u/GatewayBrewster

So what's the visual imagery difference between different cultivators (artisan).

I CANNOT imagine in vivid detail after the fact (once the new sip/infusion begins I can't recall the previous). Even rereading my tea notes (copy/pasted directly from my tea journal), I can only get a vague phantom image. I have to write these down the moment they happen or I'll lose it.

Qidan Da Hong Pao

#1 growing vegetation in mid-dark brown soil, cloudy skies in distance but view under canopy, slightly dense forest, mostly open pathways -> Rocky terrain with hand sized rocks, not loose, embedded in the ground -> floor debris of narrow and almond leaves with smooth edges -> mixed with bamboo stalks, patches but not overwhelming -> high creek but not mountain -> rocky banks, large flat boulders in creek -> weathered bone

#2 Rock embedded in embankment, high soil bank with exposed roots, water lapping around but not over rock -> spindly moss growth on river rocks underwater with little marine life such as silver scaled minnows and tadpoles -> mid-spring season between rain falls -> river rocks big enough to cause ripples and divert water flow, no rapids, still gentle -> limestone granite -> cooled magma rock, obsidian -> burned layers in soil – crumbly black patches in fresh soil -> a foggy season with light showers or storm heavy region -> wet stone but not submerged in water -> brown/reddish color stones in misting atmosphere -> stoney petrichor, strong enough to taste -> late afternoon-early evening, no sun -> log bridge crossing river with moss growth, log dark in color

#3 spring fed river -> floral tasting smell; honeysuckle-like, but not honeysuckle-similar -> rough textured weathered rock of gentle water flow -> mountain valley

Queshe Da Hong Pao

First notes: grass at roots of tree -> sap -> white tree

Second notes: white tree sap high in the branches with a blue sky hidden behind the leaves of the tree -> not quite maple tree leaf shaped but the sweeping edge of a maple leaf, serrated-like -> not quite birch tree white, more uniform grayish bark [ side note: cooling mint-like sensation towards back of throat when breathing]

3rd notes: vague underground cave

Fourth notes: water run-off into a cave into a puddle -> cavern stream -> water carved rock -> calcium-rock -> "cave bacon" -> cave breeze -> vegetation threaded rock allowing water to drip through -> ceiling water drop

Fifth notes: ceiling level

6th notes: clear sky, blue mountain, snowy caps -> tall tress -> deep sweeping valleys -> old land -> worked-on land

This session of the tea journey was between the two Osmanthus days (prev post) where I actually changed from mentally timing seconds to just saying screw it and running it through with intuition. I honestly can't say how long each steep was, but it is possible that my counting seconds was longer than the intuitive timing.

I use a 6.8oz capacity porcelain travel gaiwan that has three cups with it (I am looking for something smaller, so any recommendations are appreciated. I have tiny hands and a sensitivity with heat), and I use all 3 cups bc not only does gongfu deconstruct the taste notes but also the visual imagery (quotations), but each cup of an infusion breaks it down further (and i get that extra practice in). Steeping temp was at 212F, and I used the full 5g sample (iTeaworld), and this time I did no reheating of the filtered water (Osmanthus i did, might've explained some things on day 1)

1st steep: mineral

2nd steep: mineral

3rd steep: mineral lingering sweet

4th steep: balanced mineral sweet "mid-altitude wet forest" sweet coating aftertaste

5th steep (changed to intuitive): sweet coating first into mineral "Floral grass rooted in rocky soil"

6th steep: mineral "Granite river stone"

7th steep: sweet mineral "mossy rock along water source"

8th steep (family saw a double rainbow outside and had to check it out): slight mineral "running water over rocks"

9th steep: sweet water "sweet wet stone???"

still pretty new (currently 4 months into loose leaf, 2 months into Wuyi Rock Collection sampler). Is this a standard experience? Any tips for next session? I do plan on getting more Qidan...

Made a discovery when getting into loose leaf tea (didn't happen with bagged tea). Honeybush Sampler from Strand Tea Co.

Red Rooibos: Roots in dry earth

Vanilla Rooibos: The warmth of a campfire on a cold night [strong nostalgic memories of nearly falling asleep at a campfire where it's just chilly enough for a hoodie and the campfire is just warm enough to fend off the chill]

Honeybush: Warm sunlight in a field of wheat

There is a Green Rooibos but I have a sensitivity that makes Green varieties difficult to drink (pretty severe stomach cramping so better safe than sorry)

Hojicha (Japanese roasted tea): wet earth

It was pretty early in the journey with loose leaf tea. If I tried Hojicha again, it's possible that it could be a more vivid imagery. But it's also a possible vasodilator for me so I'm still thinking on restocking.

I didn't have enough Red or Vanilla for an individual brew so I combined them, and I know this should be on the r/tea side of things but for reference why these (and the next posts) are in sections is that each one is an infusion of the leaves [Not recommended with needle teas but I was really curious after my eastern tea imagery]. This is about 3 months later from the previous Rooibos brews.

#1: almond shaped leaf bush of higher ratio bare dry branches over leaf growth, rooted in very dry-drought soil, tan colored cracked ground

#2: spines/thorns on branches surrounded by dried grasses -> fiber-sweet-peeling bark off from a thin stick and still finding moisture underneath

#3: green flesh fiber inside the still growing stem/branch of a bush

As much of an experience this was, I'm not doing it again.