Bio
I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.
I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.
Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.
Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.
I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.
95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is
90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more
80-89 Very good; will likely buy more
70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again
60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again
Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.
I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)
That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.
My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes
Location
Bay Area, California
Website
http://www.jjroth.net
That’s so exciting! Someday I will be brave/un-lazy enough to get a yixing…
Hehe. If I can do it anyone can. ;-) I have successfully (I think) boiled and steeped and now the little pet is submerged in a bath of tea. I don’t think I’ll be able to stay awake long enough for the whole thing to cool to room temperature to take it out. I don’t think it would hurt it to stay in overnight, though. It might even help.
Good luck! I’m still thinking about Yixing….
I’m still dreaming of my Yising too…
good luck, it’s easy!
my new yixing spent the night in a bowl of oolong and is drying now, waiting for its first steep
Awesome MzPriss. I finished my project last night, too!
I’m gonna have my first oolong in it when I get home from brunch today. I suspect it will be pretty light as the pots are supposed to steal the flavor for a while