Welcome!
I put together a thread on getting started with Dan Cong teas that might help here.
Introduce Yourself
Hello neighbor! I’m just down the road from you in Philomath.walkerwend@aol.com wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 8:33 pmHow long have you been drinking tea?
My mother was English, tea was a big part of all gatherings. holidays, social events. When I read that caffeine made hot flashes worse, I quit for 13 years and missed it terrible. I started drinking tea again one year ago when someone asked me if abstaining had made a difference, I said no, and she said "Then, for God's sake, drink the tea!"
What kind of tea do you drink?
White, green, oolong, black.
How do you prepare your tea?
Western style in glass tea ware with a large tea strainer.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
How different harvest seasons affect the taste and quality of tea
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Happy memories from childhood revolving around the teapot, the fragrance of tea takes me back. Now, it is the fantastic array of flavors of different tea and the intense pleasure in tasting excellent teas.
What is your location? Eugene, Oregon
Hi my fellow tea sippers!
I'm Eric!
How long?
I've been sipping tea for quite some time, childhood. I got into loose leaf with Yorkshire Gold. In 2007 i was introduced to a high mountain alishan and I immediately switched from english big pot style to gongfu and all. in 2009 sprint I went with seven cups on an wulong tour!
what kind?
Mainly I'm a Hunan Heicha, Wuyi (yancha and blacks), and a huge fan of Korean teas, especially balhyyocha (basically an umbrella term for teas that are more heavily oxidized than green, like wulong and black.)
How prepare?
gongfu, mog, tallglass / tumbler.
what knowledge to explore right now?
I want to learn much more about balhyocha and human heicha. any and all tea info is nice though
what lead me to here?
don't remember, I stay with tea because it makes me happy and calm. My body is not reactant to caffeine, so i can and have drank 7 bowls of tea and gone right to sleep.
Location?
St. Louis, Missouri (more like misery
)
I'm Eric!
How long?
I've been sipping tea for quite some time, childhood. I got into loose leaf with Yorkshire Gold. In 2007 i was introduced to a high mountain alishan and I immediately switched from english big pot style to gongfu and all. in 2009 sprint I went with seven cups on an wulong tour!
what kind?
Mainly I'm a Hunan Heicha, Wuyi (yancha and blacks), and a huge fan of Korean teas, especially balhyyocha (basically an umbrella term for teas that are more heavily oxidized than green, like wulong and black.)
How prepare?
gongfu, mog, tallglass / tumbler.
what knowledge to explore right now?
I want to learn much more about balhyocha and human heicha. any and all tea info is nice though
what lead me to here?
don't remember, I stay with tea because it makes me happy and calm. My body is not reactant to caffeine, so i can and have drank 7 bowls of tea and gone right to sleep.
Location?
St. Louis, Missouri (more like misery
)
Welcome to TeaForum, nice to have so many new members from different locations; @teasleuth St. Louis, Missouri, @PamelaOry Philomath, Oregon, @walkerwend@aol.com Eugene, Oregon, @geezhar316 UK, @Greybeard North Carolina, @ZZteaspace North of North America (Artic or Russia?) 
Share something about yourself and your tea experience so far, so that other members will know something about you and where you are coming from.
It all started when I was 14 or 15. I was born and brought up at Calcutta (now called Kolkata), India. My own mother's elder sister husband was a renowned tea taster and has family homes in Darjeeling. He often used to bring to our home tea of exquisite quality as my dad loved tea. Post brewing the aroma used to fill our apartment. Anyways - for next 2 years I was moved into a boarding school - Mount Hermon in Darjeeling as my parents got posted elsewhere. In Darjeeling I learned tea. Really learned and appreciated it.
I did my PhD in Russia where tea especially Indian is revered. I quickly developed a reputation for fine tea appreciation and many vendors offered me tea to evaluate.
Now - I am in US. Now I am SAD. US is horrible in finding good tea. Boutique stores, even in NY City (where I live) are 95% scams.
No sugar, milk, lemon, etc.
- How long have you been drinking tea?
It all started when I was 14 or 15. I was born and brought up at Calcutta (now called Kolkata), India. My own mother's elder sister husband was a renowned tea taster and has family homes in Darjeeling. He often used to bring to our home tea of exquisite quality as my dad loved tea. Post brewing the aroma used to fill our apartment. Anyways - for next 2 years I was moved into a boarding school - Mount Hermon in Darjeeling as my parents got posted elsewhere. In Darjeeling I learned tea. Really learned and appreciated it.
I did my PhD in Russia where tea especially Indian is revered. I quickly developed a reputation for fine tea appreciation and many vendors offered me tea to evaluate.
Now - I am in US. Now I am SAD. US is horrible in finding good tea. Boutique stores, even in NY City (where I live) are 95% scams.
- What kind of tea do you drink?
- How do you prepare your tea?
No sugar, milk, lemon, etc.
- What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
- What is your location?
dear bmninada,
welcome to the site, and thanks for sharing your story. i love and appreciate DJ tea as well and am extremely interested in finding good sources. i hope you'll share them with us if you find them
i have been disappointed with mediocre quality many times, so i hesitate to keep trying new vendors myself. i keep going back to thunderbolt because the quality has been consistently good even though the ordering experience leaves something to be desired (really long shipping time). i also have a feeling that the prices are inflated, but i pay them anyways because i'll do almost anything for good DJ. sorry that you're having a bad experience with them, and i hope you at least get to try their tea and give us your experienced opinion.
Welcome and thanks for sharing this very interesting story! Intriguing. Especially the use of cast iron pot for brewing. Hope you find good help here!bmninada wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 7:27 amShare something about yourself and your tea experience so far, so that other members will know something about you and where you are coming from.
For +30 years.
- How long have you been drinking tea?
It all started when I was 14 or 15. I was born and brought up at Calcutta (now called Kolkata), India. My own mother's elder sister husband was a renowned tea taster and has family homes in Darjeeling. He often used to bring to our home tea of exquisite quality as my dad loved tea. Post brewing the aroma used to fill our apartment. Anyways - for next 2 years I was moved into a boarding school - Mount Hermon in Darjeeling as my parents got posted elsewhere. In Darjeeling I learned tea. Really learned and appreciated it.
I did my PhD in Russia where tea especially Indian is revered. I quickly developed a reputation for fine tea appreciation and many vendors offered me tea to evaluate.
Now - I am in US. Now I am SAD. US is horrible in finding good tea. Boutique stores, even in NY City (where I live) are 95% scams.
I do NOT drink Chinese or Assam or Sri Lanka. Only and truly Darjeeling.
- What kind of tea do you drink?
A bit complex. Water must be 90 to 95C. Then I aerate the water a bit and then put tea leaves into a $70 Japanese tea pot (cast iron) which I have owned for +20 years. Its prior rinsed (outside only) with hot water for 1 min to raise its own temp. Then I steep for either 3 min (if 2nd. flush and beyond) or 5 min (if 1st. flush/white). The cup I pour is also prior rinsed with hot water. Then I drink. Tea remaining in the pot goes into the soil of my potted plants when cooled down.
- How do you prepare your tea?
No sugar, milk, lemon, etc.
Vendors selling Darji teas which are vetted. The tea must produce aroma post brew. I don't really care about the taste or after taste.
- What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
New York, NY
- What is your location?
Hi Everyone,
How long have you been drinking tea?
My whole life I suppose but seriously for 2.5 decades now.
What kind of tea do you drink?
Really all over the map but mainly vintage oolong, puerh, heichas, Taiwanese oolongs, dancong, yancha, etc. Generally oolong in the afternoon and puerh in the evening.
How do you prepare your tea?
Generally gongfucha. Been doing dry brewing more and more lately.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
The more you know the more you know you don't know so I'm perpetually trying to learn something new (this website, in addition to its predecessor, is a great resource for that).
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Pure luck on both counts.
What is your location?
Europe and Asia
How long have you been drinking tea?
My whole life I suppose but seriously for 2.5 decades now.
What kind of tea do you drink?
Really all over the map but mainly vintage oolong, puerh, heichas, Taiwanese oolongs, dancong, yancha, etc. Generally oolong in the afternoon and puerh in the evening.
How do you prepare your tea?
Generally gongfucha. Been doing dry brewing more and more lately.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
The more you know the more you know you don't know so I'm perpetually trying to learn something new (this website, in addition to its predecessor, is a great resource for that).
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Pure luck on both counts.
What is your location?
Europe and Asia
welcome!
How long have you been drinking tea?
I used to drink yerba mate "seriously" until I thought the caffeine was influencing a health issue at the time. A year or so ago, I started drinking tisanes, herbals, then discovered some higher quality teas at Smith while traveling in the Pacific Northwest. He sells some some oolongs, blends some pu-erh, even has some loose, a cake of raw and one of ripe. I was intrigued, soon acquired a gaiwan, since the process of multiple infusions was similar to consuming verba mate. Perusing YouTube, I learned about teapots, the influence of clays and more about teas. I have also discovered the numerous tea vendors and am exploring all their offerings. I'm really in my first months of exploring teas outside the teabag and western prep. I am loving it. I'm initially drawn to the oolong and pu-erh as a focus, but I want to sample across the teas of China and Japan for now.
What kind of tea do you drink? Currently oolongs and pu-erhs. I also enjoy a good jasmine and would like a nice green. I'm so new to this level I want to taste everything.
How do you prepare your tea? Gong Fu with a gaiwan. I am acquiring a couple of teapots and studying more about them.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now? Learning regions, cultivation, processing, types, nuances of brewing and vessels.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there? I enjoy foods, beverages, cultures, learning particularly intricate topics as tea culture appears to be. I find drinking find tea to be rewarding, stimulating, comforting and engaging.
What is your location? Colorado Rockies USA
It has been really productive reading through posts on tea ware and teas and pairings. Just was I was looking for. I'm looking forward to future interactions
I used to drink yerba mate "seriously" until I thought the caffeine was influencing a health issue at the time. A year or so ago, I started drinking tisanes, herbals, then discovered some higher quality teas at Smith while traveling in the Pacific Northwest. He sells some some oolongs, blends some pu-erh, even has some loose, a cake of raw and one of ripe. I was intrigued, soon acquired a gaiwan, since the process of multiple infusions was similar to consuming verba mate. Perusing YouTube, I learned about teapots, the influence of clays and more about teas. I have also discovered the numerous tea vendors and am exploring all their offerings. I'm really in my first months of exploring teas outside the teabag and western prep. I am loving it. I'm initially drawn to the oolong and pu-erh as a focus, but I want to sample across the teas of China and Japan for now.
What kind of tea do you drink? Currently oolongs and pu-erhs. I also enjoy a good jasmine and would like a nice green. I'm so new to this level I want to taste everything.
How do you prepare your tea? Gong Fu with a gaiwan. I am acquiring a couple of teapots and studying more about them.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now? Learning regions, cultivation, processing, types, nuances of brewing and vessels.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there? I enjoy foods, beverages, cultures, learning particularly intricate topics as tea culture appears to be. I find drinking find tea to be rewarding, stimulating, comforting and engaging.
What is your location? Colorado Rockies USA
It has been really productive reading through posts on tea ware and teas and pairings. Just was I was looking for. I'm looking forward to future interactions
What kind of tea do you drink?
Japanese green teas! Mostly Sencha and Bancha, sometimes Genmaicha, but I'm looking to wiggle my way to a nice Gyokuro.
How do you prepare your tea?
Currently, for my larger yunomi "mug" and daily drinking I use a large mesh-inlay for the cup itself. For my smaller cups and company I use a tetsubin-style teapot.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I signed up here because I have a few questions in my quest of branching out into the world of kyusus, so I can do the finer teas better justice than my tetsubin can
What is your location?
Germany! My English is a little rough around the edges, sometimes.
Japanese green teas! Mostly Sencha and Bancha, sometimes Genmaicha, but I'm looking to wiggle my way to a nice Gyokuro.
How do you prepare your tea?
Currently, for my larger yunomi "mug" and daily drinking I use a large mesh-inlay for the cup itself. For my smaller cups and company I use a tetsubin-style teapot.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I signed up here because I have a few questions in my quest of branching out into the world of kyusus, so I can do the finer teas better justice than my tetsubin can
What is your location?
Germany! My English is a little rough around the edges, sometimes.