r/GongFuTea

I decided to experiment a little today. I used Tie GuanYin to brew tea in two different teapots. Used the same tea, same tea to water ratio of 1:15, same water temperature of 93C, same steeping times. Smell of dry and infused tea was the same in both. The taste of the tea soup from my 80ml silver teapot was below par, with seaweed coming through, with a curious absence of the orchid scent. No sweet aftertatse. In my 120ml clay teapot the flavor profiles were totally different - a little seaweed and a lot of orchid, and with better extracted tannins, there was some sweetnes as an aftertaste. The winner is in the second photo!

The first time I actually enjoyed Dong Ding. Somehow brewing it in a porcelain gaiwan with a boiling water is the only way that works

A wonderful Thai Oolong (Opium Hill by Mariage Frères, yes, overpriced, but nonetheless delicious).

I use one of my favourite teapots - a kyusu style Taiwanese seladon pot and one of my two most favourite teacups - a footed Korean cup by Kang Si-Sook, a Germany based Korean ceramic artist.

I know, it's nor unglazed neither yixing, but i prefer neutral pots which are glazed on the inside for (re-)trying teas. Next time i'll present my blackest Dragon Egg teapot with this tea :)

One characteristic often associated with high-quality Oolong is aromatic clarity—a tea that feels clean, floral, and expressive rather than heavy or muted.

One reason this happens lies in moisture movement during withering. If internal moisture doesn't redistribute and leave the leaf gradually, aroma development can become restricted, resulting in a flatter cup with less sweetness and complexity.

That's why sunlight withering and indoor flipping aren't simply about drying leaves. They help maintain moisture flow while supporting enzyme activity throughout the early stages of processing.

It's a good reminder that in Oolong production, managing moisture is just as important as managing oxidation.

A Golden Pu Erh (Shu) served in a teapot crafted by Petr Novak (Czech Republic) on a Tea Boat By Andrzej Bero (Poland) and drunk from cups by Mathias Stein (Hamburg, Germany)

This set of tea sets is truly a hodgepodge of various craftsmanship styles. The clay material used is jade clay. The glaze used is a transparent glaze. This makes it convenient to observe the color of the tea soup. The surface is coated with natural black lacquer. Then print the intact maple leaves. There is a large amount of gold liquid on the maple leaves, so the texture of the leaves appears to have a faint metallic sheen. The current price of gold is too high, but the finished products are quite good, aren't they?

Happy forth of July for all you Americans out there and me whose birthday it is but I'm dutch so its no big deal here

It is a beautifully quiet morning this morning and I am enjoying Shan Lin Xi Oolong from Eco-Cha. The tea is delicately floral with a buttery mouthfeel. I wanted to take advantage of the sun slowly creeping in.

I’m drinking this lovely Mi Lan Xiang/Honey Orchid dancong in the early morning. The few times throughout the day when the house is quiet and still. Perfect for savoring tea for yourself

Found this on marketplace for $15 and thought why not. It's pretty low quality but I mean you can't beat $15

I got this Chinese aged white cake back in late Y2019. I only just started brewing it this year. The flavor has aged incredibly beautiful 💕

A saying about Chinese white tea culture:
“One year - tea; three years - medicine; seven years - treasure”.☘️
I suppose this explains why aged white tea costs what it does.

A few benefits:

1. It helps cut through grease and supports digestion. Great for people trying to manage their weight.

2. It clears internal heat, especially fitting for this year’s fire-prone climate. And it’s gentle on stomach.

3. I suggest at least 3 years’ aged white tea, which is more gentle on the stomach, unlike fresher teas.
   Incredibly smooth and soft. No bitterness, no astringency. Just pleasant to drink.

Do you drink tea regularly? Have you ever tried aged Chinese white tea?🫶

Dayuling oolong from Nanotu County in Taiwan (grown at 2200m above sea). Dry leaves have a seaweed aroma, that changes to orchid after the first steep. Tea soup is clear and pale yellow with an exciting aroma of orchids, and hints of chestnut. The taste is extraordinary, and shows flowers/orchid, chestnut and sweet potato. The mouthfeel of this tea is full, smooth and thick. Dried persimmons are a special treat from Xi'an!

My boyfriend makes high end swords/knives (mostly) for a living. He mentioned to a Chinese client that I’ve become somewhat obsessed with tea, and now I have these! I don’t know Mandarin and don’t know much about puer (I believe these are all puer). Can anyone tell me a bit more about them? I haven’t opened any yet but I am excited to try them!

Was just looking around online for tea stuff and randomly saw this thing called titanium tea ware

I googled it and here's what I found:

• No weird metal taste cause titanium doesn't react with anything
• Super light — way lighter than it looks
• Doesn't rust or break down, so it'll last forever
• Some folks say it makes tea smoother kinda like silver does but way cheaper

Sounds pretty cool but I have no clue if it's actually good. Anyone here ever used titanium tea stuff? Is it worth it or just a gimmick?

A high-altitude, roasted Taiwanese oolong. Dry leaves have a seaweed aroma with a very light hint of charcoal. Wet leaves keep the seaweed aroma but with flowery notes. Tea soup is clear, yellow-golden color with a fresh subtle floral taste. The latter becomes stronger as an aftertaste, with some added sweetness.