[Staal]

Yes, I do. 

 

[grokit]

I drink a cup of coffee in the morning, but tea in the afternoon/evenings daily. In general I prefer varieties without tannins, mostly sympacho and yerba mate.

 

[pigmode]

I still have  a couple of vacuum paks of green tea bought in Japan, where from trains you can see tea farms spread out on steepish hilly slopes. Otoh Chinese tea is probably my favorite, white, black, oolong. A fresh pot is excellent for serious listening sessions. Tea and music go together well.
 
 I'm sure others have experienced Chinese blooming tea, where a ball of tea spreads opens and a flower rises up on its stem? There was one not too long ago brought back from China (as a gift), that was most exceptional--the tea and flower combined exquisitely. 

 

[Superpredator]

Quote:

Actually it's often cheaper to shop online from the UK rather than Denmark at the shipping is the same cost most of the time and the UK is much cheaper. Definitely gonna check out those shops.
 
Thanks for your answer as well ardilla! Copenhagen is 3 hours away though, but their webshop will do! 

 
You guys got any good suggestions for a "first timer"? Seen as I have no preferences yet, are there any affordable sorts I ought to try out to better define my taste in tea? 

Sweet.  I had a tea blog for a few years (free tea! a lot of it) but I actually hate recommending tea to people, because my tastes have changed.  When I first got into loose leaf, even though I had been drinking bagged green and oolong, for some reason I figured the only tea that would appeal to me was jasmine.  I couldn't conceive of greens and oolongs having all that much flavor variety.  EHH! wrong.  I kind of loathe jasmine now.
 
Jing Tea has the best Ti Luo Han (Iron Arhat) I've ever had.  It's one of the pinnacle tea experiences for me.  However, it's expensive.  I didn't pay for it, and I don't really see myself paying $37 for 50g any time soon.  I'd feel guilty every time I drank it.  I've sampled many of their teas and while I have no doubt the quality for most of them is quite good, they're clearly kind of pricey. 
 
You'll probably find better deals at Canton.  Their Rou Gui (oolong) is really good, and not expensive, a light/medium roast.  The Baozhongs (Pouchong) are also very good.  They list it as a green tea, but it tastes and behaves like an oolong.  Tie Guan Yin of any roast-type is one of the more essential teas.  Dong Ding is its wonderful Taiwanese cousin, but they don't seem to have any.  Da Hong Pao is touted as being highly desirable, but on the low end they aren't that great.  The one exception I've found is Tea Spring's Traditional Da Hong Pao, which is quite distinctive without the high price tag.  It's often easier to get other kinds of better quality Wuyi for less money than the cheap DHP.  However, I think a heavy roast Tie Guan Yin would be more appealing to a new tea drinker, anyway.   It's less bracing and one-dimensional, in favor of being softer and a bit fruity.  It's one of the teas I buy in bulk and drink all the time.  Huang Jin Gui is usually cheap anywhere you go, and for good reason--it's boring.  Still, it would have satisfied my flowery oolong inclinations when I first started.  Dan Cong usually appeals to people who've been drinking tea for a while, so maybe skip that for now.  It requires the right equipment to taste right. 
 
As far as Chinese greens go, there's really no better place to start than Long Jing.  If you know you like these kinds of greens, experiment with cheaper varieties from a quality shop.  It's really unlikely that you won't enjoy them. 
 
One thing I will emphatically recommend is getting a gaiwan, preferably around 120 ml (and a strainer/pitcher to make life easier).  Even if you can barely use it, no other device will get your tea tasting right faster.  It's also a surefire way to ensure that your teaware isn't a factor in (potentially) poorly steeped tea.
 
Good luck.

 

[ardilla]

Posting a pick of my tea-brewer: Woo WA2TE:
 

 

[KimChee]

Boba Tea (bubble tea)

 

[Xaverian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superpredator /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I kind of loathe jasmine now.

But nothing hits the spot better than some Jasmine green tea pearls! 
 
Quote:

The Baozhongs (Pouchong) are also very good.  They list it as a green tea, but it tastes and behaves like an oolong.

This. Have a jar of excellent Pauchong that I'm enjoying right now. It really knocks you off your feet. I also enjoy a locally blended Milk Oolong (the blender is a German master blender, apparently its a big trade over there) that's superb.
 
Quote:

One thing I will emphatically recommend is getting a gaiwan, preferably around 120 ml (and a strainer/pitcher to make life easier).  Even if you can barely use it, no other device will get your tea tasting right faster.  It's also a surefire way to ensure that your teaware isn't a factor in (potentially) poorly steeped tea.

I'm not familiar with this. Do you know where you could find one in Canada?
 
Also, this might be a bit of a stretch but do you happen to know anywhere in Maine, or even better Nova Scotia, Canada, where I could find decent quality tea. I'm moving out there in the fall and leaving my amazing local supplier 25 hours behind . Or a good online site to order from?

 

[TrollDragon]

Halifax, NS
 
http://www.davidstea.com/
 
Just the Best!

 

[Silent One]

I prefer to keep my loose tea in tea tins. Long before recycling came in to vogue, I was using tea tins for a wide variety of things around the home since childhood. 

 I really love the way they collect cash and spare change for audio purchases and tweaks.
 
In fact, if anyone has any decorative tins they're proud of, post 'em right here! 

 

[littlexsparkee]

The best tea I've ever had was Republic of Tea oolong, loose leaf (Orchid oolong?). I can't remember the exact name, I don't think it's available anymore. It cost $30, but it was worth every penny. I love all kinds of tea though; Indian masala chai, white teas, genmaicha, barley, Darjeeling & Assam, pu-erh, you name it. 
 
I would watch out for some of the newer kettles, with the plastic builds. They may leech BPA into your tea. I have a Hamilton Beach kettle that's almost 100% stainless steel and I feel much better about using it. If anyone wants the model #, just ask.

 

[tme110]

I just discovered the Upton tea imports web site and ordered myself a couple sampler sets of loose tea.  I used to drink tea all the time but I've never had loose tea before.
 

 

[littlexsparkee]

I tend to prefer loose leaf, even though it can sometime be a pain to steep. It generally has more flavor and less bitterness. Just get a nice stainless steel strainer and you're good to go.

 

[Silent One]

For me, loose leaves allow for more involvement, ceremony if you would. And being involved can go a long way toward satisfaction.

 

[Xaverian]

Not to mention that bagged tea is usually made from the scraps of tea that are left after the loose tea has been collected.

 

[Silent One]

Well then... I like being first.