"Everyday" teas

For general/other topics related to tea.


Apr 17th, '13, 13:34
Posts: 118
Joined: Apr 2nd, '13, 20:59

"Everyday" teas

by saxon75 » Apr 17th, '13, 13:34

Shortly after I got out of college I became interested in single-malt Scotch, and for about five or six years I spent a lot of time and money learning about different whiskies, whisky regions in Scotland, the history of particular distilleries. I branched out into other types of whiskey--bourbon, Irish, Tennessee, etc--and tasted a lot of different expressions. At one point I had more than 20 different whiskies in my liquor cabinet, most of them fairly high-end.

Eventually, though, I sort of settled into a "routine" with whiskey, and now I usually have one good bargain Scotch for "everyday" use (although I don't drink every day), one standby mid-range that I know I will like a lot, and perhaps one or two nice ones that I can bring out for guests or special occasions. I still love a great Scotch, and to some degree I still covet that $400 bottle of Macallan 25, but I don't feel like I have to concentrate on every sip anymore, or just limit myself to the absolute best.

I'm just beginning my obsession with tea, and likely this phase of buying and tasting many different teas, researching histories and regions, learning about different tea rituals, and so on, will eventually pass--though I expect it will be some years before it does. But I expect that there are others of you who are a bit like me--obsessive at first and eventually settling into a comfortable routine. For you, what are your "everyday" teas? The ones you know you will enjoy, but don't necessarily have to pay a lot of attention to, or futz around with too much, and which you usually or always keep stocked?

User avatar
Apr 17th, '13, 15:47
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: "Everyday" teas

by debunix » Apr 17th, '13, 15:47

Several shu puerhs: 2009 Lao Cha Tou from Norbu, Menghai golden needles white lotus (various sources); and SeaDyke Tie Guan Yin, a traditional roast TGY, and Yunnan Bai Yung oolong (from Norbu and from Yunnan sourcing) are my less expensive 'old reliables'. I have a few other pricier teas that have similar reliability and flexibility (nice for close-attention gongfu cha as well as for thermos/bulk use and brewing in a hurry), but I wouldn't consider them quite as 'everyday'.

User avatar
Apr 17th, '13, 17:57
Posts: 2299
Joined: Oct 23rd, '06, 19:46
Location: Seattle Area
Contact: tenuki

Re: "Everyday" teas

by tenuki » Apr 17th, '13, 17:57

For me my short list is FLT Nantou Four Seasons ( si ji chun ), grand tea's shui jin gui, any 5+ year old 7572 menghai.

User avatar
Apr 17th, '13, 23:31
Posts: 470
Joined: Jan 23rd, '07, 14:50
Location: Philadelphia
Contact: Evan Draper

Re: "Everyday" teas

by Evan Draper » Apr 17th, '13, 23:31

I will tell you that I don't usually bother with Taiwanese teas. And when you look in my gaiwan you will find Ali Shan, because I'm hoarding everything else :roll:

User avatar
Apr 20th, '13, 15:25
Posts: 714
Joined: Feb 12th, '13, 16:21
Location: South Bronx, NYC
Contact: futurebird

Re: "Everyday" teas

by futurebird » Apr 20th, '13, 15:25

This:
http://www.essenceoftea.co.uk/tea/puerh ... -yiwu.html

Not exactly cheap, but it isn't breaking the bank when I want an aged tea.

This:
http://www.dragonteahouse.biz/pu-erh-te ... g-raw.html


is just a solid, yummy young puerh. and cheap too!

User avatar
Apr 20th, '13, 18:47
Posts: 223
Joined: Aug 31st, '09, 20:16
Location: NSW, Australia
Contact: Hannah

Re: "Everyday" teas

by Hannah » Apr 20th, '13, 18:47

For me its 3 types that I ALWAYS try and keep on hand:

1. High fired TGY, so far the best I've had is from the Mandarins Tea Room

2. Da Hong Pao or Tie Luo Han depending on what's available. DHP from seven cups and TLH from tea urchin

3. Any decent menghai shu that's at least >3 years old

Trying to keep myself stocked on dancong but I go through it way too quickly and its expensive sometimes :(

User avatar
Apr 20th, '13, 20:43
Posts: 714
Joined: Feb 12th, '13, 16:21
Location: South Bronx, NYC
Contact: futurebird

Re: "Everyday" teas

by futurebird » Apr 20th, '13, 20:43

where do you get your oolongs hanna? do they have a nice aftertaste that lingers?

User avatar
Apr 21st, '13, 18:36
Posts: 223
Joined: Aug 31st, '09, 20:16
Location: NSW, Australia
Contact: Hannah

Re: "Everyday" teas

by Hannah » Apr 21st, '13, 18:36

I don't really have any set place I get them, but I think I've gotten the majority of my oolongs from Teaurchin and Seven Cups, great pricing and awesome quality!

Lately though I'm starting to buy more from dragon tea house, mainly because of the free shipping (shipping to Australia pricing usually sucks everywhere else!)

I used to get lots of tea from yunnan sourcing too since they had nice quality, cheap tea and cheap shipping to Aus, but they recently put the shipping prices RIGHT up to here for some reason :( :(

As for aftertaste, the teas from teaurchin have been the strongest I think, very nice yancha and dancong to die for there!

User avatar
Apr 21st, '13, 18:53
Posts: 714
Joined: Feb 12th, '13, 16:21
Location: South Bronx, NYC
Contact: futurebird

Re: "Everyday" teas

by futurebird » Apr 21st, '13, 18:53

Yunnan sourcing shipping is also awful to the US.

Apr 21st, '13, 23:41
Posts: 402
Joined: Dec 9th, '12, 14:02
Location: Seattle

"Everyday" teas

by Exempt » Apr 21st, '13, 23:41

futurebird wrote:Yunnan sourcing shipping is also awful to the US.
Not from the yunnansourcing.us

User avatar
Apr 22nd, '13, 00:52
Posts: 714
Joined: Feb 12th, '13, 16:21
Location: South Bronx, NYC
Contact: futurebird

Re: "Everyday" teas

by futurebird » Apr 22nd, '13, 00:52

oh. lol. I wish I'd noticed that before. :lol:

User avatar
Apr 22nd, '13, 07:30
Posts: 223
Joined: Aug 31st, '09, 20:16
Location: NSW, Australia
Contact: Hannah

Re: "Everyday" teas

by Hannah » Apr 22nd, '13, 07:30

Now all we need is a yunnansourcing.com.au :mrgreen:

User avatar
Apr 22nd, '13, 19:33
Posts: 105
Joined: Jan 19th, '13, 21:34

Re: "Everyday" teas

by Joel Byron » Apr 22nd, '13, 19:33

Yunnan Sourcing US doesn't have nearly the selection that the regular site does. Hopefully this will change in the future.

User avatar
Apr 22nd, '13, 19:42
Posts: 105
Joined: Jan 19th, '13, 21:34

Re: "Everyday" teas

by Joel Byron » Apr 22nd, '13, 19:42

Back on topic, I usually like to have a green tea in the morning. Doesn't matter if it is Chinese or Japanese. Most of the time it's sencha though. Later in the day, I like oolongs. I usually keep some TiGuanYin in different roasts, and some sort of Wuyi oolongs in stock. I'm still in an exploratory phase with puerh. I'd liken aged puerh to single malt scotch. There is a huge range of flavors between Laphroaig and Macallan. Puerh can be the same way.

+ Post Reply