Search found 81 matches

by joelbct
Wed May 30, 2018 10:27 pm
Forum: Black Tea
Topic: What Black Are You Drinking
Replies: 680
Views: 342773

Re: What Black Are You Drinking

Been drinking First Flush Darjeeling blacks and oolongs this week, as well as pre-Mingqian greens! Tried a Goomtee STFGOP tonight and WOW. So much going on with this tea. I had an Upper Namring harvested less than two weeks ago and it is significantly cheaper (FTGFOP1). Both are great, but I think ...
by joelbct
Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:35 pm
Forum: Green Tea
Topic: What Green Are You Drinking
Replies: 1494
Views: 695233

Re: What Green Are You Drinking

Drinking Cha Wang Huang Shan Mao Feng from TeaSpring. Really delicious, buttery, succulent, refined. Some asparagus/artichoke notes. Not cheap at $0.60/gram, but justifiably so. A 2017 but none the worse for wear. I would take this over longjing, in recent years anyway. https://i.imgur.com/d8Z6nr6.j...
by joelbct
Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:42 pm
Forum: Green Tea
Topic: What Green Are You Drinking
Replies: 1494
Views: 695233

Re: What Green Are You Drinking

I am sipping some Xu Fu Long Ya from Teaspring. Very special, has that succulent mouthwatering taste. Notes of melon and the slight nuttiness of I presume the tea oil from pan firing. Slightly astringent. I wonder why this vendor does not get as much mention as it used to, they have quite the fine s...
by joelbct
Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:31 pm
Forum: Black Tea
Topic: What Black Are You Drinking
Replies: 680
Views: 342773

Re: What Black Are You Drinking

Once I had come to appreciate the flavors & effect of drinking darjeeling, I've wanted it daily. To me & other drinkers, darjeeling is its own category. I am taking a rare break from the darjeeling-style "black" tea from Nepal that I drink & sell because I opened a 100-gram bag of white tea that is...
by joelbct
Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:03 pm
Forum: Oolong Tea
Topic: What Oolong Are You Drinking
Replies: 2775
Views: 1513580

Re: What Oolong Are You Drinking

Sipping some Jin Guan Yin (Golden Tie Guan Yin) from Seven Cups. This is sort of the essential memory I have in my mind of Tie Guan Yin, from years ago. Succulent and mineraly, a bit floral. Some notes of nuts, leafy greens. Not smokey. I had many mostly disappointing Oolongs last year when I delved...
by joelbct
Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:44 am
Forum: Black Tea
Topic: What Black Are You Drinking
Replies: 680
Views: 342773

Re: What Black Are You Drinking

Currently savoring a late night cup of 2017 Castleton 2nd Flush. Both FF and SF Darj have become daily drinkers for me. I ought to restock soon, as a hedge against this year's harvest being adversely affected by garden neglect from 2017. I might give either darjeelingteaboutique or darjeelingtealove...
by joelbct
Wed Dec 27, 2017 12:48 am
Forum: News, Publications, & Research
Topic: New Research Indicates Three Distinct Domestication Events for Camellia sinensis
Replies: 3
Views: 3535

Re: New Research Indicates Three Distinct Domestication Events for Camellia sinensis

Very interesting. Sounds like the importation of the chinese tea plants got the people of India to look at their own native plants and start working with them. Wonder how that started....did someone see a fuss being made over the imported plants, and recognize that there were others like that out i...
by joelbct
Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:41 am
Forum: Announcements & Guides
Topic: Introduce Yourself
Replies: 1433
Views: 560563

Re: Introduce Yourself

It's been fun reading through some of these! Viva la teaforum. How long have you been drinking tea? Loose-leaf, since about 2005. What kind of tea do you drink? Lately, Halmari Assam in the morning, Keemun and Second Flush Darjeeling in the afternoon, then good First Flush Darjeeling or White Tea hi...
by joelbct
Sun Dec 17, 2017 11:11 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: The Science of Tea Drinking
Replies: 11
Views: 6740

Re: The Science of Tea Drinking

Psyck wrote:
Sun Dec 17, 2017 1:44 pm
For standardised methodology of consumption - use competition style brewing (basically a western style steep in a porcelain mug).
For standardised methodology of description - use 'flavour wheel'.
I like Tony Gebely's article and terms: https://worldoftea.org/tea-cupping-standards/
by joelbct
Sun Dec 17, 2017 10:35 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: soapy bubbles on brewing tea?
Replies: 14
Views: 9517

Re: soapy bubbles on brewing tea?

What type of tea is it? Autumn Dianhong. For science, I fished the pouches out of the refuse bins to photograph what I'm talking about. As shown, foam persists for 6 min, probably longer. I used to drink a lot of Dianhong when I first got seriously into tea over a decade ago, and I don't recall thi...
by joelbct
Sun Dec 17, 2017 12:56 pm
Forum: Tea/Teaware Vendors
Topic: Hi from Vikram at Yatra Tea Company!
Replies: 84
Views: 61871

Re: Hi from Vikram at Yatra Tea Company!

Nice to see you here. I can vouch for all 9 of the Spring 2017 teas I tried from Yatra as being high-quality and enjoyable.

Have a pleasant trip!
by joelbct
Sun Dec 17, 2017 12:50 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: The Science of Tea Drinking
Replies: 11
Views: 6740

Re: The Science of Tea Drinking

Is it possible to make the experience of tea consumption repeatable and predictable? When I get a good cup, I like to be able to repeat the results, so I use a scale and timer. But, repeatable and predictable as in, between seasons/harvests and among different individuals? The former, some teas see...
by joelbct
Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:58 pm
Forum: Herbal Tea
Topic: Rooibos Source?
Replies: 3
Views: 5708

Re: Rooibos Source?

Interesting question. I’ve always liked rooibos, and found it a great evening drink. I’ve only tried one premium, loose leaf roobios, but was surprised by how much better it was in all aspects. If ordering some is viable I’d recommend trying it. https://www.cantonteaco.com/rooibos-organic-herbal-te...
by joelbct
Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:47 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: soapy bubbles on brewing tea?
Replies: 14
Views: 9517

Re: soapy bubbles on brewing tea?

Could be a phytochemical, but this particular foam is thicker and more persistent than typical agitation of the pour onto the dry leaf. Rinsing did not help much. I'm not saying I necessarily think it's something harmful. Could be as harmless as something similar to actual soap. Anyway, I tossed the...
by joelbct
Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:48 pm
Forum: Vendor Discussion & Recommendation
Topic: Global Tea Hut
Replies: 62
Views: 37010

Re: Global Tea Hut

As for the actual teas. Some are truly outstanding (and amazing finds), like the recent Keemun and Yixing reds, whereas some are not really all that interesting (which jars with how hard they cheerlead), like this month's Shou or the "Elevation" Taiwanese Assam they praise so fiercely. I had dismis...