My background
I am thirty-something technologist living in Cincinnati, Ohio. In love with tea, I am on a quest to learn everything there is about the amazing things we can do with imbibed brews from steeped leaves.
My interest in tea grew from a fascination with culture. Not the hoity-toity “couture” we hear about so much, but the more minute and minuscule differences between one group of people and another.
(cir 2008)
My Journey
I’ve ‘liked’ tea since I was a kid. Though honestly, my idea of tea at the time is nothing what it’s like today. I drank a lot fewer premium teas and didn’t give much thought on teas from other cultures and the powerful meaning of the experiences tea can bring with it.
Over the past decade I’ve grown from a relative Tea Newbie into a Tea Hobbyist and now onto a Tea Enthusiast. My goal is to grow into a full fledged Tea Connoisseur.
While some may already consider me an expert, I have had the great pleasure of knowing many true tea aficionados such as John Harney and Mr James Norwood Pratt.
(cir 2010)
About My Process
When reviewing teas, I follow a process which helps to ensure a more objective review. By providing ratings for the Flavor, Aroma and Boldness (or strength) of a tea on separated zero to five (0-5) scales I break up the three most important aspects of each tea for the vast majority of tea drinkers, enthusiasts and purveyors.
In addition to how I rate each tea, I also make certain to avoid unintended skewing of results by cupping the teas multiple times, each separated by a minimum of seven days. This helps to avoid issues with mood or illness, both of which happen to factor into taste and smell to a fairly large degree.
As you can see, my process is fairly extensive and extremely unique among the tea blogging community.
FTC Disclaimer
The teas I review are almost universally donated to me for that purpose by the brand under review. This does not sway my decision on the tea and my more extensive reviewing process helps to ensure short-term bias is removed from the equation.
If you have concerns or questions on how a particular rating was obtained, feel free to ask by writing to chris@tea-guy.com. I am more than happy to explain my process and the conclusions on a specific decision.
Hi there!
I’ve just moved to Tokyo, Japan (from Australia)! My family’s suggested I get into the world of tea (and away from so much coffee, lol). Would you happen to have any advice or recommendations for Japanese tea or places to go for tea ceremonies?
Cheers,
Rich
Understand that everyone’s palate is different, so if you find yourself less than amenable to Japanese teas, that’s ok.
That said, there are hundreds of little family tea shops and cafes in Tokyo alone. But you have some unique opportunities to tour tea fields in the south toward Uji and Kagoshima and learn not only how the teas are made but how the variety of methods produce teas you may or may not like as much.
Send me an email or private message on Twitter and I’ll connect you with someone in Japan who can perhaps help more directly.