Recommend loose teas for a coffee addict?
March 11, 2015 9:25 PM Subscribe
Trying to cut back on my coffee intake and switching to tea instead. Bought a pretty dope steeper, and now I need to find teas that I will enjoy. Suggestions? More details after the jump.
Been drinking Lipton occasionally my entire life. Drank good tea in China at teahouses. But not a tea connoisseur and would like to develop a deeper enjoyment of tea instead of pounding coffees through the afternoon. Interested in any recommendations for good tea, but the criteria that I think make the most sense as I sit here are:
1. Reasonably accessible for purchase. It needs to be something I can get at Teavana or Wegmans or via Amazon. Exotic teas would probably be great, but I can't have the hassle of having to go all the way out to the Asian grocery and then finding spotty availability.
2. Caffeinated or non-caffeinated is fine. I'm trying to cut down on my coffee, but don't necessarily need to cut down on my caffeine. That said, if there is a noncaf tea that tastes great, I'd love to try it.
3. Not interested in fruity or flowery teas. Mint, lavender, citrus, jasmine, etc. are just not my thing.
4. If there are alleged health or wellness benefits, that a plus. Not sure I buy into the hype, but happy to try it out anyway. All things being equal, would love to try something that might be good for me.
Further background: going to be making my tea single-cup in an office environment. Look forward to your suggestions. Thanks!
Been drinking Lipton occasionally my entire life. Drank good tea in China at teahouses. But not a tea connoisseur and would like to develop a deeper enjoyment of tea instead of pounding coffees through the afternoon. Interested in any recommendations for good tea, but the criteria that I think make the most sense as I sit here are:
1. Reasonably accessible for purchase. It needs to be something I can get at Teavana or Wegmans or via Amazon. Exotic teas would probably be great, but I can't have the hassle of having to go all the way out to the Asian grocery and then finding spotty availability.
2. Caffeinated or non-caffeinated is fine. I'm trying to cut down on my coffee, but don't necessarily need to cut down on my caffeine. That said, if there is a noncaf tea that tastes great, I'd love to try it.
3. Not interested in fruity or flowery teas. Mint, lavender, citrus, jasmine, etc. are just not my thing.
4. If there are alleged health or wellness benefits, that a plus. Not sure I buy into the hype, but happy to try it out anyway. All things being equal, would love to try something that might be good for me.
Further background: going to be making my tea single-cup in an office environment. Look forward to your suggestions. Thanks!
Best answer: I've bought loose tea from http://culinaryteas.com/ before and it was pretty good.
Here's my suggestion. It's not the only possible suggestion.
Buy different varieties of plain, black tea. Like the kids listed here . Twinnings also has some varieties of black teas that you can get in groceries stores to varying degrees.
Anyway, tea leaves are a little live wine grapes in that they all taste mostly the same but there's enough variety to make it interesting to check out the subtle differences. Assam vs Darjeeling, an English breakfast vs Irish breakfast and on to stronger teas like keemun or pu-erh.
You should be able to get a few different black teas at any fancy tea store like Teavana or Amazon has lots of Twinnings selection.
Twinnings isn't the best of the best perhaps, but it's consistent and good and they have some interesting varieties.
posted by GuyZero at 9:40 PM on March 11, 2015
Here's my suggestion. It's not the only possible suggestion.
Buy different varieties of plain, black tea. Like the kids listed here . Twinnings also has some varieties of black teas that you can get in groceries stores to varying degrees.
Anyway, tea leaves are a little live wine grapes in that they all taste mostly the same but there's enough variety to make it interesting to check out the subtle differences. Assam vs Darjeeling, an English breakfast vs Irish breakfast and on to stronger teas like keemun or pu-erh.
You should be able to get a few different black teas at any fancy tea store like Teavana or Amazon has lots of Twinnings selection.
Twinnings isn't the best of the best perhaps, but it's consistent and good and they have some interesting varieties.
posted by GuyZero at 9:40 PM on March 11, 2015
Russian Caravan for the win! Twinings make it, it's strong and smokey but not anywhere as intense as lapsang souchong.
posted by taff at 9:41 PM on March 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by taff at 9:41 PM on March 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
I am a coffee drinker and I also enjoy Twinings English Breakfast Tea.
posted by harrietthespy at 9:44 PM on March 11, 2015
posted by harrietthespy at 9:44 PM on March 11, 2015
There are tea shops that let you try several samples before buying. That could give you an idea of what you like in general. See if there is one in your area.
posted by harrietthespy at 9:46 PM on March 11, 2015
posted by harrietthespy at 9:46 PM on March 11, 2015
Mind sharing your steeper info, OP?
posted by harrietthespy at 9:48 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by harrietthespy at 9:48 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Irish Breakfast tea is frankly the only way to go. It's kind of... malty, I'd say? Rich and dark and smells amazing and doesn't have any of the grassiness of English Breakfast. I highly suggest drinking it with a healthy dose of half and half. Wegman's has it for cheap in the imported foods section (I like Bewley's the best, which comes in a big box of not-individually-wrapped bags). I'm sure you can get irish breakfast loose-leaf elsewhere too, of course, but I don't have specific brand suggestions for that.
posted by you're a kitty! at 9:56 PM on March 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by you're a kitty! at 9:56 PM on March 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
We have A LOT of teas we don't drink regularly. We're also coffee drinkers.
My husband buys this Indian brand tea in an orange bag and makes a sort of Chai out of it, but the spice mix he uses is in an unmarked plain jar he got at a shop, very heavy on black pepper. It's not Chai like you're thinking, it is a certain kind of balled up black tea leaves with a whisper of spice added. Then just a smidge of sugar and milk.
We really really like it.
posted by jbenben at 10:02 PM on March 11, 2015
My husband buys this Indian brand tea in an orange bag and makes a sort of Chai out of it, but the spice mix he uses is in an unmarked plain jar he got at a shop, very heavy on black pepper. It's not Chai like you're thinking, it is a certain kind of balled up black tea leaves with a whisper of spice added. Then just a smidge of sugar and milk.
We really really like it.
posted by jbenben at 10:02 PM on March 11, 2015
Agree with the Russian caravan rec. Yorkshire gold is good too if you can find it.
posted by morchella at 10:06 PM on March 11, 2015
posted by morchella at 10:06 PM on March 11, 2015
My husband buys this Indian brand tea in an orange bag
Wagh Bakri? Yeah, that'll do, though it is more "go to a south Asian grocery and spend $10 on a kilo" territory, and not suited to an office.
What the OP wants is builders' tea: malty, strong, not especially sophisticated, splash of milk, does the job. Functional Tea to be drunk in volume to replace functional coffee. Tetley British Blend is now easy to find in American supermarkets. Start there. Diversify from there.
posted by holgate at 10:11 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Wagh Bakri? Yeah, that'll do, though it is more "go to a south Asian grocery and spend $10 on a kilo" territory, and not suited to an office.
What the OP wants is builders' tea: malty, strong, not especially sophisticated, splash of milk, does the job. Functional Tea to be drunk in volume to replace functional coffee. Tetley British Blend is now easy to find in American supermarkets. Start there. Diversify from there.
posted by holgate at 10:11 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Earl Grey. Hot. Fortnum & Mason.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:15 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:15 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
mmmm russian caravan is delicious, though it's not really an all-day-every-day tea. Delicious, though. It reminds me of scotch.
posted by you're a kitty! at 10:16 PM on March 11, 2015
posted by you're a kitty! at 10:16 PM on March 11, 2015
Yorkshire Gold cut with Peet's Ceylon goes well with a quiet place to sit and a good book.
posted by dws at 10:20 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by dws at 10:20 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Lupicia's assams, like their morning blend and afternoon blend, and their darjeeling are really good black teas.
posted by betweenthebars at 10:31 PM on March 11, 2015
posted by betweenthebars at 10:31 PM on March 11, 2015
Best answer: I love the teas from Republic of Tea.
For your tastes, I think you'd like the Lucky Irish Breakfast Tea.
If you're open to some non-fruity, but flavorful tea, definitely try the Republic Chai (caffeinated) or the Good Hope Vanilla Rooibos, which is sweet, but not floral, and has a really rich vanilla flavor. It's also caffeine free.
posted by nerdcore at 10:37 PM on March 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
For your tastes, I think you'd like the Lucky Irish Breakfast Tea.
If you're open to some non-fruity, but flavorful tea, definitely try the Republic Chai (caffeinated) or the Good Hope Vanilla Rooibos, which is sweet, but not floral, and has a really rich vanilla flavor. It's also caffeine free.
posted by nerdcore at 10:37 PM on March 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
Lapsang souchong is an eye-opener.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:50 PM on March 11, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:50 PM on March 11, 2015 [5 favorites]
When my partner started replacing coffee with tea, he switched to Twining's English Breakfast and PG Tips.
posted by neushoorn at 12:33 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by neushoorn at 12:33 AM on March 12, 2015
It depends on how dark / malty you want to go.
- If you want cheap iced tea, I switched from Lipton to Tetley (similar to PG Tips) and the change was enormous. Same basic flavor, but FAR more fresh and bold, AND it is cheaper. Of course, not loose-leaf.
- Lapsang Souchong is black tea and very smoky/fire-like in taste.
- Darjeeling black teas are nice too.
- Ripe Pu-erh teas are mostly malty and dark. Sometimes slightly fishy in smell, but very complex/dark tastes. Available in aged versions too.
- Roasted Oolongs are the lighter end of the dark teas. Very smooth, calming taste, but not floral/green.
Lots of options out there. A lot of places (like New Mexico Tea Co. online) offer samples you can purchase so you don't go all in on one flavor and find out you don't like it.
posted by kup0 at 1:13 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
- If you want cheap iced tea, I switched from Lipton to Tetley (similar to PG Tips) and the change was enormous. Same basic flavor, but FAR more fresh and bold, AND it is cheaper. Of course, not loose-leaf.
- Lapsang Souchong is black tea and very smoky/fire-like in taste.
- Darjeeling black teas are nice too.
- Ripe Pu-erh teas are mostly malty and dark. Sometimes slightly fishy in smell, but very complex/dark tastes. Available in aged versions too.
- Roasted Oolongs are the lighter end of the dark teas. Very smooth, calming taste, but not floral/green.
Lots of options out there. A lot of places (like New Mexico Tea Co. online) offer samples you can purchase so you don't go all in on one flavor and find out you don't like it.
posted by kup0 at 1:13 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Yin Jun Mei (really excellent lapsang souchong) - rich, smoky, utterly addictive. Do multiple infusions, don't over-steep.
Order online from somewhere reputable.
(For good Chinese teas a Piao I teapot is convenient, but you could use a mug infuser too. For god's sake don't let milk or sugar anywhere near it.)
posted by dickasso at 1:27 AM on March 12, 2015 [3 favorites]
Order online from somewhere reputable.
(For good Chinese teas a Piao I teapot is convenient, but you could use a mug infuser too. For god's sake don't let milk or sugar anywhere near it.)
posted by dickasso at 1:27 AM on March 12, 2015 [3 favorites]
I like Pu-Erh. It's rich, dark and earthy. Word to the wise, though: it has definite effects on the digestive process, so don't try drinking it all day long (I drink it before breakfast and after dinner).
Yes, I do mean that it makes you poop. Not a bug, a feature. Just good to know.
posted by Too-Ticky at 1:37 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yes, I do mean that it makes you poop. Not a bug, a feature. Just good to know.
posted by Too-Ticky at 1:37 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Taiwan high mountain oolong tea is my daily all-day-long tea; brewed in tiny hsing-yi teapots.
Here's a decent example via Amazon.
posted by rmmcclay at 2:42 AM on March 12, 2015 [3 favorites]
Here's a decent example via Amazon.
posted by rmmcclay at 2:42 AM on March 12, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm a coffee drinker and find that tea made from roasted barley satisfies my coffee taste needs. You can even roast barley and make your own!
posted by Verdandi at 4:01 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by Verdandi at 4:01 AM on March 12, 2015
Best answer: Consider yerba mate. You won't find it in your average grocery store, but Teavana should carry it. Mate has a nice, light smoky taste (not nearly as in-your-face as lapsang souchong). There's some debate as to whether it has caffeine or a related substance that some term mateine, but either way, most people seem to find that it doesn't hit you with the same jolt of jitteriness that coffee (and some green and black teas) does—I'd describe it as more of a smooth alertness. Very pleasant. There are some special methods of brewing and drinking used in South America, but you can just as easily make it in a teapot. The leaves lend themselves well to multiple, brief steepings throughout the day.
posted by cellar door at 4:27 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by cellar door at 4:27 AM on March 12, 2015
Welsh Brew (a builder's tea as mentioned upthread) is strong, smooth and really, really tasty. A bit like PG Tips but more so and better.
posted by Otto the Magnificent at 4:57 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Otto the Magnificent at 4:57 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Irish breakfast tea is the closest thing there is to coffee.
posted by Librarypt at 5:16 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by Librarypt at 5:16 AM on March 12, 2015
Best answer: Asana is a good web based tea company. They offer loose tea, tea balls, and tea bags in small quantities for reasonable prices, allowing you to sample without breaking your budget.
Lipton is garbage. It shouldn't even be called tea. :)
Buy small portions at first as your tastes will change as your palate becomes more sophisticated. Don't limit yourself to loose teas. Bad teas can be excellent as well.
My current favorites:
Twinnings Lady Grey- naturally sweet and requires no sugar, there is no bitterness. This is a smooth, dark tea that has layers of happy flavors.
Tazo Zen- light and refreshing
Numi Chocolate Pu-erh- Hard to describe. Brews a bit thicker with a hint of chocolate.
Yogi Bedtime- This is the best tasting, best smelling tea I have yet to try, and it knocks me out.
Notice all of the above are bag teas. I have loose tea favorites off and on but, as I am lazy, I always go back to the bags which have the flavors that I want anyways.
posted by myselfasme at 5:41 AM on March 12, 2015
Lipton is garbage. It shouldn't even be called tea. :)
Buy small portions at first as your tastes will change as your palate becomes more sophisticated. Don't limit yourself to loose teas. Bad teas can be excellent as well.
My current favorites:
Twinnings Lady Grey- naturally sweet and requires no sugar, there is no bitterness. This is a smooth, dark tea that has layers of happy flavors.
Tazo Zen- light and refreshing
Numi Chocolate Pu-erh- Hard to describe. Brews a bit thicker with a hint of chocolate.
Yogi Bedtime- This is the best tasting, best smelling tea I have yet to try, and it knocks me out.
Notice all of the above are bag teas. I have loose tea favorites off and on but, as I am lazy, I always go back to the bags which have the flavors that I want anyways.
posted by myselfasme at 5:41 AM on March 12, 2015
Roasted chicory root - used to be used as a coffee filler and sometimes as a complete substitute. MFK Fisher says of it: "Any coffee, emasculated or not, is better than perfect if it is made with chicory.” But you can make a straight chicory tea (okay, it's an infusion technically). It's dark and bitter and a little oily-seeming. Excellent with milk and/or sugar. High in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and inulin.
Don't know if you can get them where you are, but they do have an online store: Tea Guys. I'd recommend Morning Americano (very robust) and Roasted Cocoa, Barley and Coffee for those days when you need a touch of coffee in your tea.
Seconding a nice Oolong. Rich, complex flavors.
posted by carrioncomfort at 5:47 AM on March 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
Don't know if you can get them where you are, but they do have an online store: Tea Guys. I'd recommend Morning Americano (very robust) and Roasted Cocoa, Barley and Coffee for those days when you need a touch of coffee in your tea.
Seconding a nice Oolong. Rich, complex flavors.
posted by carrioncomfort at 5:47 AM on March 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
I love coffee... and I also love Irish Breakfast Tea, chai, and rooibos teas. I recently learned that adding a dash of milk does wonders for any tea.
posted by DoubleLune at 6:32 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by DoubleLune at 6:32 AM on March 12, 2015
Not recommending a specific tea, but this company (used to have a shop in Austin that I LOVED, now just online orders) has the best tea I've ever tasted. The Cream Earl Grey is amazing and so delicious that I wanted to drink it instead of coffee for a long time (back on coffee now, but your post is making me reconsider). Really, though, the quality of all of their teas is so great that I won't buy loose tea anywhere else, and I've tried tons of brands in the past.
http://www.teaembassy.com/
posted by odayoday at 7:00 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
http://www.teaembassy.com/
posted by odayoday at 7:00 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: So I weened myself off coffee (turns out my body smells better when I don't drink it) almost accidentally when I was gifted some Turkish tea. Turkish tea is like Turkish coffee, meant to be consumed strong. I usually make two pots in the morning, drink a few cups before work, take a hot cup along with me and carry a mason jar in a leather carrier full along to drink as and when it cools. The flavor is good plain, sweetened, with milk or with lemon.
Depending on the type of coffee drinker you were, Turkish tea might be a good transition into teas. You can swill it. You can brew it to your preferred strength. Traditionally, you would boil the hell out of it to make a concentrate and then top of a small amount in a glass with some boiling water from a semaver to reach the dilution you prefer. I don't do that; no semaver. It's sold loose, so you have to have a good pot. The tea is also very fine so you have to get used to sediment in your cup. I can purchase this locally so it's cheaper than on Amazon, but even there the prices aren't too bad.
I like Caykur's yellow bag (Rize) and their black bag teas.
posted by Seamus at 7:54 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Depending on the type of coffee drinker you were, Turkish tea might be a good transition into teas. You can swill it. You can brew it to your preferred strength. Traditionally, you would boil the hell out of it to make a concentrate and then top of a small amount in a glass with some boiling water from a semaver to reach the dilution you prefer. I don't do that; no semaver. It's sold loose, so you have to have a good pot. The tea is also very fine so you have to get used to sediment in your cup. I can purchase this locally so it's cheaper than on Amazon, but even there the prices aren't too bad.
I like Caykur's yellow bag (Rize) and their black bag teas.
posted by Seamus at 7:54 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I am a coffee drinker who was looking to switch it up with an occasional tea. One of my tea-drinking co-workers suggested I try chai tea. I got a box of this Twinnings Organic Chai Tea to start and I like it enough to switch out my occasional afternoon coffee with it. (I add cream and sugar) So maybe you would like a good loose leaf chai?
posted by Shadow Boxer at 8:55 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Shadow Boxer at 8:55 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Genmaicha. It is Japanese green tea with roasted rice. The rice gives it an almost savory and slightly nutty flavor. I drink Yamamotoyama brand and haven't tried any others, but there are other brands out there and Teavana sells it loose. It's available on Amazon and you might be able to find bagged Yamamotoyama genmaicha at your local Wegmans.
Keep in mind that brewing green tea is very different from most black or herbal teas, as the water should be hot but not boiling, and generally it shouldn't be brewed for more than two minutes. It should not taste bitter. If you haven't tried any Japanese green teas, try a sencha too. Only needs to be brewed for about a minute.
posted by bananana at 8:58 AM on March 12, 2015
Keep in mind that brewing green tea is very different from most black or herbal teas, as the water should be hot but not boiling, and generally it shouldn't be brewed for more than two minutes. It should not taste bitter. If you haven't tried any Japanese green teas, try a sencha too. Only needs to be brewed for about a minute.
posted by bananana at 8:58 AM on March 12, 2015
I strongly second pu-erh and keemun teas for their complex flavour profiles and because they can kick you in the ass as hard as any cup of coffee can (albeit in a different way)
For a stronger more coffee like morning drink there's a company up here on the west coast of canada called Harmonic Arts that make a wonderful product, Kick Start. It's a blend of herbs and "superfoods" such as maca, cacao, mesquite powder, yerba mate, chicory etc. and is quite powerfull stuff. Brews up very brown and with a bit of frothy faux-creme.
Speaking of chicory, it's a common coffee replacement due to it's flavour profile although I don't find it to be as bitter. It's a really good pre-biotic (provides support for healthy gut bacteria).
If you're missing the rituals associated with coffee consumption Matcha (or maccha) is my recommendation. It's quite an involved process if one wants to make it the traditional way. It's well worth the time, effort, and money (it's quite expensive) as it has numerous health benefits evidenced by many centuries of use in Japan and also numerous scientific studies.
One last note: coffee is an incredibly powerful substance and stopping altogether can be extremely difficult for some people. each day is a new day, each hour a new hour. If you must have a cup of joe limit yourself to the most prohibitively expensive cafe in your area and be present with each sip. Make it a special treat to separate it from food/fuel of day to day existence.
posted by peterpete at 9:15 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
For a stronger more coffee like morning drink there's a company up here on the west coast of canada called Harmonic Arts that make a wonderful product, Kick Start. It's a blend of herbs and "superfoods" such as maca, cacao, mesquite powder, yerba mate, chicory etc. and is quite powerfull stuff. Brews up very brown and with a bit of frothy faux-creme.
Speaking of chicory, it's a common coffee replacement due to it's flavour profile although I don't find it to be as bitter. It's a really good pre-biotic (provides support for healthy gut bacteria).
If you're missing the rituals associated with coffee consumption Matcha (or maccha) is my recommendation. It's quite an involved process if one wants to make it the traditional way. It's well worth the time, effort, and money (it's quite expensive) as it has numerous health benefits evidenced by many centuries of use in Japan and also numerous scientific studies.
One last note: coffee is an incredibly powerful substance and stopping altogether can be extremely difficult for some people. each day is a new day, each hour a new hour. If you must have a cup of joe limit yourself to the most prohibitively expensive cafe in your area and be present with each sip. Make it a special treat to separate it from food/fuel of day to day existence.
posted by peterpete at 9:15 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
This type of tea is a major component in Irish Breakfast mixes, and gives it a lot of its malty dark robust flavor. I mix it with another type of Assam, and milk, and love it.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 10:10 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 10:10 AM on March 12, 2015
A followup on Irish Breakfast/Assam type teas - many many people drink them essentially the same way people drink drip coffee, so they would be a good starting place for you. But make sure to use milk rather than cream, cream coats the tongue in tea, blech. (Taylors of Harrogate, available at my local Whole Foods, also makes a Scottish Breakfast tea that is similarly strong, but with a smoky flavor to it, if you'd like something similar to consider.)
posted by maryr at 11:15 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by maryr at 11:15 AM on March 12, 2015
I adore Smith tea, especially their Kandy black tea. It's a small batch teamaker in Portland and feels oh so special and fancy, which I love. Their full inventory is available on their website, but there are usually several of the varieties available on Amazon for comparable prices (you might want to check out their site first as it has more detailed tasting descriptions).
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:18 AM on March 12, 2015
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:18 AM on March 12, 2015
I really enjoy Good Earth Sweet & Spicy caffeine free tea, which is made from "rooibos, chicory root, rosehip, cinnamon, lemongrass, peppermint, chamomile, ginger root, anise seed, orange oil, orange peel." You said you don't care for citrus, but it's not really detectable to me - the main fragrance and flavor is cinnamon. It's good hot or iced.
Rooibos (by itself) is supposed to have many health benefits (antioxidants, caffeine-free, minerals, flavonoids, etc.). In South Africa they use concentrated rooibos to make "red espresso" and other expresso-based drinks.
You can get a nice selection of samples of all kinds of tea at Adagio.
But what you really need to fully enjoy being a tea drinker is an electric kettle. To get the best flavor from black tea (and rooibos), the water should be actually boiling, not just hot, when it meets the tea. White and green teas should be made with slightly cooler water (150 - 180 degrees).
posted by caryatid at 1:31 PM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Rooibos (by itself) is supposed to have many health benefits (antioxidants, caffeine-free, minerals, flavonoids, etc.). In South Africa they use concentrated rooibos to make "red espresso" and other expresso-based drinks.
You can get a nice selection of samples of all kinds of tea at Adagio.
But what you really need to fully enjoy being a tea drinker is an electric kettle. To get the best flavor from black tea (and rooibos), the water should be actually boiling, not just hot, when it meets the tea. White and green teas should be made with slightly cooler water (150 - 180 degrees).
posted by caryatid at 1:31 PM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I drink a lot of tea, and I think one of the best things to do is just try a bunch of different stuff and see what you think of it. Do pay attention to water temperature and steeping times, though, because it does make a difference and my own ignorance on this is why it took me a long time to evolve into a tea nerd from someone who didn't understand why you don't put boiling water on green tea.
Teas that aren't too much on the fruity/flowery spectrum:
assam
yunnan
da hong pao / big red robe
anxi
other oolongs from China
lapsang souchang
earl grey (depends on what you think of bergamot)
most any Japanese green tea - these are not very floral, unlike many of the Chinese green teas
long jing / dragonwell
lu an gua pain
bi luo chun
huang shan mao feng
gunpowder green tea
other Chinese black teas - this is obviously a read the description kind of situation.
You probably want to steer clear of Taiwanese high mountain oolongs, Darjeeling, and the more floral Chinese greens because these are all really floral. I think these are worth trying, but if you don't then more for me.
If you're ordering through Amazon, Rishi is a good brand, and Republic of Tea has some nice stuff too. If you want to order directly from a place that just does tea, I like TeaSource.
posted by bile and syntax at 5:17 PM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Teas that aren't too much on the fruity/flowery spectrum:
assam
yunnan
da hong pao / big red robe
anxi
other oolongs from China
lapsang souchang
earl grey (depends on what you think of bergamot)
most any Japanese green tea - these are not very floral, unlike many of the Chinese green teas
long jing / dragonwell
lu an gua pain
bi luo chun
huang shan mao feng
gunpowder green tea
other Chinese black teas - this is obviously a read the description kind of situation.
You probably want to steer clear of Taiwanese high mountain oolongs, Darjeeling, and the more floral Chinese greens because these are all really floral. I think these are worth trying, but if you don't then more for me.
If you're ordering through Amazon, Rishi is a good brand, and Republic of Tea has some nice stuff too. If you want to order directly from a place that just does tea, I like TeaSource.
posted by bile and syntax at 5:17 PM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
My everyday autumn and winter tea is lapsang souchong, and I like the combination of flavor and price on this one. Spring and summer move me more towards herbals (which I guess are not your thing) and green teas; as suggested upthread, genmaicha is tasty, and if you like the roasted-grain character on genmaicha, you might also consider barley tea (boricha in Korean, mugicha in Japanese).
My special occasion teas are pu-erhs in winter, and high mountain oolongs in summer, brewed with a pared-down version of the gongfu method (tiny pot, lots of tea, multiple infusions).
posted by jackbishop at 5:21 AM on March 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
My special occasion teas are pu-erhs in winter, and high mountain oolongs in summer, brewed with a pared-down version of the gongfu method (tiny pot, lots of tea, multiple infusions).
posted by jackbishop at 5:21 AM on March 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
I really like the black tea at Harney & Sons. Specifically, their Caribe, Peach and Apricot are excellent and reasonanbly priced. The fruit flavors are really mild, so don't worry that you're getting this crazy fruit tea. It's just a hint of whatever flavor they put in it. Lichee black teas are really tasty as well. Teance has an excellent lichee black tea, but their prices are pretty outrageous.
There are also some nicely flavored white teas that you should try. No specific brands, but white tea tends to be more mild and less acidy than black.
I'm a snot, but the store brands don't do much for me. Numi is pretty good, and Tazo is OK. I've had a Trader Joes herbal that I liked. I'm sure there are various flavors of various store brands that are good, but the hit to miss ratio is pretty low with those.
posted by cnc at 9:57 AM on March 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
There are also some nicely flavored white teas that you should try. No specific brands, but white tea tends to be more mild and less acidy than black.
I'm a snot, but the store brands don't do much for me. Numi is pretty good, and Tazo is OK. I've had a Trader Joes herbal that I liked. I'm sure there are various flavors of various store brands that are good, but the hit to miss ratio is pretty low with those.
posted by cnc at 9:57 AM on March 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm going to second cnc's Harney & Sons recommendation. Their single-origin black teas and black tea blends are excellent, and they have lots of non-flavored teas, so you can avoid the fruity/flowery stuff quite easily. Many of their teas are available both loose and in sachets.
Bellocq is pricier, but also has excellent teas. I'd recommend their Gyspy Caravan and National Parks Dept. blends as a starting point.
posted by Owlcat at 10:52 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Bellocq is pricier, but also has excellent teas. I'd recommend their Gyspy Caravan and National Parks Dept. blends as a starting point.
posted by Owlcat at 10:52 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: My steeper is the FORLIFE Brew-in-Mug Extra-Fine Tea Infuser with Lid. I don't know that it's the best steeper in the world, but I like it.
posted by Slap Factory at 1:54 PM on March 14, 2015
posted by Slap Factory at 1:54 PM on March 14, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks for the great suggestions, everyone. Looking forward to trying these out.
posted by Slap Factory at 2:01 PM on March 14, 2015
posted by Slap Factory at 2:01 PM on March 14, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by capricorn at 9:39 PM on March 11, 2015 [2 favorites]