Tuesday TeaDay 1/20/09 2009 vendors?

[daughteroftheKing]

About 5 or 6 vendors came to mind when I voted, but since we have another 11 months to go on this year, it may go up. Adagio is my primary supplier, but there are a few choice teas I'll restock from TeaSpring, EnjoyingTea, TeaSource, etc.

This morning's first cup was Vanilla Oolong, and the 2nd steep is on ice.
In my gaiwan at work is a blend of different flavored light oolongs I put together a while back, not enough of any one to make a cup on their own, but nice altogether.

[Cinnamon Kitty]

I got the oolong box this morning! Yay!

I will probably go for 7-10 vendors depending on how many new ones I end up trying. I will most likely be purchasing from Den's, O-cha, TeaSource, Adagio, New Mexico Tea Company, and Hou De plus which ever other ones strike my fancy.

I have Chestnut tea in a travel mug currently, but am looking forward to delving into the box pass teas later today!

[Smari]

Voted 2 or 3 since I've already figured out what teas I really like and it comes mainly from the same 2 or 3 vendors that I frequent.

Watching the Inaugural ceremony now and having Alishan. Mmm.

[Victoria]

Watching the Inaugural ceremony now and having Alishan. Mmm.

Hey Smari, me too!! Parallel TD!!

Trying to catch a little of the ceremony myself here at work we have it on. But it's been such a busy morning so far!! Sometimes the day after a holiday you seem to have twice the work!

So Chip - when does the Chinese New Year begin?
Can you give us a hint about the contest?

In my work cup this morning, also an AliShan - Floating Leaves Tea AliShan A.

.

[Pentox]

Ippodo genmai this morning. Not a terribly good genmai.


Vendor's I'll almost certainly hit this year:
Ippodo
Maiko
Hibiki-an
Lupicia
O-cha
Zencha
Ito-en

Quite possibly:
Teance
Imperial Tea Court
Samovar
Red Blossom
Tea Habitat
Seven Cups
Japanese Green Tea Shop
Chado Tea House
Adagio

And many more.

[auggy]

Oh, and I forgot to share - I broke a teapot this weekend. I knocked a large pyrex measuring cup onto my glass teapot and broke it. It's a very sad thing for me but at the same time I feel like I've gone through a rite of passage. On the bright side, now I get to shop for a pot to replace it since it was my default brewing vessel.

[Chip]

So Chip - when does the Chinese New Year begin?
Can you give us a hint about the contest?

The Chinese New year begins on the 26th, and it is the Year of the Ox.

No clues on the contest, however. Don't want to blow its cover.

Just finished Adagio Golden Monkey which is always such an agreeable tea to me.

[geeber1]

This morning I had some Golden Spring made but couldn't find my travel mug, so I guess I'll be icing it tonight. Got to work and found my travel mug here on my desk!

Right now Irish Breakfast in my cup. I'm still sore from yesterday's procedure from h**l, so trying to type is a challenge!

edit: I voted 4-6 but that could always go up!

[Chip]

Drinking my Pouchong Oolong sample this morning. To be honest the flavor is pretty weak IMO. The first infusion tasted better but by the 4th it was pretty much like drinking hot water. It is clear this is a light tea. Maybe I just need more leaf to get it right. There are pleasant flavors left in my mouth but I like a little more substance. I liked the Ali Shan from yesterday much better.

Try a lot of leaf, this is really fluffy tea. A teaspoon of Alishan might weigh 3 or mor grams. A teaspoon of Pouchong might weigh 0.5 grams, you have to use a 2 tablespoon to get as much leaf as the Alishan. Be willing to play with it, experiment.

However, I would still expect the ligher oxidation of pouchong to still be a bit lighter than Alishan, but it is sublime.

[olivierco]

For sure:
O-cha
Ippodo
Hibiki-an
Kaburagien
Houde
Palais des thés
Mariage Frères


probably:
Adagio (UK)
Marukyu-koyamaen
Maiko
Zencha
Hankook
+ a good oolong vendor


so a little more than 10

Ujibashi San no Ma sencha in a few minutes.

[Herb_Master]

I voted more - 8 already this year - but do they count If I ordered some of them in the last few days of 2008

[Chip]

Drinking my Pouchong Oolong sample this morning. To be honest the flavor is pretty weak IMO. The first infusion tasted better but by the 4th it was pretty much like drinking hot water. It is clear this is a light tea. Maybe I just need more leaf to get it right. There are pleasant flavors left in my mouth but I like a little more substance. I liked the Ali Shan from yesterday much better.

Whoa, deja vu all over again.

You posted this a few posts up, to which I replied.

[Salsero]

Drinking my Pouchong Oolong sample this morning.

As Chip points out, you may well be using too little leaf, but Pouchong or Bao Zhong (in Pinyin) is all about 1) light taste, 2) mouth feel, and 3) many rebrews of the same leaves ... never very powerful, but a good one seems to last forever.