Tasting of Harney's China Green Ying Feng
amllist
Vendor - Harney and Sons <www.harney.com>
Dry leaf - Long, rolled, dark green, with silvery tips,
uniform. Hi grade.
Wet leaf - Long, olive green, thin perfect leaves,
with few stems, uniform.
Water - Crystal Geyser natural alpine water bottled at
the source, California, Sierra Nevada Mts.
Steeping Method - 2 Gaiwans (one for steeping, pour liquor into
second) , chop with lid during steep to provide
mixing, lid never completely closed. Hot water
never poured directly on leaf, but on interior
side of gaiwan. Gaiwan heated to brewing
temperature, then leaf put in, then brewing
temperature water.
Vendors recommendations: 180 F, 3 min. brew.
Sample 1 - 160 F (71), 3 g/6 oz of water
Steep 1, of sample 1 - 2 min,
Color - Clear, tinge of pale yellow.
Aroma - Slightly vegetal..
Taste - Light sweet over light vegetal.A nice taste.
Aftertaste - Hint of sweet.
Steep 2, of sample 1 - 2 1/2 min,
Color - Clear, tinge of yellow green.
Aroma - Delicate sweet..
Taste - Light vegetal, but more pronounced than the 2 min.
steep..
Aftertaste - Hint of sweet.
Steep 3 of sample 1 - 3 min.
Color - Clear, tinge of yellow green.
Aroma - Delicate sweet.
Taste - Light sweet, light chestnut, vegetal gone.
Aftertaste - Light sweet..
Sample 2 - 3 oz/ 6 oz of water, 170 F (77 C).
Steep 1, of sample 2 - 2 min,
Color - Clear, pale yellow green.
Aroma - Light vegetal.
Taste - Light sweet..
Steep 2 of sample 2 - 2 1/2 min
Color - Clear, pale yellow green.
Aroma - Delicate sweet.
Taste - Sweet, refreshing, brisk.
Steep 3 of sample 2 - 3 min
Color - Pale yellow green.
Aroma - Light sweet.
Taste - Delicate sweet, light chestnut, slight vegetal
as it cools..
Sample 3 - 3 g/ 6 oz of water, 180 F (82 C)
Steep 1, of sample 3 - 2 min,
Color - Clear, tinge of yellow.
Aroma - Light sweet over light vegetal.
.
Taste - Nice vegetal. hint of sweet..
Steep 2 of sample 3 - 2 1/2 min
Color - Clear, pale yellow green.
Aroma - Delicate sweet.
Taste - Sweet, refreshing, brisk.
Steep 3 of sample 3 - 3 min.
Color - Pale yellow green.
Aroma - Delicate light sweet
Taste - Sweet, light chestnut, with a slight vegetal as it cools.
Conclusions:
Holly H-B has stated in her review of this tea:
" It looked rather delicate, so opted to go to a lower 160F temp for a
first brewing, 3 grams of leaf in 6 ounce gaiwan, two minutes. A delicate
but aromatic liquor with what I think of as a "creamed corn" type
sweetness, lightly nutty and slightly roasted taste. More sweetness
blooms as tea cools and clings to empty cup. 3 minutes (with same leaf to
water proportions and temp) pulls full sweetness forward but also just a
hint more of a 'smoky'/roasted note and the liquor is not quite as
delicate or ethereal with just a tad more astringency to compete with the
more delicate characteristics of the two minute brewing. I liked this one
best at the two minute mark so far; with this brewing, the aroma manages
to be both delicate, yet rich at the same
time. The first two minute brewing goes into a second infusion with same
nutty/roasted sweetness and just a tad more astringency, though not at
all out of proportion. "
I find:
1. At 160 F, 3 g/ 6 oz of water, 3 min., the aroma is
delicate sweet; the taste is light sweet and light
chestnut, with vegetal disappeared. The aftertaste
is light sweet.
2. At 170 F, 3 g/ 6 oz of water, 3 min, the aroma is light
sweet; the taste is delicate sweet, light chestnut, with a
slight vegetal taste as it cools.
3. At 180, 3 g / 6 oz of water, 3 min, the aroma is delicate
light sweet; the taste is sweet, light chestnut, with a slight
vegetal as it cools.
4. Thus it is possible to find a good cup at 3 g/ 6 oz of water,
3 min, over a steeping temperature from 160 to 180 F.
Alan M. Liebschutz