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Mini Toucha
FORMED TEA 50g
GRADE – Mini Toucha (Formed tea)
CAFFEINE/ANTIOXIDANT LEVEL: Low/Low
Region: Yunnan Province, China
Cup characteristics: Nest shaped compressed green tea. Each nest makes tea for 3. Full bodied with a hit of oak. One of the Yunnan provinces most compelling brews.
Luxury ingredients: Green tea.
£ 3.70
In stock
PRODUCT ID: 554
Description
Mini Toucha
Simply put, mini Toucha is the smaller sibling of large Toucha pods. This Variety of tea is made from a Yunnan large leaf varietal, Camellia Assamica, and is actually a variety of Pu-erh. The pods themselves are made by taking the processed green leaves, steaming them and then pressing them into small bow-shaped forms. The process is quite laborious as each pod must be pressed by hand. Mini Toucha pods, like all Pu-erh teas, age exceptionally well – in China it is not that uncommon to find processed tea in local Yunnan tea shops that has been aged for 25 years or more! When infused the tea has a mild musty character that to connoisseurs is immediately identifiable as Yunnan Pu-erh. To the uninitiated this character can be surprising and remind one of the smells of fresh earth. It is also because of this character that the tea is known in some parts of China as ‘Erth tea’ as with many green teas, and especially Pu-erh teas, mini- Toucha pods can be infused multiple times. The next time you brew up a pot pay close attention to the flavor profile of the cup. Much like re-reading a novel, or watching a movie again, you will discover that while the fundamental character remains, the subtle nuances of flavor will change slightly from cup to cup -a subtle mustiness here -a milder sweetness there. Truly one of the Yunnan provinces most compelling brews – Mini Toucha
HOT BREWING METHOD:
Brew one of these delightful little cakes in hot but not boiling water for a couple of minutes. This tea has been composted as part of the production process and because of this it is IMPERATIVE to pour away the first infusion of the leaves. It is possible to re-brew these three or even four times. After that pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 1-5 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Ideal Brewing Temperature: 100ºC/212ºF.
ICED TEA BREWING METHOD
Though we don’t necessarily recommend drinking Mini Tuocha iced, our opinion is that a cooled concentrate works best, as regular-strength brew tends to become watery as the ice melts. So, use the above leaf quantities, but half the water, allow it to cool, then pour it over ice and enjoy! The brew will dilute down to proper strength as the ice melts.
We strongly recommend using filtered or freshly drawn cold water brought to a rolling boil when brewing all types of tea. Today’s water has been known to carry viruses, parasites and bacteria. Boiling the water will kill these elements and reduce the potential incidence of water-borne illnesses.
