Wednesday, June 12, 2013

A Chance to Try Some Aged Peasent Style Korean Tea

Even in Korea it is quite hard to find aged Korean teas. Although the jury is out as to even whether they even improve with age, why not try some for yourself and make your own call on the issue?

Pedro has just came back from this annual tea sourcing trip with some goodies. He is opening his bag with a few teas of note from Korea standing out.

He has brought back some 8 years aged clay covered ddok cha called seong gang ko cha. It was produced by a local farmer, Ga Hee-Jah who is now retired. Have never heard of this tea before but can only imagine that it is some sort of Korean peasant tea, produced in the rural tradition of tea making.

He also has some ujeon grade balhyocha from Kim Jeong Yeol of Butea. Wonder if it will be similar to the 2011 Kim Jeong Yeol Saebyeok that Pedro sent a few years ago?

Pedro will be brewing these teas up at a special event titled "Tales From the Back Road" along with some others. If you are at all curious about Korean teas that are harder to come by, it should be worth your time.

Peace

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Matt,

I'm currently writing my Master's thesis about tea philosophy(I study comparative religion at the University of Helsinki), and I'd really like to ask some questions from you. Would you be willing to exchange a couple of emails?

If so, could you please give me your email address or mail me at matias.ikkala(you-know-what)helsinki.fi

Steph said...

I'm hoping you'll share the experience here!

Matt said...

Anonymous,

Have just sent you an email.

Steph,

Couldn't get there but Pedro kindly sent some of these teas. Will review them just for you!

hahahha

Peace

RJ Keets said...

By the by I believe that Dokk cha is the older style "Monks"Tea that was brought from china in the early cultivation of tea in Korea ^_^

Matt said...

RJ Keets,

Yep it resembles an old now extinct for of Chinese tea.

Thanks for noting that.

Peace