This post made me look up how my local small-town bulk tea shop labels its matcha (which I haven’t tried)— which only brought me to a pretty weak website devoid of any descriptions! They sell basically every variety of tea that I’ve heard of. When I visit, what should I ask them about their teas to understand what I’m buying, set my expectations, etc.?
Thanks for the comment! When I see local shops like this, I assume they are working with a wholesale distributor. That doesn’t mean the tea is bad per se, but it does mean they are a step removed from actually procuring the tea.
Best thing to do is ask where they get their tea from, how they choose it, who makes it, and so on. You’ll be able to tell quickly how knowledgeable they are about their products based on how they answer even those basic questions.
The is the most interesting thing I have read on substack. Thank you!
High praise, Jeff! Sorry I missed your comment. I don't seem to be getting notifications properly. Thanks for reading.
This post made me look up how my local small-town bulk tea shop labels its matcha (which I haven’t tried)— which only brought me to a pretty weak website devoid of any descriptions! They sell basically every variety of tea that I’ve heard of. When I visit, what should I ask them about their teas to understand what I’m buying, set my expectations, etc.?
Thanks for the comment! When I see local shops like this, I assume they are working with a wholesale distributor. That doesn’t mean the tea is bad per se, but it does mean they are a step removed from actually procuring the tea.
Best thing to do is ask where they get their tea from, how they choose it, who makes it, and so on. You’ll be able to tell quickly how knowledgeable they are about their products based on how they answer even those basic questions.
Alright, I’ll ask them and report my findings.
https://chafineteasoftruckee.com
It does make one scratch their head. If everyone's premium then no one is!
Easy to spend good money on bad tea if you're a tea beginner unsure of what to buy.