by D.O. Rothenberg | Nov 22, 2020 | Major Types & Sub-Types, Processing, Tasting & Quality Assessment, Tea Education, Tea Plant Biology & Cultivation
Grab the popcorn! Our new Youtube video follows the six steps of Oolong tea craftsmanship, exploring flavor formation through a scientific lens, and through the eyes of Wu Mountain friend and mentor, Ajin, an Oolong Tea Master making great tea in China’s...
by D.O. Rothenberg | Jul 31, 2020 | Best Infusion Practices, Tasting & Quality Assessment, Tea Education, Tea Plant Biology & Cultivation
Polyphenols, being larger-weight molecules, require more of kick in the rump than amino acids do in order to extract them out of the leaf, and into the cup. The extra umph can be hotter water, longer infusion time, or more leaf agitation (stirring, prodding, poking,...
by D.O. Rothenberg | Jul 30, 2020 | Best Infusion Practices, Tasting & Quality Assessment, Tea Education, Tea Plant Biology & Cultivation
If steeping instructions on the packaging call for 2 minutes at 80°C/175°F … why? How did they arrive at that recipe? Why not 1 minute… or 5 minutes? And what about Gongfu Cha with many small infusions… is the first infusion different from the 10th? We hold an innate...
by D.O. Rothenberg | Mar 1, 2020 | Living in China
The 2020’s are off to an interesting start… As the roaring decade commences, several layers of life are stacking up like jenga bricks, creating a wobbly bobbly vibe to things. These jenga pieces I’ve...
by D.O. Rothenberg | Dec 15, 2019 | Living in China, Tea Plant Biology & Cultivation
I had a very bizarre weekend, which within a 24-hour cycle, took me from pilfering through piles of dirt and cooking rodents to modeling for the fashion industry. I’ll unpack that alarming announcement by first addressing the rodent piece. Wrapping up a long 2019...
