Review: Home Discount Store’s Gunpowder Tea

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The Subject:	Gunpowder
Company:	Home Discount Store. [More info]

Straight Tea Rating:
About the rating designation.

Water temperature:	175° F
Steeping time:	1-2 mins.
Tea type:	Green
Dry leaves:	Dark green tightly rolled “pellets” with a fresh, planty aroma

1st Infusion:
Steep time —	1.5 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Lightly smoky
Taste, plain —	Mild, hint of smokiness, smooth feel, almost buttery
Color, plain —	Light yellow
2nd Infusion:
Steep time —	1.5 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Stronger smokiness
Taste, plain —	Stronger, not as buttery but still smooth
Color, plain —	Darker yellow
3rd Infusion:
Steep time —	1.5 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Smoky
Taste, plain —	Not as smooth, but still flavorful
Color, plain —	Same as #2

 

Comments:
After trying the grossly overpriced version of this classic tea from another vendor, hubby and I rushed to try this very reasonably priced version. Gunpowder is pretty much a basic green tea with a smoky flavor. We’re not talking Dragonwell (Long Jing) or Gyokuro here. So, finding a vendor who carries a tasty version with a great price is real news. This is the 4th tea we’ve tried from Home Discount Store and think they should change their name to Home Discount and Quality Tea Store or something like that.

We’re happy that Home Discount Store includes steeping directions that are both for a more U.S./English-style way of infusing and also a more Asian-style infusing. We stuck with the former but did a quick rinse of the leaves before the first steeping. These “pellets” are pretty tightly rolled (typical for this type of tea), so the rinse helps them start to open so that they will infuse better.

You can see by the appearance both before and after steeping that this is definitely NOT teadust in a bag. Bravo!

That lightly smoky flavor was quite delightful and goes well with one of our favorite foods: pork dumplings. We’ve also found it a good companion with yellow cheeses like a sharp cheddar. Of course, it’s not bad with ham sandwiches either!

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.