Introduce Yourself
Welcome to TeaForum.
FONG'S TEA is here. We continue to share more information about Chinese tea! Share more information about Chinese tea with tea lovers! 
Hi Tea friends,
Jo here.
Pure tea kombucha brewer based in India.
Predominantly focused on Indian teas, quite simply as we have access to abundance of amazing teas and import tax on tea to India is 100%. Miss using Chinese teas, but can't complain.
Blacks, whites, greens, oolongs, tisanes. It's all about flavour for us.
Happy to be here and looking forward to inputs on a current issue we are facing with some black Darjeeling.
Cheers
Jo here.
Pure tea kombucha brewer based in India.
Predominantly focused on Indian teas, quite simply as we have access to abundance of amazing teas and import tax on tea to India is 100%. Miss using Chinese teas, but can't complain.
Blacks, whites, greens, oolongs, tisanes. It's all about flavour for us.
Happy to be here and looking forward to inputs on a current issue we are facing with some black Darjeeling.
Cheers
Hi everybody
I’m 55 and drinking tea for the most part of my life. Mostly teabags, with exception of my puberty where I found a little teastore in the citywith loose teas.
As a Dutch girl we tend to use little tea, lots of water, and then let it steep a long time. The teas are often bitter.
2 months ago I came across a video of teabox, in which they explained, we really don’t know how real tea tastes.
T the same time I learned about yixing, so I ordered a little pot from Amazon. Great little pot though which makes great tea. Lots of stamps inside en outside the pot.
Now I know it’s probably not real zisha. I purchased a few pots now, also from reputable sellers. And I switched to loose organic tea. I am trying them all out. My favourites so far are tie guan yin, king of pu-ehr, osmanthus black tea. Lots of tea, little water and short brewing time in a clay pot. My world changed.
It’s a welcome break in my day and I drink tea a lot.
Situated in the Netherlands.
I’m 55 and drinking tea for the most part of my life. Mostly teabags, with exception of my puberty where I found a little teastore in the citywith loose teas.
As a Dutch girl we tend to use little tea, lots of water, and then let it steep a long time. The teas are often bitter.
2 months ago I came across a video of teabox, in which they explained, we really don’t know how real tea tastes.
T the same time I learned about yixing, so I ordered a little pot from Amazon. Great little pot though which makes great tea. Lots of stamps inside en outside the pot.
Now I know it’s probably not real zisha. I purchased a few pots now, also from reputable sellers. And I switched to loose organic tea. I am trying them all out. My favourites so far are tie guan yin, king of pu-ehr, osmanthus black tea. Lots of tea, little water and short brewing time in a clay pot. My world changed.
It’s a welcome break in my day and I drink tea a lot.
Situated in the Netherlands.
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BrassMonkey76
- New user
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2024 8:03 am
- Location: Lubbock, Texas
Hi I'm BrassMonkey76. Thank you for allowing me to join in.
What is your location?
Lubbock, Texas (USA)
How long have you been drinking tea?
As a Son of The South I've been drinking tea my whole life. Sweet Ice Tea is mama's milk for us folks down here. And yet that is but a shadow of the possibilities. The World is my Chawan.
What kind of tea do you drink?
My mother, and my mothers' mother before her were tea lover's. They loved beer too but that's another story. Mom & Dad taught me to explore. Tea's were part of that experience. To keep my reply short, I'm a nondiscriminatory indulger.
How do you prepare your tea?
Steeped in Hot Water, mostly bagged and loose teas. God help me I'm a tea bagger. I think I'm done with the "tea dust" thing though but it's so darn quick and easy....but it's tasteless. I'm learning.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
Anything, everything. I'm a sponge.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
I'm an artist of sorts. Heck we all are to some degree. There you are again mom. I've always loved the art's. Especially those that involve the use of the hands. In this case particularly Ceramics, those that are part of the Chanoyo. I've always loved the Japanese culture. Thanks to Dad and to Sue Hirakawa and her family. So....I'm wading into the deep end of the pool and loving it. It's just the beginning-again.
What is your location? (It's a circle again)
Lubbock, Texas (USA)
In this Spinning Speck of Dust In the Cosmos....
Truly, Thank you for allowing me to access the site, for your work maintaining the site, and all the wisdom shared here. Thanks everyone.
What is your location?
Lubbock, Texas (USA)
How long have you been drinking tea?
As a Son of The South I've been drinking tea my whole life. Sweet Ice Tea is mama's milk for us folks down here. And yet that is but a shadow of the possibilities. The World is my Chawan.
What kind of tea do you drink?
My mother, and my mothers' mother before her were tea lover's. They loved beer too but that's another story. Mom & Dad taught me to explore. Tea's were part of that experience. To keep my reply short, I'm a nondiscriminatory indulger.
How do you prepare your tea?
Steeped in Hot Water, mostly bagged and loose teas. God help me I'm a tea bagger. I think I'm done with the "tea dust" thing though but it's so darn quick and easy....but it's tasteless. I'm learning.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
Anything, everything. I'm a sponge.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
I'm an artist of sorts. Heck we all are to some degree. There you are again mom. I've always loved the art's. Especially those that involve the use of the hands. In this case particularly Ceramics, those that are part of the Chanoyo. I've always loved the Japanese culture. Thanks to Dad and to Sue Hirakawa and her family. So....I'm wading into the deep end of the pool and loving it. It's just the beginning-again.
What is your location? (It's a circle again)
Lubbock, Texas (USA)
In this Spinning Speck of Dust In the Cosmos....
Truly, Thank you for allowing me to access the site, for your work maintaining the site, and all the wisdom shared here. Thanks everyone.
Welcome new members to TeaForum!
everyone has to start somewhere with tea... glad to hear that you got past the tea dust and sweet tea to realize there's a lot more out there… Even if he still go back to sweet tea as your "comfort" tea from time to time--we won't tell on you!
How long have you been drinking tea?
Long.
What kind of tea do you drink?
Oolong, Puer, Japanese
How do you prepare your tea?
With attention.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
New sources.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Taste, social aspects, meditation and theanine.
What is your location?
Seattle Area.
Long.
What kind of tea do you drink?
Oolong, Puer, Japanese
How do you prepare your tea?
With attention.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
New sources.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Taste, social aspects, meditation and theanine.
What is your location?
Seattle Area.
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Coolhandluke44
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2024 5:22 am
- Location: SoCal
Hello!
I have been drinking tea off and on for years, mostly breakfast teas in bags. Learned I really like earl greys and drank almost nothing but for a year or so. Switched off of coffee to tea for the most part a while back to reduce caffeine intake, but stumbled on some post or video about sencha somewhere and that's when it all started...
My first sencha came in August, along with a cheap Amazon kyusu. Loved it, and wanted some proper cups so ordered a pair of interesting cups along with some gyokuro. Then I started getting interested in Chinese teas, ordered a gaiwan, a few more cups, and various teas from YS. At this point I cracked the spout on my cheap kyusu (probably slipcast anyway), so ordered a slightly-less-cheap Gyokko kiln kyusu of unknown size and a very nice Iga clay kyusu from Hojo, which are still en route. I have a few Yixing teapots (pretty sure they're real but tough to be 100%).
I like lots of different teas now. Japanese greens, Chinese greens, Chinese blacks (reds), earl grey. Oolong is ok but so far not inspiring, Pu'erh is so far just not very good to me, Young Sheng being the only type I've enjoyed at all. But I've tried... I don't know, maybe 15-20 teas, maybe more. That's probably way low considering I just went through it real quick and I've bought some 40 mostly-sample-size types of tea.
For now just trying to gain more experience and perspective on tea types, and slowly expanding my collection of teaware. I've learned a lot about clay types, and I want some more porcelain pieces so currently trying to figure out what the different qualities of the different types of porcelain are, and the history behind some of it. Surprisingly little info out there on the differences between Dehua and Jingdezhen, bone porcelain vs mutton fat vs ice jade etc etc.
Coolhand
I have been drinking tea off and on for years, mostly breakfast teas in bags. Learned I really like earl greys and drank almost nothing but for a year or so. Switched off of coffee to tea for the most part a while back to reduce caffeine intake, but stumbled on some post or video about sencha somewhere and that's when it all started...
My first sencha came in August, along with a cheap Amazon kyusu. Loved it, and wanted some proper cups so ordered a pair of interesting cups along with some gyokuro. Then I started getting interested in Chinese teas, ordered a gaiwan, a few more cups, and various teas from YS. At this point I cracked the spout on my cheap kyusu (probably slipcast anyway), so ordered a slightly-less-cheap Gyokko kiln kyusu of unknown size and a very nice Iga clay kyusu from Hojo, which are still en route. I have a few Yixing teapots (pretty sure they're real but tough to be 100%).
I like lots of different teas now. Japanese greens, Chinese greens, Chinese blacks (reds), earl grey. Oolong is ok but so far not inspiring, Pu'erh is so far just not very good to me, Young Sheng being the only type I've enjoyed at all. But I've tried... I don't know, maybe 15-20 teas, maybe more. That's probably way low considering I just went through it real quick and I've bought some 40 mostly-sample-size types of tea.
For now just trying to gain more experience and perspective on tea types, and slowly expanding my collection of teaware. I've learned a lot about clay types, and I want some more porcelain pieces so currently trying to figure out what the different qualities of the different types of porcelain are, and the history behind some of it. Surprisingly little info out there on the differences between Dehua and Jingdezhen, bone porcelain vs mutton fat vs ice jade etc etc.
Coolhand
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Masterjeff
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2023 5:07 am
Welcome to Teaforum.
There are a few threads here about different porcelains, mainly jingdezhen vs dehua. Mud and leaves is considered a good source for nice jingdezhen pieces.
I quite enjoy my Iga shiboridashi. I use it with black teas. I'd recommend sticking to one type of tea with it since it becomes seasoned very quickly.
Oolong is a very wide category of tea, if you like green teas you may like baozhong or gaoshan oolongs from Taiwan.
Best of luck to your tea adventures!
There are a few threads here about different porcelains, mainly jingdezhen vs dehua. Mud and leaves is considered a good source for nice jingdezhen pieces.
I quite enjoy my Iga shiboridashi. I use it with black teas. I'd recommend sticking to one type of tea with it since it becomes seasoned very quickly.
Oolong is a very wide category of tea, if you like green teas you may like baozhong or gaoshan oolongs from Taiwan.
Best of luck to your tea adventures!
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Coolhandluke44
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2024 5:22 am
- Location: SoCal
Thanks! I'll look around at some of the porcelain discussions and see what I can learn.Masterjeff wrote: ↑Mon Jan 06, 2025 3:00 pmWelcome to Teaforum.
There are a few threads here about different porcelains, mainly jingdezhen vs dehua. Mud and leaves is considered a good source for nice jingdezhen pieces.
I quite enjoy my Iga shiboridashi. I use it with black teas. I'd recommend sticking to one type of tea with it since it becomes seasoned very quickly.
Oolong is a very wide category of tea, if you like green teas you may like baozhong or gaoshan oolongs from Taiwan.
Best of luck to your tea adventures!
I'll probably try a few different broad types in it and see what plays well, then do a boiling water rinse to sort of reset it ala Yixing, then try to figure out what particular teas are my favorite. Or I might just end up putting sencha in it, lol not sure yet. I did just get a decent unglazed tokoname yohen from Gyokko that might be my sencha pot, which would certainly free up the Iga pot to be, well, anything!
I've tried an Anxi Ben Shan, Dan Cong, and Da Hong Pao, I need to revisit and maybe try some other offerings for each but my initial impressions weren't the best. The Ben Shan might have been the best, so maybe those lighter roasts are indeed where I should focus!
Hello, tea brothers.
How long have you been drinking tea?
Since birth, like most Russians. Conscious drinking of Chinese tea since approximately 2006
What kind of tea do you drink?
Mostly shu and shen puer (Kunming storage). I collect old factory-made Soviet tea, so I sometimes taste it too.
How do you prepare your tea?
Shu Pu'er - infusion in an earthenware teapot (500-600 ml). Shen Pu'er - Pǐn chá through old Soviet porcelain teapots from the 1920s/30s.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
Old CNNP Factory Teas, the Soviet Tea Project
What is your location?
Russia, Moscow Region
How long have you been drinking tea?
Since birth, like most Russians. Conscious drinking of Chinese tea since approximately 2006
What kind of tea do you drink?
Mostly shu and shen puer (Kunming storage). I collect old factory-made Soviet tea, so I sometimes taste it too.
How do you prepare your tea?
Shu Pu'er - infusion in an earthenware teapot (500-600 ml). Shen Pu'er - Pǐn chá through old Soviet porcelain teapots from the 1920s/30s.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
Old CNNP Factory Teas, the Soviet Tea Project
What is your location?
Russia, Moscow Region
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TranquiliTea
- New user
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2025 9:27 pm
- Location: Connecticut, USA
Hello! Great to be here.
How long have you been drinking tea?
15 - 20 years, but I've only recently become interesting in learning more about tea blending and the best brewing methods.
What kind of tea do you drink?
Mostly Assam/Ceylon blends plus commercial greens plus tulsi. My black tea tastes definitely skew toward the blends typical of the English/Irish breakfast teas. I feel unsophisticated saying I like commercial teas in a community of connoisseur, but I consistently enjoy Lyons, Barry's, Ahmad, and some of the American brand Bigelow. I also love a Lady Grey.
How do you prepare your tea?
Nothing special. Electric kettle, small 1-2 cup porcelain teapots. I have strainers for brewing loose tea, and I'm interested in developing my palate for loose teas and learning about optimal brewing methods. I feel like I'm at the start of developing my tea drinking palate or improving my methods, because I feel like loose teas should taste better to me, but I enjoy the strength of the commercial teas above.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I'm interested in food history, and so I'd be really interested in finding historical sources/recipes for how tea was blended or spiced in the 1700s, especially in the American colonies. I have a lot of historical cookbooks, but I can't seem to find any historical documents or publications from the 1700s or early 1800s that contain recipes for blending tea. I'm particularly interested in spiced teas or Christmas teas--recipes for how tea blenders or even regular people added spices and citrus peel to black teas. For example, the company myth surrounding the orange spice tea "Constant Comment" in the USA is that, in the 1940s, its creator, Ruth Bigelow, discovered a colonial-era recipe with which American colonists would add orange peel and spices to black tea and store the blend in stoneware jars to allow the flavors to set. If this isn't just a story invented for marketing purposes, it suggests that recipes for blending tea survive from colonial American, but I have not been able to find any sources for them.
I'm also interested in different methods of brewing different teas around the world.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
When I get into something, I can get really into it. I've enjoyed drinking tea for years, but in a kind of passing way, not overly intentional about what I was drinking or the care I was taking to prepare it. I've only recently begun to realize how large the world of tea is and how much I can learn and discover.
What is your location?
Connecticut, USA.
How long have you been drinking tea?
15 - 20 years, but I've only recently become interesting in learning more about tea blending and the best brewing methods.
What kind of tea do you drink?
Mostly Assam/Ceylon blends plus commercial greens plus tulsi. My black tea tastes definitely skew toward the blends typical of the English/Irish breakfast teas. I feel unsophisticated saying I like commercial teas in a community of connoisseur, but I consistently enjoy Lyons, Barry's, Ahmad, and some of the American brand Bigelow. I also love a Lady Grey.
How do you prepare your tea?
Nothing special. Electric kettle, small 1-2 cup porcelain teapots. I have strainers for brewing loose tea, and I'm interested in developing my palate for loose teas and learning about optimal brewing methods. I feel like I'm at the start of developing my tea drinking palate or improving my methods, because I feel like loose teas should taste better to me, but I enjoy the strength of the commercial teas above.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I'm interested in food history, and so I'd be really interested in finding historical sources/recipes for how tea was blended or spiced in the 1700s, especially in the American colonies. I have a lot of historical cookbooks, but I can't seem to find any historical documents or publications from the 1700s or early 1800s that contain recipes for blending tea. I'm particularly interested in spiced teas or Christmas teas--recipes for how tea blenders or even regular people added spices and citrus peel to black teas. For example, the company myth surrounding the orange spice tea "Constant Comment" in the USA is that, in the 1940s, its creator, Ruth Bigelow, discovered a colonial-era recipe with which American colonists would add orange peel and spices to black tea and store the blend in stoneware jars to allow the flavors to set. If this isn't just a story invented for marketing purposes, it suggests that recipes for blending tea survive from colonial American, but I have not been able to find any sources for them.
I'm also interested in different methods of brewing different teas around the world.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
When I get into something, I can get really into it. I've enjoyed drinking tea for years, but in a kind of passing way, not overly intentional about what I was drinking or the care I was taking to prepare it. I've only recently begun to realize how large the world of tea is and how much I can learn and discover.
What is your location?
Connecticut, USA.