Thread: Tea anyone ??!!

Originally Posted by donv

So, any must tries?

I'd recommend you try some Da Hong Pao. It is a fine oolong, and while not the most robust of teas it has a distinct style and a rich mellow taste. I drink more puerh than anything, and often prefer the cooked variety so it's fair to say I like my tea strong and rich. Still, I thoroughly enjoy a nice da hong pao as well.

Right, I have a lot of pictures here, to qualify my post on sencha.

First off, though, these four are the photos of the Kagoshima shincha Kirishima No Kaori that I was trying to post the other day.

This is the first steep; pay attention to the bold but still yellow colour of the tea—it's an asamushi (light-steamed) sencha:











The next picture is another asamushi sencha of the Sayamamidori cultivar. Still yellow, perhaps a little paler than the KNK:





The next photos are of the first and second steeps, respectively, of fukamushi (deep-steamed) sencha. Note how the first steep is lighter, like an asamushi cha but turns the characteristic deep green on subsequent steeps.

This first tea, is high grade shincha from the saemidori cultivar. The first steep produces a crystal clear golden liquid (should have made it in the white cup, sorry!) turning to very deep green on the second. (And it tasted like watermelon rinds—that was a great tea!):







These are another Kagoshima sencha called Magokoro (not sure which cultivar) and not so memorable in my opinion. Nevertheless, the light yellow of the first steep turns to a much more vivid green on the second, though not so deep and lush as the Saemidori.





Coincidentally all of these teas are from Kagoshima prefecture. I have a packet of Ureshino sencha in the fridge, which will be interesting to compare when I get around to opening it!

Finally note the appearance of the dry leaves. The asamushi cha have very obvious needle-like leaves, in particular the Kirishima No Kaori and the Sayamamidori, whereas the fukamushi cha are much more broken up.

Stating to feel like I'm spamming this thread with Nihoncha Propaganda, so that's me done for now!

Originally Posted by kwlfca

Where does everyone order their tea from? Mine, as you can probably tell from the picture in my above post, is from Teavana. Bit pricey...I'm guessing that has to do with the store itself, and perhaps a bit of quality. I ordered some jasmine dragon pearls from ebay for about $5...figured it couldn't hurt to try.

I get the bulk of my teas from Dragon Tea House. They have a vast selection, and are very helpful when asked questions or to make suggestions. Sometimes they send swag too, samples and what not.
http://www.dragonteahouse.biz/

[QUOTE=donv;

So, any must tries? [QUOTE]
Search results for: 'Black Tea'

[QUOTE=Nightblade;1236595]

Originally Posted by donv;

So, any must tries? [QUOTE

Search results for: 'Black Tea'

Nightblade,

You were the reason for me trying the Kusmi teas. I've tried the Troika and the Bucket of Flowers, both of which I like. I've really been looking at their Lapsang Souchong #210. But, I've also been eye balling their smoky earl grey and their Ceylon OP. Since I've had good luck with their offerings, I don't feel bad trying their products.
About ten minutes ago, I heard the honk of a delivery truck. I ordered a pound of Davidson's Earl Grey and it arrived. It's one of the first "different" teas that I tried, and, since I went through what I had fairly quickly, I got some more. It was my go to morning tea, and I like it. Can't beat the price either.
One factor that is getting attention is my budget. I haven't worked in two years now and being on a fixed income is taking some getting used to. That being said, I don't feel bad spending money on tea though. I really don't have any vices anymore and thinking back on what I used to spend on being stupid, I can justify quite a lot now! I've been narrowing down my list, and appreciate the suggestions I've gotten. Before I do make an order, I will check with my daughter for her input. She's become my tea drinking buddy and I like to keep her involved.

Take care every bodies!! Don

[QUOTE=donv;1236609][QUOTE=Nightblade;1236595][QUOTE=donv;

So, any must tries?

Nightblade,

You were the reason for me trying the Kusmi teas. I've tried the Troika and the Bucket of Flowers, both of which I like. I've really been looking at their Lapsang Souchong #210. But, I've also been eye balling their smoky earl grey and their Ceylon OP. Since I've had good luck with their offerings, I don't feel bad trying their products.
About ten minutes ago, I heard the honk of a delivery truck. I ordered a pound of Davidson's Earl Grey and it arrived. It's one of the first "different" teas that I tried, and, since I went through what I had fairly quickly, I got some more. It was my go to morning tea, and I like it. Can't beat the price either.
One factor that is getting attention is my budget. I haven't worked in two years now and being on a fixed income is taking some getting used to. That being said, I don't feel bad spending money on tea though. I really don't have any vices anymore and thinking back on what I used to spend on being stupid, I can justify quite a lot now! I've been narrowing down my list, and appreciate the suggestions I've gotten. Before I do make an order, I will check with my daughter for her input. She's become my tea drinking buddy and I like to keep her involved.

Take care every bodies!! Don[/QUOTE] I hear ya brother......less is more. My two vices now are tea and tobacco. Glad to hear you and your daughter are bonding like that. Nice to hear.

P.S. I assume you meant to say Bucket of flowers ? I like that lol.

I'm really enjoying my Pu Erh on a perfect fall day here in Northern California!! So much so, I took a picture. This is the seventh steep of some 2006 ripe Pu Erh. I've never tried the "raw" before, what's it like? Does it still have that barnyardesque aroma and taste I've come to love???

Is that a water cooler on the left? I like that. Nice lines.

Originally Posted by donv

I've never tried the "raw" before, what's it like? Does it still have that barnyardesque aroma and taste I've come to love???

Puerh is a very old tea, but the cooking process is fairly new, I seem to recall some 30 years or so only. If you store a raw puerh for a long time (we're talking decades) it will develop nice earthy flavours. The cooking is a way to kickstart this ripening, saving many years of storage. So the answer is divided - for a well stored, well developed and old tea, yea, it will have hints of those flavours. The drawback is they do not come cheap.

I'm on my way to work now and don't have the time to dig out any links, but a while ago I got a nice xiaguan bao yan, known as tibetian flame. It was not expencive and still had nice flavours. It is a raw tea. Perhaps a nice place to start exploring raw puerhs.