From the Beginning

I'm not really sure how I got interested in tea from the beginning. My first experience that I can remember with tea is from my grandmother who I called Me-Me. She was the sweetest lady I've ever known and used to drink Sleepytime tea at night which is basically an herbal concoction of chamomile, spearmint & lemongrass. Every time I drink herbal tea (usually peppermint) in the evenings I think of her.
I'm sure I've had other tea experiences over the years but the first real tea experience I had was strolling through the Pike Place Market one day and I saw an Asian tea shop off to the side which was conducting free tea tastings. Nothing could prepare me for what I was about to experience in that twenty minutes or so as I watched this nice girl gracefully pouring water from one cup to the next. Then she would turn cups over and dump the water out of other cups. It reminded me of watching a chemistry experiment. She did it so effortlessly though and I remember being amazed because I honestly didn't have a clue what was going on.  After a few minutes a cup the size of a toothpaste cap was put in front of me.  I almost chuckled at its size but didn't want to be rude and downed it like it was a shooter at a frat party. The tea tasted very strange to me.  Like nothing I had ever tasted before.  It was sweet, floral, grassy and had a butter-like texture to it. The tea I was informed was a type of Oolong which grows in China. It is perhaps the most famous Oolong tea in the world and they call it Tieguanyin which translates to Iron Goddess of Mercy. This particular variety is dubbed "Monkey Picked" which actually comes from an old legend in China that the best tea grew high in the mountains and was too dangerous for the monks to climb, so they trained monkeys to pick the tea. Now a days though it only refers to superior quality of the tea.
After I left the tea shop I felt a strange sense of peace and calmness that I had not experienced with other tea. I didn't feel jittery or excited like I do after a cup of coffee but I did feel alert and focused. Most of what I knew of tea at that time was it was black, came in a bag with a string and tasted bitter without cream or sugar. But this was very different. The leaves in the cup after steeping were full and bright green with stems and plant matter. And so my fascination with tea started.
Since then I've been researching online, mostly for places that sell tea but also reading articles and studying different varieties. I've bought tea from dozens of vendors both online and locally. I've read several books about the history of tea and its health benefits. In my journey I've come to several conclusions:

1. The United States with all of its technology, history and culture knows very little about this ancient and extremely popular beverage in comparison to the rest of the world. 
2. Tea has the power to help you lose weight, focus at work, fight cancer and lift your spirits.
3. The same tea from the same mountain will produce a different product year after year due to the changes in climate and atmosphere.  
4. I have a total and complete facination with tea that even I can't explain.

Based on these conclusions I've decided that I want to share what I've learned with those around me and also share some of the incredible and amazing teas I've come across in my journey. I'm starting my own tea company called Goat Tea which will feature "high mountain" teas from all over the world. Based on what I know about tea, tea thrives in an environment of high elevation and high humidity. The best teas I've ever tasted have been "high mountain". Many of them come from either China or Taiwan because that is where tea was born centuries ago. I will also carry other teas which have their own unique and delicious characteristics but I'm going to keep my selection small and simple for now.
Located in this blog I will keep a link to a spreadsheet which will list the tea's I have in stock and their pricing.
I'm also going to try to document those teas in this blog with pictures, recommended brewing instructions and what "tasting notes" I get from the tea.  Feel free to contact me directly with questions or if you have something special you are looking for and I will either get it in stock or direct you to someone I would recommend.
It is my hope that Goat Tea will enlighten you and open your eyes to new experiences and a healthy way of living through the enjoyment of perhaps the oldest beverage in existence.