Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

BYOT! Enter TeaChat here, you never know what you may find!


How fanatical are you about where you buy your TEA?

I am extremely fanatical
5
17%
Pretty fanatical
9
30%
I am probably fanatical
9
30%
Not very fanatical
7
23%
I buy at the dollar store...or wherever
0
No votes
Other
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 30

User avatar
Dec 19th, '11, 08:01
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by Chip » Dec 19th, '11, 08:01

Welcome TeaFriends to TeaDay. Today is could be donned "Fanatical TeaDay"... maybe.

We have been discussing Where we enjoy brewing our tea for the past few days and I got to thinking that it would be interesting to see how 'Fanatical' we are about where we purchase our favorite brew!

Shall we brew and share what is in our cups today...all day! I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone ... so, bottoms up, refill, repeat often!

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic is about how fanatical are you about where you buy your tea? Please share.

User avatar
Dec 19th, '11, 11:02
Posts: 1247
Joined: Nov 7th, '07, 12:23
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by JRS22 » Dec 19th, '11, 11:02

I couldn't bring myself to be definitely fanatical, so I said probably. It's a matter of perspective - out in the 'real' world I may appear to be a fanatic, but on Teachat I'm just a run-of-the-mill tea drinker. After all, who here would bat an eyelash when I pack my newly opened bag of fresh Sencha into 3 Upton tea sample tins, and then stack them into a double lidded washi canister. It's just common sense to store tea this way.

In my cup this morning, a session of Sencha Otsuusan Karigane. According to the inventory I maintain in my iPhone tea app there are only 3 sessions left, but I have a new bag in the closet.

User avatar
Dec 19th, '11, 14:42
Vendor Member
Posts: 608
Joined: Feb 5th, '10, 17:32
Location: San Diego, California

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by blairswhitaker » Dec 19th, '11, 14:42

I am pretty fanatical about my tea purchasing. I like a few select vendors though I am always open to try new things, a rule of thumb for me is quality over quantity. My favorite tea sources are Yuuki-cha, Seven Cups, Halcyon Tea, Mad Monk, and sometimes a local japanese super market that carries a good selection of organic fresh green tea.

todays tea was a tie lou han, now I have moved on to a gyokuro, tastes great with some japanese sweets.

Image

User avatar
Dec 19th, '11, 15:45
Posts: 749
Joined: May 2nd, '10, 02:03
Location: Shaker Heights, Ohio USA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by BioHorn » Dec 19th, '11, 15:45

Tricky question. Sounds like you want to know if you are fanatical about the vendor.
I have yet to find a vendor with an entire stock of unbelievable teas.
To date they all have had strengths and weaknesses. It has taken buying many samples and then choosing from them.
Although some may get close, I doubt any vendor has a selection that is made up entirely of mind-blowing teas.

On a separate but similar topic, a big issue is the disconnect in getting high grade tea from source to western market. Sure wish I spoke Chinese!
There was a recent nice post on the fact that most high grade tea goes to bigger cities (in Asia) with higher incomes.

User avatar
Dec 19th, '11, 16:35
Posts: 38
Joined: Dec 12th, '11, 19:58
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Chico, CA
Contact: Dinahsaur

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by Dinahsaur » Dec 19th, '11, 16:35

I have the benefit of a brother living in China at present. He isn't as aware of how to find and purchase the higher grade teas, but I'm hoping to learn enough myself to help guide him. He has frequently brought back a selection of delicious teas. The difficult thing is that most of the time, we have no way to identify specific details about the teas. Many of them are purchased in standard markets at random booths. So when it comes to these teas, I'm not fanatical at all.

But when I purchasing teas locally or within the US, I'm much more picky. I'm still learning where to find good options, higher quality, etc. However, I don't purchase just any old tea (as I used to).

So when it comes down to it, I put I'm probably fanatical. It's a balanced approach, I guess.

User avatar
Dec 19th, '11, 22:06
Posts: 112
Joined: Nov 20th, '11, 23:33
Location: Nirvana

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by sencha » Dec 19th, '11, 22:06

I'm definitely picky about who I buy from. I don't want to deal with people or companies who are unethical/rude (e.g. Teavana/Yuuki-Cha, from what Chip has said) or who put more effort into advertising/appearance than the quality of their tea. That said, as I've said in other posts, I can't be too picky given my financial situation. I would love to find the vendor of all vendors though... top-notch quality, friendly customer service, knowledgeable, and (the hard one) prices that are cheap.

User avatar
Dec 20th, '11, 11:46
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by debunix » Dec 20th, '11, 11:46

As it's become easier to tell the difference between better and lesser teas, I get more selective in my tea sources. I am more likely to try new teas from a source I trust than a new source for new teas, unless the new source has a good reputation here or on other forums. I've gotten a lot more selective in what I buy from my local brick & mortar shops as well.

Starting today with a new sencha from O-Cha, the Kirameki, an excellent starter, rich, sweet, vegetal. It's a nice change from yesterday's two puerhs--Lao Cha Tou in the thermos, and Lao Ban Zhang gongfu cha in the evening.

Dec 21st, '11, 00:28
Posts: 504
Joined: Oct 7th, '09, 21:31
Location: South Carolina

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by bryan_drinks_tea » Dec 21st, '11, 00:28

I didn't know what to click up top - so I just picked one.

When it comes to purchasing tea, I take into account things like its storage, how personable the vendor was, and if I received the tea that I ordered. I've had a few cases where I didn't get the tea I ordered, and when I asked the vendor, they pretty much didn't speak english well enough to answer me. In that case, I obviously didn't buy from them again.

Most of us know that storage can be different from different vendors. That's important to me. I've had a few teas that tasted/smelled/ felt nice overall, whereas others that seemed to have been stored in a laundry room (???) or in an area where there were lots of chemicals.

To answer the question, I'm part fanatic, part not. :D

User avatar
Dec 21st, '11, 09:28
Posts: 468
Joined: Aug 6th, '10, 03:45
Location: Norway

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by Nenugal » Dec 21st, '11, 09:28

Somewhat fanatic, I guess :mrgreen:

User avatar
Dec 21st, '11, 15:44
Posts: 107
Joined: Feb 15th, '11, 18:34
Scrolling: scrolling
Contact: jaderabbit

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by jaderabbit » Dec 21st, '11, 15:44

i'm probably fanatical! so far i prefer small operations like o-cha and floating leaves that seem to put a lot of consideration into their offerings versus big companies with too much branding. :shock:

once again sipping some milan dancong from lifeinteacup.

User avatar
Dec 21st, '11, 19:18
Posts: 38
Joined: Dec 12th, '11, 19:58
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Chico, CA
Contact: Dinahsaur

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by Dinahsaur » Dec 21st, '11, 19:18

sencha wrote:I don't want to deal with people or companies who are unethical/rude (e.g. Teavana/Yuuki-Cha, from what Chip has said)
I'd love to hear more about this, if you don't mind. I, too, prefer to avoid unethical or rude companies (I'm in customer service with a company that is all in the US, and we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service, so rude folks just rub me the wrong way.).

User avatar
Dec 21st, '11, 20:52
Posts: 112
Joined: Nov 20th, '11, 23:33
Location: Nirvana

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by sencha » Dec 21st, '11, 20:52

Dinahsaur wrote:
sencha wrote:I don't want to deal with people or companies who are unethical/rude (e.g. Teavana/Yuuki-Cha, from what Chip has said)
I'd love to hear more about this, if you don't mind. I, too, prefer to avoid unethical or rude companies (I'm in customer service with a company that is all in the US, and we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service, so rude folks just rub me the wrong way.).
I don't have any personal experience with either, but after what I've read, they're on my avoid list. Read about Chip's (our beloved forum moderator :mrgreen:) problems with Yuuki-Cha here, and Teavana issues here, here, and here.

Dec 25th, '11, 08:56

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by brlarson » Dec 25th, '11, 08:56

Merry Christmas everyone. Bringing in the day with tie luo han from Tea Gallery.

User avatar
Dec 25th, '11, 09:27
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact: Herb_Master

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by Herb_Master » Dec 25th, '11, 09:27

Season's Greetings to one and all.

User avatar
Dec 25th, '11, 10:21
Posts: 722
Joined: Dec 1st, '09, 08:47
Location: Tennessee Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains
Contact: artmom

Re: Monday TeaDay 12/19/2011 Tea Purchasing, fanatic or not?

by artmom » Dec 25th, '11, 10:21

Herb_Master wrote:Season's Greetings to one and all.
Back at ya', Herb_Master and birthday sharer!!

And a Merry CHristmas to all who celebrate it.

Lyn

Locked