I think I've mentioned this before but I love love love these videos with your sister! She asks great questions and has a nice way of describing her experience with the tea. Thanks Don!
Your approach on how to describe tea reminds me of the phenomenologists of the early 20th century like Husserl or Sartre. They based their philosophy on how things are perceived and experienced and not on the way they objectively and "truly" are. Especially when it comes to enjoyments like drinking good tea i think this is the right way to go, as it is all about the experience. It is a good way to let go of possible prejudice or inhibitions to really focus on the matter. Of course you can use this way of thinking in any field. But maybe drinking tea is a good way to develop these skills as it is a rather versitile and deep sensation for several senses.
+JJ L Absolutely agree. I think that perception and experience in tea is much more valuable than trying to define objective or universal 'truth'. Tea affords training in this free diving approach to analysis.
I love these long-format tastings. It's very enjoyable to watch the whole process, especially with people who are new to gong fu style brewing. Thanks!
To be honest, I think that you should keep the tastings long, because it just feels natural, un edited and like I am sitting there with you drinking tea! I could sit for hours watching and learning about tea from you.
Great video, perfect guide that's good for teahead at any level from beginners to master minds :) I think it's great to mix those steps, repeat them between infusions. The smell of leaves, the taste of tea - they change so much over infusions. I personally enjoy discovering the leaves so much, unwrapping, figuring out where they come from and what they have been through over processing :)
i really enjoy this video cause after all your guides how to brew its time to some serious tea teasting :) iam also working in tea house so i can reproduce some of your thoughts to customers and spread the word :D also i really love that you ask your sister to do tea taste with you cause she have some good questions and she very charmy :) thank you for what you doing for us
Fantastic video! I'm new to Mei Leaf and already fell in love with those well-made videos.. you have a very special approach to tea tasting and you are VERY enthusiastic about tea - which makes the viewers enthusiastic too! It would be great to have a video about tea processing techniques and the way they affect the flavor of the tea.. questions like: which oolong teas are more oxidized and how does it affect their flavor? what about roasting? there is hot-air roasting, charcoal roasting - how does it affect the taste of the tea? Thank you SO MUCH for your videos! - Ofek
And your right the second infusion is so beautiful. I had darjeeling steinthal and the second infusion was much sweeter and easier to analyse the flavour
Hi guys, great video. I would really like to see a video on the best palate cleansers before tasting tea. I often find that the taste of what I have previously eaten lingers in my mouth for some time and really impacts on the tea flavour.
Perfect timing with this video. It's been about seven months since I first found your videos and really began to learn about tea. I decided a couple days ago to start going through all the teas I've been collecting since then and do in depth tastings, and was trying to figure out the best way to go about it. Now I know how. Thanks so much for making this. Do you have an example online of one of your written tastings? It would be interesting, and instructive, to see how you write your notes when doing a tasting. Thanks again.
+Trevor Humble yes I did consider it but realised that with all that we are doing I would not have the opportunity. Perhaps one of these days I will free up enough space but until then we will keep giving as much as we can online.
Jacob Galea probably true, but their is nothing quite like learning from a book organized by a single expert. I feel the learning is deeper and more coherent. you just have a lot to share, if you ever do decide to, I'll definitely get a copy. but I really appreciate your videos and I watch them religiously.
I actually have an extra step of reducing the tea temperature as well. for example, I was brewing some puh er at boiling water, while the taste was great, the temperature masked a lot of the tea flavour. I let it cool off a bit and the flavour calm down and developed a very interesting taste. So now I do slight cooling, complete chill (to see what happens when tea is cold) and diluting with water.
Perhaps you've already addressed this in a past video. I was wondering if you could perhaps make a video with suggestions on how to throw a proper tea party with tea tastings and suggestions for snacks to accompany the different teas. Would be a great way to introduce family/friends to tea and I'm tired of the cliche of serving alcohol at every gathering. Would be different. I'm not just talking about a list of good teas to try but perhaps necessary equipment (pots, cups, etc) and timing of everything so that it goes smoothly and efficiently rather than fumbling around brewing one tea while the other teas are getting cold. Cheers!
Could you do a comparison of whether pour-filtering the tea affects its mouthfeel or taste (aside from getting possible bits of leaf in the drink)? I think there might be a difference at least in pu'er teas, perhaps something to do with the fine filter filtering out essential oils and/or fine particles that have a noticeable role in the tea's character.
Hi don been watching your videos for awhile now and have had a few taster packets from meileaf (Chinalife at the time) i was wondering who gives the names to the teas, do they come from the grower or do they get the names from the sellers (yourself) as i was wondering if for example a white tea called silver needle from yourself would that be the same as a tea called silver needle from another tea seller.
+Kurt Coward no it is not the same tea but the same type of tea (if that makes sense). So all Silver Needle is a white tea made from the buds of the plant but the area/field/season/variety/year will all be different making different quality brews.
So is it the seller that makes the names for the teas and if 2 sellers have the same name that doesn't necessarily mean they are the same tea or type. It is just the name given by the person selling the tea. I think silver needle was a bad example by me :) Is this correct.
when are you gonna have a video of cast iron teapot? N can you tell me a title of a good tea book to learn or any books you had read?? Thanks you for all this info!!
Cast iron teaware is traditionally for heating water not for brewing tea but we probably will be making a video. A book which you may want to consider is Tea: A Users Guide. I have not read it completely but it has some good information.
Great video, I learned lots and decided to try it with a Jasmine pearl tea. I've been using your chart and method and my end result was like I fell into grandmas perfume bottle. There were no tea notes at all only floral. I infused for15 seconds. Your infusion chart only lists green, unlike the two listings for oolong. I'm wondering if you need to steep "pearl" type teas longer? Fifteen seconds has been great so far for regular leaf but my jasmine tasking was disappointing.
Loved your video. A big thumbs up by me. Please make a video or give me tips how to know the quality of C.T.C tea...I am a newbie wanted to know how to know quality of c.t.c tea,how to taste,know which color is the best bla bla. So please help me.
So in summary - 1. Seeing and Feeling the texture of tea leaves (dry) 2. Smell the tea leaves in a warm state (without pouring water over it) 3. Do the first rinse and then smell the wet tea leaves 4. Observe the color of the first brew (right after rinsing) 5. Taste the texture of the tea by taking a sip 6. Breathe through your nose whilst having tea in your mouth to get a deep flavor (requires some practice) 7. Smell the empty cup once you finish the tea (usually done after tasting a few infusions) - to get a smell of the minerality present in the tea 8. Astringency - the aftertaste - after having a few infusions. what does it feel in the back of the mouth 9. Seeing the wet leaves now - after many infusions. the leaves would have expanded - if the tea leaves are still curled up or twisted - it has the capacity for further infusions. Appreciate the quality of the leaves 10. Sensation - sit with the tea - enjoy the tea - what do u feel? are you relaxed/energized, etc.
Don, is the smell of the empty cup the same smell when I cook the tea leaves? After having the last - probably 10th - infusion I often cook the tea and then almost every tea has this biscuit, honey, vanilla smell and taste (basically very similar to Duck Shit). Is this the same with the smell of an empty cup you are talking about? Is this the minerality?
Hii sir I am 12 th passed student from PCB subject Now' I want to become a tea taster so my question ❓ is can I become a tea taster without graduation 🎓
When we taste the tea we naturally smell the liquor while breathing out through the nose which is much more concentrated in smell compared with sniffing the liquor.
Thanks for the answer, I didn't think about this :D Next time when I drink I will try to compare what I sense while sniffing and breathing out through nose
I'm back to this video after three years of drinking tea to start tasting in more serious way, like learn how to describe it better and now I see the differience in experience. I wouldn't write right now that question XD
I would love to watch a shorter video of how to taste tea , all your videos are around 30 minutes, although we want to learn from you and enjoy watching your videos but unfortunately we have no time to watch your videos. Please try to make it shorter
Speaking as a complete tea novice, it's particularly useful to see you demonstrate to a non expert like your sis. Many thanks.
I think I've mentioned this before but I love love love these videos with your sister! She asks great questions and has a nice way of describing her experience with the tea. Thanks Don!
Your approach on how to describe tea reminds me of the phenomenologists of the early 20th century like Husserl or Sartre. They based their philosophy on how things are perceived and experienced and not on the way they objectively and "truly" are. Especially when it comes to enjoyments like drinking good tea i think this is the right way to go, as it is all about the experience. It is a good way to let go of possible prejudice or inhibitions to really focus on the matter. Of course you can use this way of thinking in any field. But maybe drinking tea is a good way to develop these skills as it is a rather versitile and deep sensation for several senses.
+JJ L Absolutely agree. I think that perception and experience in tea is much more valuable than trying to define objective or universal 'truth'. Tea affords training in this free diving approach to analysis.
I love these long-format tastings. It's very enjoyable to watch the whole process, especially with people who are new to gong fu style brewing. Thanks!
To be honest, I think that you should keep the tastings long, because it just feels natural, un edited and like I am sitting there with you drinking tea! I could sit for hours watching and learning about tea from you.
Totally agree :)
Absolutely
Thank you very much for sharing tea wisdom
Great video, perfect guide that's good for teahead at any level from beginners to master minds :) I think it's great to mix those steps, repeat them between infusions. The smell of leaves, the taste of tea - they change so much over infusions. I personally enjoy discovering the leaves so much, unwrapping, figuring out where they come from and what they have been through over processing :)
Great video. Great tips and answers to some basic questions. Thank you.
your passion is contagious
Fantastic Video!! Im planning on making a visit to the Mei Leaf store in the next month, cannot wait!
Welcome Mark!
amazing video! very natural, with tons of information, the idea of bringing in your sister....love it! thank you
Hey!!!!! I'm so excited about this video that I will finish all my chores first to enjoy watching it later with a cup of Alishan Cream. =D
Thanks it’s a really good protocol and I really enjoyed your tea time 🤩
I love how she always puts you on the ropes in these videos lol
+Ian Buchanan that's what sisters are for!
i really enjoy this video cause after all your guides how to brew its time to some serious tea teasting :) iam also working in tea house so i can reproduce some of your thoughts to customers and spread the word :D also i really love that you ask your sister to do tea taste with you cause she have some good questions and she very charmy :) thank you for what you doing for us
Another great, informative video, Don. Brilliant!
Fantastic video! I'm new to Mei Leaf and already fell in love with those well-made videos.. you have a very special approach to tea tasting and you are VERY enthusiastic about tea - which makes the viewers enthusiastic too!
It would be great to have a video about tea processing techniques and the way they affect the flavor of the tea.. questions like: which oolong teas are more oxidized and how does it affect their flavor? what about roasting? there is hot-air roasting, charcoal roasting - how does it affect the taste of the tea?
Thank you SO MUCH for your videos!
- Ofek
And your right the second infusion is so beautiful. I had darjeeling steinthal and the second infusion was much sweeter and easier to analyse the flavour
Such a great video! Thank you 😀
I love watching your videos! Your obvious passion for tea holds interest and I also get to learn so much about this amazing beverage! Thank you!
Yes! Thank you for doing this!
Hi guys, great video. I would really like to see a video on the best palate cleansers before tasting tea. I often find that the taste of what I have previously eaten lingers in my mouth for some time and really impacts on the tea flavour.
I definitely had more success doing taste before texture but all personal ways everything else in terms of the order of the steps you did was perfect
Perfect timing with this video. It's been about seven months since I first found your videos and really began to learn about tea. I decided a couple days ago to start going through all the teas I've been collecting since then and do in depth tastings, and was trying to figure out the best way to go about it. Now I know how. Thanks so much for making this. Do you have an example online of one of your written tastings? It would be interesting, and instructive, to see how you write your notes when doing a tasting. Thanks again.
+Joe Hoffmann every tea at meileaf.com has my 10 step tasting written on the product detail pages.
Thanks sir. Those are a start. :)
Oh my God, this is so inspiring!!
Great video. Thanks so much for doing and sharing it.
Hi, I just dropped by your video and found it very helpful. I will follow your advice when I will be having tea next time ☺️
have you ever considered writing a book?
+Trevor Humble yes I did consider it but realised that with all that we are doing I would not have the opportunity. Perhaps one of these days I will free up enough space but until then we will keep giving as much as we can online.
Jacob Galea probably true, but their is nothing quite like learning from a book organized by a single expert. I feel the learning is deeper and more coherent.
you just have a lot to share, if you ever do decide to, I'll definitely get a copy. but I really appreciate your videos and I watch them religiously.
Woah lots of ideas!
100% would buy multiple copies of the book to gift to my teahead friends.
I would totally buy your book. Excellent idea!
I actually have an extra step of reducing the tea temperature as well. for example, I was brewing some puh er at boiling water, while the taste was great, the temperature masked a lot of the tea flavour. I let it cool off a bit and the flavour calm down and developed a very interesting taste. So now I do slight cooling, complete chill (to see what happens when tea is cold) and diluting with water.
Excellent!
rose color pop up because your rose light background ! :)
✯✯✯✯✯ Great lesson. A must watch for all who hope to appreciate tea. Well done!
Perfect
I followed almost the same steps! Never realise it made up to 10 haha
Do you ever drink yerba mate?
Thank you!
Hey Don, great video! I really want that cute small teapot at 7:46. Do you sell it? or if not, where could I get one? Thanks!
Learned so much, very appreciative. Cheryl
You could write a concept album about a single tea brewing session.
Perhaps you've already addressed this in a past video. I was wondering if you could perhaps make a video with suggestions on how to throw a proper tea party with tea tastings and suggestions for snacks to accompany the different teas. Would be a great way to introduce family/friends to tea and I'm tired of the cliche of serving alcohol at every gathering. Would be different.
I'm not just talking about a list of good teas to try but perhaps necessary equipment (pots, cups, etc) and timing of everything so that it goes smoothly and efficiently rather than fumbling around brewing one tea while the other teas are getting cold. Cheers!
Could you do a comparison of whether pour-filtering the tea affects its mouthfeel or taste (aside from getting possible bits of leaf in the drink)? I think there might be a difference at least in pu'er teas, perhaps something to do with the fine filter filtering out essential oils and/or fine particles that have a noticeable role in the tea's character.
Thanks, this is added to our list of videos.
Hi don been watching your videos for awhile now and have had a few taster packets from meileaf (Chinalife at the time) i was wondering who gives the names to the teas, do they come from the grower or do they get the names from the sellers (yourself) as i was wondering if for example a white tea called silver needle from yourself would that be the same as a tea called silver needle from another tea seller.
+Kurt Coward no it is not the same tea but the same type of tea (if that makes sense). So all Silver Needle is a white tea made from the buds of the plant but the area/field/season/variety/year will all be different making different quality brews.
So is it the seller that makes the names for the teas and if 2 sellers have the same name that doesn't necessarily mean they are the same tea or type. It is just the name given by the person selling the tea. I think silver needle was a bad example by me :) Is this correct.
Could you make a tasting video on Darjeeling tea?
@meileaf may I ask what your equipment is that allows you to spill the tea or water when your done with it thanks
Search for the Gong Fu Code or Gong Fu Satellite. They are called water trays and there are a variety out there.
@@MeiLeaf Thanks very much. Love your tea videos.
when are you gonna have a video of cast iron teapot? N can you tell me a title of a good tea book to learn or any books you had read?? Thanks you for all this info!!
Cast iron teaware is traditionally for heating water not for brewing tea but we probably will be making a video. A book which you may want to consider is Tea: A Users Guide. I have not read it completely but it has some good information.
Great video, I learned lots and decided to try it with a Jasmine pearl tea. I've been using your chart and method and my end result was like I fell into grandmas perfume bottle. There were no tea notes at all only floral. I infused for15 seconds. Your infusion chart only lists green, unlike the two listings for oolong.
I'm wondering if you need to steep "pearl" type teas longer? Fifteen seconds has been great so far for regular leaf but my jasmine tasking was disappointing.
Yes, with scented tea you often have to brew longer to balance the floral to tea EQ.
@@MeiLeaf Thanks, I'll be reusing the leaves tonight and give it another go!
Loved your video. A big thumbs up by me. Please make a video or give me tips how to know the quality of C.T.C tea...I am a newbie wanted to know how to know quality of c.t.c tea,how to taste,know which color is the best bla bla. So please help me.
It will be great pleasure for us if u make a video about CTC 10 step for testing. I will be highly obliged to you
I’d love to see a tea testing notebook or something
So in summary -
1. Seeing and Feeling the texture of tea leaves (dry)
2. Smell the tea leaves in a warm state (without pouring water over it)
3. Do the first rinse and then smell the wet tea leaves
4. Observe the color of the first brew (right after rinsing)
5. Taste the texture of the tea by taking a sip
6. Breathe through your nose whilst having tea in your mouth to get a deep flavor (requires some practice)
7. Smell the empty cup once you finish the tea (usually done after tasting a few infusions) - to get a smell of the minerality present in the tea
8. Astringency - the aftertaste - after having a few infusions. what does it feel in the back of the mouth
9. Seeing the wet leaves now - after many infusions. the leaves would have expanded - if the tea leaves are still curled up or twisted - it has the capacity for further infusions. Appreciate the quality of the leaves
10. Sensation - sit with the tea - enjoy the tea - what do u feel? are you relaxed/energized, etc.
Don, is the smell of the empty cup the same smell when I cook the tea leaves? After having the last - probably 10th - infusion I often cook the tea and then almost every tea has this biscuit, honey, vanilla smell and taste (basically very similar to Duck Shit). Is this the same with the smell of an empty cup you are talking about? Is this the minerality?
Sir , I m from india , sir may u please make a video about CTC tea, because all in india 85% people consume CTC tea
Hii sir I am 12 th passed student from PCB subject Now' I want to become a tea taster so my question ❓ is can I become a tea taster without graduation 🎓
Why you brew tea for such a short time?
Why don't smell liquor? I always do this
When we taste the tea we naturally smell the liquor while breathing out through the nose which is much more concentrated in smell compared with sniffing the liquor.
Thanks for the answer, I didn't think about this :D
Next time when I drink I will try to compare what I sense while sniffing and breathing out through nose
I'm back to this video after three years of drinking tea to start tasting in more serious way, like learn how to describe it better and now I see the differience in experience. I wouldn't write right now that question XD
la soeur comme le frère ; arrètez de tripoter les feuilles avec vos doigts ;utilisez une pince
I hardly take 10 second to taste a tea, also can describe in code numbers in 5 second. 50 cups in 10 minutes. Search ' Top tea Blenders'
I would love to watch a shorter video of how to taste tea , all your videos are around 30 minutes, although we want to learn from you and enjoy watching your videos but unfortunately we have no time to watch your videos. Please try to make it shorter