The Melting Teapot

My Grandma Daisy, the person responsible for getting me started on my tea journey, was most content when she had a cup of Red Rose tea (with a splash of milk).  I still have a fondness for Red Rose, mostly because of the happy memories associated with it.  Plus, they have those really cool figurines that people collect. 

Over the years, though, I’ve become more interested in exploring the world of tea that exists beyond the dust and fannings found in most bagged tea.  Fannings are what is left over when tea leaves are processed; they are the dust and overly broken leaves that are not desirable in higher end full leaf teas.  Not all bagged teas are like this, but if you use the standard Lipton, Red Rose, etc., that is what you are drinking.

Fannings are not as flavorful as higher quality leaves, and the bags themselves present some problems. Teabags add paper flavors you do not want in your cup, especially with the bleached white paper of low-end teas.   Additionally, bagged tea doesn’t brew up as well because the bags restrict the expansion of the tea in the water.

One of the best kept secrets out there is that bagged teas are NOT cheap.  You are paying more for the packaging than you might expect, especially when breaking it down by cost per cup.  Loose leaf teas use smaller amounts to brew larger amounts, partly because of the quality, and partly because of the unfurling of the leaf.  You might be surprised to find that once you’ve got a teapot and/or an infuser, you’ll be spending quite a bit less on the actual tea.

So, while bags might be convenient and grocery stores offer many choices in easy-to-purchase options, you are often paying more for packaging and getting less flavor in return.

Buying Loose Leaf Tea

In general, there are two types of companies that offer whole leaf teas.  The first type tends to be large companies that sell mass-produced teas.  Their teas are blended by professionals (in the distribution company) whose goal is to produce a beverage that tastes the same from one lot to the next.

The biggest advantage to these is that they are fairly easy to find.  Plus, you know that when you purchase “Assam” or “Breakfast Blend,” from one year to the next, you are likely to get the same taste in your cup each time. The companies are sourcing the teas from specific regions, then molding these into a specific flavor profile. It can make for a nice cup of tea, with a stable taste that doesn't change from season to season, year to year.

A few examples of this sort of company are the Republic of Tea, Stash, or Teavana.  These are definitely decent teas, and they can be a great way to start exploring the leaf.

The Next Step Up

The second sort of tea shop or company focuses on teas in a different way, emphasizing uniqueness by indicating harvest dates and individual regions.  If you are a wine drinker, this is similar to purchasing vineyard and vintage specific bottles. These tea sellers are sourcing tea leaves from a variety of distinct regions, sometimes even specific farms/plantations.

High quality teas are identified by type, location, style, or the size/quality of leaf (SFTGFOP1, BOP, etc). Good vendors will indicate year and time of harvest (fall, spring, summer, winter -- 2nd or 1st flush) as well as the processing method (heavy roast, for instance, or lightly oxidized). If you would rather have a blend instead of single varietal, the types of teas will be indicated and often the vendor will change a blend based on the distinct flavor profiles of the latest harvest.

Much like wine, each harvest has different characteristics, and the region of growth produces vastly different flavors. Examining terroir and seasonal change is part of what tea geeks love to do.

For instance, I love Alishan, which is a high mountain oolong from Taiwan. It can be a finicky tea to brew, but when done right it is characterized by floral notes, a certain buttery aspect, and just a hint of a unique minerality (there are many hot springs on this mountain, and some feel the sulfur notes impact the terroir of the tea). On this one mountain there are multiple tea farms, each farm (or sometimes a few farms in a co-op together) harvests the tea and then processes it. If you are lucky enough to visit these farms in Taiwan, you can go from one place to the next, swirling and sipping and examining the individual tea, discovering subtle distinctions between the different harvests and different preps, and sometimes not-so-subtle differences between each farm's tea. It is possible to buy alishans from vendors who have travelled to the mountain, who bring back what they think is the best. . . or what might fit their customers' needs.

Good tea shops purchase teas from importers who travel to various Asian countries, sampling tea, purchasing lots from farmers. . . from shops. . . and from companies in these other countries.

In addition to variations because of location and harvest dates, teas also go through more deliberate shifts due to the changing palate of tea drinkers. For instance, I’ve heard a few experienced tea professionals talk about the changes in oolongs from the last decade. Oolongs have become more "green" in style, less oxidized, and less roasted. This brings out more of the floral and weedy characteristics which seem to be a preferred taste for many, but some tea drinkers miss the older style which made for a bit smokier/heavier, sometimes more bitter tea, with a creamier characteristic in the back of the throat.

You probably get the idea now that tea geeks can become a bit intense about tea profiles and terroir.  Yes, some people really enjoy picking apart the nuances of tea, much like wine enthusiasts do with various wines.  However, you don’t have to do this with every cup of tea, and you don’t have to become a gourmand to enjoy your favorite brew.

Where To Start?

If you’d like to begin to explore the world of tea, try a couple of options.

(1) Head to a local tea shop. They’ll often have different teas available to taste, and the owners will help you find styles of tea and brewing techniques that will suit your palate.  Often you’ll go home with samples, or you might want to sign up for a guided tasting or tea class (many shops offer these for free or for a low price that covers the cost of the tea).

(2) Try an online tea shop. I’ve listed a few of my favorites below, but there are many more.  If you are just starting out, try a place that offers samples at a low cost.  Explore a wide range of teas, make sure you read the brewing instructions, and figure out what you like.  If you already know you love assams, but you want to learn more about other types of tea, start branching out into Chinese blacks. . . look at heavier roasted oolongs. . . or consider puerh.  If you want to learn more about green tea, try samples of greens from China, Taiwan, and Japan. Remember to look at the suggested brewing methods, especially suggested water temperatures.

A Few Recommendations

Upton Tea, offers a vast number of teas from around the world, and just about all of them come in small sample sizes – this is a great place to start exploring

Special Teas, Assam lovers should enjoy the variety, and then can branch out into other regions

Yunnan-Sourcing, order directly from China, from a friendly English-speaking importer.  Among other things, he stocks a great selection of puerhs.

In Pursuit of Tea, sometimes more expensive, but they have high quality tea and have put together suggestions for those new to tea

Local Seattle Tea Shops

Most of these have online shops as well, so out-of-towners can order tea.  Next time you visit the Seattle area, though, stop in to try their teas!

Tea Cup, Queen Anne

Floating Leaves, Ballard

Perennial Tea Room, Post Alley at Pike Place Market

New Century Tea Gallery, International District

Xiu Xian Tea (Kent and Crossroads/Bellevue)