The Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner faces of tea

Fenqi Hu Oolong, spring 2015

Plastic surgery, photoshop, Botox, makeup... The difference between before and after can be breathtaking. We've all seen such pictures of celebrities or normal people. The transformation can sometimes be as radical as with Bruce becoming Caitlyn!

A few days ago, a tea friend brought a new tea. I brewed it competition style with a gaiwan, which means I used few leaves and a long first brewing time. He wondered why I wouldn't use more leaves and a shorter time to make a better cup of tea. Where's my gongfu?

The first skill is to know when to use it! Those who've watched a Bruce Lee movie will remember that he's using his kongfu only when it's really needed. An absence of gongfu when brewing a tea for the first time is already a sign of gongfu! First, it's a sign of humility: you admit not knowing this tea enough from looking at and smelling the dry leaves. You need to brew it to know it better.

Your aim is to understand what's the true character, the real nature of the tea. And like with a person, it's when you apply some stress (boiling water) that you'll find out their defects, their weaknesses. Using the same method for all teas is also a fair and easier way to compare them.

That's why, on my www.tea-masters.com boutique, I first show pictures of a competition brewing. 3 grams of dry leaves, the brew and the spent leaves after the 6 minutes brew. My goal here is not to make beautiful shots, but to show you the tea in all its simplicity and true nature. My description is also mostly limited to what the tea tastes brewed this way. What you get to see first is Bruce!

Fenqi Hu Oolong, spring 2015

Once you know the leaves well, you have the freedom and responsibility to brew them as you like. Your goal is to make a better cup than when using the competition method. If your result were to be worse, then you'd better simply use the competition method!

This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to switch from a gaiwan to a teapot. Like a simple smile can change a face, sometimes it's already a big enhancement to know how to pour the water well and get the leaves to dance happily in the gaiwan! Understanding the nature of the leaves also helps to know what is the character that gains from being emphasized.

For this Fenqi Hu Oolong, for instance, I took advantage of its light roast to seize on its light golden color. The chabu seems to reflect various shades of gold and the green plant and bowl convey a feeling of lightness and freshness combined with the warmer nature of the tea.

This is my own, unique interpretation of this tea. I feel we obtain the best results when I emphasize the true nature of the tea. But I would probably not know what this nature is if I hadn't made a first brew with the competition method!

Another goal of the no-gongfu competition brewing method is to find select the best leaves you wish to purchase in bigger quantity. Knowing how to choose your leaves wisely is already a skill! Let's repeat some obvious truths in this regard:
- an expensive tea isn't necessarily better,
- but quality has a cost and if a price is too good to be true, it's often the case.
- Single batch Oolongs vary greatly in terms of taste and quality (due to soil, climate and human process).
- Beware of nice stories and beautiful packaging. Focus on the scents and taste of the tea.

Alishan Jinxuan, spring 2015

The fun part of brewing tea with skill is to turn Cinderella into the princess she's meant to be! Every tea has a unique personality and taste. That's why there are infinite possibilities to dress and makeup the tea with a Chaxi and with brewing skills.

Alishan Oolong, spring 2015

If you're really gifted, you could even turn a Bruce into a Caitlyn!