Tea Nerd: Featured (Inactive) Tea Blog

Today I want to do something a little odd and unusual, which is to feature a tea blog that is no longer active, and that has not had a single post since March of 2011. This blog is Tea Nerd, run by Brent Hughes. I haven't been in contact with Brent, so I have no idea what he's been up to, but I do know that this blog was most active before I started blogging about tea.



Incidentally, Brent Hughes was instrumental in setting up WikiCha, a tea wiki that is being administered by Brandon of Wrong Fu Cha, and a site that I would like to see grow and thrive.

Why am I featuring an inactive blog?

There are two answers to this question. One is that I obviously like the blog, and I think it might be interesting for people to read, and I want to recognize Brent for his contributions through this blog. But the second question is deeper.

People often think of blogs as a time-sensitive phenomenon, like a newspaper, something about the here and now. But many blogs are surprisingly timeless. Most blogs tell a story, and stories are usually interesting to read regardless of whether they're happening in real time, or happened years ago. A lot of blogs also have posts about topics that are timeless. I find this is especially true if you read through this blog.

What I like about this blog?

• I like the way the reviews are written. I get the sense from reading the blog that Brent knows a lot about tea and that I can trust his perception. It's funny, because, when reading old blog posts or browsing inactive blogs, reviews are usually the last things I look for, but I like the style in which the reviews are written. There's quite a lot of detail, and for some reason, I feel like I can relate to the way in which the reviews are written.
• Little random things, like how Brent names his houseplants (incidentally, I also have a jade plant), and writes about it in his blog when he slows down posting, rather than just disappearing without notice. I also like his writings about mindfulness, with an interesting and relevant John Cage quote.
• Brent also seems to enjoy trying teas from different regions. I particularly liked his review of Hawaiian tea from Onomea Tea Company.

If you enjoy perusing inactive blogs like me, you might want to take a peek at this one. And who knows, Brent may post again at some point!