You can also download the .pdf here.

You can also download the .pdf here.

Tea

Orange Blossom Oolong (video) – This tea gives a nice dark orange liquor (see picture and video below). Off the nose, I am getting a musky & bitter citrus aroma (the oolong is semi-fermented). This oolong provides a nice medium bodiedtea that has …. (read more)

Temperature: boiling

Duration: 2 minutes

Rating: 76/100

Japan Genmaicha – This is my first time having the Genmaicha. After having many Japanese teas, I finally decided to give it a try. The story of how it started reminds me a lot of the legend of the Lapsang Souchong and its origins (they both were … (read more)

Temperature: 90°C/195°F

Duration: 1 minute

Rating: 76/100

Diplomat’s Tea (video) – As I said in the video, this bright first flush Darjeeling provides a bright and slightly unsettling Muscatel edge. However, accompanied with the woody, wet stone aroma, the appeal is great. Complete with all that you would  … (read more)

Temperature: boiling

Duration: 3 minutes

Rating: 75

Japan Tamaryokucha – This Japanese green tea is pleasantly grassy with creamy, medium weight body that lightly lingers on the top of the palate (cf. umami). Alongside this briny grass-like flavor comes a nuttiness resembling almonds … (read more)

Temperature: 80°C/175°F

Duration: 2 minutes

Rating: 66/100

Notable links

Mandarin Pronunciation Guide for Taiwanese and Chinese Teas

Caffeine and Tea: Myth and Reality

Also, congratulations to Claragh, our 300th Facebook fan. She will be receiving a package sometime next week (still to be decided). If you like to win our next contest,  be our 300th Twitter follower (@teatimetuesday).

This Tuesday (24 November  2009), the TeaGschwendner Early Grey review episode will be released! Keep an eye on this site, Facebook or Twitter for the release. As always, comments, suggestions,  and questions are always welcome (post them on the Facebook fan page wall or [at] reply @teatimetuesday on Twitter as the email is down currently). Every question will be answered and some will even be featured on the show.

Have a great weekend,

Griffin Kelton (@griffinkelton)

Teas:

Assam Numalighur – This Assam is a CTC BOP second flush and it is very suddenly apparent when you see, smell, and taste this tea. To start off, it has a deep brown, chocolate liquor (similar to coffee). It has a robust malty aroma that is unilateral in that it is strongly simple and flat… (read more)

Temperature: boiling

Duration: 4 minutes

Rated: 80/100

Japan Shincha Kirisakura – This tea is great! Off the nose, I am getting a muscatel & vegetal aroma with a hint of cherry. It’s a full bodied green tea that lingers little and offers a very light briskness (0.75 out of 5, really that mild). You get a light buttery sweetness on the tongue alongside and a milder vegetal than… (read more)

Temperature: 60ºC/140ºF

Duration: 3 minutes

Rating: 87/100

Nilgiri Blue Mountain - This mild black tea gives off a bicuity aroma with a definite astringency. On the palate it is very lingering as it dries the mouth. Moving towards the rear of palate it provides a strong citrus bite (in line with the astringent aroma). Highly brisk, this tea is a great wake up tea… (read more)

Temperature: boiling

Duration: 3 minutes

Rating: 62/100

Vietnam Yen Bai OP – This Vietnamese tea reminds me very little of an Assam in the aroma. Although it has that “biscuity” steam that billows from the cup, it is very light on the nose. Starting off, you get a strong and stout smokiness off the palate. You get a slight grape lingering that is overshadowed… (read more)

Temperature: boiling

Duration: 4 minutes

Rating: 71/100

Japan Gyokuro - This tea is a calm Japanese green. Getting a light vegetal aroma (spinach-like). Very subtle, alongside a lightly citrus background (between a under-ripe peach and an clementine). The taste is equally as light. Chartreuse in color. Not as creamy as some other Japanese greens… (read more)

Temperature: 60ºC/140ºF

Duration: 2 minutes

Rating: 67/100

Video:

In this episode, Griffin Kelton (@griffinkelton), your host, sits down with Spencer Shell (@spencershell) to talk about how to get started on the journey of tea… (read more)

That wraps up this week for Tea Time Tuesday. If you would like to keep up with things during the week, keep an eye on @teatimetuesday or the Facebook fan page.

In this episode, Griffin Kelton, your host, sits down with Spencer Shell to talk about how to get started on the journey of tea.

This episode kicks off the new season of Tea Time Tuesday in a new location (TeaGschwendner Raleigh) and with a new spin. There are now two tiers of episodes. This is an example of tier one. Typically 3-5 minutes in length, tier one will be a beginner tea series, specially targeted at those just getting into tea or who haven’t delved into at all. On the other hand, tier two is directed specifically at those who are interested in tea and want to learn the most they can. These episodes will be 5-7 min. in length and packed with information from every aspect of tea! Both tiers will include the same tastings. The difference will be in the amount and depth to the knowledge shared. Don’t forget to email your questions to griffin@teatimetuesday.com. All emails will be answered, some featured on the show. Also, those who email in will be sent samples of my favorite tea featured on the show next week!

Music from this week’s episode:

• Intro: “Crown on the Ground” by Sleigh Bells
• Outro: “The Way We Get By” by Spoon

Remember to check out Tea Time Tuesday on the web:
http://teatimetuesday.com
http://twitter.com/teatimetuesday
http://facebook.com/teatimetuesday
http://vimeo.com/teatimetuesday

Your hosts:
Griffin Kelton – http://twitter.com/griffinkelton
Spencer Shell – http://twitter.com/spencershell

N.B.:
If you look closely at the background, you can see the “Spirituality of Tea” by Jason Witt (http://twitter.com/jasonwitt). Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition).

Rated: 80/100

(Source: steepster)

Knights of the Roundtable

roundtable, n: a meeting of peers for discussion and exchange of views.

That is what The Tea Roundtable is all about. Brought to you by Tony Gebely of WorldofTea.org and I, Griffin Kelton, The Tea Roundtable (TRT) is place for all people, from tea enthusiasts to rookies (even masters to shop owners), to share, learn, collaborate, meet, and last, but most certainly not least, to drink. That is the vision behind this community.

community, n: a body of people sharing an interest, idea, or purpose.

In order to have a community, we need a body of people. That is where you come in. If you are reading this blog, it is fair to assume that you like tea to some degree. With that assumption in mind, I present to you the goal of TRT: bringing people together who want to participate in the great journey tea has to offer and providing a place for that to take place. Combining that with our vision, you have the TRT. So if this interests you in any way, Tony and I would love to see you all there. Also, Billy Shall of Narien Teas, is sponsoring our first contest. The first member to contribute twenty-five meaningful posts to the forum will win an entire year of tea! (N.B.: In order for these topics to be considered valid they must be meaningful and be spread across multiple forum categories (moderators and administrators have discretion over this.) Best of luck members and new members to be! If you don’t win this time around, don’t worry – there will be more contests down the line. Please share this new community with your friends!

Excellent book

The Tea Companion by Jane Pettigrew. Each tea is categorized by country of origin and linked to a reputable tea vendor alongside their description.

Indian teas

Asaam

Khongea – “This tea from Khongea Estate is famous for its rich flavor and malty characteristics. It is strong yet smooth, yields beautiful dark liquor. You can have it in many ways. It is perfect with milk.” (auraTeas)

2nd Flush Darjeeling

Puttabong – “From a first-rate estate, this is a full-flavored selection with hints of chestnuts and pleasing muscatel notes. The cup is rich enough to support a touch of milk or cream but is also excellent plain.” (Upton Tea Imports)

Darjeeling Autumnal

Margaret’s Hope – “This second flush “champagne of teas” has a superb fragrance, very complex bouquet and classic muscatel characteristics. The liquor is golden in colour with a pronounced rounded character. Enjoy this tea daily.” (Notting Hall)

Darjeeling Green

Ayra – “As soon as the pack got opened, we got an overwhelming sweet fragrance with an undertone reminiscent of the fruit plum which is also ‘musky’. It is a complex flowery tea with complex hints of ‘caramel like’, honey, burnt sugar, slightly nutty, buttery etc. characteristics.” (Thunderbolt Tea)

China

White

Silver needles

Yin Zhen (silver needles) – “White tea from China. Silver Needle is among the most revered of Chinese teas, produced in the Fuding and Zhenhe districts of its Fujian province.” (Adagio Teas)

Green

Lung Ching (Dragon’s well) – “Green tea from the Chinese village of Dragon Well (Lung Ching in local parlance). Dragon Well tea has a distinguished shape. Its leaves are broad and flat, a result of laborious drying.” (Adagio Teas)

Oolong

Shui Hsien (water sprite) – “Shui Xian Oolong Tea or wu-long tea is a very popular variety of Oolong tea and one the common favorites among Gong Fu tea drinkers. Shui Xian Oolong Tea tea can be found in most Chinese restaurants menu, where the spelling “Shui Hsien” is more commonly used.” (TeaCuppa)

Japan

Matcha with whisk

Gyokuro – “Harvested just two weeks of the year, this refined Gyokuro from the Fukuoka Prefecture is shade grown under straw mats.” (Le Palais Gourmet)

Matcha – “Our premium organic matcha is custom blended and ground under granite wheels. The result is an exquisite quality ceremonial grade matcha with a bold deep color, rich texture and a delicate bouquet.” (Le Palais Gourmet)

Genmaicha – “A modern take on the classic Japanese green tea with Matcha, grilled rice and popcorn. This nutty and flavorful tea is a great pick-me up.” (Le Palais Gourmet)

Taiwan

Pouchong – “fragrant, sublime tea from Taiwan” (Adagio Teas)

I hope this list can help you tea drinkers (and you vendors). If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask me at @teatimetuesday or griffin@teatimetuesday.com. Have a great rest of your Monday!