Cheer Up with Brandy Oolong (4/21/2012 @ Azusa Tea Club

Azusa Tea Club is having the April meet up on 4/21/2012.  Total 14 friends are participating this topic - Cheer Up with Brandy Oolong.  We prepare 6 different teas - Ruby 18, HonYun 21, FB 27, FB 74, FB 68 and FB 11.  (*FB 11 is same cultivar with FB 74, most are Haoya and tender leaf were picked and made for the tea.)   Our first session is a standardized cupping.  Followed with a short discussion and sharing the comments. Then, we have 6 volunteers to do the actual tea infusion for tasting.  I have to say, we have a great group of tea lovers in our Azusa Tea Club that every one is willing to volunteer to take the assignment.  Actually, without knowing the tea and tea ware in advance...to make a good pot of tea for tasting is a huge challenge to any one.  But, that is our meet up for... we are learning together.  Also, I thank to all for offering me more ideas that what to do in World Tea Expo for the similar cupping.   Enjoy the slideshow.

Tea Basic: Cupping (3/30/2012)

Pomona City College's Tea Leave and Friends came over to do the Tea Basic: Cupping on 3/30 evening. Thuy, Maira, Lauren and Sarah, four seniors of their tea club plus Karen and Ben, a very cozy tea event on a Friday evening. We have four teas for cupping: Two Green tea PiLoChun and Dragon Well, one Oolong tea Oriental Beauty and one Black tea Mao-Fung.
Share with you the following slideshow of our fun study on tea. There are two rounds - first run we cupped with traditional cupping sets - measure 3 g of tea and steep with rolling boil water for 5 minutes. Second run we use Harmony Teapots to experiment, 3 grams of tea with 250 ml of water to steep. We use rolling boiled water for the black tea,. 190 for Oriental Beauty, and 175 for the Dragon Well., and 165 for PiLoChun... Together, we all watched carefully... while the leaves unfurl and settle, we simply remove the drainers to rest them on the coasters. They were suggested to do their cupping logs...with each tea's aroma, flavor and finish, plus examine the color of tea liquor and wet leaves... Each time, doing this with new tea friends...refresh up my own experience and actually...something new to be added...