TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

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TEA check-up time. This week's check-up, have your teas improved, the same, regressed? Please share.

Absolutely improved
5
31%
I believe improved
4
25%
About the same
4
25%
Likely not as good
3
19%
Definitely not as good
0
No votes
Other
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 16

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Jun 5th, '13, 12:18
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TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by Chip » Jun 5th, '13, 12:18

Before you know it, another TeaDay is here, welcome everyone!

This week's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Here we are already into the month of June, WOW ... where does the time go? Thought it might be interesting for some TEA check-ups. This week's check-up ... have your teas improved, stayed about the same, regressed over the first half of the year? Please share why or why not of course.

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone, stay thirsty my TeaFriends ... and bottoms up!

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Jun 5th, '13, 14:15
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by debunix » Jun 5th, '13, 14:15

I have reached a pretty nice level of tea contentment: most of my brewing is good, some is very good, and while I occasionally am disappointed that I let a really fine tea wait to long to brew up, I also have the occasional revelation like discovering that just the right gyokuro plus chocolate will complement each other into taste-bud nirvana. So, tea happiness.

And the TAD has continued to enhance the tea sessions with better fits between brewing vessels and brewing needs, particularly at the office.

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Jun 5th, '13, 15:32
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by Chip » Jun 5th, '13, 15:32

debunix wrote:I have reached a pretty nice level of tea contentment: And the TAD has continued to enhance the tea sessions with better fits between brewing vessels and brewing needs, particularly at the office.
:) Thanks for sharing debunix :mrgreen:

Teas change continually, please let us know how your TeaJourney is progressing!

Shincha is probably my most favorite time of the year, I learn something new every year!

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Jun 6th, '13, 16:37
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by Evan Draper » Jun 6th, '13, 16:37

I am not sure what you are asking.

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Jun 6th, '13, 17:02
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by Chip » Jun 6th, '13, 17:02

Evan Draper wrote:I am not sure what you are asking.
You can interpret/answer however you choose.

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Jun 6th, '13, 18:06
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by amaranto » Jun 6th, '13, 18:06

I'd say my tea has gotten better this year so far. I've been buying lots of samples to find the best sources for my favorite teas, and I've also become a little obsessed with gaiwans. Now that I work mostly from home, I can use all the teaware I want with no inconveniences and take the time to experiment with lots of brewing techniques. Overall, it's a good tea year.

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Jun 7th, '13, 00:45
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by victoria3 » Jun 7th, '13, 00:45

When I first read this post I though you meant 'did my teas improve sitting around in the cupboard', but now that I revisit the post I see it could mean 'have my tea purchases improved'. Definitely they have improved, mainly the breath and scope of quality and kind has increased to now include many teas I previously did not know. Participating in the OTTI's is fun and has introduced me to lots of new Japanese vendors and their teas. Down the road, I look forward to exploring more oolongs, maybe in an upcoming otti or notti. I'm also enjoying pulling out my camera again, it has been several years since I used it so much. My set up is for buildings, so eventually I'd like to get a closeup lens to better capture the tiny moments of tea.

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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by JRS22 » Jun 7th, '13, 08:56

I interpret the question as asking if my results have improved. Even in the six months of this YTD I say yes. The longer I drink tea the better I am at understanding how to select teas that I enjoy. As Debunix said, my TAD has led me to better match my tea to the teaware, and then I keep improving my brewing technique.

One advantage of my new collection of tiny pots is that less tea in each session means I can enjoy more sessions each day which means more opportunities to experiment and improve.

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Jun 7th, '13, 19:44
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by Remick » Jun 7th, '13, 19:44

Improved, without doubt. This most recent shincha OTTI has brought some nice selections into my reach. Plus, my brewing skills have improved as well.

Even with the improvements in tea and talent, I'm finally learning that a great brew can only enhance the moment. Stressed out, in a bad mood, or looking for some caffeinated energy are truly awful times to brew a nice tea. What really peeves me though, is when I'm in a good mindset and the brew is just frustratingly difficult and disappointing. It's like walking an unruly, out-of-control dog. It turns what could have been a really harmonious moment into work. As the year goes forward, I'm hoping for more moments of harmony and less times of, to continue the analogy, dog wrangling.

Jun 7th, '13, 22:12
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by DoctorD » Jun 7th, '13, 22:12

I opted, conservatively, for "about the same," since I hope the teas I've accumulated over the last couple years are at least as good now as they were six months ago, and my enjoyment is certainly at least what it was then. In the time since I lapsed into lurker status around here, eons back, my tea focus has shifted away from the ever-wondrous senchas and Chinese greens I used to drink almost exclusively (and still enjoy) to puer, which is threatening to become an addiction. (Correction: has become an addiction.) My project over the last six months has been to sample at least one tea from each of the major Yunnan tea mountains; in most cases multiple teas. That goal having basically been achieved, I'm now left with a couple dozen favorite cakes that should keep me sipping contentedly until the proverbial cows come home, or longer.

Currently enjoying a 2004 Youle cake--mellow, unpretentious, gratifyingly cheap. Let the connoisseurs sneer; my palate is much pleased.

Jun 18th, '13, 04:33
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Re: TeaDay 6/5/13 6 Month Exams, time for a check-up!

by HollyHelt » Jun 18th, '13, 04:33

My tea has absolutely improved...I moved to Japan! LOL Seriously, the shincha is still stunning in my area but it's so hot and humid already that you have to shut your chazutsu really quickly - just open it for a few seconds to make sure it stays fresh.

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