Tea Tastings in Los Angeles

[victoria3]

A few of us have started doing tea tastings at my house in Santa Monica (Los Angeles, CA). We are doing another one this Thursday evening, May 25th from 7pm until we are tead-out ....

Each person brought a special selection of teas to share. Last time we started with high quality Gyokuro, the gamut of Taiwan oolongs, ending in a very nice Darjeeling. We went until 1pm, and had a great time. This time I'll make a simple meal beforehand to share.

If you are interested in joining us this Thursday PM me by Wednesday as space is limited.

[debunix]

This is an excellent idea. There should be enough of us to make it quite interesting. I will not be able to get away for this one, but maybe next time.

[victoria3]

This is an excellent idea. I will not be able to get away for this one, but maybe next time.

We are hoping to do this monthly, and if I'm not in town other venues are being explored.

[victoria3]

Two slots left for anyone in Los Angeles wanting to join our group this Thursday...

[victoria3]

We also started a Los Angeles Tea Club on Facebook and will post future events. If you are in the area please join;
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1673039366339373/

[av360logic]

Man I've been looking for something like this!!! LA has hardly any tea spaces, and practically nothing for gong fu cha. Would love to go, although I can't do Thursday.

I sent a request for the fb group, would to love to go next time!

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[victoria3]

Man I've been looking for something like this!!! LA has hardly any tea spaces, and practically nothing for gong fu cha. Would love to go, although I can't do Thursday.

I sent a request for the fb group, would to love to go next time!

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Good to have a new gong fu cha'er joining us. It's been great getting together and yes it's true, very few venues for this in LA.

[john.b]

It's kind of a different subject but there was discussion in one Facebook tea group (Gongfu Cha) about setting up a tea map, which could potentially relate. Of course there is a tea map on this site too, it's just not actively maintained (per my understanding; I don't spend a lot of time checking it, and when I did it didn't extend to Asia).

Such a reference could serve a lot more function than identifying tea shops and cafes; there's no reason why tea producers or groups couldn't be identified, adding depth and separate function. I've not heard an update about it progressing though.

I mentioned this LA group in a Facebook group I help run (International Tea Talk), in part related to also being in two other regional groups in NYC and Colorado, even though I live in Bangkok. I'm also in more general groups related to tea in Nepal and Taiwan but that seems like a different thing, shared interest but no local focus or relation to meeting up.

It's interesting how tea interest and Gongfu brewing interest don't necessarily overlap, and even when they do how approaches could vary. I don't brew tea Western style much, and beyond that maybe Grandpa style on the road once a year, and cold-brewing when a tea isn't finished in a session, so mostly only Gongfu style. I'd have to join a specific group's outing to see if the theme worked related to other perspective. People just being into tea would be probably be easy to relate to, maybe adding more ceremony to it not so much.

[victoria3]

It's kind of a different subject but there was discussion in one Facebook tea group (Gongfu Cha) about setting up a tea map, which could potentially relate. Of course there is a tea map on this site too, it's just not actively maintained (per my understanding; I don't spend a lot of time checking it, and when I did it didn't extend to Asia).

Such a reference could serve a lot more function than identifying tea shops and cafes; there's no reason why tea producers or groups couldn't be identified, adding depth and separate function. I've not heard an update about it progressing though.

I mentioned this LA group in a Facebook group I help run (International Tea Talk), in part related to also being in two other regional groups in NYC and Colorado, even though I live in Bangkok. I'm also in more general groups related to tea in Nepal and Taiwan but that seems like a different thing, shared interest but no local focus or relation to meeting up.

It's interesting how tea interest and Gongfu brewing interest don't necessarily overlap, and even when they do how approaches could vary. I don't brew tea Western style much, and beyond that maybe Grandpa style on the road once a year, and cold-brewing when a tea isn't finished in a session, so mostly only Gongfu style. I'd have to join a specific group's outing to see if the theme worked related to other perspective. People just being into tea would be probably be easy to relate to, maybe adding more ceremony to it not so much.

Interesting John, earlier I was thinking about how this motley LA tea group came about, and how we are all coming in from different angles but enjoying the same experience. Our last session was a spectrum from Gyokuro cool steep, oolong gung fu'ing, ending in a western pot of Darjeeling. All the teas were single sourced, with discussions about location, farming, climate, farmer, flavor, culture etc...

I'd like to set some parameters for our group like; single sourced teas, no additives, knowledge about origin... As an aesthete sharing my knowledge of teaware and it's history is an interest also.

Back to how we came about: tea bees and pollen were distributed here in LA via Los Angeles International Tea Festival, Tea Habitat & TeaChat (Adagio). We meet in these event spaces. In each case enthusiastic tea loving vendors were promoting and expanding tea as an art in the community. So yes, farmers, distributors, vendors, consumers, artist... we all share in this experience globally and locally.

[victoria3]

The Morning After: Spoils from a night of tea tasting debauchery. After multiple steeps the night before continuing multiple infusions into the next day.

From Top to Bottom;
TeaHabitat 2016 Chrystal White Long Jing Tea, steeped in O-Cha Shibo
Origin's 1995 Mengku Ye-Sheng-Da-Ye Raw Puerh Cake, steeped in Late 80s F1, Zini Yu Li by Liu Xiu Di
Caravan Tea Ama Dablam White Nepal, steeped in Shimizu Ken Nosaka Back Handle Kyusu
Te Company Peat Mountain at South Ridge, steeped in Mid 80's F1, ZiNi San-Zu (3 Foot) Shui Ping
FuShoushan Spring 2016, steeped in white porcelain gaiwan

L1000359_sm.jpg (60.71 KiB) Viewed 8461 times

[victoria3]

We are fully booked for our next tea tasting in Santa Monica June 29th. But meanwhile;
For those in Los Angeles, Tortoise General Store (a Japanese artisanal shop in Venice) has a pop-up at MOCA temporary space downtown LA. Along with the pop-up shop they are also doing monthly events and talks.
https://www.moca.org/program/store-pop- ... eral-store
June 22nd they have a talk by Kaikado and Kanaami-Tsuji about Chazutsu tea canisters... beautiful pieces for sale also.
https://www.moca.org/program/tortoise-g ... aami-tsuji

[Mrs. Chip]

Lovely photo, wish we were close by.

[victoria3]

Lovely photo, wish we were close by.

+++ likewise

[janet11]

I like the idea you showed, nice work.

[victoria3]

We had a small impromptu tasting at my place a few days ago. Always such a pleasure to share with fellow tea lovers into the night. Here is the morning after as I continue to steep a few of our selections;

from Bottom to Top;
'2088 Tea' (kyarazen's new company) 1993 Raw Puerh Mini Tuocha, in an early 90s Yixing Qing Shui Ni Shui Ping 85ml

HY Chen's Charcoal Light Roasted Wild Garden DongDing, in Hokujo kyusu w/ Kaolin bits 180ml
HY Chen's LiShan Primitive Wild Forest Winter, in a late 80s F1, Zini Yu Li by Liu Xiu Di 120ml
HY Chen's limited special production Yan Yun Oolong, in Shimizu Ken Nosaka Back Handle Kyusu 150ml

The 1993 Raw Puerh Mini Tuocha was a real treat to experience as the 24 year old puerh ball slowly unfurled itself exposing an evolving rich flavor profile. Into the 3rd and 4th steep, complexity introduced itself with rich, earthy, nuanced aromatic notes, and a dark fertile range. The 6th steep produced a thick viscous mouth feel, with mellower notes and high energetics. 7th and 8th steeps were milder and sweet.

I have previously posted about Chen's oolongs in 'Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?' so won't duplicate here, other than to say they are all really excellent and such a pleasure to share. I reordered his Charcoal Light Roasted Wild Garden DongDing, Medium and High Roasted 100yr Garden Spring before he runs out.

p.s. I just noticed all of the teapots were acquired from fellow teachater ferg. We are all lucky such great pots are exchanged here.

LA Tasting L1000438 copy_sm.jpg (47.85 KiB) Viewed 8038 times