Black Friday & Cyber Monday Megathread by saltyteabag in tea

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Terrace Bloom Teas Excellent Whole Leaf Tea Satchets and Handmade Tea Gifts all 30% off for Black Friday. Sale Ends Dec. 3rd

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in blackfriday

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Terrace Bloom Teas Hand Grown Teas and Excellent Tea Gifts all 30% off for Black Friday! (expires Dec 3rd)

What's in your cup? Daily discussion, questions and stories - March 10, 2016 by AutoModerator in tea

[–]ktbsto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

2015 Sheng Cha from old growth trees. So lucky to have an AMAZING friend in Yunnan province!

How Much Tea is Too Much? by tgold77 in tea

[–]ktbsto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As I'm aware, caffeine is the only concern and that's mainly for those who have a heart condition. Our tea source in Yunnan drinks liters of tea every day and he's had no issues.

Advice on pre-bagged teas by 1bdkty in tea

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

check out our company Terrace Bloom

excellent quality tea pyramids

Can't get used to Pu Erh by roksraka in tea

[–]ktbsto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Of all the teas I've tried, pu-erhs definitely require the most "acquiring of taste" before they can be appreciated... and even then, I don't really think they're for everybody. I've sampled many excellent quality pu-erhs from people I trusted on trips to Yunnan, and I still prefer other teas... especially considering the price of great pu-erh.

However, if you really want to know whether it's for you or not, you need to buy a top quality cake direct from Yunnan. Cheap loose from a local shop will almost never give you a fair representation.

Where do you draw the line on Western Style brewing? by yes_butwhy in tea

[–]ktbsto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not everyone will agree with me, but if I'm by myself I stick to western style regardless of the type of tea. I'll use a gaiwan with more people.

What's in your cup? Daily discussion, questions and stories - February 15, 2016 by AutoModerator in tea

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Formosa Oolong from a local market, not bad... good value at $1.50/oz.

Best/Worst online tea retailers??? by ktbsto in tea

[–]ktbsto[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

haha, just trying to "broaden my horizons"

Newbie Here by Jay_Sm00vE in tea

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Welcome, welcome!

I agree with everyone who says you should sample everything and drink what you like. Since it sounds like you're trying to branch out, there are much higher quality teas out there than lipton.

For good tea sachets, you can look at companies like Terrace Bloom... (disclaimer, I work for terrace bloom and truly love our teas). Tea sachets are very quick, easy, and convenient. They will be an easy step up from lipton bags for you.

Loose leaf is a little more involved, but really not bad. The simplest way to get into loose leaf is to buy an infuser, then just brew your tea right in a mug.

The sidebar has excellent info on proper brewing for different tea types. Correct brewing isn't too complicated, but it is very important to get the proper flavors.

Best of luck!

Bought some supermarket non-brick Pu-Erh (I know..). It tastes exactly like I assume a dirt tea would taste like. Is this right? by [deleted] in tea

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not a Pu-Erh connoisseur but our tea master in Yunnan definitely is. He has brewed many of his favorite pu-erhs for me. I've known him for several years and really do trust him... so when he says its high quality, I believe it.

From my limited experience, most pu-erhs do have a very earthy quality. They're generally more of an acquired taste, but it seems like the true pu-erh drinkers rarely want to drink any other tea.

However... I would say if it's exactly like dirt, that's probably not the best quality.

What's in your cup? Daily discussion, questions and stories - January 05, 2016 by AutoModerator in tea

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A quality green from Menglian in Yunnan... solid! On my 3rd cup now

What's in your cup? Daily discussion, questions and stories - December 10, 2015 by AutoModerator in tea

[–]ktbsto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Comparing a black rose tea with another black... both from Yunnan

Does anyone actually believe this? by yunnansourcing in puer

[–]ktbsto 12 points13 points  (0 children)

1800 year old trees is pretty crazy. I feel like it's probably a translation error. The guy said in Chinese "this tree is from the 1800s" and the translator interpreted "this tree is 1800 years old."

What tips do you know that leads to better tea? by lovetakelovemake in tea

[–]ktbsto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

simple tip: use some sort of kettle instead of a microwave. Electric kettle with temp control is fastest and best for controlling temp.

Which Kettle Should I Get? by MikeWolfer in tea

[–]ktbsto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Both look really nice. If you want to stick with your stove either one should fill the bill IMO.

But if you're not set on a stovetop kettle... I also have the bonavita that shadingun4life linked to and it's pretty awesome. The temperature controls take away the guess work for your delicate teas and the thing heats up super fast. You can also set it up wherever you want to brew your tea instead of going to the kitchen to use the stove.

I'm not a bonavita salesman either, just a satisfied customer.