Introduce Yourself

[kirkoneill1988]

Hi my name is kirk!

How long have you been drinking tea?
"3 or 4 years"

What kind of tea do you drink?
"Mainly puerh."

How do you prepare your tea?
"Gongfucha"

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
"Anything"

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
"Mainly a safe alternative to Alcohol. Also the cha qi and flavours"

What is your location?
"Ontario, Canada"

Feel free to pm me for more in depth answers

[mukti]

How long have you been drinking tea?

Probably since about 2007 or 2008, but not heavily until maybe around 2012 (and even now, I wouldn't consider myself as experienced a tea drinker as most of the people here).

What kind of tea do you drink?

I drink a lot of green tea, and really enjoy greens from Kagoshima. I've been trying to expand what I drink, and have been drinking a lot more blacks... but I still always have tons of green

How do you prepare your tea?

I try to do gong fu as much as possible (and will typically do a longer gong fu session every weekend), but I do just steep with a filter or a small pot when convenient. I have a FORLIFE Stump pot that I use if I'm rushing at home, and at work I use either a finium basket, or a Yoassi metal basket that fits into my mug (depending on what I have that's clean). I was given a Gong Fu Guru set from my mother as a gift last year - while I know a lot of people have mixed opinions about that company, I really do like the tea tray/set. I don't think I would ever pay as much as it costs, but it is nice to have. I'm looking around at other, smaller trays though, since this one is a bit cumbersome..

I've been using a gaiwan more recently, but I also have some other smaller pots, a hohin, and a kyusu. My various gaiwan are usually more fun to use than the others, but I don't really have a preference. The only Yixing pot I have is the one that came with the Gong Fu Guru. I may try to look into them more, but don't want to go out of my way to buy something I don't know much about I've used the Yixing for the few types of puerh that I've tried.

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?

I would like to know more about puerh - it seems like people really enjoy it, but I don't really get the nuances of it yet (and I haven't tried enough to have a solid opinion of it). I'd also like to try some more white tea. I haven't really had much, and just had some silver needle the other day that I really enjoyed.

I'm always looking for new blacks and greens as well! New and unique flavors are always interesting.

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?

Honestly, the first thing that got me into drinking loose leaf tea was the Diggnation podcast. I had heard about loose leaf tea before, but never really bothered looking into it, but on one of the episodes of Diggnation, Kevin Rose explained his tattoo of Shennong and how he really enjoyed loose leaf tea. That podcast also had some kind of partnership with Adagio, so I was able to get discounted samples of various teas. While I only had a few from there, and haven't had any Adagio teas since 2007/2008, it lead me down the path to start exploring tea and drinking more of it.

What keeps me in the world of tea is the calming and relaxing feeling I get from drinking tea. The process of making tea, the warmth of drinking a good cup of tea - all of it is a very calming experience. It really helps me unwind and relax.

What is your location?

New Jersey, USA
(very close to Philadelphia)

Other...

I actually had heard about this site when visiting the Obubu farm in Wazuka, Japan. I met someone (sorry I don't remember your name!) who gave me the name of the site, and showed me a bit of it while we were waiting for the but back to the train. I had only lurked around the dev site without making an account, but decided to create one after seeing the recent post on the /r/tea subreddit.

[Crator]

Hi everyone. Hope to meet cool people here. Apart from tea I have a lot of other hobbies. A few of my biggest are painting, video games and photography.

How long have you been drinking tea?

About a year. However I got more serious about the hobby sometime during July and August.

What kind of tea do you drink?

Black, oolong, white and roasted ones. Haven't found much green I like. Hopefully that will change. I have yet to try herbals at all.

How do you prepare your tea?

Gongfu style. I got a Zojirushi water boiler from my sister over the summer, and that's what made it far easier to make tea because it keeps the water at temperature for me. I don't drink super fast so a normal tea pot with water would go cold on me a lot. I typically light some incense with it as well.

I'll also sometimes host tea ceremonies with my friends as well.

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?

I am interesting in exploring all the different flavors and unique tea ware out there. Also finding vendors that can be trusted. Got burned a few times.

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?

I gave up soda and most all sugary drinks and only drank water for a long time. I finally got sick of it. But wanted something I can still get organic and with near zero calories. I don't like coffee so I tried out tea and I drank that off and on for awhile. Then as I said above I got a water boiler and got way deeper into the hobby.

I stay with it because there is so many unique flavors and ways to prepare it. There is always something new to find.

What is your location?

USA

[Wobudong]

How long have you been drinking tea?

about 2 years now

What kind of tea do you drink?

Pu, but I like to try everything

How do you prepare your tea?

Gongfu, sometimes grandpa style when I'm traveling

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?

All kinds, knowledge is power and I am Jafar

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?

Mind blowing tastes and textures

What is your location?

Florida, USA

[Bill123]

I "discovered tea" in 2005

My first love was Taiwanese High Mountain Oolongs . I evolved into drinking all kinds of teas from Chinese, Indian, Taiwanese, Ceylon, and Japanese blacks, to name a few, to Greens, Whites, Yellow, Pu-erh from various countries. Right now I am concentrating on Pu-erh (so much to explore and learn.)

Depending on the tea I use Gaiwans, Yixing pots, Hohins, Kyusu, porcelain teapots, etc. I use generally recommended guide lines, and experiment with them to see what happens .

At this time I am exploring pu-ehrs, as well as continuing enjoying and learning about other teas.

I disliked tea for most of my life until the kind owners of a tea shop introduced me to oolongs. The floral scent alone was enough to convert me into a tea explorer. The health benefits also appealed to me. I continue to explore tea and have found a surprise around every corner.

Florida, USA

[joelbct]

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 hits the spot perfectly in the evening. Starting to throw my longtime favorite Fukamushi Chiran Kagoshima Sencha back into the rotation.

I enjoy teas from many categories and regions, but I have been drinking long enough to have become rather picky and easily disappointed. I am lucky to have tasted so many excellent teas.

How do you prepare your tea?
Lately I am a proponent of simple utilitarian but precise setup. My ideal vessel doesn't exist, but I'm using pyrex measure cup (french press carafe works too), covered with glass cookpot lid and strained through handheld steel mesh. With timer and scale, thermometer when necessary, and variable temp electric kettle. This setup is super easy to use and clean, lets the leaves breathe, retains heat well, and pours the liquor off more quickly and completely than most teapots.

I also have ISO competition style tasting sets. I like clean white porcelain for mugs and cups. Currently using Fortessa Superwhite 10oz mugs that are a type of fortified porcelain, but lightweight and thin like bone china.

Parameters, 3.3g leaf and 300mL H2O, 3:30 to 4:15 min for Black, White, Oolong, and 2:30 for Green, and the standard temps. Will do Gong Fu parameters with Oolong sometimes. ISO standard of gong fu ratios but 5-6 min is a good way to size up a tea.

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I like reading about what others are drinking and enjoying. I also follow the industry a bit. Quite interested in Darjeeling crisis aftermath. What will happen? Fingers crossed for an outcome favorable to all parties. I hope we can improve living standards for impoverished tea laborers and their families while keeping high-quality gardens in business.

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
The whole practice. The meditation, the calming and soothing effect, the warm beverage, the tastes and aromas, all from a benign single-ingredient plant without harmful or intoxicating effects- it is such a simple but profound comfort. But to delve? A shop called Oolong's Tea Bar in New Haven CT closed down sometime around 2006. They introduced me to really good tea. I had become hooked, and needed to find new vendors. This led me to teachat, which was a tremendous help in learning and finding legit vendors. At the time, ordering tea from the internet seemed quite a leap of faith

What is your location?
NY Metro Area

[Nefarious]

hi There.

I’m a fairly casual participant in both the Teachat and Steepster forums, under the same user ID. What I’m not casual about is my tea drinking, which I’ve been savouring for well over 30 years. It all started with a little stall in the indoor market in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the UK, called Tyne Teas. As a teen, I was initially hooked on Oolongs, Lapsang Souchong, Darjeeling, etc though no concept of any differentiation within those broad categories. Since then, I have dabbled with Japanese teas, and more recently, Puerh.

I use an infuser at work and a gaiwan at home, though I do have a Yixing pot and some other bits and pieces too. I still drink most of what I mention though mostly Puerh (mostly raw; some ripe), Oolongs from both Taiwan and China, jasmine teas and Genmaicha.

I am very interested in exploring other teas, especially Chinese. I love a rosebud infusion at bedtime but have no interest in anything but traditional added flavourings.

I’d love to chat but not with people who act like keyboard warriors or feel the need to patronise!

[Victoria]

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
.... But to delve? A shop called Oolong's Tea Bar in New Haven CT closed down sometime around 2006. They introduced me to really good tea. I had become hooked, and needed to find new vendors. This led me to teachat, which was a tremendous help in learning and finding legit vendors. At the time, ordering tea from the internet seemed quite a leap of faith

Oh wow, where was Oolong Tea Bar in New Haven? I lived there several years on Avon St near Romeo’s deli. What a great deli, totally made the neighborhood a community. Sorry I missed Oolong Bar Tea though.

[nasalfrog]

How long have you been drinking tea?
Almost 20 years, with long stretches of no tea here and there.

What kind of tea do you drink?
Currently Japanese organic, mostly green. I prefer fukamushi & medium steamed in the morning, and asamushi or kabusecha in the afternoon.

How do you prepare your tea?
I have a small kyusu, a scale, and thermometer. I kind of have a scientific approach to brewing.

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I'm interested in what goes into brewing the perfect cup, the health benefits of tea, teapots, & new vendors.

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
What got me into tea was some green oolong a friend gifted me that his parents bought while in Taiwan.

I had some pretty major health issues a couple of years ago (I'm much better now), and I'm one who has take action in some form in regards to my health. Green tea catechins were one of the few things that had some research supporting it's effectiveness in several things I had going on, and it wasn't going to hurt me, plus I love the taste, so here I am drinking tea daily again. Now that I'm better (probably more from time not tea) I drink it for enjoyment and relaxation. There's nothing quite like a good cup of high theanine tea outside on a nice day with birds chirping everywhere.

What is your location?
Tulsa, OK

[peacener]

How long have you been drinking tea?

I've been drinking tea for as long as I can remember, all the way back to my childhood when my Dad would make sun tea in the Arizona sun. Of course, this was done via tea bags and I grew up consuming tea through these weird bags. In late 2011, I was having some issues and went to a place formerly known as Mandala Wellness Center. Garret introduced me to the world of loose leaf tea and the rest is history... it is now almost 2018 and here I still am.

What kind of tea do you drink?

Primarily Liu bao and sheng. I enjoy the occasional any other types, too, on rare occasions, although I'll get down with some matcha every now and then. Hopefully before it goes bad. And bad matcha is gross.

How do you prepare your tea?

with my heart. If I am unhappy, or not in a good place, I've learned that those feelings can definitely go into the taste of tea or the tea brewing process, and the tea tastes as bad as those not so good feelings. Make sense of it however you will... I can only happily brew tea. Heart has to be in good place which it mostly is!

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?

I've been diving into age and old tea. I am really enjoying this somewhat new area for myself and look forward to traveling more down this road...

What is your location?

Along the Mississippi River in Hastings, MN

[devoted_to_tea]

Hi all

I am devoted to tea

I saw some info about this in my Instagram feed and thought I would check it out. I was a reader on the TeaChat forum, but never posted.

I have been drinking tea seriously for about 10 years. I primarily drink Chinese and Taiwanese tea. Pu erh from Lincang region mostly. But I also regularly drink: YanCha, Hung Shui, Gueifei and Hong Cha from Yunnan and Taiwan. I also occasionally drink Hei Cha. I typically prepare my tea gongfu cha style using clay pots and gaiwans. I am pretty much interested in exploring all things tea. I like that tea forces me to slow down, get out of my head and attend to the sensory qualities of tea. I really enjoy the balance of 'book' learning and experiential / sensory learning. The study of tea has no limits...there is always more to learn and experience. I live in Toronto Canada.

Looking forward to being part of the community.

[Shane]

Hi, my name is Shane. Stumbled upon Teachat a few weeks ago, but it's pretty slow there. So here I am!

How long have you been drinking tea?
I have been enjoying tea for over a year now. It has been an amazing journey, and I look forward to many more years.

What kind of tea do you drink?
Shu and sheng pu'er, black tea (Jin Jun Mei, Lapsang Suochong, Golden Bud Dian Hong to name a few), Lan Gui Ren oolong, Bai Hao Yin Zhen white tea. I currently do not have any green or yellow tea in my tea cabinet. I also have not tried anything other than Chinese teas.

How do you prepare your tea?
Gongfu style. I have a couple of clay pots that I still haven't used.

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I need to learn more about all aspects of tea. I would like to gain some knowledge of clay teapots. I may explore other types such as matcha and sencha.

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
I visited Beijing, and while there, my brother in law introduced me to tea a tea ceremony. I had tried disgusting bagged tea, but the tea we sampled in China blew my mind.

What is your location?
Ontario, Canada eh....

[O-Cha.com]

Hi, I'm Kevin, from O-Cha.com. Some of you might know me

How long have you been drinking tea?

35 years?

What kind of tea do you drink?

Japanese green tea and matcha, almost exclusively.

How do you prepare your tea?

Let me count the ways…

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?

Originally I was stationed in Japan while serving in the US Navy, that was my first introduction. In the late '90's I was majoring in the Japanese language and started an internet side business and I chose Japanese green tea. Almost no one was doing it back then.

What is your location?

Iwaki City, Fukushima Japan

[Wocket]

I'm always up for a good old fashioned questionnaire!


How long have you been drinking tea?

For about two years now, in any regular capacity.

What kind of tea do you drink?

Primarily puerh and Chinese oolongs, although I'll have virtually anything if I happen upon it!

How do you prepare your tea?

Usually gongfu, though I western quite a bit at work and have even tried grandpa a few times (I suspect the true art of that brew style is eluding me)

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?

I'm always eager to learn more about puerh and yixing teapots - it's quite the rabbit hole, trying to learn about either of those when you don't know any Chinese (or any language besides English, for that matter)!

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?

Trying to drink less soda was the initial impetus, and realizing I actually like a nice tea better was all she wrote!

What is your location?

Kansas City, more or less

[ferg]

Never did one of these on TeaChat, so figure better late than never.

How long have you been drinking tea?

I grew up drinking Lipton, primarily when sick. Typically with honey and lemon added.

I began drinking proper tea during the Winter of 2011 when I discovered the world of loose leaf tea through the Netflix documentary All In This Tea. Despite the criticism this documentary often gets, it did open up my eyes to tea beyond teabag tea.

What kind of tea do you drink?

Initially Chinese, then Taiwanese, recently sampling Hong Kong varieties, but have primarily gravitated towards Japanese over time.

As of late, I have added English tea to my repertoire. Yes, teabag tea. So you could say I've come full circle.

How do you prepare your tea?

Always clay, unglazed kyusu for Japanese tea! My collection of teapots, both made in Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan, is back up to 2 at the moment. One for light-steamed asamushi and another for deep-steamed fukamushi. The shape and size of each pot lends well to particular tea types. I also use a simple, but beautiful wooden sencha tray from a fellow TC member, and yuzamashi (for cooling water) and cups fired from an anagama kiln in the traditional style. Tea is stored in both a sakura bark (cherry wood) tea caddy and clay caddy fired from a gas kiln with yohen effects. I do have a thermometer and scale as Japanese tea requires precision, but often don't bother myself with them, feeling it takes away from the moment.

And I brew up PG Tips in my Brown Betty made in Stoke-on-Trent, commonly known as the Staffordshire Potteries in central England, with a healthy splash of whole milk, and accompanied by Digestives tea biscuits. I am truly addicted to this combination! As I don't eat breakfast, I typically do English tea and biscuits for Elevenses. Fills me up and holds me over until a late lunch or even dinner.

What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?

English tea is pretty straightforward and difficult to mess up. So simple to make. However, I'm always curious in hearing new methods that people brew up Japanese teas, which are the exact opposite and tend to be extremely finicky.

What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?

I was a former barista at Starbucks during my college days. I started drinking coffee junior year of high school and have since been a habitual, daily drinker. Coffee is my first love. My barista roots led me to an interest in all things coffee and tea. Tea was simply the next extension. I find tea to be a quiet, mindful experience. It's meditative in nature compared to coffee on-the-go.

What is your location?

Cleveland, OH