gurdymonkey | Today's tea: Roasted Tie Guan Yin Anxi Oolong

After swilling two big bowls of the Ippodo hojicha this morning (held up for two additional steeps without fuss), this might not have been the best choice, but here we are, another roasted tea.

5g/100ml @ 195-200F (I brewed at 190 to be safe) for 20 seconds, +20 seconds successive steeps.

The hojicha is a much bolder tea, this TGY is far more delicate. Light astringency and roasted scent and flavor with a bit of sweetness on the finish. Pleasant enough, and I'll use up what Jade gave me, but I don't know if it's something I'd necessarily buy more of. Then again, I've only had the first steep as I write this and a longer one may improve it.

Yep, second steep is better. Jade says roasted TGY is the more traditional version, with the greener floral ones being a more recent development. It's harder to find a good roasted TGY. Still, it's a perfectly nice tea.

Also, despite the fact that I already Have A Pottery Problem and no room to display things, I made the mistake of surfing places like Etsy and EBay "just to look" - and late yesterday got a "Still interested?" email from EBay announcing a new, lower price on a Japanese shiboridashi style teapot I had admired. I will post photos when it arrives.