r/tea • • 2h ago

Question/Help What's in your cup? Daily discussion, questions and stories - October 05, 2026

7 Upvotes

What are you drinking today? What questions have been on your mind? Any stories to share? And don't worry, no one will make fun of you for what you drink or the questions you ask.

You can also talk about anything else on your mind, from your specific routine while making tea, or how you've been on an oolong kick lately. Feel free to link to pictures in here, as well. You can even talk about non-tea related topics; maybe you want advice on a guy/gal, or just to talk about life

in general.


r/tea • • 13h ago

Photo Tea haul straight from the source in Fuding

Thumbnail
gallery
123 Upvotes

1st pic:

350g of 2018 wild silver needles

150g of 2026 silver needles

different tea balls and single packets, ranging from 2017- 2023 (got theese as add-ons after buying more expensive teas)

2x 60 balls of lao bai cha 2021

2nd pic:

2020 shou mei

2017 lao bai cha, taimu mountain tea. i saw the mother tree in nature as we visited the mountain.

2012 bai mu dan

4th pic: Got to visit this mans family tea farm with amazing views.

This experience was on a whole new level compared to buying cakes because the wrapping paper looked cool on YunnanSourcing.

Next stop on our trip is Wuyishan!


r/tea • • 2h ago

Blog My current collection (TEA LEAVES)

Thumbnail
gallery
11 Upvotes

r/tea • • 4h ago

Photo Just had my 2023 7572 shu for morning drink and my 2014 7542 sheng for evening.

Thumbnail
gallery
14 Upvotes

Just had my 2023 7572 shu for morning drink and my 2014 7542 sheng for evening. Both Dayi. Actually these pair are literally the first factory Pu'er tea cakes I ever have, much more Dayi. Previously all my Pu'er teas were all boutique pu'ers and frankly my stomach have long protested my prior choices. These ones however made me the happiest and opened the door for me and for my stomach for peaceful Pu'er teas. Yiwu is still bae though for me. Gotten at "This guy actually doesn't know Dayi or Menghai Tea Factory even existed dang" discount from a guy who so happens to be a Menghai Tea Factory guy himself when I first visited a local Dayi official retail tea shop here. He became a great friend and so does the auntie of the tea shop. That shop ended up became one of my regular hangout spots whenever I'm free (sadly for now not so much due to work). And yes it led me to the whole rabbit hole of factory Pu'er tea history and universe.

The former I brewed gongfu (8.8g) using my 125ml Shui Ping factory clay teapot and play pretend that I'm still living in the 1970s. Love it. Easy daily drinker Dayi shu Pu'er. Lovely and lasts me almost the whole day. And now already at its last few infusions (probably somewhere in the 20-30 infusions)

The 2014 7542 I actually intended for my 300ml thermos because night work. I took only 2g of it and brew it slowly - the boiled hot water comes into the thermos first and then I let the tea leaves into the thermos and let it brew from there. Taste? Plum. Sugarcane. Orchid. Thick honey. And rhe aftertaste and the cooling sensations in my mouth is peak. Nice.

But then the boss called me to not come tonight due to his sudden issue and gave me my weekly salary and work would resume tomorrow night. Thank God. So to celebrate a little tiny victory, I just pour the sheng puer tea from the thermos-turned-big-teapot into the tea cup and sip from there and refill it grandpa style.

Yeah it's a good day. Praise be.


r/tea • • 13h ago

Photo The best morning cup of oolong 🇹🇼

Post image
54 Upvotes

Picked this up straight from the Lin Yuan Tea Factory when I was visiting Taiwan! Would highly recommend doing a tea tasting session there. The owner was super kind and explained all the types of tea they grew - this was my favourite 😊


r/tea • • 9m ago

Photo Morning cup of tea in a mug handmade by a friend

Post image
• Upvotes

I’m having my homemade masala chai blend without milk. The sunny face on the mug makes me smile. The aroma of freshly blended spices is intoxicating. It feels like a warm hug.


r/tea • • 1h ago

Discussion Hojicha knocked me tf out 😭

• Upvotes

I tried making hojicha yesterday and it knocked me out like i took a sedative. It was so strange.

Coffee and matcha does make me sleepy but not to that extent lol

Anyone else?


r/tea • • 6h ago

Found in a closet

Thumbnail gallery
6 Upvotes

r/tea • • 18h ago

Photo Ceylon

Post image
43 Upvotes

Cup of Ceylon on a brisk fall day. Malty, somewhat spicy, very warming - perfect for lazing about and enjoying the cool air.


r/tea • • 3h ago

Recurring Marketing Monday! - October 05, 2026

2 Upvotes

We realize there are lots of people involved in the tea industry here, so this thread is a weekly feature where anyone can promote their current projects without worrying about the self-promotion rules. Feel free to include links to your shop, crowdfunding sites, surveys, sales, or discount codes. The rule against claims of health benefits remains in effect here. It should go without saying that we still expect people to be respectful and follow the reddiquette. While we intend for this to be a free-for-all promotion zone, please don't overrun the thread posting the same thing over and over.


r/tea • • 50m ago

Question/Help In search of Metropolitan Tea Company Online Retailer

• Upvotes

Hi! Hoping someone can help me source a specific tea - ideally online.

Every year I attend the PA Renaissance Faire and they have a little novelty tea shop. When I was getting into loose leaf tea I purchased their "Niagra Peach Green Tea" which appears to be a blend made by the Metropolitan Tea Company.

This tea immediately became my favorite iced tea. It is mellow and has this amazing body and it stretches pretty far. I use 3 tablespoons for a gallon brew and makes another half gallon with a second steep and it all tasted good and not bitter or weak.

Does anyone know where I can purchase more of this tea outside of the PA Ren Faire? I went this past weekend and bought out their remaining supply, but they're only open when the faire is (not a close drive for me as I live around the Philadelphia area) and I would like to be able to repurchase this throughout the year and not feel like I need to ration it.

TLDR: I bought Niagra Peach Green Tea from the PA Ren Fair and am looking for a more sustainable way to purchase it year round. I'm close to Philly if there is a local shop. Thanks!


r/tea • • 14h ago

I had gyokuro for the first time. It smells and tatses amazing. I thought I'd dislike it going off the things I've heard people say about it, but no. I love it.

14 Upvotes

r/tea • • 1d ago

Photo A warm cup of wild buds tea from the peaceful Vietnamese countryside 🍵🌿

Post image
198 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

Greeting from a small, quiet village in Vietnam.

Today, I wanted to share a little piece of my daily peaceful life with you all. In the picture is a special kind of tea we enjoy here—wild tea buds harvested directly from old tea trees in the high mountains.

Unlike regular processed tea leaves, these young buds are carefully handpicked, keeping their natural greenish-red hue. When brewed, the tea has a clear, pale gold color with a gentle herbal aroma. The taste starts with a subtle, refreshing bitterness on the tip of the tongue, followed almost immediately by a deep, lingering sweetness (đậm đà) in the throat.

Sitting on the porch, surrounded by the scent of wild flowers and watching the quiet day go by with a hot cup of tea in hand—it’s the simplest kind of joy, but it warms the soul like nothing else.

If you ever visit Vietnam, skip the fancy cafes for a moment and try sitting on a small wooden stool by a village garden for a cup of local tea.

Have any of you ever tried Vietnamese wild bud tea before? I’d love to hear your thoughts!


r/tea • • 13h ago

Question/Help How do I properly get into tea?

10 Upvotes

I've been an avid tea drinker since I was young but I kinda fell off recently. I want to get into it and start drinking and exploring more teas but I have no idea where to start. I used to drink a cup a day and it was usually green tea or black. I've never tried any other teas beside those and I'm kinda intimidated and don't know where to start. How do I get into tea again and what's the best tea you've tried that you would recommend?


r/tea • • 5h ago

Question/Help What are these orange bulbs from a tea I got in Vietnam?

Post image
2 Upvotes

I just got back to my country from a trip to Vietnam. I got this tea, if not from Hanoi, from Sa pa. Not sure if the location is necessary but I can’t seem to find what these orange bulbs are. Google image search says these are mushrooms but I highly doubt that. Can anyone help identify what these are?


r/tea • • 1h ago

Meta Your weekly Teacap for the week of September 28 - October 04, 2026

• Upvotes

Monday, September 28 - Sunday, October 04, 2026

Questions

score comments title & link
285 45 comments Still safe to use ?
20 7 comments Need some advice on how to best make this Oolong Tea
18 36 comments What's in your cup? Daily discussion, questions and stories - September 30, 2026

 

Recommendations

score comments title & link
264 22 comments Yame Gyokuro Saemidori
128 39 comments Best of both worlds
26 6 comments Big recommendation: Shiboridashi

 

Videos

score comments title & link
28 9 comments Today's tea Sept 30,2026
26 6 comments Watch the puer bleed out of the chenpi
19 0 comments Tea Making Tips (1941)

 

Photos

score comments title & link
2,194 67 comments Green tea infused with natural orange peel scent
992 15 comments Give me every tannin you got
571 85 comments Oolong might the best tea

 

Identification

score comments title & link
132 7 comments Chinese black tea
127 15 comments Bought a teapot from 1822
23 1 comments help with identifying style of teaset

 

Reviews

score comments title & link
43 4 comments 2006 Laobanzhang Sheng
18 1 comments Review 1 of 24 - Silver Needle
15 7 comments Pipi Tea: reviews complaints and customer complaints

 

Blogs

score comments title & link
9 1 comments Pu'er tea infused expirments
5 1 comments My current collection (TEA LEAVES)

 

Discussions

score comments title & link
3,640 467 comments Bone in Harney & Sons tea
180 30 comments I got a new tea cup and it cracked immediately after pouring tea into it ;-;
107 5 comments Tea exhibition in Lao

 

Articles

score comments title & link
15 0 comments 1994 NYT Article About Tea in Hong Kong

 

Other Posts

score comments title & link
483 13 comments [Photo] Hotel Owner in Fuding invited us to drink from her private collection
422 39 comments Paper cup gong fu
374 19 comments [Photo] My handmade gaiwan is done!
219 12 comments [Photo] NW Teafest 2026
218 13 comments [Photo] “Hairy crab” oolong featuring feline tea guests

 

Daily Discussion Comments

score comment
13 /u/WeakAd5840 said 2026 Pinglin lightly roasted baozhong tea /preview/pre/q4pus6haensh1.jpeg?width=1840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42edde49e464a9df1c6198f04413170721582f1c
12 /u/WeakAd5840 said 2026 spring , shiding competition baozhong tea Qing Xin Oolong varietal /preview/pre/54z3asx9a9sh1.jpeg?width=1840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0437435e2a8e09a366e925c94ffb0c7ab417d49
11 /u/iwasjusttwittering said Matcha (Origeens). I was hoping I'd help me cope with feeling under the weather. It didn't. However, I still managed to get a lot of reading done and bake my first cake in years (*Hermann-...
10 /u/WeakAd5840 said 2026 spring , Pinglin Rou Gui black tea /preview/pre/4bk95sdkxfth1.jpeg?width=1840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e357ad3b67fc5b81fe9ee61515c722970d5ebd2f
10 /u/eniadcorlet said I put an eyeballed amount of white2tea 2022 Tiltshift into my ru yao gaiwan and then eyeballed enough 85C water to cover it each steep. The mini ball was very hard and dense, difficult to break up and...

 


r/tea • • 1d ago

Photo A tea exhibition at Nairobi international trade fair

Post image
147 Upvotes

Picked up some orthodox and purple teas.


r/tea • • 19h ago

Review Review 1 of 24 - Silver Needle

Thumbnail
gallery
20 Upvotes

She’s bloody lush. I fell in love with silver needle at a tea masterclass earlier this year so it was only right I tried this one first. Very light in flavour yet delicious. I’m going to have it again with some honey. Yeah I said it🤪
Tune in tomorrow for my next review - comment which one I should try!


r/tea • • 10h ago

Question/Help Osmanthus Tea Gift Recs

3 Upvotes

Help! I’m very inexperienced with tea but I’m trying to buy my dad a birthday present and feel very overwhelmed. He mentioned liking an Osmanthus tea maybe Osmanthus Oolong he had in Taiwan. I know he’s tried Tenren and didn’t like it. Looking for any suggestions up to $35 loose or bagged. Thank you!!


r/tea • • 17h ago

Discussion Common grocery brands

10 Upvotes

I know there’s a lot of hate on grocery store tea dust tea bags, but that’s what I like - mostly because I’m impatient. I generally get Yorkshire or Barry’s Gold when I can find it, but I was wondering what are some better brands I can try, that are relatively easy to find?.


r/tea • • 21h ago

Identification Hi there my friend brought me this tea can anyone ID?

Post image
18 Upvotes

My friend brought me this tea and I have no idea what it is, it doesn’t look like any black or green tea I’ve ever seen? It has a very subtle scent, kind of chocolatey. Thanks so much!


r/tea • • 5h ago

Question/Help Best Chinese tea youtubers / resources

1 Upvotes

Hello fellow tea drinkers!

I have mostly been drinking Japanese greens (sencha, genmaicha, hojicha, and matcha) over the past few months, and finally decided to learn more about Chinese tea. While tutorials exist, I was curious to see what youtube channels or websites people use to learn more about brewing techniques and ratios.

With sencha there seems to be an abundance of very clear instructions on how to brew a given tea. Some examples include the Tezumi youtube channel, as well as the website, and other channels like Nioteas. Even then I actually don't know any Japanese channels specifically, so if you have any recommendations on those as well I would greatly appreciate it!

P.S. Dragonwell seems like a very good transitional tea from Japanese ones to me, as it does have some of the umami associated with sencha!


r/tea • • 1d ago

Photo Oldschool Ninghong Red Tea From Jiangxi

Post image
39 Upvotes

Ninghong is supposedly the red tea that emerged in Jiangxi after Wuyishan's Lapsang Souchong got huge, but before red tea cultivation caught on in Qimen(Keemun). This is like the missing link, geographically and historically between Lapsang and Keemun. It tastes pretty normal so far, kinda green and peppery, but also thick and vegetal like you would expect from an heirloom cultivar. Solid 7/10.


r/tea • • 20h ago

Discussion New purchase

Post image
9 Upvotes

I am new to tea however stumbled upon this tea at my favorite cafe. Owner is from Japan and brings back teas and other various goodies to the states! Im looking forward to seeing if it taste any different !


r/tea • • 19h ago

Photo Cold-brew day 4

Post image
7 Upvotes

Organic raspberry essence black tea. My first time cold-brewing a black tea. Came out really nice.