Latest
Tea Curious Original - Water Review
I was asked to submit the Original Recipe water review by a reader, should've had it out quite a bit sooner but let's just look at it this way: At least now I've got a ton of experience with it! I've been
2009 Bi Yun Hao (BYH) Xiaomannai
Context: Tea #5 (unofficially-officially calling it #5) from Sample Mountain (link below). Parameters: * Grams: ~3g * Vessel: 1960's 67ml Hongni teapot * Water: Tea Curious Original Droppers from RO/DI base Visuals: Sample so...idk really, but BYH and you can find picks online. Good quality. Dry Heat: The most
2004 South East Asia (SEA) Puerh Association Commemorative Cake, Nanqiao
Context: This is a tea that is well known right now among the community. It is pretty well received and very highly regarded. The first time I had this I hated it, it was far too strong. I have since done it more justice with great water, a lower ratio,
Trades on Trades on Trades - 'Sample Mountain' Series Kickoff
You know that feeling when you spend too much money on tea but you justify it cause you're buying a bunch of samples and learning a lot...and then you slow down a bit and start hammering things you know you like and start spending too much that
Bi Yun Hao (BYH) 2006 Manzhuan
Context: Sample Mountain again, Article coming soon Been really enjoying Bi Yun Hao (BYH), assuming this one will be up there too. Parameters: * Grams: ~5g * Vessel: 2000-2010's Modern Shantou Pigeon Spout Pot, 120ml * Water: Tea Curious Original Recipe Visuals: Sorry, no pics for this one. Just google a
Yuan Yuan Tang (YYT) 2013 Private Reserve
Context: Today we have a tea from Sample Mountain, see 'Trades, Trades, Trades' for more on that. Article coming soon I haven't had a particularly large volume of Yuan Yuan Tang (YYT), but what I've had I've enjoyed as daily drinker caliber
Tea Curious Autumn - Water Review
My server friend Qwasx, or 'qwaz', says this blog isn't really tea and clay but more just water and water. He's sort of right. But I am truly hoping and intending to get that remedied here very shortly. While it may seem silly, fanatic,
The Brita Battles - Filter? Or Foe? - Water Update 4
I drank 4 sessions of 2008 801 Dayi 8582 yesterday...here are the events of that day recounted through the lens of a Snoot, desperately trying to learn hydrology (probably the wrong term), apply an increasingly nebulous and woefully inefficient grasp of it to tea, and pray one day he
2003 Chen Yuan Hao (CYH) Manzhuan - Good Water
Context: This is the second tasting of this tea for the blog, off the back of this article here: 2003 Chen Yuan Hao Manzhuan - Wacky WaterThis article was written first, there is a second tasting entry I consider the more “true” entry with corrected water. Moving forward, tasting notes
Water Woes - Update 3; A Corner Turned?
OK! This one is gonna be pretty comprehensive, not massive, about 2,000 words. So, status update: * Been, what; a month and a half? * Bad tea the whole time, just sorta stopped drinking it. * Not just 'subpar', but genuinely not good in some cases. * Most recent tasting (03
2003 Chen Yuan Hao (CYH) Manzhuan - Wacky Water
This article was written first, there is a second tasting entry I consider the more "true" entry with corrected water. Moving forward, tasting notes will again be normal. Here is that article: 2003 Chen Yuan Hao Manzhuan - Good WaterContext: This is the second tasting of this tea
Tea...From Mount Olympus?!
That's right! All the way from Greece - which, I guess feels farther and more unique to me cause of what it is. Although, I suppose it really isn't farther than China and Taiwan from the traditions of the far east, but still. I suppose it
Newsletter
Red Snoot Writes - July 2025 Newsletter
Yang Qing Hao
2004 Yang Qing Hao (YQH) Dingji Yesheng
Context: This is a tea I know, but don't know. I have a cake, of which this session is from. I have had samples from various places. I didn't care much for this tea out of the lineup a mere 3-4 years ago, even 2...it
Tastings
How I Evaluate Teas / Tasting Note Breakdown
I think with any serious tea drinker that's reading tasting notes, they likely fall into one of the following buckets: 1. It's fun to read what friends think about a tea. 2. It's a reference point for how others think about evaluating tea. 3.
Water
The 8 TDS Difference - It's Huge For Tea, But Not Why You Think.
First, some brief housekeeping: * I am going to be doing testing with Saratoga bottled but in plastic cause I'm just not willing to spend on their price for glass. More to come on this. * I am also going to be testing a couple filters for tap water. More
Water
The Kettle Stone Situation
BIG DISCLAIMER: I procured fresh, never used Lizella clay kettle stones from the most recent firing of a batch of Lizella teapots. These were as fresh as fresh comes, and were only used for about 2.5 days. I am good friend's with Mark and he is a
Letters to the Tea Community
The Tea Community Needs More Love
The tea community needs more love - not just passion Passion is wonderful, magnetic, and good. Passion can also be misguided Having passion is...sadly rare; we should celebrate it when we see it. Yet, passion alone doesn't get us there. We can be immensely passionate but blind
Water
Oh Woe is Water
So there I am I'm sitting down on a Monday morning to have some CYH Zhiwang (2007), a "unicorn piss" tea as one member of the community calls it haha 😆. I prepare my 1960's hongni teapot, preheat the vessel, grab my leaf, and get
Yang Qing Hao
1980s Yang Qing Hao (YQH) Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong
Context: 10g sample, first session of two. While most brews are Empirical Water Glacial (link below), slightly heavier empirical water cross between glacial and spring was used for this tea. It was 40% spring per recipe, 60% filtered tap in this batch. After some feeling it out, the water is
Letters to the Tea Community
The Modern Tea Canon
My goodness would I just adore having a room like that. Those sorts of spaces feel almost...sacred. Havens, in a world of havoc. To be surrounded by endless books, a never ending fountain of knowledge to immerse myself in...a sort of, paradise, in a form. Perhaps one day
Letters to the Tea Community
Communi-tea
For several years, I enjoyed tea alone; drinking more-so to have some with my Bible reading time or opting for it instead of coffee. Eventually a few folks that also knew what a dragon pearl was came around, but I hadn't known for much longer than them. Then
Letters to the Tea Community
Opportuni-tea
⚓ From the Latin: "Coming toward a port." If you’re ready to dock somewhere with real access — not just to good tea, but to its stories, culture, memories, and knowledge... Without the fluff, the gatekeeping, or the snark... Then welcome. You’ve found the right port. I am