Okay, so yesterday I finally got around to trying out that King’s Oolong Tea 913 I’d heard so much about. I’ve been meaning to do this for ages, and it was, um, an experience.

The Prep

First, I hunted down the tea. That was a mission in itself! Not every store carries it, you know? I ended up finding it at that little Asian grocery store downtown, the one with all the weird snacks. I grabbed a tin – it looked pretty fancy, with gold lettering and all.

Back home, I got my favorite teapot ready. I always use this cute little ceramic one I got from my grandma. I rinsed it out with some hot water, just to warm it up a bit.

The Brewing

• I boiled some water, letting it cool down for just a sec, because apparently, you don’t want boiling water for oolong.
• Then, I measured out the tea. I didn’t really follow any instructions, just eyeballed it. Probably about a heaping teaspoon, maybe a bit more? I like my tea strong.
• I dumped the tea leaves into the pot and poured the hot water over them.
• And then… I waited. I think I let it steep for, like, five minutes? Maybe longer. I lost track of time scrolling through Instagram.

The Tasting (and the Oops!)

I poured myself a cup, and the color was this nice, golden-brown hue. So far, so good. I took a sip… and it was…interesting. Kind of nutty, a little floral, but also kinda… bitter? I think I definitely over-steeped it. Or maybe I used too much tea? Who knows.

I tried adding a tiny bit of honey, which helped a little. It cut through some of the bitterness, but it still wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I mean, it wasn’t bad, just… not as amazing as everyone hyped it up to be.

The Verdict (For Now)

I’m not giving up on King’s Oolong 913 yet. I’m thinking I need to refine my brewing technique. Maybe less tea next time, and definitely a shorter steeping time. I’ll have to experiment a bit more. It’s a learning process, right? I’ll keep you guys posted on my next attempt!