World Tea Championship

[joelbct]

Yeah...check the website. I didn't pay much attention to winners, personally. I know Ito En won some for their RTDs, and there was this one sparking tea that was kinda like a sweet champagne when you drank it that won something. Outside of that, I didn't take notice.

Go Ito En and Adagio! Two examples that "large-market" and "quality" can coexist...

[Aphroditea]

Puerh was totally left out. It was sort of sad, really...but then I found the tea chocolate and didn't care anymore.

there are a few local chocolatiers here that do tea chocolates and I get bonbons and such of those as often as I can

btw - I made chocolate mint iced tea and it was actually quite good

[CynTEAa]

Yeah, I only noticed the adagio winners...2 of them!!! Congrats adagio.

Blooming Tea

Bottled RTD black tea

Aw, thanks, Chip! I don't recall all of the other winners, but Rishi won quite a few.

[brandon]

Aw, thanks, Chip! I don't recall all of the other winners, but Rishi won quite a few.

Was there an award for the most overpriced tea?

[Pentox]

I'm really curious *who* judged these teas. I get the feeling the bunch of us could do much better, ha.

Charles Cain, TeaGschwendner
Joshua Kaiser, Rishi Tea
Jane Pettigrew
James Norwood Pratt, Tea Society
Thomas Schulze, Dethlefsen & Balk
Mike Spillane, G.S. Haly Company
Anthony Tellin, Tazo Tea
David Walker, Walker Tea

[jazz88]

I'm really curious *who* judged these teas. I get the feeling the bunch of us could do much better, ha.

Charles Cain, TeaGschwendner
Joshua Kaiser, Rishi Tea
Jane Pettigrew
James Norwood Pratt, Tea Society
Thomas Schulze, Dethlefsen & Balk
Mike Spillane, G.S. Haly Company
Anthony Tellin, Tazo Tea
David Walker, Walker Tea

Hmm ... Maybe I misunderstand something but how is it possible that people award themselves?

[scruffmcgruff]

I'm really curious *who* judged these teas. I get the feeling the bunch of us could do much better, ha.

Charles Cain, TeaGschwendner
Joshua Kaiser, Rishi Tea
Jane Pettigrew
James Norwood Pratt, Tea Society
Thomas Schulze, Dethlefsen & Balk
Mike Spillane, G.S. Haly Company
Anthony Tellin, Tazo Tea
David Walker, Walker Tea

Hmm ... Maybe I misunderstand something but how is it possible that people award themselves?

Haha, I don't think you're misunderstanding anything at all.

[Pentox]

I don't think it's as biased as you might think though. The only ones that might be suspect of biasing towards themselves are TeaGschwendner and Rishi. They both had quite a few finalists.

Charles Cain, TeaGschwendner
Joshua Kaiser, Rishi Tea
Jane Pettigrew <---------------- Author
James Norwood Pratt, Tea Society<------Author
Thomas Schulze, Dethlefsen & Balk <--- only 3 finalists
Mike Spillane, G.S. Haly Company <-- 0 finalists
Anthony Tellin, Tazo Tea <--- 0 finalists
David Walker, Walker Tea <--- 0 finalists.

TeaGschwendner dominated the finalists, but it looks like they may have just as well submitted everything they have. Aside from Rishi and TeaGschwendner which may have some bias, I think the others are rather unbiased.

[Chip]

While we were at the Expo, several of us discussed the credibility of the judging because for the most part, none of us really knew completely how the judging was done.

From what I observed, a little more published info on the topic ahead of time would have been beneficial for all.

Also, never should a contest participant be on a panel, that just smells like Lapsang to me. A judge should have nothing to gain in the voting process...period. So, no participants, no event organizers (World TeaExpo/World Tea News in this case) since it could seem too coincidental that larger paying exhibitors dominated many of the categories.

I would also liked to have seen better categories...seemed too American to me.

[scruffmcgruff]

Also, never should a contest participant be on a panel, that just smells like Lapsang to me. A judge should have nothing to gain in the voting process...period. So, no participants, no event organizers (World TeaExpo/World Tea News in this case) since it could seem too coincidental that larger paying exhibitors dominated many of the categories.

I would also liked to have seen better categories...seemed too American to me.

Seriously, this whole judging thing just looks like a foolish American attempt (and failure) to impress everyone else. How on earth some of the smaller, high quality vendors (wasn't Hou De there?) didn't make it into the finalists is pretty telling, I think.

[Chip]

Also, never should a contest participant be on a panel, that just smells like Lapsang to me. A judge should have nothing to gain in the voting process...period. So, no participants, no event organizers (World TeaExpo/World Tea News in this case) since it could seem too coincidental that larger paying exhibitors dominated many of the categories.

I would also liked to have seen better categories...seemed too American to me.

Seriously, this whole judging thing just looks like a foolish American attempt (and failure) to impress everyone else. How on earth some of the smaller, high quality vendors (wasn't Hou De there?) didn't make it into the finalists is pretty telling, I think.

...and partly due to lack of categories. There were a zillion RTD categories. But no break down along the lines WE woud have liked to see for more TEA.

Was Hou de there...shoot...have to look. I would be bummed if I had missed that.

[Pentox]

Also, never should a contest participant be on a panel, that just smells like Lapsang to me. A judge should have nothing to gain in the voting process...period. So, no participants, no event organizers (World TeaExpo/World Tea News in this case) since it could seem too coincidental that larger paying exhibitors dominated many of the categories.

I would also liked to have seen better categories...seemed too American to me.

Seriously, this whole judging thing just looks like a foolish American attempt (and failure) to impress everyone else. How on earth some of the smaller, high quality vendors (wasn't Hou De there?) didn't make it into the finalists is pretty telling, I think.

I think I heard somewhere that the participants were companies who wanted to submit for judging. So some of them probably didn't bother submitting so they didn't get considered. With no history or meaning any award this year would inevitably be at least somewhat meaningless. I think I also read somewhere that they were trying to make up a rating scale for it. But information surrounding this whole thing hasn't been the clearest.

Also, never should a contest participant be on a panel, that just smells like Lapsang to me. A judge should have nothing to gain in the voting process...period. So, no participants, no event organizers (World TeaExpo/World Tea News in this case) since it could seem too coincidental that larger paying exhibitors dominated many of the categories.

Yes and no in my opinion. While for a truly unbiased panel you would ideally have no involvement by organizers or contestants, (contestants more than organizers), but I wonder who you would have do it that has industry recognizable credibility and no vested interest in the outcome. Anyone who is backed by a company probably would have their products in the competition seeing as if they deemed it worthwhile to have that person on the judging, they probably bothered to enter their products. And the correlation between contestants and large exhibitors makes sense as well, even from an unbiased point of view. A company which wants more involvement and support of the event would probably push their teas into the competition as well. It would seem stranger in my opinion if the lineup was dominated by people not at all involved with the show at all.

[silverneedles]

oh man, they judged themselves! thats real nice...

you should see TeaGeshweener's website they already have the "winner teas" on the front page


... get your fake championship tea today folks...

[RussianSoul]

you should see TeaGeshweener's website they already have the "winner teas" on the front page

Actually, Gschwendner front page states that they have 27 finalists, not winners.

Just for the record. Not that it is kosher IMO to have participants on a judging panel.

[michael]

Black
Blended/Flavored: Black Celebration, Qtrade Teas & Herbs
Breakfast Blend (tie): Organic China Breakfast, Rishi Tea; East Friesian Breakfast Tea, SpecialTeas
Darjeeling 2nd Flush: Darjeeling Jungpana 2nd Flush, Qtrade Teas & Herbs
Earl Grey: Organic Earl Grey, Rishi Tea
OP: Chamraj Orange Pekoe, The United Nilgiri Tea Estates Co.
Green
Blended/Flavored: Genmai Cha, Sugimoto USA
China Style: Zhejiang Green Tea, PeLi Teas, LLC
Hand-Tied Flowering: Jasmine Bloom, Adagio Teas
Japan Style: Organic Sencha, Rishi Tea
Jasmine Common: Jasmine Mao Feng, Qtrade Teas & Herbs
Jasmine Premium: Organic Jasmine Pearl, Rishi Tea
Herbal
Chamomile: Organic Chamomile Lavender, Teas Etc.
Hibiscus: Hibiscus Blossom, TeaGschwendner USA
Mint: Organic Peppermint Rooibos, Rishi Tea
Red Rooibos: Superior Cut, International Tea Importers
Herbal Rooibos Blend: Rooibos Lemon Chiffon, SpecialTeas
Oolong
Blended / Flavored: Mandarin Silk, Art of Tea
Dark: Formosa Superior Taifu, TeaGschwendner USA
Green: Ti Quan Yin (Autumn), PeLi Teas, LLC
Super
Black: Assam Marangi, TeaGschwendner USA
Green: Top Liu An Gua Pian (Melon Slice), PeLi Teas, LLC
Oolong: Phoobsering, Chamong
White
Bai Mu Dan: China Pai Mu Tan, TeaGschwendner USA
Blended/Flavored: Organic Osthmanthus Silver Needle, Rishi Tea
Silver Needle: Organic Silver Needle, Rishi Tea