Welcome to discussions, introduce yourself!

Hi Everyone!

I am already a part of Steepster via the company I work for but I created my profile a while ago and am just getting around to getting into this on my own. I will be doing an occasional review of the teas my company carries (minus the rating) as I do like a number of them. But I really want to branch out and now that my Nina’s samples are here I think I will start with those. I’m also looking forward to checking out the David’s in my part of Brooklyn for starters. And a shout out to having the best niece and nephews so that I can get this great user name.

Hello All,
I have been on the site for about a month and love reading everyone’s reviews. I got into tea when a student that I was in charge of at my job brought in some tea to work. I had never had loose leaf tea before nor had I really every had more than maybe 2 or tree bagged teas in my entire life. The tea tasted amazing and smelled so good. He told me it was high mountain oolong tea (goa shan cha) from Taiwan (spring season) from the MeiShan area. At that time this all meant nothing to me as the only thing that I recognized was the word Oolong. From then on I have been hooked/addicted/obsessed pick any word. I had no idea about all the different teas there were and how to steep and water temp and all the factors that can affect tea. Nor did I know that high mountain oolong was not cheap either(all i knew is how much a huge box of red rose for my wife cost). Oolong is still my fave but I drink green teas as well such as sencha and genmaicha…..mostly from Davids tea as there is one somewhat close and some tea from teavana. I go on this site multiple times a day to see what people are talking about and to see what I should get the next time I am at a tea shop. I am still a tea newby but feel more knowledgeable after reading reviews of people. My blog has now turned into a bit of a tea blog(which it was not intended to be). Feel free to follow me or check out my blog. Love getting comments and hearing opinions!!!

www.thenewnovascotian.blogspot.com

Hello!

i am brand new to steepster, just discovered it today. I’ve also only recently been introduced to tea, for whatever reasons prior, i just never was that interested in the variety of teas that exist and thought the only thing there was southern iced tea, and while it’s certainly delicious, it got to be a slight bit boring over the years. I moved up north, however, and when I said i’d like tea to drink, I was in for a surprise.

People up here don’t automatically assume you mean sweet iced tea. But, on the bright side, one of the new friends I made in my new location gave me a sampler pack of bagged teas that he had and on my own I went and purchased a few other kinds. I wish I’d recorded some of the samples I’ve already tried, but, wasn’t quite sure the tea habit would stick with me, nor that I’d still be interested.

I still am pretty ignorant of my likes and dislikes, and am eager to find new teas and try new things. The bagged teas I’ve had mixed results with, but, I also bought some loose leaf teas. Hibiscus Apple, Green Tea Strawberry, and Fruit Sangria loose leaf teas from Argo Tea and a tin of Twinnings Earl Grey. I also snagged a 100 count of Strawberry Pomegranate Stash tea. My favorites so far are the Earl Grey and Hibiscus Apple.

I don’t know a lot about the different kind of teas, but, I’m eager to explore and learn more. Also trying to build my collection of accessories. Don’t have much (well anything for that matter) at the moment. Anyways! That’s it from me for now. :)

Hi everyone!

I’m Jessica, 28, from London. I found Steepster a while ago – mostly when looking for brewing temperatures, and it became a reliable source of information for me. I didn’t realise that there was a forum until now, so have now ‘taken the plunge’! :-)

I am currently writing my PhD in English Literature (crime fiction in particular), which goes particularly well with tea. Although, the amount I drink, you would be forgiven for wondering whether the PhD was actually on the ‘beverage of choice’…

My absolute favourite tea in the whole, wide world is… currently (!!! We all know that frisson of excitement over finding our next favourite tea in the whole, wide world, don’t we?!)… a beautiful Arishan Milk Oolong from Harrods, which I am currently eking out, as they sold out over Chinese New Year and don’t expect any more in until mid-March. I have some Jing Tea Jin Xuan on order in the hope it will keep me content until then!

I also love some of the Mariage Freres teas – my favourite is (probably!) a 2013 first flush, first picking Namring-Poomong (Upper) Darjeeling. Beautiful grassy notes that you can only get from a really young DJ.

I’m quite a big fan of green teas as well, although nothing I’ve had recently has grabbed me as much as the blues/blacks – no, not even the £300/100g Harrods Gyokuro Kimigayo Supreme (oops…). In fairness, that is a lovely tea, but I can’t help thinking of the price tag (my husband bought it as a Christmas present – I’d never be so extravagant!) when I drink it, which probably makes it taste less good!!! Nothing But Tea’s Pine Needle tea is very good in terms of a slightly lighter, more drinkable green, I think.

Finally, flavoured teas… Hmmm. This is a hard one for me, as I am a bit of a purist and can’t imagine why anyone would add anything to really good quality tea. HOWEVER… my guilty secret is Postcard Tea’s Dark Ginger from Vietnam, which is a nice pick me up in the morning.

Don’t think I’ve found anything totally undrinkable yet… Not so keen on TWG’s Imperial Lapsang – it just tastes a bit too dusty for my liking, compared to other Lapsangs I’ve had.

It all depends on context though… for example, at a standard Chinese restaurant with my husband, nothing beats a cup of cheap, watery jasmine tea… Which I wouldn’t drink at home in a million years… Yes. Setting is everything…

In terms of accessories, we have a few lovely caddy spoons and caddies from various places (mostly Mariage, although one from Harrods, and a beautiful silver one). I’m quite devoted to keeping teas in good caddies, and have even had my own labels printed to fill out and stick on them. I am also in the process of designing a bespoke tea journal to write notes for everything I’ve tried, so currently have a huge pile of tea packaging in my kitchen waiting for to be entered into the journal once it arrives!

Looking forward to learning lots and sharing my (patchy and minimal!) knowledge with you all,
Jessica
x

hi jessica,

welcome to this lovely forum.

Hi all,
I just signed up. I’ve been “stalking” this site for a week or so, found it though googling something tea related. I really do love tea, have drank it from childhood, but it has really only ever been a tea bag(PG Tips, Tetley, Red Rose) with the occasional Green Tea(via bag) and some rooibos. I’ve always been interested in tea and have always wanted to start branching out and trying loose tea. I have read lots about tea, tea brewing, tea storing and on and on, but for some reason I just have never did actually buy anything other than my boxes of the above mentioned tea bags. Till a couple weeks ago when I purchased some loose tea :-) and now have growing wish lists thanks to the discussions here ;-)
Still a newbie in many tea related ways. Just hoping I don’t end up messing up my budget! LOL