1) Forget your set of infusion golden rules
Don’t be afraid to vary the infusion parameters. You are not going to die if you drink green tea steeped at boiling water. At most it tastes over-cooked and you wasted that 3-5g of tea but there are worse things that can happen.
In fact, it sounds like a copout but I don’t prepare thing according the infusion instructions I prepared.
Since seasoned tea drinkers will most probably ignore the brewing instructions anyway, hence it was written with newer tea drinkers in mind.
In addition, as you drink more of certain teas, you might gravitate to stronger taste. For example a year ago I used about 4g per 100ml for Tieguanyin, now I use closer between 6-7g. Your taste will vary, so should your brewing methods.
2) Revisit a variety of tea you had previously disdained
That doesn’t stop me from trying. It’s kind of like oil mining, you can hit 4 or 5 duds but when you get one that works, it makes it all worthwhile.
Tea- especially tea from China- can have a wide range of quality for those bearing the same name. Just because you tasted a self-professed competition grade Tieguanyin that tasted horrid, doesn’t mean there aren’t plain ol’ Tieguanyins that aren’t fantastic.
This year, try and revisit some old ones you had previously given up on.
I know I have 6 Assams waiting to be sampled in the cupboard despite my oft professed dislike of Assams.
Revisit some varieties that you have previously written off.
3) Get some friends over for some blind tasting
Placebo or fact? Does it live up to the hype?
Put it to the test.
Does that highly rated tea really taste great when stripped of fanciful descriptions and general goodwill towards the company?
How much better do oolong tea taste when gongfu brewed compared to mug-basket brewing? (Spoiler: A lot)
Let your taste buds be the judge.
For even more geeky fun, try brewing the same tea with the same proportions but in different vessels and hear what your friends say.
You may be surprised at the results.
4) Drink the same tea more than twice in a week
As I wrote previously, don’t be a chronic sampler. Go deeper with each type of tea.
Why not take it a step further. Try drinking the same type of tea a few times a week. You can vary your brewing parameters, the vessel or maybe just the occasion.
See how it affects the taste and enjoyment of the tea.
5) Find new ways to incorporate tea into your daily life
You can also try to wake up a little earlier each morning and pour a few infusions into your thermos flask so you can enjoy it on the go. Sure, there’s some compromise in taste but would you not pick tea that is about 80% of its potential over virtually every other type of drink? I thought so too.
Or why bring a travel brewing set with you to the beach or a picnic together with a thermos flask.
Or let me know some of your ideas. Of course I must issue the proviso that if you suggest a tea bag you will be ignored. J
