FRIDAY!!! TeaDay 6/06/08

[joelbct]

At times I wish I could become a connoisseur of Burgundy, Bordeaux, and White, but thats just not how I drink, so I'm better off sober, drinking tea

This morning, Castleton 2nd flush.

[TimeforTea]

I drink alcohol on occassion--usually a glass of wine, occassionally a mixed drink or a lite beer, depending on the food.

This morning I sampled Jasmine #9. The dry leaves smell just as lovely as Jasmine #12, but the pearls are unfurled. It has a nice flavor, although not as strong as Jasmine #12. It's much more reasonably priced, however, so perhaps I will reorder this one instead of #12.

To those teachatters who have worked hard to give up alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, or food addictions and now drink tea instead... I raise my tea cup to you and wish you serenity and good health!!

[auggy]

I chose virtually never. I have like maybe 3 drinks a year. Maybe. Actually, might be less than that.

This morning was pineapple flavored black. Good stuff. The first time I used it, it smelled funny but tasted great. This time it didn't smell funny and still tasted great so even better.

And I just knew I should have copyrighted my "TEAtotaler" comment the other day.

[Salsero]

I was torn between virtually do not drink and drink on occasion. I picked drink on occasion, but the truth is that those occasions seem to come around only about twice a year. I would like to drink more micro brews and wines, esp reds, but there just doesn't seem to be time ... plus it makes me sooooo sleepy.

I suggested this topic to Chip because I have seen several people on the forum mention how they started drinking tea as part of giving up some unhealthy activites like alcoholism, drugs, or cigarettes. Course, a lot of those people have gone just as far overboard into tea and teaware addiction, once again proving the wisdom of James Thurber's moral, "You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward," from his modern fable The Bear Who Let It Alone (http://dgtized.net/pages/thurber_bear).

[CynTEAa]

I was torn between virtually do not drink and drink on occasion. I picked drink on occasion, but the truth is that those occasions seem to come around only about twice a year. I would like to drink more micro brews and wines, esp reds, but there just doesn't seem to be time ... plus it makes me sooooo sleepy.

Ditto! But my occasions seem to come around more often lately. Yunnan Gold to wake me and now I'm prepping for some oolong tea tastings - wheeee!

[Carnelian]

No alcohol for me, just tea liquor and root beer. Still debating on what to drink this morning, I may have to venture into less familar samples since I am painfully low on most of my favorites.

[Cinnamon Kitty]

I come from a family that enjoys social drinking so I do drink alcohol. When I am at home, we have a very large wine rack that is kept close to full and a wine fridge as well as a small collection of brandies, whiskeys, cognacs, ports, and liqueurs. At college, I have a three bottle wine rack of my own. It is not uncommon at all to have a glass of wine with our dinner. We also live about 45 minutes from Seneca and Cayuga lakes in the New York Finger Lakes region where there are many wineries that we enjoy visiting for tastings. I drink for the taste and have never been drunk. Two glasses of any alcoholic beverage gets me very giggly and sociable so two is definitely my limit. My drink of choice is either a nice glass of a dry red wine or semi-dry Riesling.

This morning is starting with some White Peach.

[olivierco]

I virtually do not drink alcohol. (I mean for a frenchman)
Only champagne from time to time. 10-15 bottles a year.

Keemun this morning and now I will try Ippodo shincha. I managed to go to the post office to retrieve my Ippodo order and some teawares (futaoki and chaire).
I will follow their brewing instructions although I am quite skeptical about them
10g 7oz 80°C 30s

[scruffmcgruff]

I drink, both with dinner and socially. My family has wine with dinner more often than not, and I like to go out with friends and have a couple beers. Occasionally I'll go over the top, but I prefer not to because I get pretty terrible hangovers. I don't touch liquor anymore (other than in margaritas and such); too many bad experiences, haha.

[Victoria]

I'm on a Baozhong kick this week, Baozhong - 2nd Place from FLT is currently in my cup at work. Next up: Adagio Pouchong.

In case you missed the posting by Xine in TeaMuse, Ilya has put together a great video of the Adagio Team at the EXPO:

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=5533

So nice to get to know everyone a little better!

[kymidwife]

Updating my cup...

I decided for my hot cuppa, I'd try some of a custom adagio blend I'd ordered... Southern Peach Cobbler. It's a blend of peach oolong, christmas blend for a hint of cinnamon and cloves, and mango melange for an extra real-fruit kick.

My mom and I had a hot cup and the fragrance was really nice, just like a peach pie right out of the oven. She had hers with a touch of sweetener, and I decided a bit of cream was in order on mine... and they tasted totally different from one another. Then, I made the leftovers into a big glass of iced tea, and I was stunned at the totally different character and flavor variation. I wouldn't have even guessed it was the same blend at all.

When iced, it became MUCH more fruity, a bit more tart and tangy, and much less like a dessert tea. It might be the dilution, it might be that it steeped an additional minute, I don't know... but very different and surprising.

I am learning new things every single day about the complexities and variations of different leaf and brewing styles, and it still amazes me that you can get 3 completely different (but delicious) flavors from one blend of tea.

Learning and loving it,

Sarah

[GalileosDaughter]

I drink maaaaybe two or three times a year. And then it's just one glass of wine with dinner.

And I think I'm giving even that up as I find that it exacerbates my rosacea. Just one glass of wine makes me beet-red.

[Carnelian]

In case you missed the posting by Xine in TeaMuse, Ilya has put together a great video of the Adagio Team at the EXPO:

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=5533

So nice to get to know everyone a little better!

I watched the video, and found it really infotaining, I didn't even know about some of the adagio employees until watching the video (though I wish someone would have stolen the camera and gotten Ilya's answers to those questions).

Since my earlier post I have had four infusions of green pekoe, as an attempt to figure out gaiwan brewing (this is only my second try since I got my gaiwan). The tea has tasted great, I have had no difficulty with leaf amounts, water temps, or steeping times. I have had difficulty with one thing though, pouring tea from the gaiwan without half of it spilling onto the kitchen table, it just runs down the side no matter what I do.

[olivierco]

I will try Ippodo shincha.
I will follow their brewing instructions although I am quite skeptical about them
10g 7oz 80°C 30s

Well, a very nice shincha. I need to adjust a little the brewing parameters but the first session was already very pleasant.

[xine]

I like to have a drink about 2-3 times a week. Mostly it is a bombay and tonic, but now that it is summer, BBQ's and beers? The best combination, I think. I like red wine too, but I'm no where near being an expert on either beer or wine, so yeah. I will be exploring more tea based cocktails, as part of my summer entertaining.

Having some Golden Monkey...hoping to find some oolong around here, as to beat my cold.