What's your cuppa-tea?
Share your feels and obsession, it's okay we're all adults here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNCJ1cUkOqI
yorkshire tea, brewed about 4 minutes, served with a splash or two of milk, maybe some biscuits on the side for dipping.
Chocolate Truffle Black tea french-pressed with a tablespoon or two of coffee grounds.
>>7445795
good lad
>>7445842
For the love of god why?
Recently bought some bulk Oolong and realized it has a natural sweetness to it. This whole time I had no idea just how smooth it is.
>>7446227
I just made my first loose leaf purchase too, bought a tie guan yin and a jin xuan, as well as medium roasted dong ding.
The Jin Xuan's sweetness surprised me, but I prefer the dong ding.
It has an intense cinnamon/clovish spice aftertaste.
It's wonderfully complex while I felt the Jin xuan was too mellow.
I still have yet to try the tie guan yin but I'm excited to get to it.
>>7445786
Silver Needle or Pai Mu Dan. So delicate..
>>7445786
I enjoy black teas. Currently drinking golden buds. I also bought some jasmine oolong that will probably be used as a gift
anybody mind explaining tea to me?
it's quite LITERALLY leaves that make hot water bitter
>TFW you drink plain Lipton tea
>>7445786
Idk if it's avaliable in other places but gorreana black tea is really good, its planted in the azores islands, one of the few places in europe that actually produces tea(its kind of cheating because it's an island in the middle of the atlantic, it could just as easily be africa), I'd assume it's avaliable in the US as the island's airline have many connecting flights and commerce is very encouraged
>>7445786
green tea is the only tea i like
>>7446157
Because it's delicious
>>7445786
my personal favourites are Oolong tea and Longjing tea.
Like rice, I like jasmine.
>>7445786
I've wanted to try tea for some time, but I can't help but find it more bitter than coffee, is there any naturally sweet teas?
>>7446678
Bagged tea for me always comes out astringent and shitty.
It wasn't until I tried loose leaf tea that I actually liked the flavor.
A properly brewed loose leaf tea will have nearly no bitterness at all.
So now that trade sanctions are removed from Iran... can we expect good tea from them?
I hear they have a nice climate towards the mountain regions for tea growing. I hope to try some of their teas in the near future.
>>7446678
Add water thats like 170 degrees, use a few drops of milk, or just used good loose leaf tea
>>7446692
>trusting a nation that uses sugar in their tea
China and Japan or nothing. There's only two real tea nations.
Finally got around to brewing my tieguanyin gongfu style to get those fruity overtones. I also picked up some gunpowder green at the store the other day; I'm slowly amassing a collection.
I usually just make bagged bigelow green tea, brewed for about 2 minutes with nothing added
I like earl grey and green tea a lot but it's kind of hard to find good loose teas near me. kilogram that operates out of chicago has a good green tea that is slightly sweet and nutty. there's a really good cream earl grey from a place in michigan (called great lakes tea and spice i think?) but i'm not there enough.
floral herbals are really nice too, fruity ones are too syrupy for me
>>7446329
>silver needle
nice
Expected my GABA Oolongs to arrive today, unfortunately they didn't. Probably tomorrow. That'll basically be my first experience with Oolongs overall and quality tea that isn't green.
Who /genmaicha/ here?
>>7447874
Not so fond of it desu. I could do less rice.
>>7445786
Daily reminder that if you put milk or cream in tea you're a backwater anglo and need to fuck off
>>7447905
Sugar is worse
>>7446319
>I prefer the dong
i bet you do
>>7447874
Used to be my standby bulk tea, but I've switched to Houjicha and never looked back.
what brands of teas do you recommend, or does it not matter and i just need to make sure the type of tea i'm buying comes from the correct country and region?
>>7448018
Don't buy brands, just find a good supplier and buy the teas they import. Where do you live?
>>7448029
Boston
i'm a tea novice and been considering learning more about it since all i drink anymore is coffee, tea, and water (beer and liquor, too, but only socially). thought about going into Chinatown and browsing some stores there for tea, any tips for that?
>>7448039
Sorry, can't help you since I'm Euro. Don't know the American suppliers.
>>7448048
ah thanks anyway. any other general advice for beginners you have would be appreciated though.
>>7448067
I'm quite the novice myself testing my way through. Just don't look for brands. I'm sure someone will help you finding a good supplier soon though. Keep lurking. And oh, buy a nice teapot and a thermometer.
>>7448039
Crepes tea house is not very far away, and they'll ship to you for free.
Upton imports is the same, but 3 dollar shipping.
>>7448388
So? There are basically only three real tea countries in Europe, one is the UK, one is Ireland and one is Russia. Rest of the countries are only following their ways of preparing tea. Germany doesn't have a tea culture of it's own, only copying the British way of making it.
sleepytime vanilla
am I pleb? is it smarter just to get the herbs in bulk myself and brew my own variety? considering its like $2.50 for 20 packets.
Celestial Seasonings sugar plum spice.
>>7448400
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/travel/in-northern-germany-a-robust-tea-culture.html
>>7446700
I like oolongs that are darker and roasted, Mountain Tea has a good medium/dark roast tie guan yin that is supposed to be alright. Their imperial black pearl tea is good too.
>>7447874
My nigger!
>>7448039
I'm in Boston. A friend of mine gets tea sometime in random cornerstores in Chinatown, and she likes it pretty well. I haven't been there to buy tea myself, but want to check it out sometime.
Tealuxe in Cambridge has solid loose-leaf, although some of it may be a bit overpriced. Other than that, we don't have too many local tea options, unfortunately. I buy online from the UK and China mostly.
As far as what to look for in Chinatown, I'd avoid super-cheap gunpowder green tea, as this is almost always quite dull. I'd also probably avoid most of the bottom-shelf stuff in general. Have no idea whether you could actually talk to the merchants there about what to buy. good luck.
Where do you guys in the UK get your tea from?
>>7448652
oriental shop on the corner sells it in big bags.
Irish breakfast with some milk
who's /castiron/ here?
>>7449014
Me, my dad got me one for my birthday. Love it so far.
>>7445786
Green tea with coconut
Macha tea drinker checking in
>>7449377
Self correction ^
Matcha
>>7447522
Taiwan bro
>>7447522
Bubble tea is from China and Taiwan dingdong
I moved over to Germany just over three years ago.
I drink Earl Grey as my standard brew every day -- usually 2-3 cups.
Twinings and Clipper were my usual go-to fairly-priced brews, and I would get a fancy one from a tea shop every so often.
Upon arriving here, Twinings comes in tiny pissy bags and the loose-leaf is twice the price of pic related.
I actually think this is the best Earl Grey I've ever had. I will miss it when I'm back home as I can't find it in Ireland.
>>7447522
>Forgetting India
Jesus
>>7449772
>I moved over to Germany just over three years ago.
I'm sorry to hear about all the rapefugees coming over to destroy your culture.
How does /ck/ feel about Harney & Sons tea?
>>7450037
Go back to /pol/
>>7450040
How strong is the Bergamot flavour?
I've bought lots of expensive Earl Grey only for it to be weakly scented.
Marks and Spencer and Harrod's are two of the worst offenders.
>>7446319
>It has an intense cinnamon/clovish spice aftertaste.
I'm going to get dong ding next. I've been wanting to try it.
>>7450072
>I'm going to get dong
I bet you are
>>7448048
Any advice for a novice Pole?
>>7449014
Here.
>>7449018
Hey, I got it for my birthday, too.
>>7449638
>stovetop
Do you have a teapot? If you do, stop heating it up on a stovetop. It's not made for boiling water inside of.
>>7446442
Not sure if anyone is interested in this but I found it avaliable on american amazon for like 5 dollars, I think its worth it, I really like it
>>7449597
True, forgot about Taiwan
>>7449775
Yeah no
What are some good non tea tea's? I love ginger and licorice tea but I want more, especially since licorice is supposed to cause health issues.
Hojicha tea from Ippodo Tea store in Kyoto is great for anyone who prefers a more mellow savory green tea. They have an online store that you can order from too
i got a bunch of jasmine oolong from a popular mall store as a gift and i've been having that every morning.
decent caffeine kick and it tastes lovely
>>7446373
If you're an avid drinker who drinks it as his main beverage there's no point in drinking the good expensive shit all the time. Just don't make it from bags.
>>7450495
>teabags
>>7450501
>there's no point in drinking the good expensive shit all the time
What did he mean by this?
>>7449638
I resorted to heating the water in my cast iron teapot when visiting family in Europe and didn't have anything else.
It took quite a while to heat, but I heated the water (without the tea) until there was a substantial amount of steam coming off it, but not boiling. Take it off heat, add tea leaves, steep for normal amount (about 3 minutes).
Worked pretty great.
Back home I just use the water boiler (which keeps water heated to certain temperatures, but doesn't actually boil it).
Has anyone tried savory teas or sipping broths?
Numi has a couple of varieties that I've been looking into
Spice Imperial (black tea with clove and vanilla aroma)
>>7450040
>>7450057
It's probably good but overpriced. FWIW I drink pic related, it's got a strong bergamot flavor and is cheap by me.
went to the store to stock up on Assam and bought 50g of sencha to try out some green tea. store clerk actually gave me good 70g. pretty noice
>>7450462
along with real tea, i drink a lot of hibiscus tea and mate
My preferred green is Gunpowder Green by Starwest Botanicals. Lately, I've been into herbal blends tho.
My favorites are sage/cinnamon, hibiscus/verbena, and orange/ginger/mint. Going to put together a turmeric blend once I make time to go to little India and buy some roots.
>>7445786
Spoiled myself with one of these. Completely worth the cost if you're a daily drinker.
>>7451157
ewwww
>>7445786
Black rose, small dash of sugar and a splash of milk. Not the most exciting, but it's quite comfy.
>Microwaving my tea water then using bagged tea
please send help
>>7451503
>Microwaving water for tea ever
Even heating it on the stove in a pot is better than that. Microwaving means that you're heating unevenly, have no way to control the temp, and may end up scorching the tea.
If you have a kettle of any sort (electric or stovetop) do that, they're not very expensive.
Next, if you have local asian or indian markets, check there for loose leaf tea. It should be very cheap.
You can most likely find whatever you're drinking, but better quality.
If you don't have a tea shop, or foreign markets, buy online.
Upton Tea Imports, or Crepes Tea House are my go-tos for the US.
If you want region specific suggestions, post your state/closest city and someone will probably help you out.
>>7448405
I think you're alright. I've tried for a year to make a mulling spice and orange peel blend and I can't figure it out etiher. I think 2.50 for 20 is a fair price as well.
Loose tea is expensive you slut.
This is like a vinyl vs. digital argument.
Just buy Bigelow!!!
Delicious everytime!
That matcha green tea at costco.
It's better than that lipton crap at least.
>>7451596
>shitty teabag
>steep one time
5$/100g
>first price loose tea
>steep 5+ times
(5$/100g )/5
Wow. It's fucking nothing.
>>7451600
>"""""matcha"""""
https://twiningsusa.formstack.com/forms/pantry_samples_2016
what should I get?
>>7452183
>sadly ozfag
I chose Green Jasmine, Earl Grey and Irish Breakfast.
You should report on the Cold Brewed Tea. Will they send you a bottle I wonder?
>>7449772
Earl Grey is the fucking SHIT
No milk:
Assam TGFOP
Earl Grey
Whole Milk or Cream and shit-ton of honey/sugar:
Yogi Chai - a mix including black tea, cardamom, chili, black pepper and a couple of other things.
>>7451600
>matcha
to call this matcha tea is like calling egg whites meringue
Have any of you guys tried Pu-erh tea? A co-worker gave me some, and this stuff is like whiskey in tea form. Imagine sexually caressing a beautiful piece of driftwood, the ultra smooth ashen type that native americans carve into orcas and shit. That's what this tastes like.
>>7449014
I have an almost identical teapot that i bought somewhat recently. I like it a lot even if i miss seeing the color of the tea change when steeping.
>>7452575
I like both whiskey and tea. Sounds like i should try puerh.
Any tea recommendations for a beginner wanting to start a collection?
>>7452425
Earl Grey can have a bit of milk -- a tiny drop.
No sugar, though.
Anyway, I think sugar in tea or coffee is an abomination.
>>7453306
Earl Grey is the only weird tea I drink daily.
But I will occasionally have:
Matcha
Yogi Tea's Choco tea (which is great in winter with lots of spices -- it's not a hot chocolate. Check it out.)
Russian Earl Grey if I can find it -- there's different herbs added.
I like getting Assam tea sometimes as it's very refreshing.
I also love greet tea with dried orange peel
And in the Summer, I have a lot of Yerba Matcha
>>7453316
I meant to use the word 'less common' rather than 'weird', but of course it's a common tea -- it's just that most people in my country drink regular tea and the majority turn their nose up at Earl Grey.
Who else loves the feeling of waking up at the crack of dawn, turning on the stove to heat up a pot of hot water. Pouring into the glass you then witness the infusion of earth & water culminate together in unison, and then seeing the early sunrise as you sip on that beautiful cupatea :^)
>>7445795
yup
>>7445786
I just like a good cup of strong mint tea
That cooling sensation it gives you traveling down...
tetley (but preferably yorkshire, its hard to get here though) orange pekoe, tea bag in the cup, splash of milk and half a tsp of sugar. fight me.
>>7453302
I haven't tried the one posted but agreed that Meßmer makes shit Earl Grey.
>>7452575
>Imagine sexually caressing a beautiful piece of driftwood
top kek
you've sold me on pu-erh m8
>>7453316
>yerba matcha
Do you mean Yerba Mate?
>>7453343
Yeah, without being gay about it tho
>>7453885
You're drinking tea, which means you're already at least 10% gay.
>>7454148
Whatever you say faglord
Anyone have any good teapot recommendations? Preferrably with an infuser, beginner looking to buy one.
>>7454240
Just buy one that's the size you want. Don't make it complicated.
>>7454240
Unglazes ceramic is only for one-type-of-tea-use (it'll absorb the flavor and muddle it after time if multiple teas are used). Can break if dropped.
Cast iron keeps it hot for an hour or more. Will probably never break.
Glass lets light in (bad for the tea), but looks pretty. It can also shatter.
I've got the "Old Dutch Suzume teapot" on amazon. Makes about 3 mugs of tea (I usually drink alone), has an infuser (stainless steel).
Things to consider:
How big do you want it? Do you usually make tea for multiple people? Two? One?
Are you clumsy? If so you might want cast iron.
Does it get very cold in winters where you are? You might want one that holds heat better.
If the cast iron sounds good, there are a variety of old dutch varieties on amazon for about 30 bucks, in different designs and patterns/colors.
Irish Breakfast tea with breakfast
Whatever is available around lunch
Earl Grey in the afternoon
Chamomile before bed
And to think that one week ago I didn't drink any tea at all.
Anyone tried it? Goes well with honey and chamomile and/or mint.
>>7454284
>Glass lets light in (bad for the tea)
Are you fucking serious? Letting in light and/or heat is only bad for the tea when it's being stored over a longer period of time. A couple of hours of light before drinking doesn't do jack shit to the tea. Glass pots are great in all regards except for the fact that it could break. In fact glass teapots are the best ones for drinking casually since it's easier to determine the steeping of the tea since it's transparent.
Who /builderstea/ here?
>>7454372
Whoops, you're right. I was thinking of glass containers when I wrote that for some reason.
It's not just the breakability, though. Glass also has inferior heat retention compared to some of the other options.
If you drink a lot slowly over time like I do, then glass wouldn't be great. However if you drink your tea fairly quickly (before it can cool) there's no real reason not to get a glass teapot unless you're extremely clumsy.
I also travel a lot, and with cast iron I can shove it in my checked bag and not worry about it breaking.
>>7454571
>heat retention
This is a good point though. The only real downside.
>>7446678
>naturally sweet
If your palate is accustomed to the subtleties in teas, then yes. There are naturally sweet teas out there. Rooibos with a little honeybush would be sweet on it's own. Pai Mu Dan also has a natural sweetness to it as well as oolongs grown in higher altitudes. But it seems like you are new to it so I suggest you start off with black teas where you can add a splash of milk or an oolong. We use water that is 180F and steeping time will vary on the tea you have. No more than 3 mins for an oolong, 4 for a black.
>>7450462
Well that depends, what is your flavour profile? What health benefits are you after? If you like something floral and an evening tea to help you relax, a blend of chamomile, rose, hibiscus and a very light amount of peppermint will be delicious. Especially if you add some orange and cinnamon to it. If you want something for any kinds of colds, then lemongrass, echinacea and cayenne would be your best bet. It's a nice mix of sweet and spicy, and can withstand the flavour of buckwheat honey for a sore throat. If you want something sweet, orange rooibos with honeybush tastes like an orange creamsicle and smells like it too. If you are looking for something to soothe your stomach and makes a great iced tea, lemon grass, ginger and a touch of hibiscus will do the trick.
Source: Myself. I work for a tea house.
Has anyone tried Twinings Assam? It looks promising as far as cheap bagged black tea goes, and I want to try it next after my Yorkshire Gold runs out.
I already have excellent black loose leaf, but like having bags on hand too, so pls no "buy loose leaf, pleb" comments :^)
>>7454240
Get one with an all stainless steel infuser, so there's no plastic touching the hot water. Also, make sure the infuser goes deep down into the pot, so you can brew just one cup if you want. Glazed ceramic holds heat better than glass. Plenty of decent options on Amazon etc. for $20-30. If you mostly drink tea by yourself, consider a 25-30 oz pot, as that'll make 2 large cups or 3 small ones.
This one's pretty nice:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZMR9HA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
getting warm outside...wont be able to enjoy tea in the summer, do you bros still drink tea in the summer?
>>7454854
Cold brew it. Also yes.
>>7454854
Tea is always delicious. Buy a nice fresh fruity/floral green tea and you're all set for the summer.
>>7454897
suggestions for summer tea?
dont know why but I cant drink tea at room temperature or chilled.
>>7454904
green with lemon, green with ginger, green with etc.
>>7454909
nice, any teas that actually help you healthwise or all of those targeted to those nutcase homeopathic people
Sorry to say I'm not some connoisseur, I generally just make ice-fucking-cold sweet tea, I want it to freeze my throat when drinking it.
>>7454926
This one is really nice as well
http://chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/tea-mspc/85/
>>7450462
I sometimes finely grind fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle, then steep it in a tea strainer (the mesh metal ball thing) for 4 minutes or so.
After that I add a little bit of raw honey to taste.
It's like a sweet, black licorice flavor.
>>7454914
Not the anon you were speaking to, but I remember reading somewhere that hibiscus can lower blood pressure. Actually, even wikipedia has some info on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea#Health_benefits.
>>7455042
Real tea lowers blood pressure as well. Especially GABA Oolongs.
![orwelltea[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/lHtT1JW.jpg "orwelltea[1].jpg")
>>7445786
Lyons tea bag. Only a little milk. 3 sugars. However i going to try to switch over to the Orwell method for a while as it sounds much more enjoyable once i get used to it. http://www.booksatoz.com/witsend/tea/orwell.htm
Oolong tea is quite nice, has a subtle coffee-like flavour but without the after taste. Personally I'd only use 1-2 teaspoons of it or it tastes quite bitter, and also without milk or sugar.
>>7454648
What is it like working for a teahouse? I always tell myself I should visit some of the teahouses in my city but I always decide otherwise. Are most customers uninformed about tea or do you have a lot of regulars?
>>7455212
>orwell
>knowing shit about it
Fuck Orwell
>>7452575
>Imagine sexually caressing a beautiful piece of driftwood, the ultra smooth ashen type that native americans carve into orcas and shit. That's what this tastes like.
>>7452575
it depends if it's aged right. Buy a puck and store it away for a few years. It's like brewing pussy juice.
>>7455212
>Tea is meant to be bitter
Jesus Christ what an uneducated faggot. I'm fucking laughing over his bullshit.
>>7455212
>afraid of 'damaging' the tea by using some form of infuser
>shakes the goddamn pot
Wat.
>>7455212
>Anyone who has used that comforting phrase 'a nice cup of tea' invariably means Indian tea
>>7455571
He is a fucking idiot. I can never take him seriously again after reading that pile of shit.
asking once again:
Anyone tried Twinings Assam? want to try out a new cheap bagged black tea.
>>7455212
>boiling water
>tea should be bitter
No, you fuckwit, your tea is bitter because you're scorching it. I'll let him go on the point of milk because he's drinking Indian tea.
>Shakes the pot
He is correct not to use bags, or small strainers, because they do cramp the leaves. But shaking the pot is just nonsense.
He gets a solid 5/10, some of his points are fine - heating the pot beforehand, avoiding huge cauldrons of tea, avoiding tea bags and sugar, and pouring milk afterwards.
>>7455607
>not boiling water
So for black tea, do you just boil and then let it cool for about 20 seconds before pouring over the tea? This is what I do, and a boil and let cool for about 2-2.5 minutes for green.
![05195940b7aa08115464687d423000ad14719b-wm[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/mkJx8QF.jpg "05195940b7aa08115464687d423000ad14719b-wm[1].jpg")
>>7455541
>>7455566
>>7455571
>>7455607
>>7455602
It's mediocre. Buy loose leaf from a better brand. Works out the same price. Ahmed and Whittards are both better.
>>7455602
Nope, I've tried Ahmads and it's ok
>>7455654
When I make black tea I just barely boil it and then assume that enough heat is lost while it is poured from the kettle to whatever I'm steeping in. With green tea I pour it twice, first into a holding container and then into the cup/pot. Idk if my method for green tea is any good tho because I rarely drink it
>>7455670
I used to do the same, but the chemical make-up of water changes once it boils. So I now turn off the kettle just before it boils. I'm sure the difference is negligible so I'm not bothered if I ever forget about it.
>>7455654
>>7455654
95 degrees for black tea and 70-80 for green tea. Buy a thermometer so you know what it takes to get the right temperature. I'm pretty sure waiting 2 minutes for your boiling water to cool down isn't enough. But that also depends on the kettle and the pot. If I just waited for 2 minutes for my kettle to cool down the water would still be 85-90 degrees which is too hot.
>>7455678
>Chemical make-up of water changes
Of course I'm referring to tap water that has all sorts of things added to it, not just H2O
>>7455607
>thinks tea is supposed to taste bitter
>gets a 5/10
I'd rather drink a correctly brewed tea bag than his loose leaf bitter shit.
>>7455684
What changes though?
>>7455680
95 for large leaf 85 for small leaf
>>7455654
You heat it to just under boiling. Why would you heat it to boiling only to cool it again? The more efficient means of doing it would be to heat it to around 208 F or so, so it's steaming, but not boiling.
I have a water boiler as well (keeps water at certain temps), for green tea I set it to a lower setting. Doing it manually, I use a thermometer.
>>7455689
Love
any recs for a good tea thermometer? can i use the one i use for cooking meats (after cleaning it, of course)?
>>7454854
Any tea can be iced and add raw honey for that sweetness. Depending on the flower the bees pollinated, raw honey has subtleties in flavour as well.
>>7454904
Tea blends come in during the summer season and you want something refreshing and light. Greens are a good base, rooibos, sweet oolongs and maybe white teas. My favourite is dried blueberry, lemon grass with rooibos base. Steep it strong, add a tablespoon of alfalfa raw honey, dump in a pitcher full of ice. Ice will melt and dilute the tea and then I add chia seeds to it. My go to sweet summer drink. Yoou can also play around with orange peel, peppermint, hibiscus, rose hips, cinnamon bark and lavender to add to tea. But you'll have to adjust the amount accordingly and increase your steeping time.
>>7455501
It's pretty chill. We have two rooms dedicated for drinking tea, a bar so you can watch your tea be made and a room dedicated for bulk teas. I'd say about 45% are regulars, 5% annoying know it alls and the rest are those who are exposed to tea but want to learn more about it. I love it
>>7455854
>can i use the one i use for cooking meats
Yes.
Or just get a kettle with temperature control.
>>7445786
Lapsang Souchong and Earl Grey de la Cremme.
I take everything straight, looking for a good chai that's buyable on Amazon. If some kind anon would please point me in the right direction, I would be very appreciative.
is there a particular name for this type of tea tray? i want one.
Trying my first Oolong as we speak. Wow this is different. Can't say I'm fully into it yet but wow. Burnt sugar all over the place.
>>7457114
That is beautiful.
I'm very jealous :^/
Just a normal tea with milk tb
>>7456421
got some lapsang a few weeks ago
it's entirely too smokey and strong for me, also too earthy in taste
what can I mix it with to make it less extreme?
>>7457114
That little clay pot you see in the middle of the tray? The chinese call it a yixing pot. The idea behind it is multiple steepings of the leaf and poured onto the tiny cups which allows it to cool faster. The clay absorbs the flavour of the tea which intensifies the flavour as you use it longer. You typically only use it with one specific type of tea, usually black or puehr irc. The tray is used to catch any water drippings, it drains to the lower part then you just toss it out.
Nothing like a good cup of yorkshire tea. Little bit of milk and no sugar.
>>7457905
no, i mean the tray. the octagon thing.
>>7458338
Looks like a regular Gong Fu tray except a high octagon instead of rectangular.
>>7457838
If you mix it with keemum you can make something some tea shops call "Russian caravan style." Idk if that's a real thing but it tastes great and has just the right amount of smoke taste with black tea taste. I've also seen lapsang lattes but that shit is way too sweet for my tastes.
I'm a all around tea lover. Any suggestions of a good tea suppliers in California?
Time to dust off the Tea Guide:
You want tea? Real, British Army let's-go-and-conquer-an-empire-spanning-a-quarter-of-the-globe kickass tea? Old-fashioned Here-come-the-fucking-Zulus Somme-El Alamein-Arnhem-Falkland Islands, get-your-kukhri-out-and-take-some-Japanese-heads, lets-have-a-brew-up-skipper-while-25,000-feet-over-Hamburg tea?
1. Boil the water. If it isn't on a rolling boil, you're a Frenchman.
2. The tea: it's not fruit-flavoured, it's not green, it doesn't smell of fucking flowers. It's black, it comes from Assam, or Poona, or Candy in India; Ceylon (or whatever those savages renamed the place) in a pinch. Don't fuck around with Red Rose or Salada or those other brands that are made of floor sweepings and packed by leperous monkeys. Get the good shit, like Marks & Spencer's strong blend. Loose tea is better, but bags are OK if the tea is quality.
3. Pre-heat the ceramic pot with some of the boiling water. If you have an aluminum or metal pot, I'd better fucking look down and see a cunting tea cosy in your white little hand, friendo. Don't have one? Lean to fucking knit. Take your granny's meds away until she makes one for you, like a demented spider on LSD.
4. Boil the fucking water. I know I said it before. It's important.
5. For each cup add a heaping teaspoon of leaves (or one bag per two cups. BUT then add another big spoon (or bag) "for the pot." If you fail to sacrifice to the Tea Gods in this way, ruin and misfortune will attend all your efforts in life until you propriate their anger.
>>7458567
6. Put it on a warmed surface. Not hot enough to re-boil the water, but enough to keep it piping hot. The top of a recently-turned off stove is good; close to the fire is good if you're camping (remember to turn the pot around to keep both sides warm). Cunt.
7. I SAID FUCKING LEAVE IT! 8 to 10 minutes. You don't want some abortion of weak brownish fluid like the pathetic discharge of a dying Calcutta dysentery victim in your mug, do you?
8. Pour. You will be rewarded with a truly deep golden elixir, steaming hot in the chill air, with that lovely rising musical tone of a porcelain mug being filled. If you're using plastic, get the fuck out. No, seriously, get the fuck out.
9. Add sugar and milk to taste. Only fucking Hottentots drink it black. We are civilised fucking people here. Lemon? What the fuck are you, some scabby Russian gangster? Some midwestern minister's wife? Save it for curing your scurvy later on, mate. Cream is not acceptible. Neither is non-dairy whitener, except under extreme duress, such as battlefield conditions. (The British Army has used tea for three centuries as the panacea for any injury, save a stomach wound).
10. Swirl the complex product around. Feel the tannins fur your teeth, the sugar attack your dental enamel. This is fucking tea. This is Gerald Butler-Sean Connery-Michael Caine-Daniel Craig tea.
Go now, gentle traveller, and commit the sin of weak tea no more.
>>7458570
>sugar and milk
And you call Murricans fat.
>>7458567
>>7458570
Is this bait? This is awful.
>boiling water, hope you enjoy your scorched tea
>steeping for 8-10 minutes
>metal teapots are bad but ceramic pots (the ones usually used by old ladies) are better
>green tea being bad
>measuring in teaspoons instead of by weight despite the significant different in leaf size between types
>adding sugar and milk and not appreciating tea for its own flavor (only tea I add milk too is strong indian teas, or chai with a bit of honey as well)
This is not fucking tea. This is shit. Liquid shit. Kill yourself.
>>7458623
Should be to, not too.
>>7458533
It absolutely is a real thing! That's another one of my favorites, actually.
If you want Earl Grey with some more bite to it, definitely try this out.
>>7452575
Ahhh yes the tea that got me into real tea. Used to think it was only hot water then I tried some and bam, redpill
>>7454425
...Lee?
why so many tea noobs in these threads?
why so few puer drinkers?
>>7458729
People probably see the threads and get into tea/think they can come here to ask some questions to get into it (which I don't mind).
I've had raw pu erh, but I'm going to order some samples of pu erh cakes in a while, though.
>>7445795
Mate do you think I have fucking time to leave it 4 minutes?
Throw the bag in, water on, squeeze the bag straight away then in the bin.
>>7446678
Just add some fucking sugar
Christ Americans really are that stupid aren't they
>>7455854
Tip of your little finger
>>7452575
Do you get a Qi effect? I had some 70s sheng once that really made your spinal column come alive with moist awareness after about 10 bowls.
Bump. Gotta love this tea thread.
>>7446362
Okay so like
Here is the really important part?
Are you paying attention?
So like
Its really like
If like
Leaves contain a substance similar to coffee beans.
And its taste neutral enough to be flavored by adding remains of dried fruit.
>>7458798
Idiot. There are plenty of naturally sweeter teas, like some green teas. Or, if you want to go herbal there are plenty of other options like hibiscus, or rooibos/honeybush.
If you're first instinct is to add sugar you might just be fucking retarded.
>>7459167
>you're
God dammit, I obviously meant your.
>>7459167
This. Tea has so many different flavors, why add anything else?
>>7453316
Sweet, thank you
Who /herbaltea/ here?
>>7446678
Hibiscus is naturally really sweet.
Chamomile and roobios too. They're not Tea just tisane. Hibiscus is great steeped in cold water, not hot, in summer.
>>7460310
>tisane
You can just say herbal tea as well.
>>7445795
Britbongs represent.
>>7460523
Not him but I refuse to call any given herb for tea. Tea is the Camellia sinensis and nothing else. There's already too much confusion around the word tea.
I think Canton Tea failed to keep track of their stock levels. I only ordered this tea because it let me qualify for free delivery, which I think I would still get on the item I already received even if I cancel.
Think I should still get it though? Does it mean anything in regards to freshness if they themselves have to order in new oolong to fulfil my order? I'm guessing it wouldn't matter since it's not a "in-season" or recent harvest with such a generic product name.
So cancel? Yes/No
I had this tea a few years ago, belive it was an oolong jap tea
It was really flowery and aromatic. Wonder if anyone could suggest a tea like that.
>>7460957
Jasmine tea?
>>7460957
If you're looking for some floral oolongs there are loads.
I personally don't really like floral teas. The most floral one i've had is Tie Guan Yin.
Someone else here might be able to help you out though.
>>7460957
>>7461570
Idk about Japanese oolongs, but Chinese tie guan yins are incredibly floral. I'd check out the anxi hairy crab Mao xie fujian from Yunnan sourcing. For Chinese teas, spring is without a doubt the best harvest so stick with those. These teas can be overpowering floral, so do multiple short steeps to get great balance between the other flavors as well.
>>7460978
Like this guy said it may have been flavored with Jasmine, but I am completely ignorant when it comes to Japanese oolongs.
bumpp for equipment recs
>>7455854
i just go by the looks of the water.
>tiny "fish eye" bubbles that aren't rising = white
>tiny "fish eye" bubbles rising quickly = green
>big bubbles rising slowly = oolong
>big bubbles rising rapidly = black
>rolling boil = puerh
Green tea with lemon when waking up
Earl grey at work
Yerba mate during the afternoon
Rooibos before going to bed
Just having a cup of Upton's Japanese Sencha, nothing fancy but a good everyday sort of tea. Perfect for a midafternoon cup.
anyone have experience with ordering tea from chinalife?
some look really good and the shipping isnt very expensive, just afraid of buying placebo, some of their videos seem cool but others seem like he's making that shit up as he goes with those tea statues and whatnot
>>7464475
Seems there are 2 that already posted. CTRL+F chinalife and you'll find them.
>>7451600
>"matcha"
>in a bag
u wot
>>7464475
Chinalife are great. Good customer service too. What do you mean buying placebo?
>>7464475
I'm really into Chinese tea specially and I'd say those videos are 75% good info 25% bullshit, but I've heard good things about the site itself. A lot of people deeper into tea get weird about the spiritual side of it, a lot of my friends into it spout bs too
>>7467020
What's bullshit though? Can you give an example?
Noob here, so I have a few questions since I want to start drinking tea seriously. I'm drinking cinnamon with a bit of honey but normally Oolong and this one thing called Rose Chai are my go-to teas.
>>7454372
>>7454571
I have a question regarding uh... Kettles? I'm interested in using a glass one, but how does one go about that? Do I just.. put it on the stove and boil it or do I pre-heat the water and then put it in there? I just normally use a little pot, boil the water, put the bag in the cup and pour the water over it so... How do I glass kettle.
>>7455680
>>7455670
>>7455701
How do you know what temperature your water should be?
What's the difference between small leaf or large leaf? What I mean by that is... Is it blatantly obvious which is small leaf or which is large? Or is it specified on the website you order from? Or are certain teas classified as small leaf and will consistently be small and the same for large leaf?
Sorry for the question bombarding(?)
>>7468287
>I have a question regarding uh... Kettles? I'm interested in using a glass one, but how does one go about that? Do I just.. put it on the stove and boil it or do I pre-heat the water and then put it in there? I just normally use a little pot, boil the water, put the bag in the cup and pour the water over it so... How do I glass kettle.
That's a tea pot and not a kettle. Boil the water in a kettle or saucepan, then you just pour the water into the tea pot. You then add the infuser wirh the tea in it and let it steep. Simple as that really.
>How do you know what temperature your water should be?
There are general guidelines for it. The reason why green tea can't stand more than 80 degrees for example is because it'll become bitter. Different temperature for different kinds of tea.
>What's the difference between small leaf or large leaf? What I mean by that is... Is it blatantly obvious which is small leaf or which is large? Or is it specified on the website you order from? Or are certain teas classified as small leaf and will consistently be small and the same for large leaf?
It's obvious when you've experienced both. If you open a tea bag there's only dust or a powder inside, if you go one step up and try loose leaf teas from big brands it's almost like grains but if you get real good quality tea there are actual leaves and buds.
If you have more questions just ask away.
Real leaves before and after steeping
>>7468287
http://chinalifeweb.com/guides/the-tea-brewing-chart/
Here are the brewing times, their yt also has a lot of stuff on different teas and how to prepare/serve
Just got a shipment from Upton. Got some darjeeling, assam, rooibos, gyokuro, and genmaicha. Bless this website for their half ounce sampler packs. The only one of those I've had before is genmaicha, and I'm a little addicted to the taste of toasted rice.
>>7470014
Roasted barley with equal parts roasted corn when boiled together makes a delicious tea that has that roasted rice flavour. I make a pot full and go through the thing in like, two days.
tangentially related, but does anyone here read their tea leaves? yes, it's bullshit, but it's still fun
