Tea Blog

The great Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote about a mouse’s destroyed nest when he penned the famous line, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.” It is a sentiment that applies surprisingly well to tea drinking.

At least it does in my case.

No matter how carefully I plan, my efforts to maintain a reliable supply of quality tea often seem to go awry. Running out of good tea—or coming perilously close to it—has become something of a recurring challenge despite my best intentions.

The Blessing and Challenge of Free Tea

One of the unexpected benefits of writing about tea for many years is the occasional arrival of complimentary tea samples.

For any tea enthusiast, free tea is certainly a welcome perk. Yet it isn’t always the solution one might imagine.

Tea samples tend to arrive unpredictably. Sometimes several appear within a short period, while other times there are lengthy stretches with nothing new arriving at all.

There’s also the simple fact that not every tea sample aligns with personal tastes. A tea may be professionally crafted and well regarded yet still fail to become something you’d happily drink every day.

As a result, free tea often serves as a pleasant supplement rather than the foundation of a reliable tea-drinking strategy.

The Convenience of a Local Tea Source

For a time, I had found what seemed like the perfect solution.

A nearby upscale market carried several excellent teas from a respected tea company. Restocking required nothing more than a short drive and a quick stop at the store.

The arrangement worked beautifully. Between those dependable purchases and the occasional sample that arrived in the mail, my tea cupboard remained comfortably supplied.

Then one day I drove past the market and discovered a problem.

The store was gone.

Not closed. Not relocating.

Gone.

As in completely demolished.

The Challenges of Mail-Order Tea

With my local source eliminated, I turned increasingly to mail-order tea.

Ordering tea online offers access to an incredible variety of options, but it also introduces a new challenge: timing.

Tea purchases suddenly require planning.

You must estimate how quickly your tea supply is shrinking, anticipate future needs, place an order before running low, and then allow sufficient time for shipping and delivery.

In theory, this should be a straightforward process.

In practice, it often proves surprisingly difficult.

No matter how carefully I try to plan, there seems to be a recurring period between realizing I need tea and actually receiving it.

The Emergency Tea Reserve

Fortunately, most tea drinkers maintain something of an emergency reserve.

In my case, that reserve consists of teas that fall into the category of “perfectly acceptable but not especially exciting.”

These are the teas that remain untouched while favorite blends disappear first.

When supplies run low, however, they become unexpectedly valuable.

I’ve even found myself blending these so-so teas with better teas in an effort to stretch my remaining supply of favorites until a new shipment arrives.

The results vary.

Sometimes the blend is surprisingly successful. Other times it merely serves as a reminder that substitute tea is still substitute tea.

Better Than No Tea?

Conventional wisdom suggests that any tea is better than no tea at all.

Most days, I would agree.

A mediocre cup of tea still possesses many of the qualities that make tea enjoyable: warmth, comfort, routine, and familiarity.

Yet there are moments when you’re staring into the bottom of the tea tin and wondering whether a truly excellent cup might be worth waiting for.

Those are dangerous thoughts for a tea drinker.

Hope on the Horizon

There is, however, a reason for optimism.

The demolished market wasn’t removed permanently. The plan, apparently, was to rebuild it.

Whether tearing down a perfectly functional store only to reconstruct it in the same location represents an efficient use of time and resources is a discussion for another day.

The important point is that there’s a good chance the market will return.

With a little luck, it will also bring back the same quality tea selection that made it such a reliable source in the first place.

The Bottom Line

Tea enthusiasts often spend considerable time thinking about tea varieties, brewing techniques, and teaware. Yet one of the less glamorous aspects of tea drinking is simply keeping the cupboard stocked.

A reliable tea supply requires planning, patience, and occasionally a willingness to make do with less-than-perfect substitutes.

Still, the reward is worth the effort.

Because when that long-awaited shipment finally arrives—or when your favorite local tea source returns—there are few pleasures quite as satisfying as brewing a cup of truly great tea once again.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea commentary, reviews, and tea culture articles.

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