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One of Tea Guardian’s main vision is to present notable tea varieties from all major regions of the world. We will present productions from India. At the moment, we have presented some varieties from Nepal, Laos and Japan, in addition to the more noticeable collection from China. I believe soon you will read about something from places not even mentioned here.
However, I have to stress that the main volume of tea production this world see today is still NOT notable. By contrast, countries in the Far East, because of a much stronger culture for quality tea, are producing premium varieties far greater in number than anywhere else in the world, though only a tiny proportion in term of world volume.I am always open for producers to send in samples, and indeed, there is already quite a lineup here. Finding a good one to review has always been exciting for us.Here is how to send in samples if you are a producer:In most of the reports that I have read, the scientists have used the substances, such as EGCG, caffeine etc in pure extract forms to mix in water to feed the test mice or rats, such that they can prove it is that substance that is working. The dosages are small, a couple of mg for each kg of the body weight, which is one way how doctors or scientists prescribe dosage for patients.
No one can say for sure what works in the small mammals in experimental settings can work for human as yet. However, to give you an idea, for an average person who weighs say, 75 kg (ie 165 lb) to correspond with what an experiment that used, say, 3 mg/kg, the dosage for a day is 225 mg.If that substance is EGCG, most acceptable quality green, white, or oolong whole leaf tea can easily deliver that in one or two cups, depending on the size, strength and quality of your infusion. There is no findings that over dosage of EGCG is toxic, so the more the merrier.If the substance in consideration is caffeine, restrain your intake to 300 mg a day on the safe side. Overdosage has proven to be not contributive to neuron protection. Read more about caffeine calculation in related Tea Guardian chapters, eg:If the substance you are interested in is theanine, a couple of hundred mg will require higher quality tealeaves and drinking 4 to 5 150 ml cups at medium strength a day, according to the strength of the Korean experiment and the content findings in the Taiwan study, both of which are referenced in the TG article.I have to stress here again that tea is a total package that comes with a lot of substances, the three that mentioned are only what scientists have taken popular notice of, their synergic effect, and that with all the other substances in tea, and that in various proportions in different varieties of tea, has never been seriously studied. It is also interesting to note that some reports I have read but not referenced in the article, which are cohort studies and observations of cohort studies, reflects a stunning alignment with all other studies about the health effect of tea:The positive effects are not as consistent or proven in populations in the West, but dramatically positive in populations in the East, esp in Japan, Taiwan, China and Singapore. I think besides genetics and life and diet styles, one strong reason is the prevalent poor quality of tea being drunk in the West. I hope I am not offending anyone here, but that is a description of the market condition that people like yourself, who are aware of the dramatic difference, should be saving yourselves from, if not also helping the others around you.Indeed, Fenghuang Dancong (Phoenix oolongs) is the type of oolongs that I like the most. To me, they are the tea with the most complex tastes and great effects in helping my own health. There are also such a great varieties within this subcategory of tea for taste differences and suitability in different occasions. Each can be different in infusion requirements to bring out the best. To me, that is endlessly interesting and enjoyable.
According to my own findings, Fenghuang Dancong is probably the oldest kind of oolongs in production. They are very different from Wuyi oolongs in terms of tastes. This is due to differences in growing environment, cultivar evolution, and nuances in the processing craftsmanship, which collective form the two distinctly different subcategories of oolong teas.Bouquet styles Fenghuang Dancong are generally a lot more like real flowers and the classic styles smells fruity sweet. There are also in betweens. Wuyi oolongs generally are much lower in the floral aroma, and for deeper baked ones, heavier impressions of charcoal and strength.Having said that, however, any one variety selection of both of these two subcategories has its own character, like any good tea should.Hygiene. This is a questionable aspect in those manufacturers that I have seen.
And while I may use licorice roots in some of my cooking and herbal drinks, I am not so fond of using it in my daily tea.For individual use, the electric kettle is perhaps the most sensible solution for heating water for tea. As Amadeus pointed out, ergonomics is a primary consideration for selection. The way water comes into contact with the tealeaves has great impact on infusion quality. How well one is able to manipulate the pouring action is therefore the concern for a tea-maker. And of course, a better designed kettle is also more comfortable to use and minimizes small accidents.
The speed with which the water is heated up is another concern. The faster the better 😉We’ll talk more about that later.Material safety is another. Besides the obvious ones that one sees, there is also the quality of glue and fillers between joints that are hidden but may release questionable substances when heated. Check for gaps inside and you may understand.White Westinghouse once made a fantastic model with a long swan-neck spout esp for tea making but somehow it is vanished in the market. Although I manage to use any generic designs quite satisfactorily, I am also looking for a good one too.Please share if you have any good suggestions.This is a good question. I think I will write an article about it. It won’t happen soon because of the long list of topics in the waiting list, but I think I’ll put it high in the priority. Thank you for your patience in advance.
Hello ICE, forget what you had before and enjoy the great array of pure oolong selections available in the market!
Thank you for this nice review. The April Mist green tea to me is a most super value green tea which you can prepare as any other green teas or using this method for a really strong tasty cup:
- Measure 4 grams of the leaves
- Preheat 160 ml Yixing pot to abt 85 degree Celcius
- Put the leaves into the pot and infuse at the above temperature for 4 to 5 minutes, dependent on your preference
You can do this with some other fine green teas such as Long’jing as well.The Zhenghe White Peony you have is my own personal favourite white tea 😉That monk may also be wearing a Rolex, drives a Rolls Royce, and makes tens of millions thru some famous Kung Fu Temple! LOL
I like this topic that pancakes started. As for the way I drink tea outside of professional needs, it varies in different occasions. Mostly I use a 350 ml mug holding tea from a 500 ml pot. The tea maybe a green, a black, or a white, but mostly it is an oolong, very likely a Phoenix oolong (Fenghuang Dancong).When I want real taste, however, I use either a gaiwan or a Yixing pot and drink with a small porcelain gongfu teacup. Sometimes it can be a hand thrown ceramic cup, or a wide top tea bowl, dependent on the mood. I do that mostly with close friends or someone I love or when I want some time out. Any tea would be used, but only very fine quality ones. I like especially Phoenix (again), pu’ers (particularly after dinner), or Wuyi oolongs for such time.When I am traveling, the usual tool I bring is a 150 ml taster’s mug. If I am bringing tea, I bring a bouquet style Phoenix oolong. It’s not only my tea, but also my life-saver if I am under slept or overworked when traveling, which I am all the time.Thank you guys again for all the kind words! Will definitely send each of you by PM special discount coupons when the shop is formally launched.
Hokusai, yes we will carry Japanese green teas when we are more sure of a stable quality producer.MEversbergII, the selection by class function was designed into the menu but at the moment we are still discussing whether we should have it now or later. What is your opinion?
