Aloke /6/05


>
> "Klaus Alexander Seistrup" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Danube wrote:
>>
>>> Try a strong Assam or English Breakfast tea, with sugar and milk
>>> to begin with.
>>
>> Aloka wrote:
>>
>>> If you want to have tea plain (no milk and sugar), try Darjeeling
>>> 1st flush.
>>
>> Toci wrote:
>>
>
>> I ended up with three teas: a Darjeeling 1st flush ("Oaks", new harvest),
>> a stronger tea (I cannot read the lady's handwriting, but the label on the
>> bag might say "Waulagalla" or "Wanlagalla" - anyone?), and a Japanese
>> green tea (the label might read "Sencha" or "Bancha", I'm not sure).
>
> Remember for the Darjeeling: Use boiling water and steep for 2 minutes to
> begin with, longer if you like it stronger. Have it without milk or sugar
> (I never thought I'd say that: being from India originally ..). Over
> steeping 1st flush makes it bitter. And you'll get the light floral aroma
> without milk+sugar.
>
> For 2nd and 3rd flush (or blends) Darjeelings, it's Ok to brew a little
> longer (3 - 3.5 min) and add milk+sugar.

Hi,

With due respect to my friend and colleague Aloke, I differ with him on this
boiling water for two minutes issue. In my opinion, a fine first flush can
be *very* delicate, and you can boil the life right out of it. Lew Perin has
suggested an almost gung-fu style using short steeps and lots of leaf. I
would add that experimentation with lower temperatures is appropriate too.
The floral aroma might survive boiling water, but the soft cereal-like
quality of the freshest of the fresh will be quickly lost.

Experiment around.

Michael

Michael

"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
> Aloke /6/05
>
>
>>
>> "Klaus Alexander Seistrup" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Danube wrote:
>>>
>>>> Try a strong Assam or English Breakfast tea, with sugar and milk
>>>> to begin with.
>>>
>>> Aloka wrote:

>> Remember for the Darjeeling: Use boiling water and steep for 2 minutes to
>> begin with, longer if you like it stronger. Have it without milk or
>> sugar
>> (I never thought I'd say that: being from India originally ..). Over
>> steeping 1st flush makes it bitter. And you'll get the light floral
>> aroma
>> without milk+sugar.
>>
>> For 2nd and 3rd flush (or blends) Darjeelings, it's Ok to brew a little
>> longer (3 - 3.5 min) and add milk+sugar.
>
> Hi,
>
> With due respect to my friend and colleague Aloke, I differ with him on
> this
> boiling water for two minutes issue. In my opinion, a fine first flush can
> be *very* delicate, and you can boil the life right out of it. Lew Perin
> has
> suggested an almost gung-fu style using short steeps and lots of leaf. I
> would add that experimentation with lower temperatures is appropriate too.
> The floral aroma might survive boiling water, but the soft cereal-like
> quality of the freshest of the fresh will be quickly lost.

I meant using boiling water to begin with (pour over leaves in a pot or
container) and let it soak for 2 minutes.

Boiling Darjeeling for 2 minutes will be blasphemy :-)

From my experience, using boiling water to begin with works well for
Darjeeling black tea (remember the adage: bring the pot to the kettle and
not the kettle to the pot?). Using a little less than boiling water works
better for oolong and white teas.

Neither type of tea should be boiled for any length of time .. well except
the Assamese gunpowder that is used at the road-side tea stalls in India.
Those kettles are left simmering all day, with small amounts of tea being
added to it as needed!!
--
Aloke
----
to reply by e-mail remove 123 and change invalid to com

> I meant using boiling water to begin with (pour over leaves in a pot or
> container) and let it soak for 2 minutes.

Yes, I understood what you meant, but I had written badly.
>
> Boiling Darjeeling for 2 minutes will be blasphemy :-)

Of course, of course.
>
> From my experience, using boiling water to begin with works well for
> Darjeeling black tea (remember the adage: bring the pot to the kettle and
> not the kettle to the pot?). Using a little less than boiling water works
> better for oolong and white teas.
>
I still stand by my experience that somewhat less than boiling water -- who
recommended 180F (or was it 80C)? -- is needed for a fine first flush
Darjeeling.

> Neither type of tea should be boiled for any length of time .. well except
> the Assamese gunpowder that is used at the road-side tea stalls in India.
> Those kettles are left simmering all day, with small amounts of tea being
> added to it as needed!!

Again, steep length needs to be correlated to the amount of leaf used. More
leaf, less steep. There is a lot to play with here. Anyway, these are my
thoughts on the matter.

By the way, in my experience, nearly all first flushes are quite "green," no
matter what we call them. I understand that the earlier tradition was to
produce a fully oxidized Darjeeling. At that time, pouring boiling water
over the leaves would most likely have been appropriate. Could this perhaps
be part of the source of our difference of opinion?

Michael

"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
>
>

> I still stand by my experience that somewhat less than boiling water --
> who
> recommended 180F (or was it 80C)? -- is needed for a fine first flush
> Darjeeling.

> Again, steep length needs to be correlated to the amount of leaf used.
> More
> leaf, less steep. There is a lot to play with here. Anyway, these are my
> thoughts on the matter.
>
> By the way, in my experience, nearly all first flushes are quite "green,"
> no
> matter what we call them. I understand that the earlier tradition was to
> produce a fully oxidized Darjeeling. At that time, pouring boiling water
> over the leaves would most likely have been appropriate. Could this
> perhaps
> be part of the source of our difference of opinion?

You are correct. For the most part, it is easy to overbrew 1st flushes.
However, for 2nd or autumnal flushes, I would still recommend trying with
boiling water and play around with steep times. This especially true if you
add milk and sugar, like I tend to do with these 2nd and 3rd flushes.
Clearly, the amount of tea leaves used also matter in this.

Like you said.. best is to try different things and see what turns out to
your liking.
--
Aloke
----
to reply by e-mail remove 123 and change invalid to com

I just want to throw in a word of thanks for this discussion as I am now
dealing with some first flush DJ's that I keep reading the "boiling water"
parameter for and it helps to hear about the nuances. Thanks all.

Melinda



"Michael Plant" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>> I meant using boiling water to begin with (pour over leaves in a pot or
>> container) and let it soak for 2 minutes.
>
> Yes, I understood what you meant, but I had written badly.
>>
>> Boiling Darjeeling for 2 minutes will be blasphemy :-)
>
> Of course, of course.
>>
>> From my experience, using boiling water to begin with works well for
>> Darjeeling black tea (remember the adage: bring the pot to the kettle and
>> not the kettle to the pot?). Using a little less than boiling water
>> works
>> better for oolong and white teas.
>>
> I still stand by my experience that somewhat less than boiling water --
> who
> recommended 180F (or was it 80C)? -- is needed for a fine first flush
> Darjeeling.
>
>> Neither type of tea should be boiled for any length of time .. well
>> except
>> the Assamese gunpowder that is used at the road-side tea stalls in India.
>> Those kettles are left simmering all day, with small amounts of tea being
>> added to it as needed!!
>
> Again, steep length needs to be correlated to the amount of leaf used.
> More
> leaf, less steep. There is a lot to play with here. Anyway, these are my
> thoughts on the matter.
>
> By the way, in my experience, nearly all first flushes are quite "green,"
> no
> matter what we call them. I understand that the earlier tradition was to
> produce a fully oxidized Darjeeling. At that time, pouring boiling water
> over the leaves would most likely have been appropriate. Could this
> perhaps
> be part of the source of our difference of opinion?
>
> Michael
>