This blog post is inspired by a photographer friend who has been steeping an Irish Breakfast tea bag. There are tea bags, and then there are tea bags. Not to knock them, I grew up drinking Red Rose and loved to collect the figurines they used to have based on the nursery rhymes. The truth is most commercial bags are not even floor sweepings, as the saying goes. You will always get better results from a premium loose leaf tea, and for convenience you can always buy empty tea sacs and make your own bags. There are other alternatives and it all depends on you and your energy levels. Do explore metal tea balls, "coffee presses" a la Bodem, and many other options if you really want to enjoy a great cup of tea. When we were visiting China to explore the White Teas we would sample tea with the tea growers by just adding hot water into a glass with tea leaves. I do sell a high mountain Oolong Tea in tea bag form. The difference is the size of the leaf chunks as well as the quality. We had bought the broken tea leaves from one of the tea farmers we buy from.  Anyways, all of this to say that not any old bag will do - but that's my opinion. Get loose with your teas!

I think it is extremely important to get fresh with your tea. Really fresh. You'll be surprised at the results. Tea was never meant to celebrate birthdays or anniversaries. That is why fresh tea is so important. So many tea companies buy large quantities of tea from tea brokers, who in turn buy it from tea farmers. In the end, you don't know how old your tea is - how many birthdays it has had. Once these teas are bought by tea shops they stay in their containers or packaging until they are sold.  If you haven't developed your pallet or experienced fresh teas, then chances are you don't know the difference. But, once you've experienced fresh teas then you'll taste and know the difference. I hope to provide you with this experience. Drink from the source: Live Like Water. P.s. this is a picture of this seasons Korean Green tea (3rd pick/flush)