Wednesday TeaDay 8/4/10 TeaTex, er TeaMax?

[Chip]

It is Shark Week on Discovery. Celebrate by drinking lots of tea and beware of landsharks!!! Be sure to share what is in your cup throughout the day ... and report shark sitings here.

Yesterday we discussed the favorite tea of the day. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic follows Monday's topic. Do you have a limit to how much you will spend for a tea? For simplicity, base your personal limit based on either 100 grams or 1/4 pound. Please share ...

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up and remember to watch for landsharks!

[debunix]

I have already paid more than $1/gram for some special teas, so clearly my 'limit' is above $454/lb. But those were not everyday teas.

But I think the more relevant question is cost per volume of tea drunk from that leaf: an inexpensive black tea only good for one or two infusions may end up being more expensive than a pricey oolong that yields 10 or 20 infusions.

And thinking in those terms, I am willing to pay several dollars a liter for a very nice tea, but my everyday teas are a fair bit cheaper.

The morning sencha runs less than $1 (for about a pint), the midday thermos of oolong might have been about $0.75, and my evening sheng puerh was less than $0.25.

[dooble]

The highest price I've paid for 100g has been about 50€, that's about 60$. If I happen to stumble upon a really great tea, I'd be willing to pay more though (then I wouldn't buy as much, of course).

Ok, leaving to a three week trip across Europe today . I hope I will find some tea also.

[Katy1977]

The highest price I've paid for 100g has been about 50€, that's about 60$. If I happen to stumble upon a really great tea, I'd be willing to pay more though (then I wouldn't buy as much, of course).

Ok, leaving to a three week trip across Europe today . I hope I will find some tea also.

Have a safe and wonderful trip!

I chose $20 because I'm new to loose leaf tea drinking, my tastes aren't as well developed as most of you here and I also try to be economical

Thanks for the good wishes Chip, I'm feeling fine today, just a bit tired and a sore throat from the breathing tube during the surgery (ugh!). Tomorrow I'll be able to resume working out, and I plan on drinking a lot of tea today while I rest.

Katy1977

[LauraW]

The most expensive I believe I've bought to date has been $22/100g, so I went with $30 - definitely not a regular occurrence, typically I stay in the $12-17 range (my fav oolong for the moment was $14 for 100g - and I'd say that's about average). If I'm having tea out somewhere though, and the price is pretty much the same regardless of what I get... I'll try the more pricey stuff, just to give it a shot.

On my way out the door, so no tea yet!

[nickE]

I've paid something like $12 for 10g of aged Puerh before, so I have broken the $1/gram limit. These of course were only samples.

My usual rate for non-sample tea would be no higher than $50/100g, though it's not a strict line or anything. I do have issues with dropping large amounts of money on small quantities of tea.

Not sure what I am doing up so early this morning. I'm also not sure what tea will be next!

Analysis paralysis!

[JBaymore]

Once again Chip, as soon as you get into those that drink matcha... it kicks things off the "normal" scale. It is way too easy to spend over $100 on 100 grams of matcha.

But that is misleading, because most of us (seeker excluded ) do not consume vast quantities of matcha every day.

best,

.................john

[Victoria]

No set limit. Just whatever seems reasonable.
And sometimes a few splurges on things that
are unreasonable!

Drinking a Private Reserve Black this morning,
from David Lee Hoffman, quite tasty! Thanks
again to TokyoB.

Have a nice day everyone!

[Chip]

Once again Chip, as soon as you get into those that drink matcha... it kicks things off the "normal" scale. It is way too easy to spend over $100 on 100 grams of matcha.

But that is misleading, because most of us (seeker excluded ) do not consume vast quantities of matcha every day.

best,

.................john

True, I should specify loose leaf. Matcha is so nonconformist!

[RachelC]

I said "No Limit" only because truly the only reason I limit myself now is due to availability of fund and quantity of those funds. If the funds were unlimited so would be my teas despite the cost.

[entropyembrace]

no hard limit but when it gets above $80 per 100g it´s at the point where if I buy it I´m going to be running out of good tea to drink with my budget.

[Chip]

Per 100 grams ...

For my fave types of teas (sencha), I am actually able to stay in the low to mid 20's (or less) for about 80% of my selections. I will stick to under 40 for a few selections, but that is NOT the norm. Then Gyokuro, I will occasionally approach 60 (although thankfully I can get them in 50 gram bags!).

This is my comfort zone, though I am sure if I had oodles of money, I would seek out great teas costing more. But the value added price would have to be justifiable by enhanced tea experience.

Fortunately, very good sencha is not crazy expensive like some other teas.

Began the TD with the YM from the O-C joined by SweeTea and Kati. Yummm and less only 25ish$.

[AdamMY]

I have a variety of answers for this, and as it has been alluded too earlier, it really depends on the type of tea. Some teas you can get rather good stuff for less than 30 cents per gram, while other teas the lowest price stuff only sells for 30 cents per gram, often to get some of the decent to better stuff you pay at least 50 cents per gram.

It is all rather difficult to tell.

[TwoPynts]

$30 range until my pallete becomes more discerning, and then the sky (and bank acct) is the limit!

[brlarson]

I am trying to keep my average cost below $35/100g.

I've spent more than $1/gram only a few times -- the most painful price point was for Tea Habitat's 2009 Ni Wei Yi.

However there is a limit to what I will spend. For example, I don't think this shui xian is in my future http://www.themandarinstearoom.com/2008 ... n_p_8.html.

Started the day with Hou de's shui xian and enjoyed Zencha's ultimate sencha as afternoon tea.