Steeping Out

For Christmas, I received a dandy gift card to local tea heaven, Gong Fu Tea. What better way to start this weblog than to review the tea I received. Out of the Gate we have La Piña Colada.

Gong Fu Tea says,

"A White Tea tribute to everyone’s favorite Caribbean umbrella drink! A subtle Bai Mu Dan white tea from China’s Fujian province, artfully blended with bits of dried pineapple and shredded coconut to put you in mind of your most relaxing beachside vacations."

Bai Mu Dan?

Source: Gong Fu TeaBai Mu Dan tea is a type of white tea chiefly from the Fujian province in China. People refer to it as a lower grade tea, but it actually belongs to its own category, with its own rankings. The processing of this tea can only be done between March 15 and April 10, and only when the weather is just right.

La Piña Colada looks like a pale green leaf tea with white flecks and slivers. The tea is not withered like black tea, but it is broad and full and reminds me of dried grass. When dry, the tea smells of buttered popcorn — weird, but true.

Steeping

Because of the fluffiness of this loose-leaf tea, I was told to use a heaping tablespoon for measuring — and I did. Where I live the tap water is actually pretty good, so I used tap water heated on the stove until boiling. I did add some cold water to my tea pot. I was informed that the final water temperature should be around 90.5° C (195° F) when the tea steeps for two minutes.

Thoughts

The liquor produced from the leaves is apricot in color and has a delicate sweet but not too sweet pineapple flavor. After enjoying this tea both hot, cold, and temperatures between, I prefer the tea to be warm to hot. Sipping the tea cold works, but I felt that much of the flavor was lost. I am definitely going to be purchasing more of this tea.