The Tea Practitioner
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The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 15
Ugh, I was not excited to see this one this morning. I find butterfly pea flower to be such a trendy ingredient, based only on the color it imparts and nothing else. I’m just tired of seeing it, to be honest. So, like the hibiscus, I put most of it in a bottle of lemonade to cold steep, and saved enough for one single hot cup, which I’m having now.
The color is an alarmingly intense blue, I feel like it’s going to stain my teeth lol. And yet in contrast to the intense color, the flavor is very light. Just a touch musty, with a bit of an earthy, slightly grassy flavor to it. It’s not unpleasant, it reminds me somewhat of a generic white tea. But nothing I would feel the need to revisit.
At least I have pretty lavender-colored lemonade to enjoy tomorrow, he he. :P
Flavors: Dry Grass, Earthy, Grass, Hay, Herbaceous, Musty, Smooth
Preparation
Adventaggedon Day Fifteen – 3/6
Probably my least favourite thing from this advent so far. I find butterfly pea flowers a bit gimmicky, and they don’t taste great on their own – so to me the best usage of this tea was to use it as a component in another drink instead of drinking it on its own.
What I ended up doing was making a concentrate and layering it over a matcha latte of an unreleased matcha flavour from DT, so oops – can’t really elaborate on that one. It looked very cool though; had this sort of “earth latte” feeling with the green on the bottom and the blue on top. It tasted… well, like matcha latte.
But that’s better than it tasting like butterfly pea flowers instead.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmNGE2juu53/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kx7kU_yxF4
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 14
I steeped this Western-style, because given the name and that Sierra was talking about it being floral quite a lot on her Instagram stories this morning, I wasn’t exactly expecting to love it. And I also didn’t feel great so I wasn’t in the mood for a multi-steep process.
But it’s actually quite nice! There are definitely floral notes, but the roastiness helps to counter them somewhat. It has some lovely toasty grain notes that remind me slightly of a Fujian black tea. And then there’s a nice crystal-clear, subtly mineral sweetness that makes me think of fresh spring water, and then the nectarous floral notes come through at the end. There’s a nuttiness as well, Kelly mentioned peanuts and I have to agree.
Overall, very tasty. Looking forward to giving it another try after advents are done. :)
Flavors: Floral, Mineral, Nectar, Nuts, Peanut, Roasted, Roasted Nuts, Smooth, Spring Water, Sweet, Toasted
Preparation
Gongfu!
This was a lazy Sunday session with the refill pouch of this I snagged back at TO Tea Festival!! It’s got such a lovely deep, bold roast and is packed with minerality and woodiness; something I love so dearly about Wuyi oolongs. Alongside all of those charcoal and nutty flavours is a slowly crescendoing note of rose that builds from soft undertones in early steeps to a much more starring role in the mid session, before taking its last bow as the session peters off and the leaves get closer to being spent. This was another from Sierra’s advent calendar that I really enjoyed and was hoping to stock up on again, so I’m glad I could make that happen!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CoksdZ9umr5/
Song pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTcUvCYumIc
Adventaggedon Day Fourteen – 6/6
Gongfu!
This was deeply delicious. My first steep or two had the mineral character I’d expect with a pleasantly toasty nuttiness but also hints of cocoa. The combination of those flavours gave this an interesting overall profile of, like, a more “raw and unrefined” Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup but with roasted peanuts and less sugar/sweetness. The cocoa went away quickly, but the roasted peanut note only got stronger and was met with equally roasty hazelnuts. Weaved throughout this was the softest floral rose note. It’s always kind of strange to taste florals with such rocky, robust notes of char and unctuous nuts but it’s so tasty and it creates such full of life dimension within the steeps.
This is probably one of my favourite teas from the Tea Practitioner advent so far, and there’ve been a lot of strong ones.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmKhQbAOFKi/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=226eMdaLnoc
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 13
Steeped this one Western-style, as I was feeling lazy.
It’s quite lovely though. Super smooth and malty with sweet honey and grain notes on a foundation of mellow wood. There’s a touch of aromatic fruitiness as well, and a soft floral note. The fruit is almost a bit winey, like some Qimens. But I would say it tastes closest to a second flush Darjeeling.
Very nice smooth and sweet black tea that would be lovely as a gentle morning cuppa.
Flavors: Floral, Fruity, Grain, Grape Skin, Hay, Honey, Malty, Musty, Red Wine, Smooth, Sweet, Woody
Preparation
Adventaggedon Day Thirteen – 4/5
Japanese Black teas are always really interesting, but rarely very good. I made this one as a mug to drink when I got in the the office today and I found it really nice but not exceptional. It was, however, very smooth with a medium bodied and approachable flavour. Slightly earthy in a clean way with more umami wood and walnut notes and just a hint of plum. Almost most plum skin versus the succulent flesh of the fruit.
I shared a tiny bit with the coworker who sits next to me and she enjoyed it, though she didn’t really taste anything other than “typical black tea flavour”. It was interesting to try though, and I’m appreciating some of these more unique straight tea inclusions within this advent!
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmH8V5nOYdw/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkleRJywOvA
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 12
Lazily steeped in my small glass kyusu thing.
This was a really lovely white tea. Super light and creamy, with oodles of grainy raw oat notes and sun-warmed hay. In some steeps there was a slightly musty autumn leaf note as well, and at one point I tasted a bit of something like marzipan.
Overall just really airy, soft, sweet, and supremely lovely. Happily I have enough left for another time. :)
Flavors: Almond, Autumn Leaf Pile, Creamy, Grain, Hay, Marzipan, Musty, Oats, Smooth, Sweet, Vanilla
Preparation
Adventaggedon Day Twelve – 4/5
Gongfu!
Truthfully, I was a little nervous about this sample. I love a nice white tea session, especially to begin my day in a softer sort of way. However, Shoumei can often be a pretty coarse grade of white tea – so I was worried this blend would have jagged notes and possibly unpleasant bitterness/astringency.
I was happy to be met, instead, with a mild sweetness with each sip and a smooth and silky mouthfeel that was filled with lush notes of cucumber pulp and fragrant Spring flowers. Maybe a little bit of basil/tusli. Kind of crisp yet soft at the edges, with a sing-song-y bounce to the flavour notes from top note to lingering finish. It’s one of my favourite teas that has been included in the Tea Practitioner advent so far; and I’m so happy to have been wrong in my assumptions.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmFXjHXOWrV/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7VVOl7tv9g
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 11
Hmm, I think I may have underleafed…?
It has a nice brownish golden color, but I’m not getting a whole lot from this taste-wise. A little bit of grass and green bean, a hint of dried apricot, and a tiny bit of astringency at the tail end of the sip. It’s also somewhat earthy with musty hay notes.
But overall it’s quite bland. Luckily, I still have some left to give it a try another day. :P
Flavors: Apricot, Astringent, Dried Fruit, Dry Grass, Earthy, Green Beans, Hay, Musty
Preparation
Adventaggedon Day Eleven – 2/5
This is my third day getting another straight green tea. I just didn’t have it in my heart today to make it as anything more than just a teacup with some leaves sprinkled straight into the cup. It’s not that it’s a bad tea, and I’m certain that I’ll want to revisit it sometime in the future since Indian green teas are something I’m a little less exposed to. However, today was not the day for that.
It wasn’t unpleasant; very bean-y in flavour with just a bit of an earthiness to it. Kind of had some sweet petrichor/rain water notes which I would normally be all over. I think when I retaste this I’ll enjoy it; but I wasn’t in the headspace for it today.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmCyvUVuvAB/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9OHYJWDeNc
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 10
I had a lovely little gongfucha session with this one today, using my (very neglected) hongcha-dedicated yixing teapot.
I did several steeps starting at about 10s and ending at maybe 30s. I could’ve gone longer, but I was full of tea ha ha. The flavor didn’t change much over the course of the session, but I still enjoyed going through the process and feeding my clay teapot some yummy tea. This tea had a lovely smooth and malty flavor with notes of raw grains and caraway seeds. There was a rich fruitiness to it that reminded me of cooked plums and had a lovely subtle tartness. And then there were some soft floral notes, couldn’t tell you what kind of flower but it reminded me of the the duck shit oolong I had the other day. Anyway, it wasn’t a strong enough floral note to put me off, thankfully, but added a nice aromatic top note to the flavor.
Anyway, yummy tea, and an enjoyable afternoon gongfu session. :)
Flavors: Bread, Caraway, Floral, Fruity, Grain, Malty, Nectar, Plum, Smooth, Stewed Fruits, Stonefruit, Tart
Preparation
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 9
So I cold steeped most of this sample in lemonade, because hibiscus lemonade is yummy!
But I kept about a teaspoon to make as a hot cuppa. It’s tasty, tart but not too tart, and with a fruity edge to it. There’s a mustiness that appears at the end of the sip for some reason, but otherwise it tastes a bit like cranberry which is nice!
As for the lemonade, it’s scrumptious. I let it steep all day and it has a beautiful jewel-like red color. In this combination, the fruitiness of the hibiscus reminds me more of raspberry than cranberry, and it adds a lovely sweetness and depth to the lemonade. Nom.
Flavors: Cranberry, Fruity, Musty, Red Fruits, Sweet, Tart
Preparation
I hadn’t thought of cold steeping my hibiscus petals in lemonade. Must try soon!
A very thoughtful friend bought me like three ounces of hibiscus that I’ve been procrastinating drinking…I’ll have to try this too!
*this method
Definitely give it a try if you like lemonade! :)
We love lemonade and I make a lot when Ashman is off work especially and lately have been drinking salted orange blossom lemonade. I am in love with it.
this is an amazing idea, I can’t wait to try it out!
Adventaggedon Day Nine – 3/5
When I saw this tea today I wasn’t really sure at first what I wanted to do with it since I wasn’t in the mood for straight, hot hibiscus. However, I did have some sparkling lemonade in the fridge so I ended up using the sample to make a hibiscus concentrate to mix with the lemonade once it had cooled.
It was super refreshing with really vibrant, bright top note of almost berry-like tart hibiscus with more of the sweeter citrus notes to finish off the sip. I drank the full mug of it very, very quickly. Also, somehow my drink ended up being the most aggressively coloured almost highlighter/neon red. It looks very unnatural in photo but I swear that my IG photo for the day isn’t actually edited!
EDIT: Also, it was interesting to me that this was a different cut size of hibiscus than what I already owned from The Tea Practiioner. My current bag is more whole flowers, which are super striking visually. These were closer to the more conventional cut used in tea blending.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl9pKW2Oh2i/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqY36j8qHU0
Adventaggedon Day Eight – 2/5
I saw this tea today and I got really excited… for Cameron.
For me, this is the one type of tea that I’ve been absolutely dreading eventually getting in any of these advents – and today, in particular, was a bad day for it to happen because I’m just exhausted. I made myself a very small cup of it because I’m committed to seeing my advents through every day, but even I didn’t have it in me today to make a full mug or to brew a gongfu session. It was all seaweed and ocean water – just so, so not my thing. No fault to the tea though; it seems like an altogether solid Gyokuro if you like that kind of thing!
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl7EWxIOUU2/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Lw_omlhHs
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 8
Double Japanese green teas today he he. I used the whole sample, which turned out to be 5 grams, and steeped at 140°F for 2 minutes.
Yum, it has such intensity of flavor. It’s like I’m sipping a thick and silky kabocha and spinach soup. Super squashy, which I love, it gives such a nice richness and satisfying savory flavor. Oodles of umami as well, but then on the top end there’s some fresh grassiness and a touch of warm hay, and even a tiny bit of astringency. A touch more bitterness than I would expect from a gyokuro, but there were quite a few small pieces in the pouch, so perhaps that had an effect. The aftertaste is actually reminding me of Brussels sprouts.
I combined the second and third steeps into one cup, and they taste extremely different from the first, almost clear and light with a soft marine flavor and a toastiness reminiscent of nori. There’s still a bit of grass, but not much on the vegetable front.
Overall, a lovely tea, especially since I was feeling quite tired so this was just the thing to pep me up a bit! :P
Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Broth, Brussels Sprouts, Creamy, Freshly Cut Grass, Grass, Hay, Kabocha, Marine, Nori, Seaweed, Spinach, Squash, Thick, Umami, Vegetables, Vegetal, Wheatgrass
Preparation
Adventaggedon Day Seven – 2/5
Gongfu!
This was one very sloppy and unmeasured session since I literally brewed it during a meeting right at the end of the work day – but the tea was very tolerating of the chaos that I threw its way while brewing. First steeps were best with more of a mineral and woody profile to compliment sweeter mid-tones of plum. Just a little grassy, and perfect astringency and body to the brew. I’m not usually a huge fan of Duck Shit Oolong, but this was pretty solid to me.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl4gObROvMk/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdKlAzDOeuE
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 7
Lazily steeped in my lidless glass kyusu thing. A couple of people asked me about it on Instagram, but it looks like Rishi doesn’t carry it anymore? Sad panda. Adagio has a somewhat similar one, but it doesn’t have a handle. Well hopefully I don’t break mine lol, I would miss it…
Anyway! Dancong is not my favorite, but here we are. I did several steeps with water starting at 190°F. I didn’t reheat the kettle so who knows what temperature the later steeps were, lol… There was one steep I forgot about, but I guess the water was cool enough by then because it wasn’t super bitter. Accidental grandpa style? :P
I didn’t find the flavor changed much, it actually reminded me of a high mountain Taiwanese oolong with its light leafy flavor and abundant, nectarous floral notes. I didn’t get a whole lot else other than flowers and a bit of grassy, leafy quality along with a nice silky texture. A little stonefruitiness perhaps, but only a hint. Slight woody notes.
Mostly it tasted like a pile of flowers and I was not a big fan. XD
Flavors: Floral, Flowers, Grass, Nectar, Stonefruit, Sweet, Thick, Wood
Preparation
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 6
When I first saw the name of today’s tea (it just says “Pasha Mountain – Pu’erh Tea” on the package, I was a bit uneasy about it. I’m not a big fan of shou puerh, I don’t hate it but it’s not my jam. But when I went to add the tea to Steepster I was relieved to find out this is a sheng, which I am much happier to drink.
I went with grandpa style, for no good reason other than it felt right ha ha. It actually seemed to suit this tea quite well. I did run into a little bitterness at one point, but that was only because it steeped for a while without me drinking it while I went to the grocery store.
It reminds me of a cross between a robust Chinese green tea and an aged white tea. Earthy with nice wet wood notes, an aromatic wood like cedar or jatoba. Almost sandalwoody in nature but not quite there. Then there’s sweet but musty hay and wet autumn leaves, and also a really nice apricot fruitiness alongside a light astringency that makes me think of the apricot’s fuzzy skin. Maybe a bit of golden plum as well?
When my cupboard is a bit less overwhelming, I’ll have to make an effort to try some more sheng puerh and expand my horizons a bit. I do enjoy it, it’s just not a category I’ve had much experience with.
Flavors: Apricot, Astringent, Autumn Leaf Pile, Barnyard, Cedar, Dry Leaves, Earthy, Hay, Loam, Musty, Plum, Smooth, Stonefruit, Sweet, Wet wood, Wood
Preparation
Adventaggedon Day Six – 4/5
Gongfu!
Can’t convey enough how excited I was to see a straight sheng in the advent today. I’ve been craving a sheng, and one of the hardest parts of advents is having a craving for a specific thing and not knowing when the next chance to make a cup of it is going to be…
This was my first tea of the day, and it was really pleasant in the moment. Light to medium astringency that I felt enhanced the woodier elements of the tea with some hints of camphor in the finish and a bit of a lingering sweetness. Mid session steeps had a bit more of a “red fruit meets apricot” kind of plump fruitiness in the middle of the sip after the initial notes of bark and resin.
I did have this session on an empty stomach though, and if I’m being honest I felt a little queasy on my metro commute to the office immediately afterwards. Probably didn’t help I had a practically sleepless night beforehand. So straight pu’erh on an empty stomach after an hour of sleep. Do not recommend.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl16y9KOY7N/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N0RENXc6vg
Adventaggedon Day Five – 5/5
Gongfu!
I got a new gaiwan and cup set in the mail today from Purple Cloud Tea House and it was perfect timing because it let me brew this gongfu at my desk over the coarse of the afternoon as I worked. I really wish I had thought to write down some tasting notes as I sipped, but I didn’t so I’m gonna have to rely on my memory… Not ideal today.
It was just very, very good though! Thick and syrupy liquor and more sweet and punchy than I’d expected it to be based on the dry leaf aroma. Kind of a mix between slightly umami notes of sweet potato, leather, rye bread, and oak and darker fruity notes of brandied plums, cherry, pomegranate molasses, and red wine. Really quite complex.
I got like seven steeps total and maybe could have gotten a couple more, but it was after 5PM and I really wanted to head home and decompress for the day. I’m just not quite used to having to balance work and this level of daily documenting of my tea – it took a lot out of me today.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/ClzWCzSvEvU/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8g8uUGhSKY
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 5
Steeped this one up Western-style like the heathen I am.
This tastes primarily savory to me, but then there’s a neat lingering clear sweetness in the background and at the end of the sip. Otherwise it has a lot of the notes I expect from a Fujian hongcha, heavy on the malty, wheaty bread and caraway with some lovely deep cocoa notes. Also getting some potato, and it’s making me want French fries… There’s a subtle floral character, happily it’s not as strong as it would be in the oolong. I’m not sure about fruitiness, I know it mentions cherry in the description. I don’t think I get much of that, perhaps a hint, but that could also be wishful thinking on my part. I do get a tiny bit of fruit, but I would describe it more as dried apricot.
Regardless, a yummy Chinese black tea!
Flavors: Apricot, Bread, Cacao, Caraway, Cocoa, Dried Fruit, Floral, Grain, Hay, Malt, Musty, Potato, Savory, Smooth, Spring Water, Sweet, Thick, Woody
Preparation
The Tea Practitioner Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 4
Casually steeped in my sidehandled glass steepy thing with a built-in strainer from Rishi Tea.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one over several steeps. The flavor didn’t change much to my palate, but it was lovely and toasty with oodles of grain flavor. It reminded me a bit of sobacha, though honestly it’s been a while since I’ve had any. Very nutty as well, peanut maybe? I got a hint of green bean here, a touch of dry grass there. Overall just nice and light yet comforting with its toasty grain and nut flavors.
Also, the leaves are super cute. Two lil’ leaves and a bud all snuggled up together into a little clump, that fanned out a bit as it unfurled. Adorable.
Flavors: Dry Grass, Grain, Grass, Green Beans, Nuts, Peanut, Roasted Nuts, Smooth, Soybean, Sweet, Toasted, Toasty, Wheat
Preparation
Adventaggedon Day Four – Tea 5/5
Gongfu!
This was my favourite tea of the day. I was totally surprised to see a yellow tea included in this advent, though I’m not entirely sure why. The dry leaf smelled great though – like golden hazelnuts and warm bread. They were also just beautiful looking!
I ended up stacking my infusions two at a time for a total of eight steeps, though the last ones were a bit of stretch. It was in the same vein of flavour as some of my absolute favourite yellow teas of the past; softly sweet and nutty with flavour notes of peanuts and hazelnuts and maybe even just a bit of sesame. There’s a subtle grassiness sometimes, but it’s fresh and clean and it reminds me more of dandelions and beautiful blue skies and gentle breezes during prairie summers.
Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/ClwxRN7O-LO/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFvp36TfYM
I bought some straight butterfly pea flower, steeped a cup, and it tasted like I had drained a can of peas and heated the juice. I mean, that isn’t horrifying but when you are expecting it to taste like flower and you get peas….
I must be the only person that likes straight butterfly pea flower… well, ish. I like it with a teaspoon of lemon juice and honey added. It doesn’t really taste like vegetable water then.
Masters Alita: I didn’t hate it, it just totally didn’t taste the way I expected! Maybe I should try it with additions. I haven’t had it since the first time I tried it.
I’m a little over the pea flower blue in tea wave too. Most of the time they don’t overpower the taste of peas enough to make a cup that isn’t distracting.
I don’t mind the taste, but personally I don’t like it enough to drink it on its own.