I never, truly never, thought I'd enjoy this bitter brew.. .but the
other night after a hellish 16+ hour work day I found myself not
wanting a subtle green but a sucker-punch to the throat and another
go-round with Kudingcha. I posted a while back about my attempts with
this "tea" and my complete displeasure.

This time I brewed it in my gaiwan and with very hot water and for
shorter steeps, and I LOVED it. How's that for an about face? As I said
before I enjoy bitter (Guiness, Chionotto, etc.), but all of my
attempts to brew it in a teapot on a larger scale were horribly
unpalateable, but in the gaiwan with two needles it was a whole new
ballgame.

Crazy, but true... just figured I'd share.
- Dominic

Haha... good to hear!

Was it you who previously said "anything that tastes this bad MUST be
doing me good?"

I drink kuding regularly with my wife, and she chuckled when I
recounted the quote. If you take it slowly, and brew perhaps a single
stick at a time, it can be as surprisingly good as you describe. If
it's simply too bitter, I'd be tempted to vary the brewing parameters.


Juding can be a good cure for "tea tummy" / "tea drunkeness", too.
It's rather settling, especially if you've been overdoing it with the
greener, fresher varieties of lucha, wulong, young sheng pu'er.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Dominic 8/30/06


> I never, truly never, thought I'd enjoy this bitter brew.. .but the
> other night after a hellish 16+ hour work day I found myself not
> wanting a subtle green but a sucker-punch to the throat and another
> go-round with Kudingcha. I posted a while back about my attempts with
> this "tea" and my complete displeasure.
>
> This time I brewed it in my gaiwan and with very hot water and for
> shorter steeps, and I LOVED it. How's that for an about face? As I said
> before I enjoy bitter (Guiness, Chionotto, etc.), but all of my
> attempts to brew it in a teapot on a larger scale were horribly
> unpalateable, but in the gaiwan with two needles it was a whole new
> ballgame.
>
> Crazy, but true... just figured I'd share.
> - Dominic

I share your appreciation of "bitter" (or "sour" as
some would have it). Not a Kuding fan, I do brew
it once in awhile, with but one stalk-leaf in the
cup. You are brave to put in two. I really like the
bitter underlying notes in some new sheng Pu'erhs;
they add something balancing. Also, some of the
sweeter Anxi and Taiwan Oolongs benefit from
a bit of a bitter foundation. Just my thoughts.

Michael

No matter how you brew it can't make it camellia sinensis. I put this
next to other herbals associated with tea like chrysantemum.

Jim

Dominic T. wrote:
> I never, truly never, thought I'd enjoy this bitter brew.. .but the
> other night after a hellish 16+ hour work day I found myself not
> wanting a subtle green but a sucker-punch to the throat and another
> go-round with Kudingcha. I posted a while back about my attempts with
> this "tea" and my complete displeasure.
>
> This time I brewed it in my gaiwan and with very hot water and for
> shorter steeps, and I LOVED it. How's that for an about face? As I said
> before I enjoy bitter (Guiness, Chionotto, etc.), but all of my
> attempts to brew it in a teapot on a larger scale were horribly
> unpalateable, but in the gaiwan with two needles it was a whole new
> ballgame.
>
> Crazy, but true... just figured I'd share.
> - Dominic