New tea thread. Tea of the day: tie guan yin

File: 71Y10+uZcOL._SX522_.jpg (38KB, 522x599px) Image search: [Google]

38KB, 522x599px

Surprisingly decent bagged tea.

>>7340975
Where can i get good tie guan yin on the internet?
>>7341690
yeah, yamamoto is the only bagged tea that dont taste like shit.

>select all images with tea

>>7340975
Fucking good taste friend. I usually go for longjing, but that's my next pick for Chinese green.

File: quality life.jpg (48KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

48KB, 400x400px

>oh look, tea threads have become the new craft beer threads

Fuck, I love tea, of all sorts, and drink it all day 'erry day, but we don't need constant tea threads every day. Once a week would suffice.

>>7341778
Weekend tea threads? Could it get any comfier? Maybe include hot chocolate?

i went to my friend's house today and she served monk's blend but i heard monk's blood therefor monk's blend is hereby referred to as monk's blood

shit was brettygud

Can I get some oolong recs?

The tea shop I normally use charges overseas shipping, so I don't want to go through them for one bag of oolong until I need to replenish all my tea.

What are some solid oolong teas I can get shipped domestically in the US? I'll be in Western Mass this weekend, so I might check out Tea Trekker or TeaGuys. Most of the oolong I've seen is a bit pricey, so I don't want to buy underwhelming stuff.

>>7341813
Dude, have you tried your local Chinese supermarket.

>>7341813
Silk Road Tea jade oolong is good.

>>7341820
Actually, I browsed the tea section at a local Asian market, but all the tea was so cheap, I figured it was mediocre quality at best. It's mostly bagged too. Then of course some of it is illegible.

>>7341843
In my experience the more illegible and chinese the package is, it has better quality.

Currently sipping on some dan cong oolong. Don't drink it often because it's expensive but it's one of my favorites.

>>7341795
THAT sounds like a good plan/ That, I could get into. I'll start one Saturday morning. Although, I'd be behind everyone since I'm US Pacific Standard Time. Maybe someone else, who's earlier, should start it.
And frankly, we should just make it a Comfy Beverage thread, that includes teas, hot chocolate, coffee, and even hot cider, if someone were so inclined.

Time for some Long Jing Imperial in the morning.

File: fuck you.png (29KB, 126x180px) Image search: [Google]

29KB, 126x180px

>>7340975

Starting a new day with fresh, sweet Sencha Fukuyu. That's strange, I've always enjoyed chinese family of teas because of lack the umami. Recently I'm drinking only those from weeboland. Maybe after all this years i needed some kind of a difference?

high mountain oolong is my shit

>>7341778
The last tea thread lasted for a solid 4 days+
Nothing wrong with having a thread up for discussion and recommendations.

starting my morning with some tasty twinings earl grey. How much better is real tea than bagged tea? Curious to try but I'm in college so tea bags are very practical for me

File: image.jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x2448px

Pic related, my college stash

File: Dried-Herbal-Tea.jpg (955KB, 3072x2048px) Image search: [Google]

955KB, 3072x2048px

I once smoked tea.

What does Puerh generally taste like?

>>7342967
I heard that smoking tea is worse than smoking tabac.

Tai Ping Hou Kui is the shit.
Can't get enough of it.

>>7343021
You mean taste wise?

DUDE

TEA

File: Leaves_of_Ilex_guayusa.jpg (1MB, 3072x2304px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 3072x2304px

Does anybody here drink some tropical teas?

I started drinking Guayusa (tea from Amazon) because I live in South America atm and it's very cheap. It tastes pretty good, similar to green tea.

After some research I found out that apparently it's super caffeine heavy (as much as coffee) and has more anti-oxidants than green tea.

I guess I'll try to replace my coffee with this tea.

>>7343073
With amazon I meant the amazon forest, not the retailer.

>>7343073
Guayusa isn't tea, though

File: 1452600256517.jpg (503KB, 1456x1117px) Image search: [Google]

503KB, 1456x1117px

>>7343048
>>7343050

>>7341813
This actually depends on the flavour you are looking for. If you want something fruity? Floral? Fruity, I suggest the Bai Hao from taiwan. It's traditional and has a sweet, honeyed fruit taste. The aroma reminds me of apricots. Floral, I'd suggest the darker Zhi Lan Xiang from China. The aroma is similar to orchids.

>>7343020
I think it tastes really mushroomy. I usually mix it with other black teas to deepen the flavor.

File: 320px-Driedhibiscus.jpg (32KB, 320x320px) Image search: [Google]

32KB, 320x320px

Who here /hibiscus/?

>>7340975
>drinking anything from china

Holy shit

File: 246898.jpg (981KB, 2816x2112px) Image search: [Google]

981KB, 2816x2112px

>>7343750
I got some hibiscus and tried both normal and iced tea, didn't like it.

Anyone ever had tea of pic related? It tastes vile

>>7343792
Isn't that basically hibiscus? anyway you can dry it for a few months and then crush it and make tea out of it and it's pretty good

File: YoungHyson.jpg (131KB, 800x794px) Image search: [Google]

131KB, 800x794px

Greentexting.

>Buy pic related
>Everyone saying it has a slightly sweet, complex taste
>When I brew it it's not sweet
>Beautiful smokey smell
>Has a slight spice to it with an almost alcoholic heat down the throat
>Very complex depending on brew, first brew is complex and rich, increasingly grassy in following brews

Literally not sweet at all.

Am I brewing this incorrectly or what? It's not bitter at all and tastes delicious but what I taste is not what others have said about the tea.

>>7343792
>didn't like it

That's a shame. Did you try it alone? I usually make it with a little bit of honey and cinnamon, comfy as fuck.

>>7343803
Rose hip, apparently it has 8 times more vitamin C than an orange

>>7343828
Yeah maybe that's why, I tried it plain. Still have some left though I'll try it with cinnamon

>>7341813

mountaintea.com

>>7343020

You know the smell of old paper? The pleasant kind, high quality parchment, kinda perfume-like.

That's what good Pu-erh reminds me of.

Mostly nettle and mint tea lately. Nettle is pretty mild and enjoyable, mint is 10/10 comfy.

>>7340975
Are you sure that isn't weed? XD

File: 1449967855513.jpg (10KB, 236x207px) Image search: [Google]

10KB, 236x207px

>>7344347
>based Bob supplying fresh OC

File: yin.jpg (103KB, 1024x683px) Image search: [Google]

103KB, 1024x683px

Jin Xuan!

>>7344444
(Quints confirm.)

>>7343020
Raw puehr tastes like what the forest floor smells like when it's a little damp. That woodsy, sweet smelling scent. Cooked puehr tastes fermented. Also smells like a barn.

>>7344352
He's my favorite OP!

where to buy tea, /ck/?

>>7344679
That depends where you live. Most cities usually have a hippie dippie Asian teahouse that imports some quality stuff. If you're in bumfuck nowhere, Asian groceries sometimes have stuff, or a food co-op. If all else fails, online.
What kind do you have in mind?

File: Jasmine Dragon Tears Final.jpg (42KB, 448x336px) Image search: [Google]

42KB, 448x336px

Dragon tears green tea. Shit is delicious.

>>7344679
Online.

fortnum and mason is the best place to buy tea. Ive never seen so many varieties of loose leaf tea in one place, its incredible, but overpriced.

russian caravan is by far my favourite tea.

File: jp012-ocha1.jpg (56KB, 600x389px) Image search: [Google]

56KB, 600x389px

I just recently got into proper, non-shit/bagged tea, starting with green.

Hoooooh boy I'm never going back. I look forward to drinking this stuff every day. Started off with o-cha's Sencha Kaoru and Matcha Kiku Mukashi. Absolutely delicious.

Does anyone know any good online shops for teas other than green?

>>7344794
I just realized Matcha can be prepared with cold water (yeah I'm stupid) and I think I was brewing it at the wrong temperature before. Shit's cash.

>>7342516
Sencha is the fucking best, though.
>>7342857
Teabags mean the leaf can't unfurl properly, you don't get as much flavour. I have a few bagged teas but I only really drink them when I'm sick, for convenience.
Loose leaf is pretty cheap where I am, about the same price as teabags. Get something from a brand you like, use a decently sized teapot, and go from there.

>>7343073
Mate might be an idea.I know they have it in Brazil and I think Argentina, it shouldn't be hard to find. I love it, it's delicious.

>>7344768
I've been wanting to try them out but I can get similar teas from so many other places for so much cheaper. How's their own blend? It's really the only one I'd consider buying, because you can't really get it anywhere else.

File: specialty-tea-vs-fannings-and-dust.jpg (940KB, 1083x891px) Image search: [Google]

940KB, 1083x891px

>>7345942
>Teabags mean the leaf can't unfurl properly

Teabags don't even have leaves in them, they've got "dust and fannings"
i.e. the shit they sweep off the floor in the processing plant.

>>7343753
Anon, you dont know shit. If you want to get GOOD tea, you want one from china. While chinese can make bad tea as well, no one else (with possible exception of Japanese) can make good one.

>>7343753
Nigga don't know about Baihao Yinzhen.

>>7346043
I've had plenty of good tea out of India and Sri Lanka as well.
Broaden your horizons, man.

>>7341690
Their Cherry Blossom Sencha smells like Soap though.

>>7343753
>not knowing tea came from china

Holy shit

>>7346656
history has absolutely nothing to do with what that anon is talking about

>>7345946
I haven't tried F&M, but their prices aren't that much. My preferred vendor has similar prices, and most every tea I've bought that's cheaper has been inferior.

That is, F&M's tea might be noticeably better than the similar varieties you're buying for cheaper.

>>7346789
>country discover tea
>country keep their tradition and skill for 1000+ years
>country never stopped making tea
>some tea tree are 100+ years old
>some other country tried but didn't know shit about how to make tea
>history is irrelevant
wat
a
t

>>7346052
I drink all kinds of tea, but not drinking tea from china for no reason is fucking dumb. And it's not like there's just "chinese tea". Chinese tea culture is vast as fuck.

>>7347344
"no one else can make good tea" is equally fucking dumb you turd

>>7347377
I didn't contend that. I just said China has a vast amount of good tea and to overlook the variety there would be to miss out and ignore over a thousand years of tea culture.

>>7347387
>While chinese can make bad tea as well, no one else (with possible exception of Japanese) can make good one.

You literally contended that.

>>7347399
That was not me. I only posted >>7347344

>>7347401
Then shut up, my post was directed expressly at >>7346043

File: davidstea-_tins11.jpg (748KB, 1200x760px) Image search: [Google]

748KB, 1200x760px

What do you guy's think about David's Tea?

>>7347408
strange. They have a lot of fruity and dessert teas to which I am unused. The lighting and organization of the place scare me as well. One just opened up not too far from the local asian teahouse. I still go to the latter, but I'm hoping the competition drives down prices.

So, I'm gradually switching from coffee to tea. And I'm also gradually switching from tea bags to loose tea. My question is, what black tea is the strongest and most robust with a high caffeine content? I really enjoy green tea but I want a strong cup of X in the morning to wake me up. So what should I get?

Maybe my taste buds are fucked up, but I seriously cannot taste anything other than warm water when I drink tea. I can easily smell the flavours, but when I take a sip, it's just warm, disgusting water.

>>7347455
You are drinking shitty tea. Problably not just shitty but old tea as well. Old, shitty and poorly steeped.

>>7347455
Too hot tea.

File: Screen Shot 2016-02-05 at 2.18.11 PM.png (210KB, 1078x798px) Image search: [Google]

210KB, 1078x798px

What do you guys think of Adagio? I just made a big order from them, but I'm realizing maybe I should have done some more research first. I'm relatively new to tea.

Here's my order, in case you want to laugh at my bad taste.

If I'm interested in getting the health benefits of tea, what kind should I go for then?

>>7347535
Herbal and green. And I'm talking medicinal herbal, not hippie dippie flower blends.

>>7347455

Are you knew to tea?

I often hear this with people who drink lots of soda, coffee, and alcohol along with very salty synthetic food. Their tastebuds have adapted and cannot taste the subtleties of natural foods.

File: Barrys-Tea.jpg (323KB, 1500x1000px) Image search: [Google]

323KB, 1500x1000px

>needing any tea other than this

>>7346789
Top kek. If it weren't for China, other countries wouldn't know what to look for and what to do with the plants.

File: 1448327587656.jpg (171KB, 682x652px) Image search: [Google]

171KB, 682x652px

>>7347590

>>7347529
>jasmine
>silver needle
You dun goofed. Silver needle is too delicate for such an aromatic flower. Next time, just try silver needle by itself it's quite wonderful.

>>7347529
>rooibos vanilla chai
what the fuck is this supposed to taste like?

How good and popular is Whittard? Is there any better alternative in the UK?

File: 1426210282902.jpg (28KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 400x400px

>>7347659

Rooibos chai is very smooth, one of the best tasting teas out there. Combined with vanilla... HNNNGGG.

>>7347659
Have you had honeybush? I'd imagine it's that with chai mixed in. Doesn't sound good, desu senpai.

>>7342860
I prefer loose leaf, but I can't help but keep that Twinings variety pack around, plus some Stash green tea. Good shit.

>>7347529
Bought loose leaf for the first time from adagio,essentially tried out a bunch of shit like you are.
They are good; I need to order from them again soon, though I was recently recommended to try O-Cha for green teas, so I'm gonna do that first.

Is Upton any good? I ordered from them years ago and it was pretty damn cheap and good.

>>7347766
If you already tried them and liked them, what are you asking us for?

>>7346043
>what is nepalese tea

>>7347408
If regular tea is like delicious 70% cocoa chocolate, then David's Tea stuff is like a candy bar. The quality isn't as great, sure, and there's artificial flavouring from time to time. It can also be a tad overpriced. But I do enjoy both. Whatever I can, I get at a local shop but I buy from David's tea as well. Hard Candy is my favourite from them. It's ridiculously sweet and fruity (99% sure they put some kind of sweetener in the actual tea).

IT ALL TASTES THE SAME YOU CHINK LOVING FUCKS

File: image.jpg (1010KB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

1010KB, 3264x2448px

Currently drinking this from wegmans. I especially enjoy their chocolate chai.

They have a great selection does anyone else go there or is it just me and middle aged white women ?

File: t.jpg (339KB, 1546x1159px) Image search: [Google]

339KB, 1546x1159px

I just made some mint tea (*ಠ益ಠ)っ旦~

>>7348888
where the fuck is it?

>>7348405
>sencha tastes the same as lapsang souchong tastes the same as masala chai

m8 have you got second degree burns on your tongue or what

>>7340975
Can I smoke it?

Been on pu'er and green oolong.for a pretty long period. Life's great.

>>7349715
No dude lmao

I sit around after work and just drink cup after cup of rosehip tea.
I know I should get different types but the rosehip is just to nice for me to quit.

>>7347766
Yes but stay away from their pu erh.

Is Updog any good? I ordered from them years ago and it was pretty damn cheap and good.

>>7349988
What's Updog?

File: 1426776176239.png (416KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

416KB, 640x480px

>>7350049
not much

>>7350049
NOTHING MUCH WHAT'S UP WITH YOU!

Are the green teas from Teavana any decent? They're the only place around here that sells loose leaf tea

File: s-l400.jpg (26KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

26KB, 400x400px

>>7350049

>>7343020
It's like hanging out in a mushroom padded copse, or licking the back of your grandad's woodshed. Delicious.

Drinking a chai latte right now. Made with a mix of golden tipped assam, tulsi chai spice blend, a teaspoon of chai syrup, and 2% milk (heated and frothed in a manual pump-action frother). It's my Saturday morning beverage. On weekdays, I just drink Yorkshire tea or Assam with milk for breakfast. Later in the day, (no matter what day it is) I switch to green tea, usually Sencha or Dragon pearls. But I have to have a hearty tea for breakfast, no exceptions.

>>7350149
Its expensive and from my experience they are worse than mechanics when it comes to trying to push sales.
>Oh well you NEED this airtight tube for 75 dollars..

>>7350049
Not much brah

>>7350207
I'm just worried about the actual tea, not the useless shit they try to shill

>>7349873
Anon, if you add some chamomile, hibiscus, dried orange peel and a tiny tiny amount of either peppermint or spearmint, you got yourself a nice relaxation tea that'll also help you sleep at night.

How do I into black teas? I have my go to's for green, white, rooibos and puehr teas but for some reason I just can't into black teas

>>7345955
Is that a baby holding that tea?

>>7350393
Assam, Ceylon and Darjeeling are good starts, they're in just about every western tea blend.
Assam and Ceylon are best with a bit of milk and sugar though, unlike green teas.

>>7350412
Milk and sugar with ceylon, is that right? I've bought a big bag of Vithanakanda Estate under the recommendation of the owner of the tea house I go to and I've only tried it with a little milk. It tasted awful... I'll try it with milk and sugar but I was always under the assumption that ceylons are best when drank neat

>>7349984
whats wrong with them? i see that they are not really selling the pu by individual farms just blends and such. is it just generally low quality? what is your go to for Pu online? i was just about to get a bunch of samples from them.

>>7350431
Admittedly I am a pleb who drinks tins of old stale ceylon with unintelligible Turkish writing on the side from the grumpy immigrant corner store.
The importer I usually buy from never seems to have plain black tea in stock.

>>7350443
Hey anon. If it helps me like black tea, I'd do it

>>7350457
I'm really only talking about Indian teas used for British blends and masala chai.
I'm sure Chinese black teas are better neat, but I don't have much experience with those.

>>7350485
Gotcha. Well I have another question. What is a characteristic of good black tea then? Smooth? Spicy? Lipton-y?

>>7349678
I know. The quality isn't that great but it tastes good.

I should have figured.

File: collection.jpg (329KB, 720x1280px) Image search: [Google]

329KB, 720x1280px

>>7340975
My tea collection, and it's still growing. Ask me anything.

>>7350393
YUNNAN GOLD
U
N
N
A
N

>>7350508
Different black teas have different flavour profiles. Definitely not spicy though. More like malty.

Forgive me /ck/ for I have sinned and ordered a fuck load of flavored bullshit tea today. No regrets though, I normally drink straight Chinese blacks/pu-erhs and Japanese greens but I have been craving some sweet disaster of a tea.

>>7344794
>>7344830
How would you prepare matcha at home without fancy bamboo whish and cha-wan?

>>7351086
I imagine just throwing it into a bottle or such and shaking the shit out of it would work just fine. Doing that with heated water might be more tricky on the go, though.

File: You're not living your life correctly.jpg (429KB, 834x604px) Image search: [Google]

429KB, 834x604px

>>7346052

I am >>7346043 . Only really good tea from India i've had the pleasure to drink was Darjeeling. (And guess what? They're usually made from chinese tea plant. )

I'd like to apologize for my rudeness, i was probably a bit more agitated than i should be.

>>7351132
>They're usually made from chinese tea plant

are you retarded
there's only one tea plant: camellia sinensis
Darjeeling is called Darjeeling because it's grown in Darjeeling, India

File: tits.jpg (61KB, 700x446px) Image search: [Google]

61KB, 700x446px

>>7351166
I dont think so. There is only one human race and we still made jokes about black people.

What i mean to say is there are two main variants of the plant: chinese and assam variant. (and, obviously, shitton of hybrids, and specific cultivars cultivated for particular atributes.) and Darjeelings use chinese variant.

>>7351185
Variants are the same species with differences so minor that botanists will debate whether they even exist.
In this case the only difference is var. assam might tend to grow slightly bigger.

The reason Darjeeling seems more Chinese than usual is because it's processed like an oolong.

Who puerh here?

>>7341778
I hope you don't browse /k/. Half of the threads are generals and they hit bump limit so fast there's new ones made every two days. Or /soc/ where its the same people posting their same dicks and dopey faces ALL DAY.

How do I into tea? I'd like to try green tea in particular chinese teas like Oolong but anytime I've tried there have been problems. I think I used water that was too hot but idk.

>>7350393
>>7350393
I prefer single-origin keemun, English breakfast, and yunnan. Look for well-reviewed varieties of these.

If you guys don't mind the wait, verdant tea is going through some sort of sale. Their tea is breddy gud. Prices are a bit steep but sale negates that.

>>7351803
where
>>7351393
What temperature? its not the same for every kind of tea.

>>7351803
>verdant tea
10% Isn't much of a sale, lol.

>>7351393
I don't think Oolong is a green tea though, bro. I recommend longjing, it has a very mellow flavor that is great for beginners. I also recommend getting a candy thermometer and keeping that with your tea stuff. Different teas are made best at different temperatures.

They have an extra %16 on top of that %10 for some teas.

>>7352010
There are some green oolongs.

File: IMG_3806.jpg (97KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

97KB, 640x480px

Hey guys, it's >>7347529 again, I got my teas and I wanted to post some pics. Here's my shot of everything together. So far I've tried the jasmin phoenix pearls, white tangerine, and pu erh dante.

File: IMG_3799.jpg (81KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

81KB, 640x480px

I initially liked the jasmine phoenix pearls just because of the way they looked. The jasmine flowers unfurl nicely in the water. But the tea was independently delicious, subtle, and nice to drink - if a little overly jasmine-y. Brewed at 180 degrees for about 4 minutes, but I think I'd brew shorter next time, it was a little astringent toward the end.

File: IMG_3802.jpg (108KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

108KB, 640x480px

Here's a picture of the jasmine being brewed. I was trying to get a good shot of the flower, but it started to break apart when I nudged it around.

About the other teas: Flavorwise, the Pu erh Dante was definitely my favorite. So complex, earthy and deep. It kinds of reminds me of that musty smell of an old church. Maybe not everybody likes that smell now that I think of it. I gave it to my SO who thought it tasted like old hay, but I guess it's not for everybody

Finally the white tangerine was my least favorite. Tasted a little bitter like tangerine rind, and that flavor overpowered the really subtle white tea. Maybe I need to refine my tastes some more?

>>7351803
I just went to their site. Can you really get 5g each of 5 different teas for $5? That seems ridiculously underpriced if I'm reading it right. Has anyone ever shopped here before?

>>7352410
You can but it's a sampler, meaning that only one per address. They are also shipped from china so take a while to arrive. I shop from them whenever they have a sale, they have %20-%25 off + coupons and stuff on black friday and such. Golden fleece is goat tier.

File: 0131161340_HDR.jpg (4MB, 4160x2340px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 4160x2340px

I'm having to go through an effort to find a comparable jasmine green or red tea.

My previous employer's mother brought over jasmine red tea from China, and from then on out I was hooked. Green and white too.

When my cousin went to China to visit relatives of her husband, she brought back pic related. Unfortunately it was from a bulk open air market in Beijing, near a bulk silk stand. I've been looking for this tin's brand, but it turns out they just put tea into the decorative tin.

I really want more.

Where do you keep loose leaf tea after you've used it for 1 cup
Its all soggy where do you put it

>>7352443
I just leave it in the strainer, steep again if I want some more.

>>7352400
Nice pic desu

>>7347433
caffeine pills

>>7352443
Resteeping often refers to Chinese style tea brewing in which multiple smaller cups of tea are brewed in succession
http://www.worldoftea.org/how-to-store-tea-leaves-between-brews/

You can resteep with a teapot too if you want. I'm usually sick of a tea after a pot of it and throw it out like the consumer I am

>>7352443
I just leave it in the pot for next time.

>>7352400
>actual jasmine flower in the tea
>leaves that big
Weird… My jasmine pearls don't have any flower in it. They're supposed to be removed before rolling the tea. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYAAhrHk5tM) And it's just two very young leaves on a stem, not older leaves like yours.
Is there a difference between jasmine pearls and jasmine phoenix pearls, maybe?
Also does anyone know how to make jasmine pearls in gong fu cha style? It takes way too long for the pearls to open up and the tea is then over brewed…

>>7352422
>looking for brand
You're doing it wrong. The best tea are very traditional and don't have a "brand".

The only brand to look for is the western company that choose these tea and import them.

If you're looking for a great jasmine tea, look for silver needle jasmine (white tea), or jasmine pearl (green tea). I don't know any red tea with jasmine but it could exist since pu-erh jasmine exists: http://www.teavivre.com/jasmine-mini-raw-tuocha/

You can find a shop recommendation list on reddit /r/tea, I personally use teavivre and palaisdesthes and I'm very satisfied with them.

How come the most common teabag brands give completely different brewing instructions to that of the consensus, for white and green teas?

for example, most guides would never recommend going over 95 Celsius for either but I commonly see the big brands recommend full boil, or similarly "let cool for a minute" (which is pretty uneventful temps wise).

>>7343020
A pleasantly musty book shop. Reminds me of playing with the typewriter in my grandpa's basement.

Currently drinking some 1008 ting-mai loose leaf stuff. So tasty, and I can get about 5 decent steeps out of it.

>>7351890
I don't know, I just boiled my kettle, let it cool for a bit and then poured it the teapot.
>>7352010
Thanks for the recs, I'll pick up a thermometer so!

>>7353234
>I don't know, I just boiled my kettle, let it cool for a bit and then poured it the teapot.
That's way too hot for green tea. Green tea shouldn't be brewed at more that 75°C.

>>7353465
Ok, so I heat the water in a pot, measuring it with the thermometer til it reaches the right temp then add to the tea?

>>7353506
Yup. Or you can use an electric kettle that does temperature.

>>7353521
Ok got it. That explains why my tea kept turning out shite. Thank you very much!

>>7343792
is this rosehip? i tried rosehip jam and it was really disappointing idk why the fuck yuo would try tea with it

>>7344679
Just bought some loose leaf from Harney & Sons. Granddaddy Purp of the tea community. Definitely try the Soho blend.

>tfw got some matcha

how do you guys like it?

>>7354005
I like it cold. It's very good.

>>7354014
Like you brew it cold, or wait for it to cool? The latter seems to happen quite quickly with the smaller amount of water required for this tea..

>>7354029
I brew it cold. I'm too impatient for it to cool and end up burning myself when I brew it hot.

>>7354038
dont let the water come to a full boil idiot

>>7354057
I don't ass. It's still fucking hot.

File: 30182_22ozhobnailteapotironblk.jpg (31KB, 500x500px) Image search: [Google]

31KB, 500x500px

how does /ck/ brew their tea?

>cast iron masterrace reporting in

>>7352881
Thank you for your help, especially the link.

I figured as much about there being no brand, since my cousin got it in the market. My coworkers kept it in pretty tins like that.

>>7354384
I wish I could find/afford one of those cuties. What style is yours in?

>>7354384
I use that too, perhaps shamefully by using the steel mesh basket that fits inside. I justify it because its so easy to clean that way, also lets me keep the next 2 cups warm in the pot. Definetly worth whatever minor compression of the leaves is happening.

Is it bad to leave liquid in cast iron too long? the instructions say no longer than an hour and to wipe it down each time.

File: 6gKHc.jpg (77KB, 1280x920px) Image search: [Google]

77KB, 1280x920px

>>7354592
>I wish I could find/afford one
lol what?

they're like $20 on amazon

i have the teavana one in the original picture that i got on sale

File: Screen Shot 2016-02-02 at 10.22.43 AM.png (439KB, 672x451px) Image search: [Google]

439KB, 672x451px

>>7354631
>Is it bad to leave liquid in cast iron too long?

if yours is coated on the inside it doesn't matter if liquid is left in there, the only real issue is leaving liquid on the outside

but in reality it's not a big deal if it starts to rust it wouldn't get on the inside of the teapot anyways since it's enamel coated

Complete newfag here.
I love earl grey (possibly the only 'special' tea i like). What are other teas with a similar flavor?

File: 61a55K2SW2L._SL1000_.jpg (85KB, 1000x978px) Image search: [Google]

85KB, 1000x978px

>>7354384
This thing. While going a more traditional route would have been nice, this is so damn convenient that it's hard to pass up.

>>7354648
Earl grey is not special. That like one of the most basic tea for plebeian.

If you want to learn more about tea, it's not something similar that you must look for but for something new.

>>7342967
>>7343021
It's pretty shit tasting

>>7354710
You're shitty.
>>7354648
Try other black teas! http://www.adagio.com/black/index.html Here are many different examples. Adagio also sells a black tea sampler if you'd like something pre-picked. You might also like to branch out into Puerh, I find they both have a musty smell to them. Enjoy!

File: 1266819494514.jpg (20KB, 337x342px) Image search: [Google]

20KB, 337x342px

>>7352400
wat pot is this

>>7355284
dude tea looks like that dank roach lmao

>>7340975
i'm chinese and this is confirmed best tea, good taste 10/10

>>7354384
You guys who uses pots like these. If you use a pot for more than one cup and you drink by yourself, how do you prevent it from oversteeping? Do you use a spoon to get the tea out or how does it work?

>>7355240
>tells anon that he should try something new
>get called shitty by anon
>then anon present anon something new

File: finum-green.jpg (21KB, 450x406px) Image search: [Google]

21KB, 450x406px

>>7356094
A basket strainer. You put it aside (on a plate or so) until the teapot is empty, then you can put it back in for a 2nd brew.

>>7356253
Cool, you know if I can buy this without plastics? Don't like plastics near semi-boiling water.

What's the difference between loose leaf and just cutting open a teabag and then using a filter?

>>7356280
Teabags are pretty much always fannings and dust, generally lower quality than loose leaf. It may taste a bit better but it's still baggdd tea, just out of a bag.

what tea did laozi drink?

>>7356280
Ok. Let's open a tea bag and see what's inside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puldqGnW9P0

>>7356277
Some are completely steel, etc.

>>7356292
Well shit, /ck/ needs a proper sticky with the wiki. All this time I've been brewing pleb Western Style.

>>7356336
gong fu a shit. the quantity of water used is completely unsatisfying. the hellenes knew better about that, with their wine.

>>7356292
The moment he spouted on about drinking tea for health reasons, I knew he was full of shit.

>>7356365
he's a teaologist, not a doctor. but yes, he obviously hasn't looked into it skeptically.

>go to local supermarket
>literally entire aisles of coffee beans, loose leaf teas and spices
>see prices on the tea from $40- $80
>Jesus fuck
>measure out a small bag, a week's supply
> $3
>lmao

>go to local oriental supermarket
>go to the 2 aisle tea section
>literally all of it is bagged tea except a few bulk buys
>any mainstream supermarket would have better selection, albeit more expensive
>go to Japanese section of same supermarket
>a couple of whole leave packets in reasonable quantity, also japan has a more continuous tea tradition
Why do the other east asians seem so much more servile in every category? I think even Schopenhauer or Nietzsche remarked this back in the 1800s.

>>7356365
Why? Tea is healthy and there's nothing you can do about it desu.

>>7356336
>>7356361
Can you brew gongfu with just a cup/cups and a strainer? It's just about using lots of leaf and short steeps, right?

>>7356280
I don't give a fuck about health or appearances but I do notice loose leaf tastes better in most cases. That's why I drink it.

>>7356365
Anon that posted the link, here.

I don't agree with the health benefits, but every thing else he says is 100% right.

What are some teas you recommend for a beginner? I would like to start a collection and get a taste for good tea, but I don't know where to start.

>>7356361
>When I do western style
>200 ml
>brew from 1 to 5 times

>When I do gong fu cha
>170 ml
>brew from 1 to 10 times

>the quantity of water used is completely unsatisfying
Wat
a
t

>>7356442
Yes you can. Less fun, but possible.

>>7356531
Long Jing, Yunnan, any oolong and a no-name pu-erh. Just to get the difference between the different oxidation of tea. No white tea, cheap white tea taste like shit and others are too expensive for a beginner.

>>7356543
ml is meaningless when you don't give grams of tea used

>>7356442
yeah, i use a ~100ml matcha bowl with a wide strainer for many teas lel

>>7349715
well you can vape tea, it smell nice but the caffeine rush can be unpleasant.

>>7356552
>the quantity of water used is completely unsatisfying
Where is tea even involved?
Both styles use the same quantity of water. Both styles result in the same strength of tea. Both styles result in the same quantity of liquor.
I don't see the point you're trying to make when you say that the amount of water is unsatisfying.

(I use respectively 2g and 7.5g btw, not that it matter anyway)

>>7356629
how do i do this

>>7356629
>vaping caffeine
>vaping a substance that is solid at ambient temperatures

Bruh.

>>7354384

I just use a regular fucking kettle I bought at macys.. I let it sit for a minute and by the time i let it pour into my cup its 175 ~ 180

>>7354384
I'm pretty lazy. I just put a handful of leaves in my cup and add boiling water from an electric kettle. Enjoying some gyokuro right now.

>>7357266
addendum to that gyokuro steeps at 50 degrees Celsius, I'm no dummy.

File: chinese_tea_sword.webm (3MB, 853x480px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 853x480px

>>7340975
obligatory

>>7356629
high-sumi

>>7357275
That looks retarded.

>>7357292
You jealous, m8?

>>7356379
This is a weird post. What does the tea selection of your local asian mart have to do with east asian servility?

Has anyone had TWG Tea? A friend got me a box of Silver Moon as a souvenir.

I need a good rec for matcha powder please

>>7357275
I have the subs for that movie btw if anyone is interested.

>>7357292
This is exactly why I asked that webm at first.
In the movie they say that it was first invented because waiters were supposed to stay a few steps away from the table and then it became an art.

Also it shows gaiwans used as cup instead of used as a teapot which is also nice.

>>7357267
Should be upped just a tad to 140F instead of 120.

>>7341708
Lots of places, it's not hard to find a good tie guan yin. I'm a big fan of Dachi tea, personally.

>>7341854
This is straight up the case, but since I can't read chinese it's kind of a toss up as to whether I get what I want, especially when the packaging is opaque.

File: Screen Shot 2016-02-09 at 7.34.34 PM.png (34KB, 203x293px) Image search: [Google]

34KB, 203x293px

what should I get?

>>7360737
accessories

http://www.generationtea.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=533
Is this equivalent to brick weed?

>>7360847
>brick weed
wtf? No.

It's just pu-erh.

>>7352383
How were they? Do you think it was a good deal?

How do you make matcha frothy with those shitty traditional whisks? I tried both MW shapes and general whisking and only seem to get slight bubbles on the outer edges. I use 1-2 scoops and a little bowl or cup of 80 celsius water.

>>7362304
http://youtu.be/WgbqUv59l9A

>>7362304
Beat the hell out of it. Do it as fast as possible.

I hear that if you push the stuff through a filter first it helps. Haven't tried that.

Anyways take a few seconds and watch a pro do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufIWKWqe9SA

>>7352383
What did you think of the vanilla rooibos?

File: 71MGT-zMfGL._SL1500_.jpg (106KB, 1000x1500px) Image search: [Google]

106KB, 1000x1500px

anyone have any experience with pic related?

like it's adjustable setting but it's a new product and all the reviews seem to be paid reviews

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019J0A092?colid=2LWRGM8GBJH48&coliid=I2JDFAC4OIHO5P&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl

>>7362714
I personally don't like pre-set temperatures and prefer the ones that let you set any temperature you like.

But apart from that seems good.

>>7362714
Buy a kettle without plastics/plastic lining on the inside.

>>7362738
So much this.
My $40 old black and decker one has both presets and lets you set it to hold a constant temp between 150 and 212.

>>7362771
Why?

>>7362875
Don't you have any idea?

Hot water + plastic?
No?
What could possibly go wrong?


It's maybe not the case with EVERY plastics but gods, very often the water will get a plastic taste. And that's even more true with very hot water.

>>7359470
Just ask the shop keeper. If you're nice and polite they'll be happy to rec you the top brand.

>>7362854
I had one of those, broke in a month and then the replacement broke faster, a lot of the cheaper ones are gambles.

>>7362898
My current kettle is much like that anons even if it isn't the exact model. I can't taste plastic, but maybe I'll get cancer from it, who knows.

>>7354384
/ck/, give me some recs on a 25-30 oz tea kettle with a basket that sits down in the water that you can just pull out (or an similarly easy way to remove loose leaves after steeping).

I've just been dropping a tea ball into a carafe I fill with water from an electric kettle. I want to upgrade.

>>7363046
Mine's been working for me since like 2011 or so without issue.
Had to toss the pointless filter though, it broke.

>>7356531
get some "traditional" styles of black and green teas. English breakfast, maybe a yunnan or keemun single origin black, and then for greens try sencha, dragon's well, and maybe jasmine or another type.

File: image.jpg (35KB, 350x354px) Image search: [Google]

35KB, 350x354px

>>7362875
Because it's bad for your health to consume plastics. Just google it. This kettle is without plastics (remove the plastic strainer).

>>7354384
>add water to mug
>microwave for 2.5 minutes
>dunk a teabag until i get bored
wa la

>>7363315
why not just leave the bag in? Saves time and energy.

>>7363071
idk I just use some 15 dollar pot with mesh basket thing I got at the liming global market

but I'm a shitter just getting into loose leaf tea so take it for what its worth

>>7362714
I was deciding between this and the CPK-17 myself. Went with the latter based off of some complaints that I now realize are mostly irrelevant.

Damn though, the CPK-17 is going for ~$100 now, what the hell? If it was that pricey when I was deciding I may have just taken a small leap of faith and gone with the Ivation.

Probably isn't much of a leap, how do you fuck up a kettle anyways? Looks like all they did was reverse engineer the CPK-17 so it should be fine.


If you want more precise control the Bonavita var temp kettle is popular. I decided against it because I wanted as brainless a solution as possible.

File: 71Rh8ZjZQfL._SL1500_.jpg (85KB, 1500x1500px) Image search: [Google]

85KB, 1500x1500px

>>7363071
forlife ceramic teapot
>pic related

it's what i used before i switched over to cast iron teapots

http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-24-Ounce-Teapot-Infuser-Turquoise/dp/B000ZMNLO0/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1455174043&sr=8-8&keywords=forlife

>>7357595
Singapore-based Mariage Frères rip-off, so too over priced for their quality. Make of that what you will.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/features/201602090819.html

File: sunbeam-hot-shot-hot-beverage-maker-may-1974-620x872.jpg (137KB, 620x872px) Image search: [Google]

137KB, 620x872px

what are good hot water solutions. right now its a pyrex (the old borosilicate safe kind) 2 cup in a microwave for 2:30

Then poor that into my Teavana Perfectea infuser, then dump that into a mug.

There just has to be a better way

>>7366214
Literally 8 posts above:
>>7363133
3 steps:
Electric fucking kettle
With temperature control
No plastic if you're afraid of that.

Apart from that, get the fuck you want.

>>7354384
Teavana steeper. Love that thing

>>7356729
don't know what a dry herb vape is?

>>7356722
Pax2
lotus
lilly
arizer solo


basicly any dry herb vape.

>>7366247
>wanting solid caffeine residue caking the inside of your lungs

Bruh.

File: s-l1000[3].jpg (70KB, 1000x785px) Image search: [Google]

70KB, 1000x785px

>>7366250
>recommending portables
gross

I fucking hate matcha even though I love green tea.

How come?

>>7366969
Probably because matcha is more savoury? I also find that matcha has a texture to it and it's unpleasant to my tongue. But that's just me.

can i chew tea leaves like tobacco or will i get the cancers?

>>7357674
pls gibe subs

>>7366969
Because Matcha is very different to any other tea?

>>7366994
Of course not! How could it be dangerous if you are putting it in hot water to extract almost everything you can from it.

It can even be eaten in salad.

>>7366997
Uploading that.

>>7362714
Anon. Just look up gravity steeps, or a porcelain mug steeper. The gravity steep has mesh on the bottom and the bottom lifts up if you rest it on a mug and fluid drains from the little hole on the bottom. They're p neat. Porcelain mugs should include a porcelain mini cup that rests on the inner lip of the mug with slits. It should detach so you can steep and remove the mini cup. It's convenient.

>>7366997
Download the video from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wppZkl3c1Z4

And use this as sub:
https://mega.nz/#!3pdDzRja!gJaukM1E84S4_8CySZPKi8IAihofz7YNOCFqy9T03kk

I only have the episode 1 though, i got it from some shady chinese website.

File: thumbsup.gif (1MB, 320x240px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 320x240px

>>7367013
You're a cool person, anon.

>>7367016
Also, I got it with a lot of errors (missing new lines and stuff), I think I corrected everything but maybe I forgot some stuff. And there is the chinese and english on the same sub, there is maybe a way to get rid of the chinese but I was lazy.

I think I have some other episodes on chinese only if you want to try to google translate it.

>>7367013
based motherfucker, watching right now

>>7356094
You get a small pitcher and pour the tea into it. Use a small strainer to make sure stray bits of leaf don't end up falling in the pitcher.

File: IMG_1135.jpg (786KB, 900x675px) Image search: [Google]

786KB, 900x675px

>>7366969
Matcha is made from different cultivars than normal green tea and is also shade-grown and processed differently.
Basically only Matcha and Gyokuro are made this way.

>>7368728
There is also some other Kabusecha, but basically this.


Also, I never had the occasion to try it, but I don't think even gyokuro taste like matcha.

Should I buy a tea thermos? I know a place that sells chinese styled glass or clay thermos with a built in strainer for $20 each.

>>7369759
Do you want a tea thermos? They aren't the best thing but if you really need/want one for something (working long days, going on trips, etc) then get it

>>7351803
Don't buy anything pricey from verdant, there's a shit ton of drama right now about how they lie about their tea. If you're getting the cheap stuff it doesn't matter but if you're going to spend lots of money spend it somewhere better

>>7369759
Get a motherfucking BUBBA and strain yo shit yourself

>>7369920
Yeah I only get cheap stuff and only when they are on sale. I did notice that on my last order most of the tea leaves were broken into really small pieces, I thought that was from shipping because past orders were good but maybe they started selling lower grade tea. Got any recommendations for stores with wide variety? I got these guys near me but while their quality is pretty good, their selection is pretty limited.

>>7370306
These guys:
http://www.tebellatea.com

File: 1446990102822.png (317KB, 796x712px) Image search: [Google]

317KB, 796x712px

i really want some new raw puerh but all the places take a month to ship from china and cost a fortune.

>>7370347
Did you check these guys?
http://www.white2tea.com

>>7369920
I looked up the controversy and holy shit it's fucked up. I better find some store that's not this evil.

>>7370399
Teavivre
white2tea
yunnan sourcing
...

See the reddit list, there is plenty of very good tea shop. More that you can even try.

>>7370356
yes. the basics sample was excellent but it did take a month to arrive.

>>7370431
I somehow managed to get the verdant from reddit list in the past so I wanted to bring someone else into the loop :D. Checked these sites and looks like I've been shafted pretty badly even with the cheaper teas. Thanks Anon!

>>7370399
Explain

>>7370702
http://steepster.com/discuss/12225-transparency-in-the-tea-industry?page=2

Long story short, they claimed some very impossible things and heavily overcharged on all sorts of tea. Just google verdant controversy, this doesn't appear to be their first offense.

File: 2016-02-13-005229_1871x564_scrot.png (72KB, 1871x564px) Image search: [Google]

72KB, 1871x564px

should i?

>>7370746
Dude yes, the basics are definitely worth it.

Anyone got experience from the British site chinalife? Seems legit and they have a physical tea bar/store in London.

>>7371122
Their products are fairly decent to good, the only problem I have with them is how they shove the 'benefits' of tea in your face and their health... let's just say "propaganda". Other than that, you should check out some of their samples as they have a good price to quality ratio.

>>7371135
Alright, will probably buy their matcha and all their samples to begin with.

>>7370666
Yeah, we really need to set up a /ck/-approved list.

What's a good kettle?

>>7371725
Read the thread, we've talked about kettle already.

>>7371730
Not conclusively.

Are adjustable temps really worthwhile? Seems because it is so specialist there isn't much competition to drive the prices down.

>>7371730
>>7371894
electric kettles with the variable-temperature feature: they are rarely accurate. I won't say "don't bother," as some people still like them, but be aware that if you are trying to hit a more exact temperature, a fixed-temp kettle and a standard meat thermometer will do a much better job.

File: Zojirushi-Micom-3.16-qt.-Hot-Water-Pot.jpg (118KB, 1213x1213px) Image search: [Google]

118KB, 1213x1213px

>>7371894
For the money you spend on an adjustable kettle, you could get a hot water pot just like in your japanese animes

>>7343927
a lot of bagged fruit tea mixes come with rosehip as base, then other things added in.

it's okay when mixed, kind of mellow when alone

>>7371911
I never saw any tea enthusiast using anything else other than an electric kettle and 95% it is one with temperature control.

This one being the most popular:
http://steepster.com/teaware/bonavita/39130-1-liter-variable-temperature-digital-electric-gooseneck-kettle

1.7 L version:
http://steepster.com/teaware/bonavita/47196-1-dot-7-liter-digital-variable-temperature-gooseneck-kettle

File: 1.jpg (40KB, 680x390px) Image search: [Google]

40KB, 680x390px

>tfw impatient
>keep burning my tongue
Ahhhhhhhhh

>>7372221
Use smaller cups and pour from high above to cool down you tea.

>>7372290
Thank you

>>7372221
>drinking tea
>being impatient
Not zen at all desu

>>7371724
I think we could make one, I've been into tea in-depth for a few years now and I see other people in the threat who know as much or more than me pretty often. We could nominate vendors and if anyone has a reason they shouldn't be listed they give it, and if the reason is good, they're taken off the list.

>>7373373
When it comes to green and white tea, Palais Des Thes and Ippodo are my go to's

>>7371043
how are they vs. the ripe? is generationtea cheaper?