Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

Please introduce yourself here to our membership


Oct 2nd, '15, 13:02
Posts: 7
Joined: Sep 26th, '15, 20:43

Re: Calling on all noobs...Oi from Colorado!

by Harker » Oct 2nd, '15, 13:02

Greetings from northern Colorado, where I am presently sipping a nice hongcha at the foot of the Rockies.

I've been drinking tea for upwards of fifty years. My dear mother and her sister started me off with Bigelow's Constant Comment when I was a wee lad in suburban Chicago. As a young teenager I must have had the full Twining's catalog available to me. Then I got distracted by girls, alcohol, and drugs. I'm back to tea now, and I've upped the quality and quantity as brewing and drinking are a very important part of each day.

I don't have a particular favorite tea. What I enjoy most is matching the moment with pu'er, oolong, or hongcha, though I do also drink green teas, darjeelings, and floral/herbal concoctions occasionally.

I'm uncertain what my next purchase will be, though my next planned purchase will be of a hefty quantity of a 2015 gushu Jing Mai pu'er I recently bought as a single 200g bing.

I brew almost exclusively at home, though I brought a small tea table to work once to brew for friends, and they were enchanted. I will do that more often.

I have been lurking in the shadows here since 2008, I believe. I appreciate the (mostly) convivial atmosphere here, and I thank you for bravely sharing your joys and disappointments, triumphs and failures... I've learned much from you all.

T.J. Tracy

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Oct 2nd, '15, 15:46
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by debunix » Oct 2nd, '15, 15:46

Welcome back to tea.....and perhaps Welcome to really fine tea for the first time?!

Oct 2nd, '15, 18:37
Posts: 7
Joined: Sep 26th, '15, 20:43

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by Harker » Oct 2nd, '15, 18:37

Thank you very much. I appreciate your welcoming words.

I truly took wing belatedly in '08, when I began visiting independent tea shops and ordering quality teas online. Had my first pu'er then, and though I wouldn't drink that particular one on a dare now, it did set me lurching in the right direction.

Though friends and lovers might let one down, tea seems to give back in proportion to the thought and effort invested. It's become so important an aspect of life that I hope always to be adventuring and forever to be learning.

Each cup an elixir to ease the challenges that life presents.

Oct 5th, '15, 16:52
Posts: 3
Joined: Oct 3rd, '15, 14:33

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by cherrybridge » Oct 5th, '15, 16:52

How long have you been drinking tea?
Since I was a kid. We have friends of the family that live in Manchester.

What was your first Tea?
I think it was a chamomile.

What is your favorite Tea currently?
Matcha with the Jade Citrus Mint from Teavana. The mint wakes you up right away then the matcha kicks in. I'm so much better on the matcha caffeine than coffee. I'm jittery and can't concentrate on even half a cup of coffee.

What is your next purchase?
not sure yet....

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?
My kitchen in the morning and then take it out on the porch

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Oct 24th, '15, 01:13
Posts: 6
Joined: Oct 20th, '15, 21:56
Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by TadpoleJaxn » Oct 24th, '15, 01:13

I'm excited to be a member :D I've long stalked these boards and forums and it's great to finally post and be a part of things. I've learned so much from you guys and spent many an hour reading replies and looking at teapots.

How long have you been drinking tea?
What was your first tea?

Since I was a child. I've always been surrounded by tea drinking, a part of everyday life, surprising maybe for someone from the midwest of America. My grandfather drank hot black tea copiously, always teabags from supermarkets, and my father drank the abominable instant Lipton lemon iced tea :lol: I still drank it but even when i was little, I knew there was better tea out there. I started my journey about three years ago when I bought nicer tea bags from a health food store as well as loose leaf assam from Frontier Organics. I fell in love with tea that first evening and it's been a part of my daily routine ever since (with structured breaks) I then moved on to Tea Trekker, Teavivre, Yunnan Sourcing and other stores, starting with sample packs to understand the different varieties of tea and to find my likes and dislikes and then branching specifically into indian blacks and both sheng and shou pu, along with hei cha and white tea once I found that they were my favorites.

What is your favorite tea currently?

Doomni tea estate Assam and a 2007 Jing Mai mountain shou pu erh from Lancang, Simao, factory is Yun Gui I believe. The assam is sooo melty-malty bright dark cherry alive tasting, best way to start my morning, and the shu pu is sweet chocolate defined layers of hay and tea tree shadows.

Next purchase?

Upton tea has some indian blacks I've my eye on. But I have a large order from Yunnan Sourcing including more sheng to broaden my horizons, some kang brick tea for the frigid winter that's looming closer, and more shu's.

Favorite place to brew up?

My deck off my 3rd floor apartment. My complex is surprisingly peaceful and secluded, the building are 70s era and remind me of an ancient lodge/fort/town/enclosure (maybe a wooten or whatever the scots called em) as I'm trudging through the deadly cold home from a long hike through the woods for pine needle tea and dogbane for cordage. I brew up every morning alone, as the sun rises and pray and meditate, my cat cosies up next to me as the morning chill.

Thanks for reading, hopefully I could take you to a different place, to see the world through my eyes, cause hey, that's what tea's always been about, sharing and communicating and enjoyment.

Jan 13th, '16, 15:01
Posts: 2
Joined: Jan 10th, '16, 17:28

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by elca948 » Jan 13th, '16, 15:01

Hi guys
Ive always loved tea but glad I've found this site.

How long have you been drinking tea?
Since birth!!!! 48 years
What was your first Tea?
Probably PG tips
What is your favorite Tea currently?
Australian Breakfast from T2
What is your next purchase?
White Jasmine
Where is your favorite place to brew
In the kitchen and snuggle on my favourite sofa

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Jan 17th, '16, 23:25
Posts: 15
Joined: Jan 14th, '16, 23:36
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by Darth_Chris » Jan 17th, '16, 23:25

Hello from Houston, TX. Im Chris and I am 27 years old.

How long have you been drinking tea?
On and off for a few years. We always have Oolong and Gaoshan tea around the house. I recently went to Fujian and that took my interest to a whole other level. I have become fascinated with teacups. As well as Kung fu tea and Prayer beads for some reason. Caught the bug, got the itch.
What was your first Tea?
Taiwan Gaoshan tea
What is your favorite Tea currently?
Iron Goddess. I love all Oolongs
What is your next purchase?
Ah, this is what brought me to this forum. So I can learn more to make a informed purchase. I want a Zhuni teapcup as well as a Agarwood prayer bead. These are both things I cant wait to enjoy using and watching them age along with me.
Where is your favorite spot to brew up?
At the quiet comfort of home. Although in Fujian China I spent most of my time chatting among the locals and experts trying to learn more

Feb 3rd, '16, 16:17
Posts: 2
Joined: Feb 3rd, '16, 12:14

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by SaltSandTea » Feb 3rd, '16, 16:17

How long have you been drinking tea?

I've been drinking tea most of my life, however it wasn't till the last year that I was introduced to higher quality living teas and a more in depth tea world.
What was your first Tea?
A friend of mine served me a wonderful sheng puerh that i'm pretty sure changed my life
What is your favorite Tea currently?
Right now I've been drinking mostly Puerh's and a 2002 7581 Shu Puerh
What is your next purchase?
Well I just ordered a 2004 Shu from Pu-erh.sk that I'm very excited about
Where is your favorite spot to brew up?
I brew at home everyday. But I love spending time at PuerhBrooklyn. I have been serving there for a few weeks (service is free) and its just wonderful to spend time with so many tea people!

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Feb 10th, '16, 15:56
Posts: 291
Joined: Feb 9th, '16, 21:23
Location: California

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by stevorama » Feb 10th, '16, 15:56

How long have you been drinking tea?
Well, I drank generic teabags as far back as my teens. Started paying attention to tea quality in the past 15-20 years. Started really paying attention in the past 5 years or so. A trip to China a few years ago really brought my focus onto pu er and gong fu brewing.

What was your first Tea?
My first tea memory is of drinking black tea in an Irish hostel as a teenager. A British woman yelled at me because I didn't bring the water to a boil. Her husband apologized.

What is your favorite Tea currently?
Pu er. And more pu er.

What is your next purchase?
Been eyeing some Chang-an ripe from Bana. Very tasty.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?
My place. On my own or with friends. We have a lovely traditional tea shop in town too; Hidden Peak Teahouse.

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Mar 7th, '16, 13:53
Posts: 7
Joined: Mar 5th, '16, 16:08
Location: Los Angeles, CA.

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by Xote » Mar 7th, '16, 13:53

How long have you been drinking tea?

For as long as I can remember, but I've been a casual tea drinker up until recently. I seek to explore the world of tea more deeply...

What was your first Tea?

This is hard to recall. I was a child, so it was likely one of those bedtime tea blends that my mom had in the pantry...or a chamomile tea of some sort. The brand was likely Celestial Seasonings as we had a lot of teas from that company.

What is your favorite Tea currently?

Hmmm...it's a toss up between fennel tea and licorice root tea. I've been enjoying teas from several brands, lately, but especially from Traditional Medicinals. I am not just interested in the taste and flavor of tea but the possible medicinal and aromatherapeutic aspects of it.

What is your next purchase?

I have so many teas at the moment that I am not sure when I will be able to finish most of them. I'd love to try a pu-erh tea since I've never had the opportunity to see what all of the fuss is about...and because I like to explore as much as I can.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?

Home...

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Mar 7th, '16, 14:22
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by debunix » Mar 7th, '16, 14:22

Welcome!

I mostly drink C sinensis, but on occasion I want something different and go to the herb and spice pantry to see what I can come up with. I don't think I've ever used fennel in tea: how do you prepare that?

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Mar 7th, '16, 21:19
Posts: 7
Joined: Mar 5th, '16, 16:08
Location: Los Angeles, CA.

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by Xote » Mar 7th, '16, 21:19

debunix wrote:Welcome!

I mostly drink C sinensis, but on occasion I want something different and go to the herb and spice pantry to see what I can come up with. I don't think I've ever used fennel in tea: how do you prepare that?
Thanks for the welcome! :)

Fennel tea is quite delicious. When I don't use fennel seeds directly, I usually use tea bags that contain crushed adult fennel seeds. They release their own essence and oils from being crushed so that when the tea bag is steeped, the brew is very aromatic and heady.

You can also manually prepare the fennel seeds for a tea by getting a mortar and pestle and crushing/grinding high quality fennel seeds in it. Then you'd add the crushed seed mash to a strainer inside a cup or small teapot and pour very hot water over the crushed seeds to release the oil compounds for taste and scent. I'd let it steep for 8 or so minutes.

The flavor profile has the taste of black licorice with a nutty and earthy "sweetness".

I do like to add raw organic honey to this occasionally, but it is also good as is.

I think I originally fell in love with fennel seeds from chewing on them after dinners at Indian restaurants. They'd always be readily available in these decorative, ethnic bowls with small serving spoons, toward the entryway of Indian eateries. While a lot of people do not like the taste of them as breath freshening chewables, I always did. So the tea reminds me of that flavor.

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Mar 8th, '16, 12:35
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by debunix » Mar 8th, '16, 12:35

Thanks for the tip. I won't have a chance to try this for a little while, but will report back after I do so. I love fennel.

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Mar 22nd, '16, 17:51
Posts: 1
Joined: Aug 20th, '13, 14:14

Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by chippy » Mar 22nd, '16, 17:51

Hi folks!

first post.

How long have you been drinking tea?
Since age 11. Only within last few years have I gotten into Tea in a major way, it started since I got a tin of puerh tea from china town in Yokohama, Japan and didn't know what it was.

What was your first Tea?
I'm an brit, so was probably Irish Breakfast, loose, Barrys perhaps

What is your favorite Tea currently?
I really like the 2007 Shu Puerh teas for sale from Wan Ling Tea House. They have the lovely aged tea and soupy shu pu flavour.

What is your next purchase?
I'm running out of green tea, and the only good green tea that I have found so far is Postcard Tea's Supernatural Green.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?
In the kitchen.


p.s. I'm not Chip - but I'm chippy and you can find me in ##tea on irc.freenode.net

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Mar 31st, '16, 04:12
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Re: Calling on all noobs and not so noobs!

by john.b » Mar 31st, '16, 04:12

Harker wrote:Thank you very much. I appreciate your welcoming words.

I truly took wing belatedly in '08, when I began visiting independent tea shops and ordering quality teas online. Had my first pu'er then, and though I wouldn't drink that particular one on a dare now, it did set me lurching in the right direction.
I wanted to ask a question about the "tea scene" where you are, but the DM (message) function on this site seems to be down. The messaging page is still there, there is just no "send" button. I don't suppose you live near Boulder? Kind of a different subject but I had lived in Vail and Fort Collins previously.

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