How long have you been drinking tea?
about 15 years
What kind of tea do you drink?
Pu'er tea, Dahongpao, Tie Guanyin, Phoenix single cluster(Oolong tea),Xiao Qing Gan
How do you prepare your tea?
In my hometown, I use a Kung Fu tea plate, which holds a clay teapot and three small clay teacups. I grab a small handful of tea leaves by hand and put them into the teapot. I pour boiling hot water into the teapot and clean the teacup twice with tea (which can also achieve the effect of cleaning the tea leaves). Finally, I pour the tea evenly into the three teacups (the color of the tea in the three cups remains consistent), This way, a small cup of tea is ready to drink. Of course, no matter how many guests there are, only three tea cups will be placed because a teapot can only brew three cups of tea, and only in this way can the tea give off its best aroma and make it more delicious.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
White tea, yellow tea, and black tea
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
In our area, tea is the way to treat guests. Men, women, and children all like to drink tea. When guests come, they will take out the best tea to show respect to them. Meanwhile, influenced by my hometown, over the years, I have been dedicated to exploring the culture of tea. The deeper my understanding of tea, the more I feel that my understanding of tea is still far from sufficient.
What is your location?
China
Introduce Yourself
Welcome to TeaForum 
Hi all! I'm a New York born painter living in northern Spain.
How long have you been drinking tea?
For about 12 years, since my wife and I started drinking Clipper's tea with milk in the afternoon. During the pandemic I ordered some Darjeeling off Amazon and quickly got hooked.
What kind of tea do you drink?
After ordering some Chinese teas 2 years ago I quickly moved from red teas to sheng puerh, which I drink nearly daily. I also enjoy Wuyi Yancha, some white teas, and some shou.
How do you prepare your tea?
From a small gaiwan in my studio. Western brew at home with my wife.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I am interested in exploring the teas of Taiwan and learning to brew and enjoy Japanese green teas. So far they are just too "green" for me.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Cutting down on coffee initially, then being amazed when finally trying a good tea!
What is your location?
La Rioja, Spain
How long have you been drinking tea?
For about 12 years, since my wife and I started drinking Clipper's tea with milk in the afternoon. During the pandemic I ordered some Darjeeling off Amazon and quickly got hooked.
What kind of tea do you drink?
After ordering some Chinese teas 2 years ago I quickly moved from red teas to sheng puerh, which I drink nearly daily. I also enjoy Wuyi Yancha, some white teas, and some shou.
How do you prepare your tea?
From a small gaiwan in my studio. Western brew at home with my wife.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I am interested in exploring the teas of Taiwan and learning to brew and enjoy Japanese green teas. So far they are just too "green" for me.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Cutting down on coffee initially, then being amazed when finally trying a good tea!
What is your location?
La Rioja, Spain
welcome to Tea Forum! Many different things happen to bring us here but friendly conversation and knowledgeable discussion about teas and teawares keeps us here.
And it sounds like your journey has been quite similar in some ways to mine: I started out drinking one tea that was recommended and shared with me, and I drank pretty much exclusively that until my local supply access dried up. Then I started exploring, and indeed it took quite a while to come around to enjoyment of Japanese teas--matcha was the one that took longest to figure out.
I suspect we can help you figure Japanese greens out if you hang out here for a little while. For me, the key was figuring out that I needed to brew it quite dilute and cooler water and shorter infusions than I was expecting.
I started with about 1 g of tea per 60 mil water, infusions at 160° F/70° C for about 30 seconds to start; a second infusion for maybe 10 seconds; and then back to 30 seconds at the same temperature or a little higher; and then another one to two infusions, each at 10° F/ 5° C hotter, and up to a couple of minutes at the end.
it does need to be done quickly, because the flavor goes off rapidly if it sits after infusing before you drink it, even when it's already been poured away from the leaves. And it's always OK, if you overdo it and the brew gets too concentrated or a bit bitter to dilute it with more hot water.
And it sounds like your journey has been quite similar in some ways to mine: I started out drinking one tea that was recommended and shared with me, and I drank pretty much exclusively that until my local supply access dried up. Then I started exploring, and indeed it took quite a while to come around to enjoyment of Japanese teas--matcha was the one that took longest to figure out.
I suspect we can help you figure Japanese greens out if you hang out here for a little while. For me, the key was figuring out that I needed to brew it quite dilute and cooler water and shorter infusions than I was expecting.
I started with about 1 g of tea per 60 mil water, infusions at 160° F/70° C for about 30 seconds to start; a second infusion for maybe 10 seconds; and then back to 30 seconds at the same temperature or a little higher; and then another one to two infusions, each at 10° F/ 5° C hotter, and up to a couple of minutes at the end.
it does need to be done quickly, because the flavor goes off rapidly if it sits after infusing before you drink it, even when it's already been poured away from the leaves. And it's always OK, if you overdo it and the brew gets too concentrated or a bit bitter to dilute it with more hot water.
Thanks for the response! I did something very similar with my first infusion of a sencha and now a gyokuru -- 1 g per 75ml, 70C for 30. However I have been brewing the second infusions for way too long (1+ minutes). I will try your parameters tomorrow. I don't have a kyusu and am using a metal filter in a mug, which may not be ideal.debunix wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 2:15 pmwelcome to Tea Forum! Many different things happen to bring us here but friendly conversation and knowledgeable discussion about teas and teawares keeps us here.
And it sounds like your journey has been quite similar in some ways to mine: I started out drinking one tea that was recommended and shared with me, and I drank pretty much exclusively that until my local supply access dried up. Then I started exploring, and indeed it took quite a while to come around to enjoyment of Japanese teas--matcha was the one that took longest to figure out.
I suspect we can help you figure Japanese greens out if you hang out here for a little while. For me, the key was figuring out that I needed to brew it quite dilute and cooler water and shorter infusions than I was expecting.
I started with about 1 g of tea per 60 mil water, infusions at 160° F/70° C for about 30 seconds to start; a second infusion for maybe 10 seconds; and then back to 30 seconds at the same temperature or a little higher; and then another one to two infusions, each at 10° F/ 5° C hotter, and up to a couple of minutes at the end.
it does need to be done quickly, because the flavor goes off rapidly if it sits after infusing before you drink it, even when it's already been poured away from the leaves. And it's always OK, if you overdo it and the brew gets too concentrated or a bit bitter to dilute it with more hot water.
I will be in NYC for the holidays so I may seek out some well brewed green teas at a few of the teashops I have seen mentioned in the forum (Ippodo, Te Company). It could be that green teas are not my thing, I've had a few greenish oolongs that haven't been to my taste.
Welcome to TeaForum @lakar. Like Debunix mentioned, temperature and time balance is critical with Japanese green tea. I usually start with vendor recommendation and then tweak temp and time to my preference. Keeping water on the cooler side usually helps to stave off bitterness.
A good deal of the time during that first infusion is simply wetting the leaf so the various compounds can begin to be extracted through the water. For the second infusion, the wetting is more nearly complete, but there is still a LOT of stuff to diffuse out from the leaf.....so less time needed for getting a similar concentration in that second infusion.
It certainly is not ideal, because it may not allow the leaves to expand fully depending on how big it is, but you can make tea with it. Most of the tea balls I've seen are simply too small. One way to work with it is to use it as a strainer, and infuse the tea loose in a glass measuring cup or a pitcher. You can then pour the tea + leaves through the tea ball when it's positioned open as a strainer to catch the leaves, straining it as you pour it into the mug. Using a glass vessel for the infusion allows you to see how concentrated and dark the liquor is getting.
How long have you been drinking tea?
Tea has been a delightful part of my routine for the past four years, adding a touch of warmth and tranquility to my daily life.
What kind of tea do you drink?
I started with Orange Pu Er and Green Tea. Now i have been the tea of my choice is the exquisite Kynam Agarwood Tea, a rich and aromatic blend.
How do you prepare your tea?
A normal procedure by place it into hot water.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
Currently, my curiosity leads me to explore the vast world of other tea varieties, each with its unique flavors and stories waiting to be discovered. This includes of learning from other tea lovers.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
The journey into the world of tea was sparked by a desire for well-being, driven by the antioxidants and health benefits it offers. Now, it's the continual discovery, the nuanced flavors, and the enriching experiences that keep me captivated and committed to the diverse tapestry of tea.
What is your location?
Malaysia.
Tea has been a delightful part of my routine for the past four years, adding a touch of warmth and tranquility to my daily life.
What kind of tea do you drink?
I started with Orange Pu Er and Green Tea. Now i have been the tea of my choice is the exquisite Kynam Agarwood Tea, a rich and aromatic blend.
How do you prepare your tea?
A normal procedure by place it into hot water.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
Currently, my curiosity leads me to explore the vast world of other tea varieties, each with its unique flavors and stories waiting to be discovered. This includes of learning from other tea lovers.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
The journey into the world of tea was sparked by a desire for well-being, driven by the antioxidants and health benefits it offers. Now, it's the continual discovery, the nuanced flavors, and the enriching experiences that keep me captivated and committed to the diverse tapestry of tea.
What is your location?
Malaysia.
-
polezaivsani
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2019 4:43 pm
- Location: Kaliningrad, RU
Welcome,@adrieent! It's peculiar that you mention putting tea into water, where as a more common way here is the reverse =). Either way, that's just one solid reason to go on exploring world of tea and it's dwellers. Personally would be curious if you'd ever pop up in the liu bao section one day. Cheers!
- How long have you been drinking tea?
But I started exploring different types of tea 6 months back.
- What kind of tea do you drink?
- How do you prepare your tea?
- What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
- What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
- What is your location?
PS: the_dalu means tea buds in Sinhala.
How long have you been drinking tea?
When I was little I used to drink tea from time to time when it was available, but I lived in a coffee-addict household, which is unfortunate for me since I don't like coffee. Back when I was first entering middle school, I was helping with grocery shopping and we just so happened to pass by the kitchen essentials aisle when I spotted a red kettle that, for whatever reason, I could not resist. It's just a regular stainless steel kettle, not even particularly interesting to look at, but even my grandma who was shopping with me stopped to look at it with me and told me I should buy it if I wanted it. So, I really only became an avid tea drinker around middle school, and that was about 7 years ago.
What kind of tea do you drink?
I started off just drinking Lipton black tea with my grandma every night, but I eventually branched out to other kinds. I mostly only drink the brands that can be found at the store, since I don't really have the budget for anything nicer, although there is a nice tea shop nearby that I'm hoping I'll have the chance to visit someday. My favourite teas at the moment are the Oi Ocha brand of unsweetened green tea, the Vermont Maple Ginger tea by Celestial Seasonings, but my long-time favourite type of tea is vanilla chai. I'm always trying different chai brands on the hunt for the kind that I enjoy the most. So far, those seem to be the powder blends by Big Train (I could never afford it, but one of my neighbours used to gift it to me for Christmas since she knew it was my favourite), and I recently within the past year discovered that in terms of richness in flavour I really enjoy the Pacific Chai brand. I've tried the chocolate chai powder from Lipton and it felt way too gritty even after dissolving, as well as various other brands that serve the chai in pouches, and was not impressed with those either. In terms of teas that I do not fix up myself, I really really enjoy the mango guava tea that you can get at Panda Express. I tried looking up mango guava tea that you can make yourself but all the options are way out of my price range
How do you prepare your tea?
I still make tea in the kettle I mentioned earlier to this day. I've been thinking about switching to an electric kettle since within the past few years we had to get a new stove, since the new stove has a glass top on it and for whatever reason my kettle has damaged one of the burners from long-time use. It's not broken or anything, it's just that the glass looks perpetually foggy on that one burner now (which is why, my family has been telling me that's how they know it's from my kettle, since I don't use my kettle on any other burner except that one). I've been looking at different electric ones, but I really don't know much about what kinds are best, so I've been on the fence about it since my beloved little red kettle still works perfectly well and I don't think I have the heart to toss it.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I never knew until browsing these forums that there could be so many different ways to brew tea, and find that looking at the different teaware that people have and how they use them is fascinating. However, I have neither the budget nor the storage space in my kitchen to be making investments in anything like that, so for now I'm mostly sticking to just trying to find new types of tea to try out (preferably, ones that are pretty simple to make).
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
I'm first and foremost a water drinker, but I've always been able to appreciate a nice cup of tea, and I have a lot of fond memories attached to sitting down with my grandma every night to drink it with her. I've never really been a fan of carbonated beverages, so I find that a lot of times when I'm craving something with flavour, tea is the first thing I turn to, since really there are just so many different kinds to choose from that it can satisfy any mood I might be in, whether that be something rich and creamy or light and bitter.
As I side - I found this website from reading Bliss Montage by Ling Ma. The narrator of the story had off-handedly mentioned fixing herself some tie guan yin, and since I had never heard of this tea before, I immediately looked it up to find out more about it, which eventually sent me to a thread here. I learned so much just from reading the replies that I instantly became intrigued with this site and couldn't stop browsing the different threads, and so, I decided to make an account.
What is your location?
North America, on the East Coast.
When I was little I used to drink tea from time to time when it was available, but I lived in a coffee-addict household, which is unfortunate for me since I don't like coffee. Back when I was first entering middle school, I was helping with grocery shopping and we just so happened to pass by the kitchen essentials aisle when I spotted a red kettle that, for whatever reason, I could not resist. It's just a regular stainless steel kettle, not even particularly interesting to look at, but even my grandma who was shopping with me stopped to look at it with me and told me I should buy it if I wanted it. So, I really only became an avid tea drinker around middle school, and that was about 7 years ago.
What kind of tea do you drink?
I started off just drinking Lipton black tea with my grandma every night, but I eventually branched out to other kinds. I mostly only drink the brands that can be found at the store, since I don't really have the budget for anything nicer, although there is a nice tea shop nearby that I'm hoping I'll have the chance to visit someday. My favourite teas at the moment are the Oi Ocha brand of unsweetened green tea, the Vermont Maple Ginger tea by Celestial Seasonings, but my long-time favourite type of tea is vanilla chai. I'm always trying different chai brands on the hunt for the kind that I enjoy the most. So far, those seem to be the powder blends by Big Train (I could never afford it, but one of my neighbours used to gift it to me for Christmas since she knew it was my favourite), and I recently within the past year discovered that in terms of richness in flavour I really enjoy the Pacific Chai brand. I've tried the chocolate chai powder from Lipton and it felt way too gritty even after dissolving, as well as various other brands that serve the chai in pouches, and was not impressed with those either. In terms of teas that I do not fix up myself, I really really enjoy the mango guava tea that you can get at Panda Express. I tried looking up mango guava tea that you can make yourself but all the options are way out of my price range
How do you prepare your tea?
I still make tea in the kettle I mentioned earlier to this day. I've been thinking about switching to an electric kettle since within the past few years we had to get a new stove, since the new stove has a glass top on it and for whatever reason my kettle has damaged one of the burners from long-time use. It's not broken or anything, it's just that the glass looks perpetually foggy on that one burner now (which is why, my family has been telling me that's how they know it's from my kettle, since I don't use my kettle on any other burner except that one). I've been looking at different electric ones, but I really don't know much about what kinds are best, so I've been on the fence about it since my beloved little red kettle still works perfectly well and I don't think I have the heart to toss it.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
I never knew until browsing these forums that there could be so many different ways to brew tea, and find that looking at the different teaware that people have and how they use them is fascinating. However, I have neither the budget nor the storage space in my kitchen to be making investments in anything like that, so for now I'm mostly sticking to just trying to find new types of tea to try out (preferably, ones that are pretty simple to make).
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
I'm first and foremost a water drinker, but I've always been able to appreciate a nice cup of tea, and I have a lot of fond memories attached to sitting down with my grandma every night to drink it with her. I've never really been a fan of carbonated beverages, so I find that a lot of times when I'm craving something with flavour, tea is the first thing I turn to, since really there are just so many different kinds to choose from that it can satisfy any mood I might be in, whether that be something rich and creamy or light and bitter.
As I side - I found this website from reading Bliss Montage by Ling Ma. The narrator of the story had off-handedly mentioned fixing herself some tie guan yin, and since I had never heard of this tea before, I immediately looked it up to find out more about it, which eventually sent me to a thread here. I learned so much just from reading the replies that I instantly became intrigued with this site and couldn't stop browsing the different threads, and so, I decided to make an account.
What is your location?
North America, on the East Coast.
New member, pleased to find this informative forum. Been drinking tea since well back in a prior millennium. Pre-natally, I imagine, coming from a long line of tea-drinkers on both sides. Grew up with loose-leaf English tea: cheap but strong "working-man's tea" as a Yorkshire uncle described it. On special occasions, we'd have Darjeeling, which back then was more like the modern oolong style, not so astringent or flowery, much easier to brew well, and still my preference when I can find that version. Fell into the Pu-erh pool in the '90s, but alas did not start buying the stuff until the boom had pushed prices and quality in opposite directions. A little of what I bought and stored is terrific; much is nearly tasteless now.
I'm a meditator, so tea is part of that routine as well as a general pick-me-up or conversational lubricant. I enjoy many varieties, with a preference for fragrant/bitter gyokuro, high-fermented oolongs (ever-harder to find), plain old EBT (Yorkshire Gold or Typhoo Gold) with a splash of milk, and both sheng and shou Pu-erh. I rarely drink herbal "teas" except to flavor water when I need to hydrate better, and don't much care for flavored teas.
I enjoy sharing tea and teaware, of which I have an absurd amount. I buy every cheap-ish authentic Brown Betty I can find, to give away, and also use a lot of Asian teaware. My favorite pots are mostly Tokoname-yaki, more affordable than Yixing ware of similar quality and oftent better suited to certain brewing styles. I lean toward newer shapes: shiboridashi and houhin, which I think are excellent for gongfu brewing. I also find some of the flat side-handle kyusu ideal for dan cong oolongs, whose long leaves require too much water in a more globular vessel.
Oh, and I do enjoy coffee, brewed in a separate area to avoid olfactory contamination either way. But that's mainly from habit, as I've been unable to find beans I really admire (natural-process Bali Kintamani in an oily but not-too-dark Vienna roast, e.g.) and don't want to take up DYI roasting with all its tools and toys, mess and smell.
Wishing all here: pleasure in each sip, joy in sharing, and whatever form of enlightenment you might seek.
I'm a meditator, so tea is part of that routine as well as a general pick-me-up or conversational lubricant. I enjoy many varieties, with a preference for fragrant/bitter gyokuro, high-fermented oolongs (ever-harder to find), plain old EBT (Yorkshire Gold or Typhoo Gold) with a splash of milk, and both sheng and shou Pu-erh. I rarely drink herbal "teas" except to flavor water when I need to hydrate better, and don't much care for flavored teas.
I enjoy sharing tea and teaware, of which I have an absurd amount. I buy every cheap-ish authentic Brown Betty I can find, to give away, and also use a lot of Asian teaware. My favorite pots are mostly Tokoname-yaki, more affordable than Yixing ware of similar quality and oftent better suited to certain brewing styles. I lean toward newer shapes: shiboridashi and houhin, which I think are excellent for gongfu brewing. I also find some of the flat side-handle kyusu ideal for dan cong oolongs, whose long leaves require too much water in a more globular vessel.
Oh, and I do enjoy coffee, brewed in a separate area to avoid olfactory contamination either way. But that's mainly from habit, as I've been unable to find beans I really admire (natural-process Bali Kintamani in an oily but not-too-dark Vienna roast, e.g.) and don't want to take up DYI roasting with all its tools and toys, mess and smell.
Wishing all here: pleasure in each sip, joy in sharing, and whatever form of enlightenment you might seek.
-
polezaivsani
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2019 4:43 pm
- Location: Kaliningrad, RU
Very much welcome to the tea party on the other side of the rabbit hole, @DMI! After you mentioning it, I'd probably be lavishing inquisitive gazes at those inconspicuously drinking working man's breakfast teas in hopes that they'd clue me in on the gyokuro or some other fancy leaves .
Second hat tip for habitually hooking your acquaintances with the tools of the trade. I a similar fashion I absolutely love sharing the very best teas with people unaware of what exactly they're drinking. As a side effect I've heard favorable regards from an unexpected company joining me with a pot full of no thrills brew I've been planning for myself.
Cheers!
.Second hat tip for habitually hooking your acquaintances with the tools of the trade. I a similar fashion I absolutely love sharing the very best teas with people unaware of what exactly they're drinking. As a side effect I've heard favorable regards from an unexpected company joining me with a pot full of no thrills brew I've been planning for myself.
Cheers!