What is in your cup?

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by CRussel

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_2?...qid=1464012732

However, it doesn't much look like they sell their base black tea. Which probably means it's generic and not particularly inspiring.

If you're looking for good China Black, look for better grades of Keemun. You don't list where you are, so difficult to point you at a provider. Here in BC, I'd say either Amazon.ca or Murchies, both of which have excellent Keemuns are reasonable prices. (Though neither as good as my favourite, Peet's Lion Mountain Keemun, which is only available for a very limited time each year, and which may not get offered again now that they've basically abandoned their tea business.)

In my cup this morning: Peet's Major Dickason's Blend coffee. Tea will wait until later - right now we need injections of serious caffeine.

I looked through the link and noticed that I have some of the Tradition loose teas in cans, but didn't recognize they were the same brand.

I'm in southwest Michigan. I've found small Asian grocery stores in South Bend, Kalamazoo and Holland that are less than an hour away that have some good teas, but they're too small to have large selections. I also found a convenience store nearby that seems to have a distinct split in its clientele. The store mostly sells things like Bud Light and electronic cigarettes, but has an aisle with Indian groceries and tea. I may have to suck it up and just order some online to fill in the gaps, but I enjoy browsing the shelves as much as I enjoy drinking the tea.

[ProfCrash]

Keemun is pretty distinctive but very good.

Look online, I get my Keemun from Gong Fu Tea

http://www.gongfu-tea.com/sunshop/in...t_detail&p=368

I checked Teavana and Rishi and neither have a Keemun.

Very yummy but I doubt it is the base of the teas that you are drinking.

[CRussel]

I'm more of an online browser myself, but I understand the appeal of a real tea shop too. For online, try something like Teavana or if you're more adventurous, try TeaSpring.com. TeaSpring is shipping directly from China, and I've found their teas to be excellent and exactly as described. Also, don't forget Amazon. If you know what you want, you can get some excellent values and the selection is staggeringly large. For example, Keemun Panda is an excellent Keemun at a reasonable price. Plus, Keemuns keep and improve with a bit of age.

ETA: Yes, Gong Fu Tea is a good source. But Hao Ya grade Keemuns are a bit pricey until you're sure that's what you want. The Keemun Panda is a step below that, but quite excellent.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Never been to Islay, though I'd love to go. We're likely to make a UK trip next year, assuming all goes well. We've got the flight covered with Virgin Atlantic points.

Wave as you fly over the Midlands, won't you (assuming you do)?

Decaff in my cup, having been preceded by some coconut water.

[Difflugia]

Thanks for all of the links. I already see some teas that I want to try.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Talisker. The only way I can manage to watch Power Players Jeopardy.

I was appalled at some of the 'power' non-performances .....

[ProfCrash]

Teavana is a fun place to shop but you need to have a good idea about what you like and what you are willing to try. They are not as pushy as they were 5 years ago. I wouldn't let friends go into Teavana without a chaperone because the salespeople were so in your face. Now they have chilled out and can be helpful. The selection is impressive which is why it is a good idea to know what you already like and what you might want to try. It is easy to get overwhelmed and buy more then you want.

Also be careful of their attempts to get you to buy too much of a tea. I would never get more then 2 ounces of something that you have not tried before. Saving 10% by buying 1 pound of tea does you no good if you buy a bunch of teas you end up not liking.

[cromag]

Second tea of the day. Got a late start after picking up the minivan.

Originally Posted by cromag

Second mug of tea on a day that started with replacing a lost dental filling and discovering a small puddle of gasoline under the minivan (presumably due to a damaged fuel line -- I should find out on Monday).

This tea is welcome.

I lucked out, in the overall scheme of things. The leak was at the junction between the fuel line and the fuel filter, and was probably caused by road debris on one of my highway trips, but the damage was confined to the fuel filter. Much cheaper than a replacement fuel line would have been.

And, of course, the van could have gone up in a ball of flames when that debris cut the line and gas started flowing.

Another welcome tea!

[cromag]

I prefer black tea, and other "dark" tea, as well.

I get my tea at a local Asian market. It's very large -- as large as a conventional supermarket (which the building used to be). They devote an entire aisle to tea, but black tea is hard to find. Mostly they carry green and white tea. They do carry some Oolong tea, etc., but black teas (when they have them) usually come with rose petals, lichee or other flavoring. I stock up when I find it.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I was appalled at some of the 'power' non-performances .....

There were a couple of days I just fast forwarded to Final Jeopardy. Was too painful. Problem now is that we have none in the bank. We like to have a few in case it's kiddy week or celebrity week.

[wodin]

Tea, Earl Grey, Hot.

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Also be careful of their attempts to get you to buy too much of a tea. I would never get more then 2 ounces of something that you have not tried before. Saving 10% by buying 1 pound of tea does you no good if you buy a bunch of teas you end up not liking.

Fortunately, I managed to cure myself of that some time ago when I bought a half-kilo each of three Turkish teas. They were great teas and OMG cheap, but I burned myself out on them. On the upside, that batch of tea taught me which storage methods resulted in drinkable tea a year later and which ones went stale.

[CRussel]

An old favourite, today. Lion Mountain Keemun. This is a Keemun just below the Hoa Ya B grade, but therefore substantially cheaper while still providing an excellent brew with all the characteristics of the better grade of Keemuns - deep red licquor, smooth, full-bodied, earthy flavour and no bitterness even when over-steeped. This is China Black at its best.

[issybird]

I thought I had moved to white wine for the season, but it's rainy and in the 50s today, so I'm drinking Rioja. Perhaps I'll Sangria what's left in the bottle tomorrow, when it'll be in the 80s.

[CRussel]

I'm planning on opening another bottle of the La Frenz Chardonnay tonight. A delightful wine and delicious with food, unlike all too many Chardonnays that are over-oaked and have no acidity.