same time,
> > I am very sensitive to bitter taste, I can't stand dark chocolate,
> > endives, kirby cucumber skin, dark coffee (unless very well light-
> > roasted and really fresh and I'm in the mood for it). I don't like
> > bitter teas such as Assam or Ceylon unless it's got milk in it. All
> > because of bitterness.
> >
> > Is that something that's true for all dan congs, or for most of them,
> > or maybe there's some trick to brewing them without bitterness? I love
> > the aroma of dan congs, and I like the peach/apricot taste.. but the
> > aftertaste turns me away every time. Today I tried to finally sit down
> > and experiment with gong-fu and dan cong and no matter what I tried,
> > the bitterness is still there.
>
> I also find all DCs to be somewhat bitter. I do like bitter
> vegetables, bitter dark chocolate, etc. though so I do like DCs.
> However I find that if you brew some of them even a bit too long they
> can be extremely bitter. So, like the other recommendations, I would
> try relatively short brewing times. I do find that short times give a
> nice, not weak, tea and thus also provide for many steepings.

Thanks to all who answered, by the way, I always pour first
infusion right out when I gong-fu. With Dan Congs, if i make
them with less leaf, they're almost not bitter but too weak.
It seems like DCs are just not for me. Too bad because
I do like peachy aroma.