how do you buy- 1lb or 1/2 lb or ounces??

[inspectoring]

I am just curious...do people buy tea by pound anymore? ( obviously if you like it)

What is a reasonable amount of tea to buy when you are certain that you like a particular tea?

[Wesli]

4oz is the most I'll buy at a time. Even if it's stuff I drink every day.

[inspectoring]

4oz is the most I'll buy at a time. Even if it's stuff I drink every day.

so I take it you will not recommend buying a 1 lb of gyokuro ?

[Space Samurai]

I'll buy 30 to 100 grams.

[olivierco]

For gyokuro 100 gr packages are a maximum for me. I prefer paying an extra price for 50 gr packages in order to be able to have the tea as fresh as possible.
Look for packages filled with nitrogen if you have Japanese green tea.

[Chip]

The smaller the better generally. 30, 50, 100 grams or up to .25 lb. I keep unopened green tea packages in cold storage.

Anything larger would creat bordom having the same exact tea for months, plus it would likely lose freshness.

[forkyfork]

Since I'm trying new teas, I always try and buy the smallest size available.

Even though I've bought a lot from adagio, I still have yet to buy 4 oz of any of their one tea. There are just too many to try!

I have bought 4 oz and 8 oz packages of tea before, but only because I had to. I've never bought a pound of tea, because I don't know what I would do with it all.

Since I'm a solo tea drinker, I go through my tea verrrry slowly. I'm just finally reaching the very end of my 1 oz of blueberry green I bought.. 8 months ago. Geez, has it really been that long?

[Mary R]

I go through my teas pretty slowly too, but on stuff I drink almost every day (for instance, dian hong or that blasted Dragonwater pumpkin rooibos that is soooo flavored but sooooo good), I will usually by 1/2 a pound to a pound at once.

Tea seems to keep better if you have a large, central stash with a little aliquot out for frequent usage.

[Pentox]

Oh man, 1 lb of gyo would be soooo much gyo. I prefer to stick to the 50g packs too.

[Wesli]

so I take it you will not recommend buying a 1 lb of gyokuro ?

I definitely wouldn't. The only time I would is if I'd be dividing it up for different people. Sooo, if you like that idea...

[TaiPing Hou Kui]

I usually stick between 2-4oz. On occasion, with my favorite (Tai Ping Hou Kui), I will purchase a half pound from a private supplier/garden in China, but he splits it up into two 4 oz. containers. I was lucky this last season becuase he sent me a whole pound and only charged me for half becuase it took so long to get in touch with him, but I have been trading some of it with others. On a general rule of thumb you want it to be as fresh as possible, unless we are talking Pu-Erh's, which in that case would add to the flavor and whole experience. I suppose if you had great/ideal storage you could get away with purchasing pound/half pound, but tea is kind of like food......you could go to a bulk grocery store and buy 10 loafs of bread for 20 bucks, or buy 2 at Food Lion for 5 bucks.......you might spend a little more, but what are you gonna do with the other 8 loafs of stale bread???Throw away food and cash in the long run. I am just rambling now, but you get my point! Hope this helps!

-Nick (Tai Ping)

[inspectoring]

Thank you guys...I guess you are right...there is no point in purchasing half a pound of tea...