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[nicoga3000]

Alright, let's brew this thing.

I cover this a little bit in the OP. I've used the Adagio utilitea for over 7 years now (no, really, I checked: I ordered in on January 23rd 2009) and it has always worked perfectly and given me absolutely no problems.

Having said that, between the two, I would spring for the varieTEA, with precise temperature control. While it's possible to get consistent and accurate temperatures with the utilitea, this will be an appliance you keep for years, so spring for the one with the most options.

This is also covered in the OP:

It's funny that the OP was written nearly 4 years ago and Teavana has even been bought by Starbucks since but they still haven't gotten their act together in regards to their literature.

I'd recommend following my guide up there, obviously. For blends that feature more than one type of tea, follow the tea that requires the colder temperature/shorter time first and increase both if necessary.

A lot of factors could contribute, including things as devious as them intentionally adding colorants to make the drink more attractive. Pure speculation on my part, of course.

If it tastes the same as when you brew it yourself, then I wouldn't worry too much about the appearance. If not, consider using more tea than they recommend and brewing for longer.

Add the sugar while the drink is hot. I feel like it takes forever for the rock sugar to dissolve in hot liquid let alone cold.

I'd also suggest moving over to sweeteners that are easier to dissolve and more consistent anyway, like honey, agave nectar, raw sugar, or even regular cane sugar.

As for preparation, also from the OP:

Adagio is decent quality and good for people coming off of Teavana, I'd say. There is better quality out there and I have a few suggested retailers in the OP as well, but Adagio offers a fairly wide selection as reasonable prices.

Matcha is a type of Japanese green tea that is literally ground-up tea leaves. It is traditionally prepared using hot water and a special device called a matcha whisk that actually creates a suspension of tea leaves in the water.

Hope that helps! Feel free to ask any more questions.

Thanks for all of this. I had read the OP already, but I guess I wanted some help on some of my specifics to make sure I was approaching things the right way! Some followup!

1) Teavana definitely doesn't make life easy when it comes to brewing. I mean hell - their website says one thing and the label says another. I will make a point to keep that chart nearby. Teavana does this thing where they suggest different steep times (and sometimes temps) for flavored vs unflavored? They also increase steep time for iced teas sometimes. I'm gong to just go the route of "follow the guidelines in the OP" since I'm more comfortable with that.

2) On sweeteners...I prefer my rock sugar for the sole reason that I don't like the taste that other sweetening agents impart on my tea. The rock sugar does take a bit to dissolve, but I don't really mind. When I'm drinking hot tea, I put a few rocks in, stir, and just let them dissolve as I drink. It's worked out well for me. Sweetening iced tea is the biggest hiccup in my plan. What I was doing before was 4 tsp tea + 8 oz water, filtering into a glass with sugar, dissolving sugar, add ice, stir. That seemed to work OK. But again - I wasn't sure if that's the "best" way (super subjective).

3) I'll be picking up the varieTEA because I want control over my temps and I don't want to have to sit there with a thermometer. That takes the enjoyment out of it all for me.

4) Let's go back to matcha. I'm fascinated by it. I'd like to try it. Does anyone make matcha at home?

 

[3phemeral]

anybody drink sencha shot?

I actually just tried this today and it's like a mix between loose leef green tea, a vague matcha powder green tea, and possibly algae. It was kind of room temperature, so it didn't taste good at all but I prefer these types of strong-flavor teas ice cold anyway.

 

[Quixzlizx]

I've always been a tea person rather than a coffee person, but I'm starting to get more into it lately. I've started using a Bonavita electric kettle that is pretty easy to use. I have some questions before I start splurging "big" money, though.

If I'm a big fan of Teavana's Dragon Pearl Jasmine and Chinese Silver Needle (I received them as gifts), is my head going to explode from the Harney & Sons versions?

Since this tea is relatively expensive, how long does a 1lb bag last before the scent/flavor starts to degrade?

Can I steep the same batch of leaves twice as long as I remove it from the water when I'm supposed to instead of just letting it sit in there?

Are there similar varieties of tea I might want to try considering I really enjoy the two I mentioned?

 

[davidwhangchoi]

I actually just tried this today and it's like a mix between loose leef green tea, a vague matcha powder green tea, and possibly algae. It was kind of room temperature, so it didn't taste good at all but I prefer these types of strong-flavor teas ice cold anyway.

i picked up a case seeing it real cheap on amazon through slickdeals during the holidays.

it's bland but i noticed that if i drink this i end up skipping meals. something in it kills my hunger. i lost weight downing just 1 or 2 a day for a week.

but for full price not worth it imo

 

[gamz]

Question for someone that wants to buy a french press. Does it boil the water or do you have to add the water boiled?

 

[Aquavelvaman]

A French press is just a cup with a filter on the top. You press the filter down so that the liquid that you pour out doesn't have any debris in it.

So no, it doesn't boil water.

 

[gamz]

A French press is just a cup with a filter on the top. You press the filter down so that the liquid that you pour out doesn't have any debris in it.

So no, it doesn't boil water.

What is the best way to make loose tea? With a press or something else? Thanks guys I'm a total noob that loves tea, and I want to take it to the next level.

 

[evilpigking]

anyone have suggestions for decently priced jasmine black tea? I used to buy the 500g impra loose leaf boxes but can't find them anymore so looking for an alternative.

What is the best way to make loose tea? With a press or something else? Thanks guys I'm a total noob that loves tea, and I want to take it to the next level.

Depends what resources you have. Normally I'd boil water than have loose leaf in a kettle with a strainer cup but if all you have is a french press cup like I do at school I boil water than make it in the french press. If you leave the press up while steeping it can get some good movement then just press it down when you want to drink.

Alt. you can try fill your own tea bags/strainer ball things but those wont allow as much flow through and around the leaves as letting them float wild.

 

[Strobli]

What is the best way to make loose tea? With a press or something else? Thanks guys I'm a total noob that loves tea, and I want to take it to the next level.

I use one of these to steep my tea, but there are lots of different options. In general if you want the most out of your tea, you just need to make sure that the steeper is big enough to allow the tea leaves some room to expand. This means using something like my tea basket or a press as opposed to a tea ball. As far as I know, the French press hype comes from it being easier to clean!

 

[Elle_]

What is the best way to make loose tea? With a press or something else? Thanks guys I'm a total noob that loves tea, and I want to take it to the next level.

I'm a nooblet probably just a few weeks ahead of you in my tea adventures, and I'm using the T-fal kettle and the IngenuiTEA teapot. Simple and easy to use. Couldn't be happier.

My first loose-leaf teas are from Adagio. I'll be branching out soon but sure do love Adagio's fandom blends. The tea is nice and the tins are adorable. I mean look at this Star Wars set!

 

[3phemeral]

I'm a nooblet probably just a few weeks ahead of you in my tea adventures, and I'm using the T-fal kettle and the IngenuiTEA teapot. Simple and easy to use. Couldn't be happier.

My first loose-leaf teas are from Adagio. I'll be branching out soon but sure do love Adagio's fandom blends. The tea is nice and the tins are adorable. I mean look at this Star Wars set!

I love the IngenuiTEA pot. Just wish it were easier to clean but when I have friends over, they always think it's cool. I picked up a handful of these because they were on clearance at Meijer for like 2 bucks each. lol

 

[morningbus]

I always see the thread on my phone, read it, then say I'll respond when I'm at a computer later and never do. So sorry for any lateness here.

1) Teavana definitely doesn't make life easy when it comes to brewing. I mean hell - their website says one thing and the label says another. I will make a point to keep that chart nearby. Teavana does this thing where they suggest different steep times (and sometimes temps) for flavored vs unflavored? They also increase steep time for iced teas sometimes. I'm gong to just go the route of "follow the guidelines in the OP" since I'm more comfortable with that.

Yeah, I don't want to pile too much hate on to Teavana, but there is a lot I don't like about their business. Especially because they are a lot of people's introduction to higher-end tea.

If you have one near you, definitely check out David's Tea.

2) On sweeteners...I prefer my rock sugar for the sole reason that I don't like the taste that other sweetening agents impart on my tea. The rock sugar does take a bit to dissolve, but I don't really mind. When I'm drinking hot tea, I put a few rocks in, stir, and just let them dissolve as I drink. It's worked out well for me. Sweetening iced tea is the biggest hiccup in my plan. What I was doing before was 4 tsp tea + 8 oz water, filtering into a glass with sugar, dissolving sugar, add ice, stir. That seemed to work OK. But again - I wasn't sure if that's the "best" way (super subjective).

Definitely stick with what works for you, but I would still recommend checking out raw sugar and agave nectar. Raw sugar because, honestly, I doubt you'll find a significant difference between it and the rock sugar (and it's a lot cheaper and more consistent). Agave nectar because it is relatively flavor-neutral and is one of the few sweeteners that dissolves easily in cold water.

3) I'll be picking up the varieTEA because I want control over my temps and I don't want to have to sit there with a thermometer. That takes the enjoyment out of it all for me.

Yeah, as a person who considers himself somewhat thrifty, I stress over price differences even smaller than those two kettles. But you'll have this appliance for a long time and you shouldn't skimp here.

4) Let's go back to matcha. I'm fascinated by it. I'd like to try it. Does anyone make matcha at home?

I've made it myself before, but there is a lot of artistry to it. The biggest hurdle is the fact that it requires special tools (most kits come with a matcha scoop for portioning and a whisk for emulsifying and start around $20 or so). I'd suggest seeing if there is a Japanese place near you that makes matcha and trying some out there first before investing in anything.

I've always been a tea person rather than a coffee person, but I'm starting to get more into it lately. I've started using a Bonavita electric kettle that is pretty easy to use. I have some questions before I start splurging "big" money, though.

If I'm a big fan of Teavana's Dragon Pearl Jasmine and Chinese Silver Needle (I received them as gifts), is my head going to explode from the Harney & Sons versions?

Since this tea is relatively expensive, how long does a 1lb bag last before the scent/flavor starts to degrade?

Can I steep the same batch of leaves twice as long as I remove it from the water when I'm supposed to instead of just letting it sit in there?

Are there similar varieties of tea I might want to try considering I really enjoy the two I mentioned?

Definitely try other brands of teas you like at other places. Teavana has a pretty big markup on their stuff and the two teas you mentioned aren't proprietary in any way (i.e. use specific flavoring agents or are blended with other teas and ingredients).

If you invest in proper, air-tight storage, your tea should last at least 6 months without any real degradation. And, honestly, you'd probably struggle to find anything wrong with tea that's been properly stored for a year. One tip I'd give here is that you should have at least two containers; one, large container for the bulk of your tea and a second, smaller container you keep out that gets opened frequently.

Yes, so long as the tea leaves aren't sitting in a pool of water, you can get two, three, and sometimes even four brews out of it. It does depend on the tea, though, so it'll require a little experimenting.

Based off those teas, I'd suggest trying some oolongs. Look for an oolong that has the word "milky" in it, if possible.

 

[gamz]

I'm a nooblet probably just a few weeks ahead of you in my tea adventures, and I'm using the T-fal kettle and the IngenuiTEA teapot. Simple and easy to use. Couldn't be happier.

My first loose-leaf teas are from Adagio. I'll be branching out soon but sure do love Adagio's fandom blends. The tea is nice and the tins are adorable. I mean look at this Star Wars set!

Dammit! I was going to buy the T-fal yesterday because amazon had a flash deal for 21 bucks. I wish I would have saw your post earlier. Anyway this seems like the one I'm going for.

 

[cobell]

I've been using this tea infuser/steeper, and I'm pretty happy with it. It's fairly easy to clean as well and doesn't have the parts that seem to fail in some of those sit on top of cup models.

I've definitely been liking the switch to loose leaf for it.

 

[Quixzlizx]

Definitely try other brands of teas you like at other places. Teavana has a pretty big markup on their stuff and the two teas you mentioned aren't proprietary in any way (i.e. use specific flavoring agents or are blended with other teas and ingredients).

If you invest in proper, air-tight storage, your tea should last at least 6 months without any real degradation. And, honestly, you'd probably struggle to find anything wrong with tea that's been properly stored for a year. One tip I'd give here is that you should have at least two containers; one, large container for the bulk of your tea and a second, smaller container you keep out that gets opened frequently.

Yes, so long as the tea leaves aren't sitting in a pool of water, you can get two, three, and sometimes even four brews out of it. It does depend on the tea, though, so it'll require a little experimenting.

Based off those teas, I'd suggest trying some oolongs. Look for an oolong that has the word "milky" in it, if possible.

Thanks for the answers. I think I'm going to go for it and order some tea from Harney & Sons. They don't seem to have any milky oolongs, but Republic of Tea has a reasonably priced one that I think I'll also try out.

 

[Elle_]

Dammit! I was going to buy the T-fal yesterday because amazon had a flash deal for 21 bucks. I wish I would have saw your post earlier. Anyway this seems like the one I'm going for.

I paid the regular Amazon price ($31 at the time) and it's still worth it--far cheaper than most of the other variable temp kettles. Can't say how it'll do over time but it's good for now.

One thing about the variable temp on the T-fal... don't believe the little card that says to brew white on low, green in the middle, and black on high. I checked with a thermometer--low is 180° F and the middle mark is the same as high at 212°. Not sure if it's just my kettle, but there are a few reviews that say the same thing.

 

[Aquavelvaman]

I thought maybe people in this thread would be interested in this. I went to a large green tea field last spring. The smell is amazing. Here are some of my pictures:

 

[PipefishUK]

What the hell is all this? As a Brit (aren't we supposed to be known for drinking tea?) It's tea bag (snigger), boiling water, milk. Sugar optional...


I'm not even sure what type of tea our regular tea in regular tea bags is. Anyone know?

No offence meant mind - I'm just kind of amazed at all this detail. We totally take it for granted here. It's just not something you think about. You just buy non-specific tea in tea bags and drink it here.

 

[hugocésar]

That's beautiful. Great pictures!

 

[phantomspiker]

I thought maybe people in this thread would be interested in this. I went to a large green tea field last spring. The smell is amazing. Here are some of my pictures:

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

 

[Union Carbine]

Awesome pictures!

What the hell is all this? As a Brit (aren't we supposed to be known for drinking tea?) It's tea bag (snigger), boiling water, milk. Sugar optional...


I'm not even sure what type of tea our regular tea in regular tea bags is. Anyone know?

No offence meant mind - I'm just kind of amazed at all this detail. We totally take it for granted here. It's just not something you think about. You just buy non-specific tea in tea bags and drink it here.

English Breakfast (probably) or Earl Grey?

 

[Jasup]

Beautiful pictures.

This is my first post on this thread, so hello everybody.
I ade a gradual transition from coffee drinker to almost exclusive tea drinker over few years between 2011-2015 or so.

I started the transition with the usual tea-bags you get from the supermarket, the kind of tea I used to drink when I was a child, but started to get more serious after I visited a small local tea importer with my brother.

So this is basically what I drink today:

Top row: teapot, Chinese White Hair green tea (no not white), Nepalese TGFOP by Maloom (second flush) black tea, Vietnamese 4 seasons Oolong, Twining Earl Grey (the classic)
Bottom row: A cup of tea, Forsman jasmine tea (supermarket blend), Morrocan grean tea/mint blend, first flush Darjeeling from Sourenee estate, more Nepalese TGFOP and Green earl grey by Forsman

The importer is a 15min bike ride away, and have really been influential with my journey into tea. It's quite another experience from browsing through the internet and seeing and smelling the stuff.

Anyway, hello there.

 

[Skittles]

What's some of the best tea for someone who likes it sweet(naturally)/flavored?

 

[3phemeral]

What's some of the best tea for someone who likes it sweet(naturally)/flavored?

Naturally flavored like how? Most teas I've had don't have much sweetness to them, though many have subtle flavors. If you want something that can be flavored using things like honey, you can't go wrong with flower teas like Chrysanthemum or Rose Petal tea. Peach and Mango teas also work well with honey, but I'd avoid any fruit-flavored green tea. I love Rose because it retains a very floral quality to it; aromatic without being perfume-esque. It's very soothing.

Matcha powder can also have a mild sweetness to it but I really only recommend this for people who've become accustomed to drinking tea without any sweeteners added.

 

[Lightning Count]

Over the last 2 years, I have become fond of Roiboos tea, I prefer to normal tea now.

 

[upandaway]

Over the last 2 years, I have become fond of Roiboos tea, I prefer to normal tea now.

I'm all about rooibos, it's so nice. Especially in the winter it fits perfectly, it goes so well with cinnamon or chamomile.

Though I also got a pu-erh block a couple months ago and it's really nice too. But rooibos is the best.

 

[Kinokou]

Hello everyone! I have been waiting fro this thread to pop up as I have a tiny dilemma:

I'm considering if I should start trying to drink matcha every morning, but I don't know if I'm ready to make the commitment as the price tag seems like it will drain my wallet dry. So I guess what I want to ask, is it as magical as it sounds like? Will it wake me up, keep me energized and focused? I keep thinking it is the magic cure for all my procrastination problems. Somehow it ended up on a pidestall and I crave it. Will I get disappointed? Sell me on it please, or shoot my delusions down, whichever you can genuinely get behind.

 

[ColdPizza]

Been thinking about drinking less coffee at work and drinking more tea...

I'd like to just get a mug and some device to put in some loose tea leaves for steeping. Where should I begin looking?

Basically my shopping choices are either Teavana or Amazon for the devices itself...can anyone help me with a recommendation?

 

[wild wild rice]

Been thinking about drinking less coffee at work and drinking more tea...

I'd like to just get a mug and some device to put in some loose tea leaves for steeping. Where should I begin looking?

Basically my shopping choices are either Teavana or Amazon for the devices itself...can anyone help me with a recommendation?

All you need is a tea diffuser.

I keep something like this in my office: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NW58G9W/?tag=neogaf0e-20

It washes easily and sits in a drawer with my tea.

 

[ColdPizza]

All you need is a tea diffuser.

I keep something like this in my office: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NW58G9W/?tag=neogaf0e-20

It washes easily and sits in a drawer with my tea.

Cool, thank you! Barrier to entry into making my own tea seems low!

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

We've been on a lot of tea lately. I'm loving a nice English Breakfast with cream and sugar. Also have some Kenyan that is close to English breakfast but has a smokier flavor.

Any brand of earl grey or English breakfast I should look for? Anything else I should add to it? We've been getting loose leaf from a shop in Des Moines called Gong Fu Teas.

Also my Dad goes to China for work a lot so I have like 3 tins of green loose leaf.

 

[Russ T]

I don't know anything about tea. I'd like to get into it as an alternative to coffee in the morning. I really like a hot drink in the morning. Hopefully I can also make this transition while dropping the gallons of sugary substance that comes with my "coffee".

I've had a lot of tea throughout my life, but it's always just something that comes as part of a meal or is given to me by someone else. Hot black and green tea when I was in Japan. Iced tea some friends made (usually Southern style, so very sweet). Stuff like that.

I've tried various teas recently, but without really paying attention. I liked some fruity teas, and disliked others. I bought some Earl Grey on a whim. I haven't tried it yet. I also bought chamomile tea at the same time. I really didn't like that. The brand was Bigelow, tea bags. As if I'd even know how to make loose leaf tea!

But the absolute best tea I had was from this tea shop in South Korea called, I think "Old Tea Shop". There were little birds flying around inside the shop. It was a good atmosphere. Anyway, I can't read Korean, but the English menu called it a generic "hot cinnamon tea". I loved this tea. I want it in my every day life. It was so delicious. But "hot cinnamon tea" is such a vague description. No one I've talked to has ever been able to help me. But this is THE TEA OH TEA. Maybe someone here can? D:

 

[Skittles]

How long can i leave tea leaves at the bottom of the french press? Can I leave them over night(very little to no water at the bottom of course) or do I immediately clean after i'm done brewing for the day?

 

[3phemeral]

How long can i leave tea leaves at the bottom of the french press? Can I leave them over night(very little to no water at the bottom of course) or do I immediately clean after i'm done brewing for the day?

You'd probably want to clean them. I've had chrysanthemum petals develop a thin mold in about that time, same with coffee and some bagged teas. If you're planning on doing that, you might want to refrigerate it. Also, if it starts to dry out, it can adhere to some of the components and be harder to clean unless you soak it for a bit.

 

[NEO0MJ]

So, does anyone here have any experience spicing up their tea? I've been messing around with this but I feel I need a few pointers.

 

[MrDaravon]

Alright, looking to get my feet wet with tea. Due to having access to the stuff I've become a fairly heavy coffee/latte drinker (just straight espresso or coffee concentrate + 2% milk). I'm not looking to completely give up coffee or anything, but I want to cut down on it as well as lower my overall caffeine and sugar (from the milk) consumption. Thinking maybe doing one latte/coffee in the morning (or two if I'm desperate), then after that doing tea. The tea having or not having caffeine isn't a dealbreaker, but I am thinking about maybe trying to go with one with caffeine earlier in the day then a lower/caffeine-free one in the evening.

I'm also trying to hopefully find something I like where I don't have to put in a bunch of milk/sugar/honey or whatever; I have a similar problem that someone earlier in the thread had where virtually every tea I've ever had I either liked the smell of it but then it didn't taste good or very weak, but just outright didn't like it at all. Throw enough milk/sugar or whatever and there and it's fine, but I don't want to do that and that doesn't help me with cutting back on that stuff from my coffee. In particular most teas I have happened to have up until now have a very flower or perfume smell to them which I don't really care for. The only tea I've probably liked is Chai lattes from Starbucks (where I work now actually), but the chai concentrate we use for those has a TON of sugar. I'm totally fine with adding a bit of milk or sweetener but I don't want to have to dump stuff in.

Before I invest big in ordering stuff online and getting loose leaf and hardware and all that I want to try to figure out a baseline for what I like or might like. I picked up a box of Twinings Black Tea sampler (IIRC it's Earl Gray, Lady Gray, English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast) as well as a box of their vanilla, chamomile & honey herbal tea. I've tried 3 of the 4 black teas with a bit of 2% milk as well as with and without sugar and they're not bad, but maybe a bit stronger or more bitter than I'm looking for. I still plan on finishing the box and toying a bit with steep times and milk proportions and whatnot, it's not bad but not sure it's quite what I'm looking for. The vanilla herbal tea is..interesting, it's not bad, tried it with and without a bit of sugar, not sure how I feel about it; don't dislike it but not sure I'd go with it again. Haven't tried it with milk just because it doesn't seem like it would work well with that. I intend to try at least one or more two different kinds, I recall not liking green tea but it's been ages since I've last had it, but I'll pick up some of that and at least one other kind.

I actually read through this whole thread tonight, based on the above I'm thinking maybe roobios would be the way to go for me, at least maybe for the nighttime tea? In the thread I saw people specifically recommend Matevana (sp) as a good coffee alternative, and throughout the thread I saw people recommending a lot of flavored teas like Bourbon Street Vanilla, Almond Cookie, Toasted Marshmallow and all kinds of stuff that I think at least some of were roobios and that stuff all sounded potentially great. I think Chai might also be a roobios? I could always try just brewing the Chai instead of going the concentrate route which would eliminate all of the added sugar from the concentrate (I think?). Also thinking maybe a milder/smoother black tea might go over a bit better for me, saw some specific recommendations for Golden Monkey in that regard?

As mentioned I work at Starbucks and I'm going to start sampling all of the tea bags we sell individually behind the counter (Tazo) and I'll try a London Fog in the morning which I know we serve but have never had someone actually order. So that'll give me some input as well, but looking for any suggestions folks have! Thinking it over I think my #1 hangup is I don't want to have to dump a ton of stuff into tea, but I don't like overly fruity/flowerly teas but I do want some flavor, and I'd prefer something that has some texture to it from a bit of milk or whatever else. Also saw some people mention putting half & half into tea (which seems crazy?) but also cinnamon sticks which seems like maybe a good alternative option that's extremely low sugar, but I'm not sure what kind of tea would pair well with cinnamon.

 

[evilpigking]

I have a similar problem that someone earlier in the thread had where virtually every tea I've ever had I either liked the smell of it but then it didn't taste good or very weak, but just outright didn't like it at all. In particular most teas I have happened to have up until now have a very flower or perfume smell to them which I don't really care for. The only tea I've probably liked is Chai lattes from Starbucks (where I work now actually), but the chai concentrate we use for those has a TON of sugar.

I picked up a box of Twinings Black Tea sampler (IIRC it's Earl Gray, Lady Gray, English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast) as well as a box of their vanilla, chamomile & honey herbal tea. I've tried 3 of the 4 black teas with a bit of 2% milk as well as with and without sugar and they're not bad, but maybe a bit stronger or more bitter than I'm looking for. I still plan on finishing the box and toying a bit with steep times and milk proportions and whatnot, it's not bad but not sure it's quite what I'm looking for.

maybe roobios would be the way to go for me, at least maybe for the nighttime tea?
I could always try just brewing the Chai instead of going the concentrate route which would eliminate all of the added sugar from the concentrate (I think?). Also thinking maybe a milder/smoother black tea might go over a bit better for me, saw some specific recommendations for Golden Monkey in that regard?

As mentioned I work at Starbucks and I'm going to start sampling all of the tea bags we sell individually behind the counter (Tazo) and I'll try a London Fog in the morning which I know we serve but have never had someone actually order. So that'll give me some input as well, but looking for any suggestions folks have! Thinking it over I think my #1 hangup is I don't want to have to dump a ton of stuff into tea, but I don't like overly fruity/flowerly teas but I do want some flavor, and I'd prefer something that has some texture to it from a bit of milk or whatever else. Also saw some people mention putting half & half into tea (which seems crazy?) but also cinnamon sticks which seems like maybe a good alternative option that's extremely low sugar, but I'm not sure what kind of tea would pair well with cinnamon.

Sounds like you have a plan. Just try different broad styles: eg: black, green, white, oolong, etc and see if there is a certain preference like

Mild: White, Oolong
Grassy: Green, Green Rooibos, fresh mate
Earthy: Pu-erh
Blacks: Stronger (assams like Irish break) vs milder (darjeeling) etc
Herbals: Mint, Chamomile, etc

Then decide do you like them plain or with flavoring? Bergamot in Ear/Lady Grey, or the plethora of who knows what they blend in to mixes these days, berries etc.
Something more tart: hibiscus

Though you stated you arent big on flowery so stay away from jasmine and rose teas I guess.

It sounds like you are a coffee fan so give some roasted stuff a shot. Like roasted mate, hojicha, mugicha.

Chai...is a whole different bag since that has so many spices but you should be able to find sugar free variants.

Roobios is kind of a chameleon, I enjoy straight rooibos a lot either green (very grassy) or red but it is often a base for caffeine free blends (esp. winter blends w/ cinnamon, in fact a lot of cinnamon mixes are rooibos so those go together) so it can fill a lot of roles. That said, I didn't like Honeybush (the other big red) so...

You seem like you are off to a good start though, just find out your likes, mess around with steep times, if too strong, try less steeping etc. I personally never add milk/sugar or buy blends other than basic winter cinnamon, jasmine, rose, etc so I can't give input on the fruit infusions, cookie, or w/e else is out there since I just pretty much like it straight.

But give a shot with some roasted teas which will be a lot closer to coffee in flavor and just keep sampling like you plan to, teas and tisanes have pretty much unlimited variety. And if you like milk in your drinks then you like milk in them. Nothing wrong with that. But you might want a stronger base tea then since the milk will mute it.


Unrelated: Ahmad Black Jasmine just straight up isn't as good as Impra's was =( might have to look into pricier options next to find a good replacement for black jasmine tea.

 

[MrDaravon]

Sounds like you have a plan. Just try different broad styles: eg: black, green, white, oolong, etc and see if there is a certain preference like

Mild: White, Oolong
Grassy: Green, Green Rooibos, fresh mate
Earthy: Pu-erh
Blacks: Stronger (assams like Irish break) vs milder (darjeeling) etc
Herbals: Mint, Chamomile, etc

Then decide do you like them plain or with flavoring? Bergamot in Ear/Lady Grey, or the plethora of who knows what they blend in to mixes these days, berries etc.
Something more tart: hibiscus

Though you stated you arent big on flowery so stay away from jasmine and rose teas I guess.

It sounds like you are a coffee fan so give some roasted stuff a shot. Like roasted mate, hojicha, mugicha.

Chai...is a whole different bag since that has so many spices but you should be able to find sugar free variants.

Roobios is kind of a chameleon, I enjoy straight rooibos a lot either green (very grassy) or red but it is often a base for caffeine free blends (esp. winter blends w/ cinnamon, in fact a lot of cinnamon mixes are rooibos so those go together) so it can fill a lot of roles. That said, I didn't like Honeybush (the other big red) so...

You seem like you are off to a good start though, just find out your likes, mess around with steep times, if too strong, try less steeping etc. I personally never add milk/sugar or buy blends other than basic winter cinnamon, jasmine, rose, etc so I can't give input on the fruit infusions, cookie, or w/e else is out there since I just pretty much like it straight.

But give a shot with some roasted teas which will be a lot closer to coffee in flavor and just keep sampling like you plan to, teas and tisanes have pretty much unlimited variety. And if you like milk in your drinks then you like milk in them. Nothing wrong with that. But you might want a stronger base tea then since the milk will mute it.

Thanks for the response! I'm going to continue sampling stuff, it's all new to me it's a lot to take in and I'm also worried that I might be brewing stuff wrong etc. I actually picked up a box of Bigelow Vanilla Chai today at the store next to my work, my usual grocery store doesn't carry that brand at all, just Lipton/Celestial/Tazo & Twinings. This store also sells Harney & Sons; looking through the thread it seems like Bigelow, Harney and Twinings are solid brands to start with, I'm not sure about Tazo and Celestial though? I'm assuming Lipton is a pass. Also confirmed that chai in bags like this doesn't have the crapload of sugar that is in chai concentrate that you buy in cartons or get at a coffee shop etc so that's great, I'm hoping this works out. I also see on their site Bigelow has a white chocolate tea O_O

Got some water going right now for this vanilla chai, excited to try it out. I realized today that I've probably been making tea with too much water; none of the boxes I've bought have indicated how much water to use per bag, is the general rule 8oz to 1 bag? With the mugs I'm using I've probably been getting more 12-14 oz but still only using one bag; I'm assuming this will come down somewhat to personal preference, but in that scenario would I be better off first trying using 2 bags and maybe reducing the steep time, or would steeping one bag longer also work? I'm guessing that latter, especially if full body/taste is what I'm looking for?

Edit: The Vanilla Chai is pretty good. I wound up doing about 14oz of water and just using two bags as a result but I shaved a little bit off of the recommended steep time on the box (4 minutes). A small amount of sugar and milk later this tastes pretty darn close to a vanilla chai I would get at Starbucks but with considerably less sugar/calories etc. Gonna continue to tweak this one a bit, pretty happy with it but not quite a homerun yet. Looking forward to experimenting as well as trying some other stuff! If I wind up with chai or some variant of it as my afternoon drink I'm perfectly happy with that, but also want to try some of these other flavored and/or roobios teas for my evening drink potentially.

 

[evilpigking]

I'm not too sure on brands for tea bags. Lipton yellow label is fine if you just want a standard medium black.

I feel like Mighty Leaf, Numi and maybe tazo/stash have pretty good reputations. Twinings is a classic brand as is Bigelow, Celestial does more herbals I believe rather than more classics but like they have apple/orange cinnamon herbals etc that are widespread.

Only brand I think I find constantly disappointing is Republic of Tea, I'd avoid them if possible.

 

[MrDaravon]

I'm not too sure on brands for tea bags. Lipton yellow label is fine if you just want a standard medium black.

I feel like Mighty Leaf, Numi and maybe tazo/stash have pretty good reputations. Twinings is a classic brand as is Bigelow, Celestial does more herbals I believe rather than more classics but like they have apple/orange cinnamon herbals etc that are widespread.

Only brand I think I find constantly disappointing is Republic of Tea, I'd avoid them if possible.

I've heard of Republic of Tea but haven't seen them around here personally. There's a couple Celestial ones I'd be curious to try like their cinnamon apple and sleepytime (mostly just because I've seen that damn sleeping bear on that box for my whole life, I want whatever he's having).

 

[kami_sama]

Someone here make tapioca balls in their home?
I've been trying to use some I bought off the local Asian market, but without any luck.
They've been in a pressure cooker for like 1 hour and most balls still haven't cooked all the way through.
Has anyone got some tips?

 

[Visualante2]

I don't know how they stack up against Mystery Tea House or Adagio Europe but my local shop has been around since 1936. They made their name importing coffee but they're pretty good for tea too. It's called Guntons and they ship to the UK mainland.

Local shops like this don't seem to be super common any more but I could be way off.

I brew in a tea pot, I'm only brewing black tea at the moment. I heard a saying, one tea spoon for the pot, then one for every mug thereafter. Am I wasting tea by doing this? And how often, if at all do you brew with the same leaves?

 

[Skittles]

Why is genmai cha so good? Can't wait to try the harvey version

 

[cobell]

I've noticed that you can buy Numi loose leaf teas on Amazon. Anyone ever tried these and have comments if they're decent? I know they're kind of a higher priced tea bag tea, but I've never tried their loose leaf. Any good?

Also, anyone have any experience using a Gaiwan? or have recommendations for them? I kind of want to try one out.

 

[Sesuadra]

From left to right: Genmaicha by family Watanabe from Kagoshima, Sencha Soyo 2 from Hoshino, Tsuyuhikari is a new hybrid made from Asatsuyu and Shizu7132 created in 2000 by chasho Yamaguchi Shinya also from Hoshino, Shincha 2016 Yame Supreme from the Region Yame, on top Hakuju Matcha from Hoshino.

 

[ameratsu]

^ Nice, and I just ran out of sencha

I can only assume you're German as googling the tea names you've provided brings up german language sites

 

[Sesuadra]

^ Nice, and I just ran out of sencha

I can only assume you're German as googling the tea names you've provided brings up german language sites

yes you're right. I bought the tea here https://www.kolodziej-lieder-shop.de great shop with good prices and fast shipping. but strange, because the names are the japanese names..oh well.

 

[cobell]

So there's quite a bit of talk about loose leaf, but how are you guys storing your tea? I've been buying loose leaf more in bulk lately, and I've been using smaller airtight containers or usually just the ziplock bag they come in.

I've just got this thing called an Airscape container which is a double lidded stainless steel container, but the inner lid can be pushed down and pushes air out with a tiny valve in the lid. Is it weird to be oddly excited about buying containers for coffee and tea?

 

[wesleyshark]

Earl Grey 4 Life, bitch

Indubitably

 

[Costia]

So there's quite a bit of talk about loose leaf, but how are you guys storing your tea? I've been buying loose leaf more in bulk lately, and I've been using smaller airtight containers or usually just the ziplock bag they come in.

I've just got this thing called an Airscape container which is a double lidded stainless steel container, but the inner lid can be pushed down and pushes air out with a tiny valve in the lid. Is it weird to be oddly excited about buying containers for coffee and tea?

I just keep the tea in the bags it comes in. But i guess i generally avoid buying more than 100g, or having more than 8-10 types of tea. So i go through my stock relatively quickly and don't really have a need for long term storage.
I also have a few generic plastic airtight containers I got at a local shop. Used it for storing green tea at some point. Haven't used them in a while though.