/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>accidentally
Yeah right.

I just had some Lipton black tea. I've been letting it steep longer (until the tea reaches room temperature) and I've noticed that the flavor has improved.

That's rather nice of the mods to say sorry to you.
Thanks mod-sama.

I prefer coffee.

I said lewd things to an anon(in omegle) a week ago or so, after recommending him white tea with lychee. Please if you are reading this, forgive me!

>>8750085
I would like to be lewd with an Anon-kun over tea.

>>8750075
> Lipton black tea
> steep longer (until the tea reaches room temperature)
Holy cripes! Look at this tea noob!

>>8750105
I'm sorry that it offends you that I've been drinking a tea that's commonly available!

i chop bark off the neighborhood trees. it's just how i roll, noobs

I actually spent what little money I had on some sftgfop darjeeling, partly because of those threads.

I had it before, it's very nice, though this particular brand is probably faking a bit - it's not noticeably better than the ftgf op I usually get.

There is two ways i drink tea...

Black Tea which is just some random tea i buy. hot water, bit of milk and im good. start drinking like 3-4 min after adding the water. go for 10-15% milk.

This really good green tea which is powered, boil jug, leave it 5-10min to cool down a bit, then add it and stir, drink right away.

>>8750091
It's very fun~


Think I'll have some Lady Grey.

Can fellow /jp/ bros recommend me some US based premium tea selling sites? I really appreciate it, thanks.

If you're interested in Chinese-style tea, I'd recommend finding a store that mostly caters to Chinese people. I went to a good place in LA Chinatown and it looks like they have a website too:
http://www.winghopfung.com/tea/loose/loose-oolong-tea.html

When was you last cup of superbrew /jp/?

Remember, it isn't really tea unless you can't see the bottom of the cup.

>>8751393
>>8751397
You again...

If you want tea with lots of water and milk in it should you use two tea bags?

>>8751393 >>8751397
> teabags
I usually do two teaspoons of tea per cup.

>>8750222

If you like flavored black teas, Harney and Sons is pretty great. I can't recommend their Paris blend enough. It tastes like fresh blueberry scones.

>>8751403
Pure tannin is an acquired taste.

>>8751414
Tannin? Is that moon for tampon?

So, what kind of china do you like /jp/?

I'm pretty fond of Royal Albert. You can get some really fancy cups for like $25 on ebay. Plus, tea just tastes better in fine bone china.

Well, you tea-fags convinced me, after months of not drinking tea, I'll try some of my cheap green lipton tea.

>>8751423

>>8751426
>green lipton tea
Enjoy not drinking tea for the next couple months until you forget how bad it tasted.

>>8751426

>cheap green lipton tea.

You might as well not even bother. Grocery store tea is terrible. Once you try loose leaf, it won't even taste like the same drink.

>>8751444

it really isn't that bad at all, though.

Unlike the brisk lipton bottled tea, it's not sugared to hell and back.

>>8751423
I have some cast iron cups and some tea mugs, no china.
I'm looking to buy some and some more though, any others places besides ebay to look for good deals on a good selection?

>>8751462

Hmm, I've really only used ebay since buying this stuff new is fucking expensive (also most of the nicer patterns aren't made anymore). You can usually find some nice stuff for reasonable prices in vintage stores and garage sales if you feel like going places in person though.

>>8751452
>loose leaf

Actually, there is an almost full bag in the cupboard, but I'm too lazy to prepare it and wait.

>>8751444
It tastes like hot lemonade, very disappointing.

>>8750066
How long are you steeping the sencha for at those lower temperatues?
I know typical sencha recommended brewing is approx 175 degrees for 30~45 seconds.
However, I've also heard of people brewing, with great success, at temperatures as low as 130 degrees or so, but with the steeping time increased to 3+ minutes.

This seems like as good a place as any.

My kitchen is currently a biohazard as I've left dishes there for over two months.
There is mould everywhere, blue-black and green.

If I just wash it all in hot water will that be enough to ensure my health?

I didn't get the chance to post this because my internet went out.

Also currently brewing about 6 liters of tea for this week, since it's going to be hot.

>>8751502

dish soap.

seriously, a few dollars for a thing of Dawn won't kill you, but a few drops mixed with the water you use when you soak the dishes for a few weeks will mean nothing will live and grow in there ever again.

>>8751502
Bleach and hot water.
Lots of it.

>>8751490

Anywhere between 1-2 minutes, depending on how heavily steamed the sencha is. I find that the umami is strong with this, but the actual flavour of the tea itself is weak, and subsequent infusions are tasteless.

My guess is that only the very best (not necessarily most expensive, though) sencha performs well at low temperatures. The majority of sencha, even most of the better sencha out there, probably do best at 176 (80) degrees.

Personally, if I'm going to do some cooler, more intensely-flavoured brewing, I'd rather just use gyokuro.

>>8751560
Soap and hot water doesn't kill mold. This man needs either bleach or vinegar.

>>8751565
I'd also wear a mask while doing so, and spray liberal amounts of disinfectant throughout the room, and the rest of your residence.

>>8751560
>>8751565

Thanks.
I think I'll boil the water as well, don't want to take any chances.
I'd post pictures if I had a camera, it is really something.

>>8751587
Though, a respirator would probably be ideal.

>>8751502
Just ask your mom and she'll go OCD over it and get you fixed up.

>>8751586

well, it stops the mold from forming in the first place.

It'll be a preventative measure so it won't happen the next time he lets shit dwell in the sink.

also, Comet Cleaner is the cheapest bleach cleaner you'll find in the US. Cheaper than dish soap, even.

Alright. Here's what I'll do (while wearing a mask):

Bleach; soak and rinse in boiling water; wash in hot water and dish soap.

Thanks /jp/. Sorry for hijacking the thread, OP.

>>8751635
I'm sure you already know this, but be sure you don't mix bleach and ammonia.

>>8751644

Thanks - yeah I did, that's rule one of household chemicals.
However I understand why you would see fit to mention that to the guy who didn't wash his dishes for two and a half months.

>>8750222
I'm curious too, my tea cabinet is running low and it's time I got some more.

I've ordered from Hou De Asian, which was really good but they specialize in Pu-erh which I have no clue when ordering.
I also tried Teas Etc. when they were having a sale, but was disappointed in the quality.

I use special sage from the middle east with my Tea.

It makes it taste a lot better.

I never really managed to develop a taste for black teas. Mostly drink green tea that my grandmother in Taiwan sends me (Taiwanese tea has been well regarded since ancient times).

Hey OP, I've never been warned while using 4chanX. Do you use 4chan X? Did your 4chan enhancement software interfere with viewing your warning at all?

>>8754975

I've never tried from Hou de. I've heard good things about them though. I'm not sure where to buy my tea from either, really, as not many places I have found impress me.

Something I've been thinking about are large-scale operations vs. small-scale ones. The best of the bigger tea places use cold, de-oxygenated storage to keep their tea, and they fill each order individually, instead of just keeping sealed pre-measured packages of the product like you could put on store shelves. Small-scale tea shops don't seem to do this... they get it packaged from their supplier and just sell that to the end customer.

I was contemplating this as I looked at my unbrewed leaves today... and how dry they looked. They were dry even out of the package. Fresh green tea, and tea that has been stored properly, does not look dry. It looks somewhat moist and has a 'wet' fragrance (stop thinking lewd thoughts!). Maybe it's not so much of a concern for shincha, because it will have just been packaged anyway, but from summer onward, people who want the best tea they can get should be asking their vendors how the tea they buy is stored.

>>8756085

I don't use that, no.

I went tea shopping with my grandmother today. We picked up a lovely strawberry green tea from Lupicia. (The tin is really cute, too.)

The only tea.

Does anyone go to teavana to buy tea? That's where I go. But I know they don't have them in every state.

>>8757297

I've used them a bit. I'm not impressed by their plain teas. I think their more involved blends are usually okay though. Their matcha is probably one of the better affordable brands.

>>8757314
I really like the monkey picked oolong. That blooming momotaro? Tea tastes pretty good too.

>>8757297

Retail tea chain tea isn't great. The stock is generally old and it's exposed to the air way too much. Every time they open up those canisters of tea to let you smell the leaf or sell some of it, the tea gets flushed with oxygen and oxidizes that much more. Not to mention it's all room temperature.

>>8757391
I didn't know it was bad to store teas at room temperature. What is the ideal way to store teas at home? I live in a humid environment but I've just been keeping my teas in the dining room cupboard.

>>8757391
Teavana is doubly worse since they truly prioritize the smell of their tea over the taste, for instance roasting low-quality Tie Kwan Yin to bring out the taste in the smell, but in the process making it incredibly dry and leaving nothing to infuse.

Which to a smalle extent explains why 3/4 of their teas are fruity blends.

>>8757405

If it's unopened, leave it in the refrigerator, and leave it at room temperature for a day before you intend to use it. If it's opened, just try to keep it as air-tight as possible. Don't refrigerate opened tea.

>>8757421

There's a lot of over-roasting in general. It's a way of masking the low-quality, like the way the Japanese powder-coat low-end sencha. It's a lot worse with Phoenix oolong though. They roast it mercilessly. The locals drink them unroasted.

Early morning sencha. Didn't even sleep tonight.

That feel of no sleep but caffeine anyway... I'm sure /jp/ knows that feel.

Not sure about the quality of Stash loose leaf, as I'm generally new to the whole Tea thing myself.

This darjeeling wood smoke op isn't too bad though, much better than the store bought tea bags I'd been purchasing before.

So what's the healthiest green tea available for a peasant Ohioian? Bonus points if /jp/.

I used to drink it all the time back when I lived in Canada, but all I can find here in the states is cheap indian shit. Fucking small town Wal-Marts, man.

>>8751635
not that many bleach you fool 1/100th of bleach works just fine. (in hot water ofc, no need to be boiling, just over 65°C)

Oh, I am, am I? Is that what you think? Well if that's what you think, I have something to tell you. Something which may shock and discredit you. And that thing is as follows. I'm not wearing a tie at all.

>>8758121
Do you really live in Ohio? Oh my god, I'd kill myself if I lived in Ohio.

>>8758172
Better than Michigan.

Oh wow I was already wondering what happened to the last thread and if you deleted it. I ordered some sencha, gyokuro, oolong and a nice cup/bowl thingy along with it. I hope this time the green tea turns out actually green and not brownish.

>>8758174
Man if you live in the mid-west I feel sorry for you son, I live in Western Europe.

>>8758182
It gets much better the further south you go. Rolling hills and shit everywhere(Mt. Vernon is a fucking beautiful place).

Unfortunately, I live in the part that consist of towns seperated by highways and cornfields. But I don't want to get too off-topic. Point being is that I really love my fucking tea and need my fix.

>>8751525
That looks delicious.

>>8758174
Are you suggesting Michigan isn't better than Ohio in every single way?
Hilarious!

>>8758242
>Ohio vs. Michigan

Uh oh.

Blooming tea, I love it so much.

>>8757673
What kind of tea is this? Where can I buy some?

>>8758422

but a hand full of grass into a tea egg, and place the egg in boiling water for about 2 mins.

>>8758467
do you troll me? do they sell that stuff at tesco?

I only drink sweet, iced tea. Just made a gallon, actually. I am from the South, though, so the taste for it has been installed in me since childhood.

>>8758422
It's sencha......

>>8758481
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finest-Japanese-Sencha-Green-Tea/dp/B005T63VYM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=13
32779238&sr=8-1

added to wish list.

What do people think about sencha mixed with matcha?

I really like the slight roasted flavor you get from genmaicha.

>>8751644
Can I get poisoned by washing my cat's litterbox with bleach-containing cleaning agent? Also, would I notice the gas coming out or is it colorless?

China Green.
One of my favourites.

>>8758527
Are you scared of ammonia from the cat urine? Just rinse the box out with water first and then apply bleach.

>>8758527
If you're worried I would rinse it before hand just to be safe. I dunno if you can see it, but you can definitely feel if you breathe it in. It hurts.

Is it true as you get older you prefer lighter and more delicate things such as tea and tofu?

>>8761426
A few years ago I would drink orange peko with 4~ teaspoons of brown sugar and milk.

Then I moved onto milk tea with condensed milk.

Now I drink green tea

>>8758422

It's Zairai sencha. I got mine from Yuuki-cha, you can google them.

>>8758490

Pro-tip: Don't buy tea unless you know which year it was harvested in. Otherwise you're going to get some dried up tea from 2006 that tastes like grass clippings.

No one tried sencha mixed with matcha before?

>>8762248

It's good. They usually do it to mask lower-quality tea, which makes it sound worse than it really is. It's not that they just use lousy leaves and try to 'sugar-coat' it with matcha, but that the matcha is all gone after the first brew, so you're left with a pot of leaves that tastes very different.

I'm planning to order some '88 nights' Shincha from Maeda-En. Anyone ever try them before?

Nothin' like a nice cup of spicy hot tea on a cold day.

>>8765648
This reminds me that I need to make some masala for some teas I got a few weeks ago.

Brewed some Feng Huang Phoenix Oolong this morning.

Sleepless again ;_;

Some of my favorite memories are waking up in the summer, grabbing an ice cold tea from the fridge with some kind of semi-sweet food and browsing /jp/ while slowing consuming both.

You guys should try it some time.

The Feng Huang was lousy. Switched to Dong Ding. The blueness of this set's yunomi makes it look like green tea.

>>8766832
Why do you have so many cups and pots?

I just got a new bowl, now I'm pondering if I should send it back because it is pretty huge, didn't think it would be that big. Pen as comparison

>>8767336

The short answer is: they make me happy!

The longer answer is: It's best to have a different type of pot for different types of tea. Reason being the pots season over time, enhancing the flavour of the tea brewed in it. Because of this, brewing one type of tea in another pot may lead to unpleasant flavour mixing.

>>8767880

It's best if it doesn't fill right up to the top anyway, to avoid spills. The real issue is how heavy it is... the mark of quality for Japanese teaware is generally in the weight, with master-crafted pieces generally being surprisingly light.

>>8766832
That's no good, teafriend, you need your sleep.
It's very important.
Have you tried Chamomile?

>>8767880
It looks like it's used to froth the tea with a whisk, ala traditional matcha. Though you seem to be drinking tea the Chinese way so not sure.

Tea just seems like... Hot Leaf Juice to me.

No really, like, I want to enjoy it, but I've only ever had cups of whatever shitty American Brands I can get and it seems just like water with an aftertaste. They're good tastes, but... I dunno. If I want to drink something then I want it to have a flavor of its own.

You people surely know the darkest secrets.

You know /jp/, for some reason or another I don't know if I've ever actually had tea, and here I see you guys talking about a lot of different kinds. What's your favorite then, /jp/?

>>8769736
Maybe your tea was very old. Perhaps try something fresher, or a different type.

>>8769733
though i have now looked through the other pics and indeed see some nambu Tekki though I would avoid using the wooden stand when serving Japanese style tea. Get a good furoshiki and invest in some high quality wagashi to serve with it. Also get a cup set that matches each weather type as it really feels different if you drink from a cup that just doesnt fit with the season.

>>8769739
A tea newbie should get hold of the following
-Earl Grey (Eng)
-English Breakfast (Eng)
-Basic Sencha like Ichiban (Jap)
-Basic Matcha (Jap)
-Pu-erh tea (Chin, HK)
-Oolong (Chin)
If you don't want to invest in expensive pots then tea bags will suffice to start (though the taste WILL suffer).
Take your time to drink the tea, don't just choke it down while fapping to loli or something. Listen to good music, get comfortable and devote some time to just drinking and relaxing.
If you like it then et some pots of good quality and start looking for higher quality tea. It then becomes important to get to know ideal steeping times and water temperatures as if these are off it can change the taste of the tea. Come back afterwards and let us know how it went. (p.s this should be in another board)

>>8769791
These are good and cheap tea pots for beginner.
http://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-16-Ounce-Ingenuitea-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qi
d=1332982113&sr=8-2
Non traditional or cute or pretty but they work well and are easy.

I've drunk tea pretty much all my life, but I've only been getting interested in it as a hobby relatively recently. I've ordered a couple of new samplers from Upton Tea Imports to broaden my horizons and drink a wider variety of teas, but I'm not really sure how to refine taste. Is it just a matter of exposure? Of drinking as many different teas as possible? And, what importers would you recommend beyond Upton, which is the store we've used since, well forever?

By the way, I find that a good tea sampler set makes a pretty good gift. There aren't many people who look askance of tea. I also like having tea parties for my friends whenever they come over to play tabletop RPGs. There's just something really nice about sitting around a table mid-afternoon with a group of friends over tea, without worrying about computer or radio or television. It feels, oh. Eminently civilized. A relic of a bygone era.

I don't let the fact that I live in South Texas dissuade me.

>>8758477
Same here. Drink it constantly which is probably pretty bad for me.

Red Blossom has some very nice pots for those just starting out. For $50 you can get "apprentice yixing pots", even though the clay is very much suspect, they are still a great deal for the price and easy availability.

Of course YMMV, but I personally think they did have a rather profound impact on some of the oolongs I've tried in them as compared to the same brew in a ceramic pot.

>>8769932
>There aren't many people who look askance of tea. I also like having tea parties for my friends whenever they come over to play tabletop RPGs. There's just something really nice about sitting around a table mid-afternoon with a group of friends over tea, without worrying about computer or radio or television. It feels, oh. Eminently civilized. A relic of a bygone era.
Well said sir.

To address your question about Upton: Upton is the only one I know as well that sells such a wide variety. Another anon just mentioned Red Blossom which I am checking out atm and looks very nice.

>>8770126
OP also mentioned Yuuki-cha which looks great, but limited to only Japanese teas.

>...but I'm not really sure how to refine taste. Is it just a matter of exposure? Of drinking as many different teas as possible?

Tastes are always changing, sometimes what you like, sometimes what you get, so constantly trying new teas is always a good idea, and at least to me, a great part of the hobby in itself.
Brewing habits and nice teaware help in bringing out the tastes of tea too, so that's always another avenue to look into.

>And, what importers would you recommend beyond Upton, which is the store we've used since, well forever?
Most good tea distributors specialize in one type or tea or another so it depends on what you want.
I'll second Red Blossom as a good place to turn for variety.

>>8769932

As far as I know, that's the best way to enjoy tea. As for vendors, there are a few places I'd recommend. Yuuki-cha's stuff is organic, cheap and pretty decent. Dao Tea carries excellent Chinese and Korean tea, if you don't mind paying shipping from Canada. Den's Tea is based in California... I've tried them in the past and I wasn't impressed by their tea, although Den himself is a gentleman. I'm going to be ordering my shincha from Maeda-En, as today is the 88th day of the year, which means the first tea harvest of the year in Japan. I've never tried them before, but I'll let /jp/ know what I think of it.

>>8769709
I actually found it to be super light for its weight, just gigantic in its form.

I'm probably getting way too excited to sleep so I can wake up in the late afternoon and drink some iced tea.

I guess I should be happy that I can still be excited by anything.

I've recently drank some Earl Grey for the first time. Damn, it was good. Shame it's so expensive here.

I had some tea in a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant in Manhattan, but I forgot to ask them about it; I did some research and I think that it may have been Pu-Erh. It was a dark red color, was slightly sweet and had some floral/citrus notes. Is this likely to be Pu-Erh?

Can all murricans please stop shitting up this thread.

>>8774031

It was almost certainly oolong, as oolong is the tea of choice in Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants, just like Konacha and Genmaicha are the 'restaurant teas' of Japanese restaurants.

Pic related. It's Wuyi oolong.

I drank tea with a buddy yesterday.
He doesn't usually drink tea, he told me, but damn If we didn't end up drinking like 5 litres of quince tea with sweeteners.

Quince tea has got to be my all time favorite.
Are there any others like it?

It's just tea. Stop over analyzing it.

>>8774339
>over analyzing
No such thing.

>>8774341
I think you're over analyzing his post.

>>8774302
HA!

I looked around for sweet red oolongs and landed on Phoenix oolong. I'll get some to try and report back in a later thread.

>>8774021
Dude I hate earl grey so much, we could never be friends.

Anyone own a kyusu? I was thinking about this one but was curious if anyone knew of a better deal or a better place to buy.
http://www.redblossomtea.com/teaware/teapot/kyusu-teapot.html

I found a complete tea set that says noritake Japan on it in my dead great-grandpas stuff. I know he lived in Japan. Is this worth money? No chips or broken anything. But if it's not worth money I wanna use it.

>>8774663
Also, does anyone know where I can buy the tea cups they always use in anime?
I found a pic to use as an example, though it's kind of bad.
They look pretty cute and cozy.

>>8774707
Take pics and let's see it.
Also I'm sorry about your great-grandfather.

>>8774339

>>8774743
Okay there are actually two sets. And they have complete dinner sets with them too. One set is called "Ardis" and the other "reina". And he actually died like 10 years ago but I just now started checking out the stuff. And I can't post pictures right now cause 4chan doesn't let you post pics with iPhone.

Second cup today
Its spiced black tea if you can't read

>>8774886
Did you get that desk at walmart?

>>8774904
Probably along with that keyboard and tea.

Just drinking some teabag sencha from wegmans right now, I'm weird and enjoy many different beverages at one time.

>>8774886
Bagged tazo tea? Ugh gross.

>>8774904
>>8774906
That would be for the best, it doesn't look like he takes care of his things.

>>8774707
Use it instead!

>>8774836
Without seeing what you have, it'd be impossible for anyone here to even guess.

Keep in mind, it's entirely possible whatever he had was run of the mill, so hold off that call to antiques roadshow until someone looks at it.

>>8774904
Yes, its like 4 years old, time to get a new one

>>8774906
Keyboard was at Goodwill, tea was at Taret

>>8774917
I like it

>>8774918
No, I take care of things, the desk is cheap and old

>>8774934
Nice job buying tea at Target, nooblord.

>>8774939
Anything else is about ~10 miles from where I live

>>8774946
Order some real tea online. Do yourself the favor.
A box of that stuff is what? Eight bucks or so?

Most sites sell their smallest sizes for about $15 a pop which will net you about twice as much tea. Shipping is what? Three bucks if you buy from a place already in your country?

Treat yourself, and stop looking silly.

>>8774906

>>8774955
Such a hassle, and that box was $4, maybe when I run out

>>8774927
Will post pictures when I have access to computer. But I was told it was purchased when he lived in Japan which was in the 50s.

>>8774965
That's promising, and if the piece itself predates the war then you might just have your hands on something really nice.

Can't wait to see what you've got.

>>8774909
No one insulted my tastes ;_;

>>8774993
They suck, what do you want?

>>8774980
Here is a piece of the ardis set.

>>8774997
I feel better about myself now, thanks.

>>8775002
bottom of ardis pieces

>>8775002
Oh, it's ceramic.
You'll have to wait for somebody else who knows about that stuff.

>>8775010
damn.

I really wanna drink out of it. Cause I love tea, but I don't want to ruin it if its worth money!

>>8775002

Just judging from a quick look on ebay it doesn't seem to be an excessively valuable set. But it's kind of hard to tell, some of this stuff is highly undervalued on ebay because people don't know what they have.

If you've got a full set you could probably get a couple hundred out of it, but personally I'd just keep it and use it.

>>8775018
Yeah I never like going off of ebay. I also get worried if they could possibly have knockoffs on ebay! Chinese will bootleg anything.

>>8775023

Drinking out of it won't ruin it. Just don't crack/chip anything and it should be fine. Use baking soda to clean any tea stains (works like a charm and doesn't damage leafing).

>>8775023
Due to the lack of kanji and general workmanship makes me think what you have isn't worth anything too impressive, but like I said I don't know anything about china.

Drinking out of it won't change the value as long as you take care of it. Unless it was previously completely unused or something.

>>8775027

I dunno if I'd worry about Chinese bootlegs of fine china. You can usually tell by the maker marks and comparing patterns to official sources.

You tea experts should make a pastebin full of info for these threads for us noobs.

What do you think?

>>8775056
Like a tsar.

>>8775029
It is unused.

And I found a website with values. The teapot by itself is worth about 130$ teacups about 13$.

It seems though the other set I have ,reina, not pictured is a lot rarer and worth more.

>>8775077
Thats a Turkish tea cup.

>>8775036
This sounds nice. I've gleaned what information I can from here and threw it into a text file, but a pastebin by someone who knows their stuff wold be highly appreciated.

>>8775157
That would be tough, as there isn't any prevailing opinion here. Every has their preferences and can only agree on a few key points. So at best the guide would be written from one opinion, and any questions about it would lead to the same questions and answers that would come up without such a resource in the first place.

Besides, those sorts of things are what make up tea threads, otherwise it's just a rollcall of what everyone is drinking.

>>8775112
It's actually Iranian

Oh, yeah, that reminds me. I've got a really nice (the craftsmanship, I mean; I'm a bit familiar with pottery and I think this thing is fucking incredible) yunomi with kanji on the sides and I've been able to figure out fuck all about it. There seem to be no identifying marks of any sort on it, but this thing is in pristine condition even after being used for decades so I doubt that there was one to begin with. Would someone be interested in taking a look at it if I took some pictures?

>>8775294
I'd like to see it just to see it

>>8775299
Alright; I'll be back with the pictures in a few minutes.

>>8775294
I'd like to see it too.
Pictures of the marks, and the inside if you can.

>>8775341
>>8775299
Got the pictures taken; they'll be up in a few minutes because I have to resize them. Do you want them fuckhuge or moderate?

>>8775399
Big as you can get them would be nice.

Commencing dump.

Height is approximately 105mm, circumference is approximately 260mm.

>>8775435

>>8775433

>>8775436

>>8775438
Here's an inside view; unfortunately, there seems to be a small chip on the bottom.

Interesting piece. Does it have a lid?

And you said there's no maker's stamp?

>>8775439
And this should round out the photos. Sorry for the flecks of white; I dried it with a paper towel before washing it.

>>8775442
No lid and I can't find any marks anywhere on it.

>>8775444
Just how big it?
Maybe a shot with something next to it for reference?

>>8775449
It's approximately 105mm tall (about 2/3 as tall as a disposable ball-point pen) and comparable to a bottle of wine in circumference. Its surface is also highly irregular and contoured to fit the hand, with the thumb resting over the symbol in >>8775438.

>>8775473
I can't even begin to guess anything else about it, that you don't already know.
The glazing does look nice. And the whole package does seem well made.

Hopefully a high level tea otaku will stumble by and tell you more.

>>8775479
I figured as much but I've been wanting to show it off for a while. My dad got it from my grandfather (who was a marine in the Pacific theater in WWII), so who knows.

>>8774663

That one is really nice. If you like Hagi, I'd check out Zencha, I've bought two kyusu from them so far and I've been impressed by the quality.

>>8775775
Have you seen this one?
http://www.yuuki-cha.com/kuro-midori-chakkiri-tokoname-teapot
I believe I like the color of this one better, but the design of the earlier one more.
I was wondering if you had an opinion or even some personal experience with either of them, or pots similar to them.

>>8775931

I don't own either of those pots, so I can't say. All I can suggest is that if you're looking to brew green tea, a banko pot might be a better choice (the mauve-looking pots).

From a metallurgical standpoint (lol, etc), if you're looking to brew green tea, the best choices from Yuuki-cha are either the banko pots (the mauve-coloured pots) or the Kinu Shudei teapot. These types of clay add minerals to the water as the tea is being brewed, which results in a more flavourful brew. Typically, ordinary kyusu are made from varying kinds of unglazed clay, usually white clay, and have minerals (manganese, etc) added to give it an attractive colour. These additives to the clay also tend to make tea brewed with those vessels taste flat.

I'm currently making some gunpowder tea.

Any books you guys would recommend on tea?

>>8776162
Holy shit dude, that's crazy.
Thanks, I'm buying one.

I've tried drinking tea wirh a friend in a bar, but it didn't taste good.
Is there wny very sweet tea?
I'm a newbie when it comes to tea

>>8776187
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/769

The Book of Tea.

/jp/, how do you feel about this tea pot?

I might be able to get one for free, and I think it looks good in black.
I'd rather have a non-glossy one, but sadly, that's not possible.

I'm always surprised at how long some threads just stay alive.
And that's without being "saved from the last page" and so on.

>>8778141
Is that a hole in the lid?
That's kind of smart.

Sometimes I wish I was classy enough to enjoy tea. I just drink water and carbonated sugar water.

I started to drink tea because of these threads, /jp/.
Anyways, I found these really nice tea cups the other day.
Anyone know what they say or anything?

I just started getting informed about tea outside of the European and Middle Eastern black teas. I found out that this place has a location within driving distance. Does anyone know if it's good or if I should just order tea off the internet?

http://www.teavana.com

>>8779581
The delight of receiving ejaculatory fluid, or something like that.

>>8779630
they're everywhere in WA
they'll hire anyone and everyone, and only pay by commission so expect to get hassled to buy tea no more special then the tea at Albertsons

>>8779630
I don't like tea shops. You always end in buying stuff you don't like. Internet is better.

>>8779642

>>8779630

They're not great. They're like all tea chains/franchises I've seen before... their stock is old, stored poorly and thus deteriorated even before you buy it, and not great to begin with.

My recommendation is to buy online from a reputable vendor.

>>8779581

No idea, but welcome to tea.

>>8779630
It's not as bad as everyone is saying in this thread. I have bought oolong from them before and it was actually pretty decent.

>>8774400
You are a bad man.

Anyone drinking Japanese tea from teabags and not loose leaf from nambu tetsubin should stop, throw out the tea, get your (or dads) credit card and buy one online right fucking now.

I just brew big batches of iced tea with some brand of Green tea that I forget the name of. I really prefer iced teas now that Summer is coming up, and I was wondering if jaypee could tell me what I should buy and how to brew properly? I don't want to make a fool of myself.

>>8779581
Pretty sure left is Flower 花 and right is Moon 月
>>8775433
In case you don't know the sup says spring summer fall winter
I hate cups with bullshit kanji

Just ordered all this yesterday

>>8780046
>In case you don't know the sup says spring summer fall winter

Thank you!

>>8780839
Sorry, but flavored teas are disgusting
.>>8780024
I don't need a tea pot because i always drink alone - preparing only 1 cup. But sometimes a tea set would be fine to have because it looks good.

>>8781661
Really good quality porcelain can be found in most auctions.

>>8781661
It doesn't matter if you are preparing tea only for yourself. The method should still be the same. I find the idea of 'making' tea in a cup simply ludicrous. Really, you are doing yourself a disservice.

I would like to ask a question, with loose tea in a pot how do you go about getting rid of it when the taste is gone?

>>8781706
Different teas will keep taste longer than others but every time you refill the pot then the taste will suffer as the leaves had already had water ran through them. Generally you want to change the leaves before the taste is gone unless you want to drink a low quality drink. As for getting the tea leaves out of the pot? Is this a serious question?

>>8781661
I will agree with you about the flavored tea. The supermarkets are filled with cheap shitty 'infused' teas that taste like ass and are only bought by people who think they are getting a stylish drop....(and poor students.....like me)

>>8781714
>Generally you want to change the leaves before the taste is gone unless you want to drink a low quality drink

Heh. I go through tea at a snail's pace because I can get six or so cups out of one measure of Oolong.

>>8781731
the first cup should be strained out. the second and third cups are the best. fourth is okay if it's expensive tea. after that you've drank three cups of tea and should stop anyway.

>>8781707
It's easier to prepare it right in a cup and better clean it afterwards. Making a tea ceremony out of every tea cup i wanna drink is silly.

I don't like tea, it's too bitter.
Is there sweet fruity tea or would that make me a plebian savage who has no idea about refined tea?

>>8781768
I love you

Tea is for fags tbh.

>>8782242
>tea
>bitter
Yeah, well, no.
Unless you brew your green tea at stupid temperayture like with boiling water or drink black tea.

>>8781746
I have that awesome tea which only begin to lose taste at the 7th brewing. 8th brewing would take 11 minutes, so I never tried it.

>>8781746
It varies from tea to tea. I've had expensive, delicious Oolong that went to piss after three cups and right now I have some bargain-bin stuff that, although not anything special, still retains its flavor after about six infusions.

I had some gunpowder tea this morning.

>>8782333
>le trollface.png

>>8781706

Turn upside down, shake out the big wet mass. Fill with water, put lid on, secure lid with fingers and shake the teapot, and pour out the remaining leaves. Repeat this until the inside is clean.

>>8781768

You might consider looking into Korean teaware. They're basically cups that have a strainer built in, so it's something like a hybrid between a cup and a teapot

.>>8782242

Good tea isn't bitter. If it is, chances are you either made it from lousy teabag grocery store tea or you made an error in the brewing.

One Anon suggested a 'beginners guide' to tea on Pastebin. I'm thinking that's not such a bad idea. If I make one, I'll post it in the OP of the next thread. There seem to be several questions that come up regularly.

>>8782338

Black tea isn't supposed to be bitter either, at least too bitter. Japanese black tea is very mellow. Chinese black tea has bitterness, but balanced with sweet, caramel-like flavours. Assam black tea is the same, but with a more honey-like flavour.

I just buy cheap Lipton green tea(nature) in pyramidal form.
I'm a newbie and last time I checked, there was nothing else that looked interesting and cheap enough.

No tea love anymore?

So I used to hate tea, but I forced myself to drink some Arizona Green Teas, and now I can't stop drinking them. I know they're basically sugar water, so I would love to get into brewing my own tea, possibly without sugar. Problem is, I know literaly nothing about tea. Is there a website or something that will at least give me the basics so I can go from there?

>>8785437
chineseteas101.com

teaguardian.com

And stop drinking that shit; it's nothing at all like tea and hideously unhealthy.

>>8781661

I always find it easier to make a pot of tea and just sit it on my desk to refill my cup every so often. If you drink a lot, making a big mug full of tea kind of sucks unless you drink it pretty fast since by the time you get to the end it'll be cold. But if you have a nice teapot and a tea cozy (sounds stupid, but the cozy is key), it'll stay warm for hours and you don't have to go through the process of making more as often.

>>8785446

Yeah I know, but it's so cheap. Plus the only other thing I drink is water. Anyway thanks for the sites.