Wulong Series (2): max dosage 
If you're interested, I suggest you read the thoughts of Thomas on his blog, the Tea Garden, who has extensively studied the different brewing methods, the influence of time and assays. assistance fantastic for any amateur looking for new experiences.
LORD debate, the dosage ... Thin version yin ... Quite the reverse, near the teapot full of leaves ... Several schools for very different reports. In reading the recommendations on the infusion site toki , The Mandarin's Tea Room at the moment I'm looking for his selection, I thought I had perhaps question or at least wear a critical eye on dosages that I practice in most cases. His vision of determination is reflected in his blog in this article example. Here we are in a different category than what we usually rubs, but the philosophy behind it stands, in addition to being frequently practiced China. It was interesting to try.
This was an opportunity for me to test some rules and limits, always interesting experiences. I'll stay in this section recalling some rather general principles. In my tea each is different and you can not really say that this type of infusion is better than another. Even two teas of the same name but from different sources can call methods significantly different according to the tastes of the taster.
What I will talk mainly concerns Wulong, with the sole exception of Wulong costs, which I think are quite different level of treatment, at least I've never liked assays very generous with these teas. But many principles can be extended to other families of tea.
start with some basics, from my experiences and readings.
Dosage / Time:
Who said dosing said infusion time. These two concepts are closely related but not linearly. Indeed, we will not get the same liquor by assaying bit long and infusing that with higher dosages and shorter infusion. With time and temperature, the aromatic substances contained in the leaves will emerge in different ways.
Low dosage: Infusions "Yin"
Only good quality teas bear that drastically decrease the dosage elongated for infusions. The result will be more subtle and bad tea can not be deceived, just as with the use of a zhong while the teapot is sometimes more lenient.
Beginner and progression:
Generally, when one begins in the world of tea is light dose, then increases gradually. It is certainly a trend that may be encountered - and I think good advice for most teas. I confess to being yet quite in line with this assertion, gradually increasing doses, perhaps to lower later.
I explained by the fact that the palace gradually get used to what class can be a bit too quickly initially under the label of bitterness, say a greater concentration of the liquor more relief. When I make a tea with friends, I am usually careful not to do too much, less than I did for myself. It's not always easy. And yet, I can often read in their faces that they find it bitter, so for me the tea is not expressive enough. The result is often the demand for sugar ...
Over time, it is less sensitive, we can discern better. It even comes to look a certain bitterness to gain length in the mouth in particular. We learn with some teas such as roasted or very dan cong what is important is not necessarily in the immediate future of the beverage, ie what was in the mouth, but the length and changes that can last several minutes. Is this only if this requires strong doses? I think not. But it is perhaps easier to discern in this way as the palace is no more accurate analysis, which takes time, I'm just starting to realize it.
"Doser very expensive!"
Maybe, but I always found it profitable. Already, more than one dose, the greater the infusions. It sounds obvious but let us remember, however. If one has little time for a tasting, better light metering.
Taking for example a Wuyi Yan Cha Tea rocks, the difference is quite obvious to me. Dose lightweight type 3-4g for 10cl, and you have three fine teas and you will come quickly to long infusions and at the end of gong fu cha, especially since the loss zhong heat on the long infusions will be felt on the extraction. Put just the double, 6-7g, and there you will not rely so much you'll make cups, more than double the previous example. All this made for a different course. I would say more in one day an article dedicated to this family (but the thing is complex and I would rather the master before talking more.)
L intoxication:
One thing that is remarkable when one dose very strongly, is the effect that tea on his body. We can quickly become "teadrunk." The effects are similar to intoxication: loss of concentration, relaxation and sometimes the opposite, feeling speed. It's pretty funny to feel.
I remember an amusing discussion about this with Tim Postcardteas, after tasting a really good old sheng (dry storage) that we had offered and that caused me some in sweats. This kind of tea sometimes has effects similar to those caused by a large dosage over a wulong. He once told me of having to run long enough for a bus while it was in a state of "drunkenness" like. A little more Later, when he was finally caught, he found he was barely out of breath.
The upper limits for the assay: container size
There are limits to the measurement generous. The first is the size of the instrument. It's easy to spot with a zhong: when it overflows after a few infusions, is that there was too much. Just a well rounded zhong leaves is not too packed something quite I find it enjoyable to watch. Less filled, visually it pretty ugly. Finding the right mix to achieve a good filling requires a good knowledge of each tea. Is this the end? I think not. But it's one of my little pleasures anyway.
All this is more difficult with a teapot. Too many leaves and they open and aromas remain ill prisoners. It's the same for a teapot whose form is inappropriate, such as a platform for oolong tea rolls. Should closely examine the leaves at the end of a gong fu cha to verify their good opening.
The upper limits for the assay: minimum time infusion
The second limitation is the infusion time. Too assay requires a very short infusion time for the first paid, too short for even making fast, you end up with infusions easily overloaded, too confused where the flavors mingle in a chaotic way. It should therefore be reasonable not to lose the first infusions. Particular attention paid to tea with a very slow.
ago often debate about the minimum time of infusion. There really are two opposing schools: the one that is to say that a minimum time for the leaves to deliver their flavors so they are all present in the cup, and one that says that if you put a large amount , all the flavors come out, but one after the other, over the infusions.
The idea that some such thicker leaves take longer to disgorge their aroma makes sense to me. But the idea that by dint of the brew, they will sooner or later find their way into the cup does not seem less.
At this level there, every one to experiment and choose their party, each tea can call a different method. Personally, this debate is a little too "high" for me.
Still, I believe we can increase the dosage to the limits of these rules.
So how does one dose?
Since we want obviously. As always, we will according to his tastes. But even if compromise is, I think the method to try and rub hard extremes is almost always a positive experience. Attention, I remember we are talking about medium to strong roasted wulong. Do not 10g puerh sheng zhong 2010 in a 10cl or when planning the fire extinguisher!
Typically, a tea that you do not enchant the masses may be the perfect guinea pigs at a dosage of barbarian, or a background packet that you do not want to divide. I recently bought a Wuyi Yan Cha to the house of 3 teas, quite a lot, which I do not really packed (like how everything happens.) I tried everything: zhong, teapots, low dose / long time , large dosage / short times, nothing to no avail. I finally tried the barbarous 10g/12cl in my Yixing Yu Zhu. Even if it did not work miracles, it gave by far the best result.
I think teas rocks and doing well, but be careful not to make it a rule not because some go slightly better by applying more. Still, I've rarely missed a dose "daring" about this family and it is now rare that I go below half a ratio of leaf mass / volume available. And I'm far more easily above. Note that I found that large dosages up better in a teapot zhong that, surely good ground for organizing flavors.
I'm too young with Dan Cong to speak calmly, but so far, my generous infusions with a dose for a short time has always been my favorite from the use of a lower dosage and times lengthened.
Last observation: the longer the roasting, the higher the dosage seems to grow beneficial. I said that I speak of roasting, not oxidation.
Here is this article, more a reflection on observations and readings than actual advice. Go rub extremes to discover something else, texture, relief, new notes. Love them or not, we learn to listen better to his tea and drawing conclusions, there is less fear of limitations thereafter. It progresses. But it still requires a certain tolerance and habit with concentrated liquors.
Finally, I would say a word about another approach: lower doses combined with long periods. I just start the experiment. I certainly will talk soon. There I think of nice things to exploit and, perhaps more than with high dosages, especially when one is fortunate to have quality tea at hand. But this requires a more precise technique, so a lot of practice. Again, I refer you to the blog of Thomas.
Please share your experiences here. See you soon.
PS: even the Japanese pottery in illustration of this article, especially a cup signed Yoshiko Yamane. This woman, heiress to two "generations" of potters has Tottori Prefecture, a region of my friend Hidehisa Magokorodo. The complete description of this piece is: Kazuwa Shinsha-yu-yaki Sake Guinomi cup. Its red color comes from the use of copper for cooking. This technique is known as a difficult and half the parts produced are then destroyed for lack of the desired result. Despite the impressive gloss of this cup, you can see large cracks within which to me adds a lot to the aesthetics of the room. I like to use for ding dong. Their yellow-green color blends well with, as I tried to show here.
