Yixing Red during a snowy March day

Was cruelly tempted with the weather I love so much on Sunday, and today I am quite annoyed that here in West Michigan we are back to cold and snowy.  Well I dragged myself onto campus this morning only to find out that my morning class was cancelled, and seeing as how I had some errands to run in the middle of the day between classes, why not head straight home and brew up some tea this morning.

Well a nice warming hong cha sounded great, as it always does on these snowy days. Seeing as how I have not filmed a hong cha yet, I decided why not, and set up the camera so all my viewers can see how I brew my red teas.  Enjoy!

The Mandarins Tea Room 1st Grade Jin Jun Mai

This tea came as a sample, included with my last order from The Mandarins Tea Room, which is now joining forces with The Tea Gallery. That partnership honestly has me wishing I was still close enough to NYC to visit somewhat easily.

I honestly am not sure if my nose is just broken, or somehow when brewing this tea granny/grandpa style it just seems to have a rather reduced scent. The dry leaves smelled amazing, and the tea while its aroma is not over whelming is a gentle comforting aroma, of chocolate and freshly baked bread. Its taste is equally reassuring and very comforting. I have a hard time describing this tea in any other fashion than comforting.

The Mandarins Tea Room Yixing Red

Well, I almost hate to review this tea as I believe I ordered the last of it available through this vendor. But as I feel this blog should also foster discussion about the tea featured in each post, which is in part why I have been shifting away from detailed tasting notes and offering thoughts about the tea instead.

So for this tea I am trying it two ways, as I have been urged by the proprietor, to try these black teas in a Gong fu type fashion, yet also "grandpa" style in a chawan.

But one thing that has become incredibly apparent, is I honestly did not like black teas. I have had several in the past that I have really liked, but I always got the feeling that a Black tea, is a tea that is rather in your face.

But I have started to taste certain teas that are incredibly mellow but still have the same flavor tones.

Such as brewing this Yixing red in a Gong fu type fashion about 4 grams to 60 ml, and shorter steeps starting about 15 seconds and going from there. Is giving infusions that are subtle, but forceful in its ability to draw attention strictly to it.

Though in a Chawan yields an even more laid back drink, but it almost should as it has a lot smaller leaf to water ratio.

The Mandarins Tea Room 2nd Grade Jin Jun Mai

So people familiar with my blog spanning back a year or more, will know I am a major fan of Wuyi Yancha. Well this tea is from Wuyi, but its not an oolong, it is processed as a red tea, which leads to some of the excitement.

The rest of the excitement comes from the fact that it is offered at the Mandarins tea room, which as its owned by someone I would like to call a friend, who has played a rather helpful role in helping me develop into the world of Chinese Tea.

What makes this tea especially interesting, is the fact that it is one of these new styled red teas, which are made mainly of buds.

Hong cha, or red teas, I often find have two different overarching categories of scents, those that make me go oooo, and those that make me go ewww. This is definitely part of the former, with an intoxicating mix of malt and chocolate. The tea goes on to amaze me even more, the taste is incredibly mild, but the finish is a really nice and rich chocolate malt. But the mouth feel is so incredibly rich and creamy.

So I happened to ask the owner after a successful but rather difficult battle with this tea the first time. That being the fact that this consists of so many tiny little buds, which makes it incredibly hard to brew in a gaiwan, and get the pour speed I am used to.

He told me to brew granny/grandpa style in a chawan, something that worked absolutely wonderfully, though of course start with cooler water about the right temp for green tea and increase temp for future infusions never drinking the last 1/3 of the liquid until you are on your last infusion.