A Thanksgiving Host Gift: Lishan Oolong for the Quiet Days After
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If your Thanksgiving host would rather curl up with tea than open a bottle of wine, the gift has a job that starts once the gathering winds down. The tea gets used after the guests leave and across the days that follow, so two questions matter: how much leaf the pouch holds and how the host will brew it. Our Premium Lishan 2000-Meter Oolong is a loose-leaf Taiwanese high-mountain oolong that can suit that job. Below: the pouch at the door, the first mug after the dishes, a gongfu session the day after Thanksgiving, cold brew for the rest of the weekend, and a closing recommendation.
A Small Pouch at the Door
The tea comes in 10g, 30g, 60g and 120g pouches. The 10g pouch is the smallest size, and it holds two 5g gongfu measures, or about three Western mugs at 3g each.
The leaf is grown at 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) above sea level in Lishan (梨山), Taichung County, Taiwan. The cultivar is Qing Xin Oolong, hand-picked by experienced tea masters, then lightly oxidized and gently rolled with a minimal roast to preserve its floral character.
It is sold as loose leaf, so it requires tea tools. If you are unsure your host owns a teapot or an infuser, tuck one in beside the pouch.
The First Mug After the Dishes Are Done
With the table cleared, a single mug is the simplest brew. Use 1 tablespoon, about 3g, of leaf per 8 oz cup, add 212°F / 100°C water, and steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Filtered water is recommended for the best flavor.
The aroma is fresh orchid with hints of gardenia and crisp mountain air. The flavor is warm cream, soft peach and fresh florals with natural sweetness. The body is silky and full with a coating mouthfeel, the finish is long, clean and gently sweet, and the liquor is bright golden-green. Caffeine is moderate, which is worth weighing before a late-evening cup.
The Day After Thanksgiving: A Slow Gongfu Session
The morning after the gathering can suit gongfu brewing, which spreads one measure of leaf across many short infusions. This tea opens across 6 to 8 infusions when brewed that way.
- Heat water to 212°F / 100°C.
- Measure 5g of leaf per 100ml of water.
- Steep the first infusion for 45 seconds.
- Add 10 to 15 seconds to each infusion after that.
- Keep pouring until the leaf has given its 6 to 8 infusions.
A 10g pouch covers two sessions, so the host can brew one on the day after Thanksgiving and keep the second for later in the weekend.
Cold Brew for the Rest of the Weekend
Cold brew needs no kettle. Put 5g of leaf in 600ml (20 oz) of room-temperature water, then refrigerate it for 8 to 10 hours. Started in the evening, it is ready by morning.
A host who would rather not stand over a kettle again after a long hosting day can use this method for the days that follow. The same filtered-water recommendation applies.
Final Thoughts on a Thanksgiving Tea Gift
The deciding variable is how your host likes to brew. Western style gives one mug in 2 to 3 minutes, gongfu stretches the leaf across 6 to 8 infusions, and cold brew takes 8 to 10 hours in the refrigerator. For a host who would rather have tea than wine, the 10g pouch is a reasonable default, and the 30g pouch is the next size up if you want the gift to last past the weekend.
To explore the tasting notes and sizes, visit our Premium Lishan 2000-Meter Oolong page.
Happy Thanksgiving to the host, and may the first quiet cup arrive soon after the last guest leaves.