Gaiwan Instructional Video.

Warning I actually narrate this video, so if you ever wondered what I sound like you now get to hear what I sound like through a fairly bad microphone on a point and shoot camera, either way I am taking the cover off of my voice in this video, as I felt it was by far the best way to attempt to explain how I use a Gaiwan when brewing tea.

If I were to go back in time and tell myself how natural it would feel to use a gaiwan when I got my very first gaiwan I would not believe it. Even in this video while concentrating on filming, and honestly looking at what I was doing through a little screen as opposed to real life, the handling of the gaiwan really seemed so second nature to me, I wouldn't be shocked if I really could brew tea in a gaiwan when half asleep.

I hope you enjoy the video, and there are no "crotch shots" In this one, which I do apologize for my last video, I did not realize it was that bad.  The problem is as you can see in this video that table is up against a wall, so I have to do a weird move to check what it is in frame, and last video I did not realize it was pointing as far up as it was.

Aged Puerh Brewing video!

As promised, I decided to show off my new yixing, by brewing up some aged puerh and filming it as well.   This is an incredibly delicious tea, and I hope to write up a review of this tea soon.  But for now enjoy me brewing up some 80s loose leaf sheng puerh.

Revisting Aged Puerh

Do not get your hopes up, I am still more or less hopeless feeling on a lot of Young Sheng Puerh.  I do not think it is horrible, I do actually enjoy it occasionally, but sadly that occasionally is once or twice a month, which at this rate means my young sheng currently on hand will last likely over 5 more years.

Aged sheng is very very nice, and while everyone has a different idea of what qualifies aged sheng, I start to like it when its been stored in somewhat traditional setting for a little over 10 years.  Yet the only puerh I have had older than mid 90's has come in the form of loose puerh, it is still very enjoyable. It doesn't hurt that I caved and got that lovely little yixing pictured above which seems to be working wonderfully with aged sheng, so sadly for my pocket book, it looks like I will need to keep some aged sheng on hand so I can occasionally feed this wonderful teapot.

I am also considering getting back into Tea Reviews, but only make it a once or twice a week post so my blog doesn't get over run with tea reviews. 

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!