A fistful of tea

[Perd Hapley]

Or, the tao tea of fistful.

A few months ago, I decided to drink tea in the mornings, rather than coffee. I like a straight black tea, without any other flavors, and in the past I preferred the standard Lipton for my hot tea. Twining's English breakfast, to me, tastes about the same; maybe a bit better. I tried Irish breakfast at first, but it's too strong to drink straight. (And shouldn't "Irish breakfast" be a euphemism for whiskey?  )

I haven't done a price comparison, but I'm guessing it will be a ton cheaper to buy big boxes of Lipton tea bags, as opposed to the dainty boxes of English breakfast tea bags that are available. Or is there a more economical way to buy the fancy tea? 

What brands do you all like?

[AJ Dual]

I like green. Salada brand is better tasting than Lipton, at least to me.

What I'm really trying to find is some good Machta Japanese green tea at a decent price. They served big mugs of iced Machta at Teppan Edo, the Japanese hibachi steakhouse restaurant at Disney EPCOT.

Granted we'd hoofed it all the way there, to the furthest away spot in the park from the entrance for dinner our first day there, so that might have something to do with it.

[SADShooter]

I like Taylors of Harrogate loose teas, Yorkshire Gold and Scottish breakfast in particular. I buy in bulk from Amazon. Cheap is relative, but I enjoy it more.

[ArfinGreebly]

Prefer the British brands mostly, even though, technically, Sir Thomas Lipton would have been a Brit.

Twinings, Tetley, Typhoo (though I don't see it much), Lyons (not seen here at all), PG Tips (also not seen here).

I generally brew one bag per pot.

I used to be a big Earl Grey fan, but any more I'm preferring the plain black teas, with my current favorite being Darjeeling.

I like green teas and Jasmine tea, and an occasional white tea (although some of those are kinda "meh") and a good Oolong now and then.

My current "staple" is 100-count boxes of Tetley bags.  They are stringless/tagless, so after they've been in the pot for the desired brewing time I have to fish them out with a spoon.

I drink my black teas with a spot of cream (half & half) or alternatively milk, excepting occasionally Darjeeling, which I'll drink straight.  I drink all green teas, white teas, Jasmine, and Oolong teas straight.


For what it's worth, I seldom drink coffee at home, normally brewing a pot if my daughter wants one for some early morning doings.  Away from the house it's hard to get a decent cup of tea, so I usually settle for coffee of some sort, with cream.

Given my druthers, I take tea (properly brewed) over coffee.

[vaskidmark]

Lapsang souchong for me.  Straight most oif the time, but for a treat I'll add a dollop of blended (no predominant flavor/taste) honey.

I do not know why more folks do not drink it.  But then again I do not know why more folks prefer bourbon instead of Scotch whisky.

stay safe.

[Hawkmoon]

I keep a box of supermarket store brand, generic tea bags in my desk at work but at home I prefer English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Irish Breakfast, or (for a change-up) Constant Comment. A great many years ago I read an article by an Englishman about why Americans don't have good tea. According to the author, tea should be steeped in boiling water for not more than thirty seconds. Tea is not supposed to be black and opaque. "Tea" is not a liquid of itself -- it is just supposed to just add some flavor to water.

An ancillary (but important) side benefit of shortened steeping time is that the amount on tannins released into the tea are significantly reduced. This is why you should never try to be "economical" and use the same teabag to make a second cuppa. The second use brings all of the nasties out of the tea and into your cup.

[mtnbkr]

Arfin, you can get PG Tips in the US.

I brought a big box back from the UK, since I had never seen it domestically, but ran across it in one of our local stores a few weeks later.

I like the various "xxx Breakfast Teas" myself.  I tend to brew them strong and them put a splash of milk or cream in them.  I'm also a fan of Earl Grey.

I've tried a fairly wide variety of teas and tend to like most of them straight or with a bit of milk/cream, but I still keep coming back to black coffee without sugar for my standard morning drink.

Chris

[Perd Hapley]

A great many years ago I read an article by an Englishman about why Americans don't have good tea. According to the author, tea should be steeped in boiling water for not more than thirty seconds.

I usually leave mine in a little longer than 30 seconds, but yes, very important tip to get the bag out of there early.

I've also read that they use the better leaf for the loose tea, and the bagged tea is made from inferior stuff. And bagged is much more common in America, so...

[mtnbkr]

I usually leave mine in a little longer than 30 seconds, but yes, very important tip to get the bag out of there early.

What I witnessed in the UK was leaving the teabags in much longer than 30 seconds.  I saw no difference i how they treated their tea compared to those in the US.

I've also read that they use the better leaf for the loose tea, and the bagged tea is made from inferior stuff. And bagged is much more common in America, so...

It's pretty common over there as well. 

I wonder if the comments about UK "tea culture" are not universal, but more related to "serious" tea drinkers and not the average consumer, there or here.

Chris

[cosine]

I buy loose tea here: http://www.harney.com/

The Scottish Morn blend is pretty good. I use the medium size brewing basket right in my cup to steep the tea.

[Doggy Daddy]

Gold Peak Diet.

If I can't find that, I'll get the Gold Peak sugarless and add my own Splenda.  Drink it as cold as I can get it.  Sometimes, even iced.


 

[Perd Hapley]

Thanks for the suggestions. I scouted a couple of stores today, and found a few good options. I told the folks at Whole Foods that I was looking for a sampler/variety pack type thing, because I wanted to try some Darjeeling and some Oolong, but didn't want a whole box of each. They sold me a box of Oolong, and threw in the Darjeeling for free.

Also, can anyone recommend the Trader Joe's store brand?


Also, also, additionally, one of our local supermarket chains carries PG Tips. [Kevin Malone] I'll try it. [/KM]

[zahc]

I buy the big boxen of Lipton tea bags ($2.95/100). I boil 1 cup of water, drop the bag in, then fish it out aome time later and drink. Dark is good; bitter tastes do not bother me and coffe is basically a coffee substitute for me.

[Doggy Daddy]

coffe is basically a coffee substitute for me.

You're pretty direct, aincha?   

[Perd Hapley]

I buy the big boxen of Lipton tea bags ($2.95/100). I boil 1 cup of water, drop the bag in, then fish it out aome time later and drink. Dark is good; bitter tastes do not bother me and coffe is basically a coffee substitute for me.

So coffe is like coffee but cheaper? Or fewer calories?   

[Northwoods]

I pretty much only drink tea.  Coffee only if I'm desperate for caffeine.  When it comes to bag tea about all I can stand is Earl Grey.  Not real picky on brand, but Tazo and Stash are the most coomon ones I'll buy. 

I VASTLY prefer loose leaf teas and quite enjoy lots of types - Darjeeling, Assam, Oolong, Dragonwell, Pinhead Gunpowder, Russian Caravan, etc.

I usually buy my loose leaf teas from www.kobos.com

[zahc]

coffe is basically a coffee substitute for me.

This is why I should never post from my phone.

coffe=tea

[Doggy Daddy]

coffe=tea

That wouldn't really be a substitute.  More like an equivalent.

[De Selby]

So coffe is like coffee but cheaper? Or fewer calories?   

Same amount of consonants, no difference.

Full leaf teas can have incredible flavour but they are a hassle compared to machine made coffee or tea bags.

[coppertales]

I like Chinese gunpowder tea.  I can get it with ginsing in it also from Central Market in the DFW area.  The regular gunpowder tea I get at a local Vietnamese market.  A big box is just a few bucks.  I like jasmine green tea also, purchased at the afore mentioned store.  I like black tea for my iced tea though.....chris3

[SADShooter]

Same amount of consonants, no difference.

Full leaf teas can have incredible flavour but they are a hassle compared to machine made coffee or tea bags.

 

Leaf Tea-
Measure
Boil
Steep
Pour

Coffee-
Measure
Grind*
Boil/Fill
Brew
Pour

Bag Tea-
(Omit Measuring)
Boil
Steep
Pour

*Optional

[Scout26]

My son is selling [/tt]]these (along with their coffees and Hot Chocolates.   If anyone is interested let me know.  It can be drop shipped direct to you. 

[De Selby]

SAD, it leaves you with a bunch of wet leaves floating in a pot. 

[ArfinGreebly]

Regarding sweetening:

I don't use sugar in tea, not since [mumble] years ago.

I will very occasionally take a drop of honey, just because.

However, some years ago I had brewed a particularly "strong" -- to the point of not-quite-bitter -- pot of tea, and wanted something to take the edge off.  We were out of honey (no idea how that happened), and I won't use sugar, so I looked around for alternatives.  My eyes strayed across a jug of "Dad's juice mix" in the fridge.  "Dad's juice mix" is a blend of grape and apple juice, mixed 1 grape to 2 apple (called "grapple" in my house), and it's a sorta-sweet and refreshing cold concoction.  So, hmmm, thought I, maybe that would help.

Turns out that, with a little help from the microwave, I learned that two-thirds tea and one-third juice blend, nuked to piping hot, is a refreshing hot concoction, and it's become a staple of mine ever since.  I typically keep a thermal travel mug around that is only used for tea, and I can nuke a tea/juice blend on the way out the door for work, and sip that for most of the ride.  Tasty.

Hot juice by itself?  A little too sweet unless tempered with cinnamon.

Hot juice + tea?  Nice.