Tea Snobbery

[PictureSarah]

I know that there is a drink thread and a coffee thread, but I really feel like tea deserves its own.
Ok, one of the main items on my Christmas list this year is a pretty glass teapot. I am a tea-operated machine. I must have my tea every morning, or things don't go well. It doesn't have to be caffeinated, it can be herbal tea...it's more about having something hot to drink while getting my butt in gear. I love all the snazzy loose leaf tea that I can get in places like Tealuxe, but I'm usually too lazy to bother with a tea ball and all that, so I mostly drink the teabag tea.

My current favorite tea is Yogi Organic Mayan Cocoa Spice. It smells amazing, tastes yummy, and the only caffeine comes from the cocoa. If you add some cream and sugar it tastes like a mild hot cocoa. My standard fallbacks are Earl Grey or some sort of black tea with orange spice flavoring.

What are your favorite sorts of teas and how do you take them? Cream, sugar, lemon, honey? Are you a tea snob?

[PatrickRsGhost]

We have totally screwed up tea here in the States. I've never tried real tea before. My mom did when she went to England to see a horse she later bought, and said it was excellent.

However, I drink sweetened iced tea. I live in Georgia, and it's pretty much a staple here. People are weaned on it when they hit two years of age. Some restaurants can't do sweet tea right. It has to be nearly sweet enough that it makes your teeth curl, and your diabeetus start up.

There is one brand of commercially-produced sweet tea that is excellent. It's called Milo's Famous Sweet Tea, and can be found at Wal-Mart and a few other grocery stores. Their factory is located in Alabama, so they know their sweet tea.

[Kizyr]

I'm a bit... well... Tea's kind of my thing. I would consider myself a bit snobbish about it, but I'm not all high-and-mighty to where I can't enjoy a good, regular, cup of Lipton's.

For starters, I have sixteen varieties of tea in my apartment, 8-9 of which I drink regularly:
Lipton's black tea (what I grew up drinking)
Ceylon (Twinings, bagged)
"Indian Spiced Chai" (Twinings, bagged--the only decent brand I've found for spiced chai)
Assamese black tea (loose leaf)
"Island Coconut" (black tea with coconut)
Organic gunpowder (green tea I use for making Moroccan mint tea)
Green tea (loose-leaf mixed with rose hips, lavender)
Oolong tea (Formosa, I think)
Rooibos (Twinings, bagged--personal favorite herbal tea)
Dried mint (bags)
Verbena mint (loose leaf--though it's not that great)

There're a couple other kinds that I almost never drink (yerba mate, and some other bagged teas I forget at the moment).

I really like any kind of tea, except for white teas (way too light a taste for me), as long as it has a good and distinct flavor to it. Green tea I'm a bit more picky about, mostly because I got used to drinking good green tea often enough that I can't stand it when it's subpar. Black tea is what's usually drunk in South Asia, and so that's my ordinary "afternoon" tea (any of the five kinds that I listed up there).

I usually have 1-3 cups of tea a day, depending on my mood and the time of day. In the evenings I'll usually have some herbal tea (mint or rooibos). Daytime, it's usually black tea. Weekends, green or black tea. KF

[Azrael]

I drink a boat load of both tea and "tea". The majority of my daily fluid intake is iced tea - snapple or arizona. And I have two or three cups of hot tea too. I fail at tea snobbery and just use Twinings tea bags with a little sugar.

[ArchangelShrike]

Tea > Coffee (There probably are a few coffee threads out there, waiting to start a religious war)

Anyway, I like tea, but in the tradition of the Japanese/Chinese - no cream, milk, sugar, etc. Proper temperatures must be observed, tea steeped for the right amount of time... It'll all come in handy when I have my own tea garden/tea shop one day

Also, no "pure" (OOC) tisanes, or only herbal tea. Does prefer green tea, though been drinking more Oolong as of lately since I've been heading to Chinese restaurants.

[Gem]

I'm pretty sure I'm addicted to tea. I have to have at least one cup a day, and I always have one first thing after waking up. I am definitely not a tea snob, I'll drink any tea, and I don't care if it's loose or a teabag. Lipton is good, although Earl Grey is my favourite. And I love Moroccan Mint. Yay for tea! And yes, tea > coffee.

[stockpot]

I adore herbal camomille tea with honey.
For caffeine, I drink Earl Grey, Chai from a coffeeshop, or any decent green tea.

[Edit0r]

Marks and Spencer Red Label tea. That or Twinings Lapsang Souchung. Aren't I the posh one?

[Mighty Jalapeno]

When someone develops a tea that doesn't taste like hot tree-ass, I'll drink it.

Until then *sips his Kicking Horse Coffee* I'll be over here.

[Kizyr]

Moroccan mint tea is the best. But, it's really difficult to make properly.

The best way I've found so far is to boil the water with the mint, and add the green tea nearer to the end, along with the sugar. The proportions can still be tricky to figure out at first. KF

[Wolf]

I don't drink a lot of "real" tea. I drink Lipton's Diet Green Tea with Citrus a lot, as it tastes really good and is pretty low on calories. I've also enjoyed their white tea with raspberry, but I don't usually have a supply of that at my house.

I like sweet teas, but the only one that sticks out in my mind was called "Seven Treasures tea," but that was from China (in my Dad's travels, so it might very well be touristy-China tea). But it was sweet and it was awesome.

Earl Grey is okay, but I can't seem to find any more of it in my house (I used it as a caffeine fix for NaNoWriMo two and a bit years ago).

My favorite tea ever is the really high quality powdered green tea used in Japanese tea ceremony. I've only ever had it twice, but I would buy that stuff by the crate if I knew how to prepare it. It's SO good. *yumyum* It has a very smooth taste, and it's not too strong, but not super-weak or anything, either. It's simply delicious.

I should see if I can get myself in the habit of drinking tea on a regular basis, though; probably much better for me than soda and the like.

[PictureSarah]

I got my pretty glass teapot for Christmas! Along with a few different flavors of Numi's flowering tea blossoms. The tea leaves are sewn together in a little ball, and when you drop them into the hot water they blossom into a flower, like so.

41UqrpDEHZL._SS500_.jpg (18.58 KiB) Viewed 11300 times

I'm very excited to try the setup out. I may have to have a tea party.

[parkaboy]

i have tried one flavor of the blooming teas and i dont remember what it was.. .but i'm hesitant to try another.. it tasted like drinking grass and flowers. =( i think they just let it steep too long before i got to it. those are awfully pretty though.

I just recently started picking up Twinnings... random flavors. so far i LOVEEEE the Jasmine, but thats always been my favorite no matter what the brand.

[Wolf]

I got my pretty glass teapot for Christmas! Along with a few different flavors of Numi's flowering tea blossoms. The tea leaves are sewn together in a little ball, and when you drop them into the hot water they blossom into a flower, like so.

41UqrpDEHZL._SS500_.jpg

I'm very excited to try the setup out. I may have to have a tea party.

Those both sound insanely awesome. I hope you enjoy them (and that the tea tastes good as well as looks pretty!).

[Kizyr]

I just recently started picking up Twinnings... random flavors. so far i LOVEEEE the Jasmine, but thats always been my favorite no matter what the brand.

Twinings generally has the best-quality tea for a commercial brand. You usually can't go wrong with them. They're also the only brand I have to actually get a correct proportion of spices in their Indian chai (most brands overdo one thing or another, like cloves).

I got my pretty glass teapot for Christmas! Along with a few different flavors of Numi's flowering tea blossoms. The tea leaves are sewn together in a little ball, and when you drop them into the hot water they blossom into a flower, like so.

Blooming teas are kind of hit-or-miss. I've had some that are absolutely delicious, and others that are bland and just look pretty. Anything I've gotten from Numi in the past has been pretty good, though. KF

[Moo]

I just got given some Chinese rose tea (?) but I haven't tried it. Smells lovely.

I drink a lot of Rooibos but I am South African and grew up with it and the myriad stories about what it's good for. Allergies, skin, upset tummies, you name it and South African mothers give you rooibos for it. Sure makes me feel better most of the time, gotta say, for whatever reason. It makes a lovely iced tea too, if you make it nice and strong and add honey and lemon.

I love Earl Grey, I could just smell it all day. I didn't drink a lot of black tea until I moved to England but I have come to appreciate how comforting it can be.

I didn't have any tea when we visited the States but Brittish Hubby, who's a real teapot, said it was horrible in comparison.

[PictureSarah]

I've read all about the various benefits of rooibos, and I really wish I liked it. I just can't develop a taste for it hot, but I do like it iced.

I was also given some tea recently by the owner of the local lavender farm. It is plain old black tea with bits of lemon peel and lavender blossoms. It smells amazing, but I think might taste a bit too flowery for my liking.

[predisposed]

Being English, i automatically qualify as a tea expert (see the liscenced teas act of 1722) and it has to be said that black tea is rocking! PGtips for preference but will stoop to tetley if the pg is unavailable!

[wrdnrd]

Oooooh, i love tea! I started out drinking bagged tea back when i was about 12 or 13 -- picked up the habit from my grandfather (and learned the hard way that "orange pekoe" doesn't taste a bit like oranges). I was only an off-and-on again tea drinker until ST:TNG, at which point i became a dedicated Earl Grey (hot) fan. Eventually, a friend gave me some loose leaf they didn't know what to do with, and that was the end of teabags for me. I just think i get a fuller flavor from loose leaf.

These days i drink a lot of tea from Porto Rico Importers and Harney & Sons. I'm especially fond of Porto Rico's black with orange (finally, black tea that tastes like oranges!) and genmaicha, and Harney's darjeeling blend. I like black teas best, but i'm learning to appreciate greens and oolongs. I only occasionally drink whites because they're just to expensive, tho' i really like Harney's dragon pearl jasmine tea, which is done up in little balls of white and green teas rolled together with jasmine leaves. If you don't mind something floral, it's really good as an occasional (pricy!) treat. Must admit that these days i don't drink Earl Grey anymore -- i find the bergamot to be too overpowering.

I agree with PictureSarah's comment that tea balls are too fussy to bother with. I like permanent tea filters best.

And also, i have a tea plant (Camellia sinensis). In another 2 years it should be established enough to start plucking leaves for tea!

[theamberkey]

Being English, i automatically qualify as a tea expert (see the liscenced teas act of 1722) and it has to be said that black tea is rocking! PGtips for preference but will stoop to tetley if the pg is unavailable!

I had the good fortune to try PG Tips for the first time a few months ago. Not normally found where I'm from. It was delicious.

As tea goes, give me a black milk tea any day--the Taiwanese patented Bubble tea (珍珠奶茶) or Indian Chai (मसाला चाय)* hit the bill especially.

I have been known to drink lemon green tea when in the mood for lighter fare.


_{*Blame Wikipedia for any language errors.}

[Sprocket]

It hurts me that PictureSarah started this thread instead of me... there was a time not so very long ago when this would have been me...::sniffle:: I quit caffeine a year and a quarter ago. I was, however, a total tea snob, and I still try to be when I can. The best tea in Boston can be found in Harvard square at a place called Dado tea on Church Street.

I was getting to the point where I rarely sweetened anything, unless it was over steeped, I could tell most tea by taste or smell, I knew many varieties and was choosy. I drank tea all day in the winter. I was big into bubble tea too. I wanted to open a bubble tea shop with my ex, Jake, from college.

Now I'm reduced to herbal tea and hot chocolate. And even herbal tea fucks with my system in irritating ways sometimes. I have to stay away from chamomile if I'm doing anything even potentially boring, and a lot of your more hippy/yuppy brands have all sorts of effective herbs like echinachia and wort of what not, that are guaranteed to put me into a stupor of some kind or other, not good for work days.

But, in general, just loosing caffeine has made me much more of an awake person in general, and I think I'm healthier.

Oh yeah, PG tips are pretty good. I enjoyed them. These days when I touch tea it's gonna be white or green, and usually it's whatever green tea they put on the table at DimSum or Grasshopper Vegan Asian Cuisine, cuz it's right there and just settles the tummy so nice. But when I allow myself a cup of tea, it's usually Ten Ren, the best shit around, Jasmine or non-black oolong is what I have right now, Republic of Tea white tea honey Suckle, and if someone has it I LOVE pouchong. My favorite black teas were genearlly Lapsang Souchong or assam.

I tired the Numi's flowering tea in college, I remember it tasting very odd, but that was then. I'm not so picky about herbal tea as I was about real tea, I just try to avoid anything stale or cheap, and I tend to shy away from celestial seasonings if I can.

[Kizyr]

I drink a lot of Rooibos but I am South African and grew up with it and the myriad stories about what it's good for. Allergies, skin, upset tummies, you name it and South African mothers give you rooibos for it. Sure makes me feel better most of the time, gotta say, for whatever reason. It makes a lovely iced tea too, if you make it nice and strong and add honey and lemon.

I love Earl Grey, I could just smell it all day. I didn't drink a lot of black tea until I moved to England but I have come to appreciate how comforting it can be.

Rooibos is my favorite herbal tea (I'm sure I've mentioned this before). I just don't like how a lot of brands will sell it mixed with a bunch of other things (lavender, rose hips, tea, etc.). If I want to mix it with something, I'll mix it with something myself. Usually a little honey, sometimes milk and honey.

Earl Grey is ok, but I'm not a huge fan of it. Goes very well with kiwi, though.

I quit drinking bubble tea when I found out how unhealthy those tapioca balls are. But they're so delicious... KF

[Nyarlathotep]

I'm a tea idiot. I have an entire shelf of my pantry devoted to tea.

Given that I am a poor college student, I cannot afford to be a TRUE snob, by which I mean drinking hand-blended loose-leaf all day long (but if I could!) so I settle for Twinings and Celestial Seasonings, and then hang out around Teavanas and take advantage of their free samples (!). Do go see Teavana, by the way, their teas are FIENDISHLY expensive however FREEE SAMPLES! Once I was fortunate enough to be around when they had a sample of silver needle out - heaven in a tiny plastic cup, that. I doubt I'll ever get to sample their monkey picked oolong though.

I tend to go looking for unusual teas. Moonlight Darjeeling is one of the most unusual Iv'e seen, in Harrods of London - Darjeeling hand picked by the light of the full moon. Is it better? Hell if I know, I didn't buy any, but the concept intrigued me.

I'll also try whatever new flavors of Twinings I find in the store. I tried the Lapsang Suchong - not a fan, too smokey for my tastes. Have to try something else, then.

I must say, for all their other flaws, the Japanese KNOW green tea. Even their vending machine bottled green teas are really good -they actually taste like tea should taste, unlike american bottled tea which tastes like sugar water. And real tea ceremony green tea will leave you with a cafeene buzz like nothing else - a good buzz, too, not a jittery buzz but a sort of curious mental clarity. No wonder Zen monks loved the stuff.

[Moo]

I have now taken to saying "monkey picked oolong" out loud, to curious stares from colleagues. Try it, it's fun Intruiging and interesting concept, too.

[bigglesworth]

You know why Marxists only drink herbal teas?













Because Proper Tea is theft.

[SomeoneElse]

Good god, I didn't quite realise there were so many different types of tea.

Here in England, quite stereotypically but true, pretty much everyone drinks normal tea (Tetley FTW) in large total daily doses, and only very few people drink "weird" teas (and they're classed as weirdos). And a sizable proportion of people drink Earl Grey which is semi-weird. OK, OK... there are some people who don't drink tea at all. They're weirdos as well.

[Moo]

Around half of the English people I know drink English tea as well as other/fruit/herbal/weird teas. And none of them say that's weird... except Vic at work whose caffeiene free tea everyone calls his "gay tea" (very enlightened colleagues).

[SomeoneElse]

Aye, I jest. But still, its fairly true that most people drink proper tea - milk, one sugar, 12 cups a day.

Plus, flavoured teas are nasty concoctions. They're not tea, merely flavoured hot water with vague tea extract additives. Proper tea is for REAL men.

[predisposed]

Aye, I jest. But still, its fairly true that most people drink proper tea - milk, one sugar, 12 cups a day.

Plus, flavoured teas are nasty concoctions. They're not tea, merely flavoured hot water with vague tea extract additives. Proper tea is for REAL men.

Don' forget in the true working class tea blend - one cup 3 sugars - strong enough for the spoon to stand - and only suitable to drink whilst wearing the standard high visibility jacket. Thisd breed of tea drinker can be found ionside the local cafe of most council estates

[Kizyr]

Good god, I didn't quite realise there were so many different types of tea.

Here in England, quite stereotypically but true, pretty much everyone drinks normal tea (Tetley FTW) in large total daily doses, and only very few people drink "weird" teas (and they're classed as weirdos). And a sizable proportion of people drink Earl Grey which is semi-weird. OK, OK... there are some people who don't drink tea at all. They're weirdos as well.

What I've found (from observation and anecdotal evidence, not actual scientific study) is that most folks who drink a lot of tea tend to stay within the same 1-2 types. Either black tea varieties, herbal or white tea, or green and oolong tea. Depending on where you are, one kind may be more typical than the other (England and South Asia is mostly black, East Asia is mostly green/oolong, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia are mostly green, etc). Even folks who are experts are usually experts in one particular area (green-to-white teas, herbal teas, black teas, e.g.)

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that (especially with being a more specialized 'expert' in one or just a few types). But, I think it's why some folks aren't aware of the level of variety there is.

Hm, it's 4:00 now... KF

[SomeoneElse]

Aye, I jest. But still, its fairly true that most people drink proper tea - milk, one sugar, 12 cups a day.

Plus, flavoured teas are nasty concoctions. They're not tea, merely flavoured hot water with vague tea extract additives. Proper tea is for REAL men.

Don' forget in the true working class tea blend - one cup 3 sugars - strong enough for the spoon to stand - and only suitable to drink whilst wearing the standard high visibility jacket. Thisd breed of tea drinker can be found ionside the local cafe of most council estates

I think 3 sugars is giving them too little credit; its more like 5 sugars, and as strong and brown as you can get without having black tea. And everyone knows that tea served in greasy spoons like that is the best tea you can get.

Apart, of course, from cream tea, which is the most geniusful meal ever designed by man.

[George Orr]

Back in high school, I liked tea. It was good. It helped me write papers late at night. It went well with milk and sugar.

Then, when I got to college, something happened, and I became a complete tea snob. Now I have a tea pot with an infuser, a tea ball, and a drawer of my desk where I keep about 8 varieties of loose leaf tea, including 3 different types of oolong, a Chinese black, a chai blend from the local coffee shop, rooibos, a Pu-er, and a good old english breakfast. If I had to choose, I would say that oolongs are my favorite variety of teas. There are a few really good Chinese black teas that I have had recently, especially "Golden Monkey" tea, which is also called "Golden Yunnan" at the shop in town.

If you're ever in Portland (Oregon), and you like tea, check out The Tao of Tea. They are awesome in many ways. Not only do they sell excellent (if spendy) loose-leaf teas, but they have an amazing teahouse where you can go eat/drink/be merry. They have a website, too.

[Nebuduck]

Typically, I get through 6/7 cups of milked up black tea (hold the sugar, please).

There's a rather nice teashop down the road, where one can purchase their own blend of loose tea (which is absoloutly gorgeous), which is my (non alcoholic) beverage of choice - though at the moment I'm drinking sone crappy commercial stuff from a tea bag (I just got up, and I have no intention of faffing around with loose leaf stuff at the moment).

Ideally, tea must be made in a pre-warmed teapot, with boiling (notice boiling, not boiled) water. It must be left for 4 minutes before taking the first cup. Tea must always be added after milk. Ideally, tea must be drunk with a nice slice of fruitcake, with a good book in hand.

Of course, this isn't always practical, but that's the ideal which I aim for.

EDIT: yes, if I'm drinking from a teabag, it'll be PGTips, but honestly, people, most of the teas found in teabags actually have no flavour whatsoever.

[Moo]

...they're kinda PGtips flavoured, I find.

[Endless Mike]

Given that I am a poor college student, I cannot afford to be a TRUE snob, by which I mean drinking hand-blended loose-leaf all day long (but if I could!) so I settle for Twinings and Celestial Seasonings, and then hang out around Teavanas and take advantage of their free samples (!). Do go see Teavana, by the way, their teas are FIENDISHLY expensive however FREEE SAMPLES! Once I was fortunate enough to be around when they had a sample of silver needle out - heaven in a tiny plastic cup, that. I doubt I'll ever get to sample their monkey picked oolong though.

Oh, my mom got a set of Teavana stuff for Christmas, including their "Perfect Cup Teamaker," some cannisters to put the tea in, a teaspoon, and some tea and GERMAN ROCK SUGAR. I spent the rest of the week I was there drinking really great tea, and now I want to get a set. We went to the mall that the store is at, and they had the Monkey Picked Oolong out to taste. I wasn't really impressed, honestly. I also showed her theteatable.com which has looseleaf for a LOT cheaper and lets you order something like four free samples with every order of tea you make.

[Elenion]

Mm I've had alot of tea this fall.. I'm really getting into it:) I'm not a snob though..more the opposite.. hehe. I mostly just have normal yellow Earl Grey, the kind in the little bags you put in a cup of boiling water. I also have a similar type of tea called "Four Red Fruits" or something that is fairly good. It's the cheapest they had at the grocery store..hehe. I might try some more fancy ones later, there's a well assorted grocery store near by with lots of different types of the bag-kind - and also a tea&coffe shop with lots of different types of leaves or whatever. But I don't know how to make that.

I drink my tea with lots of sugar, but I'm trying to get used to less sugar in it since I've started to drink it so often.. Down from like 4 teaspoons to 2-3.. And I prefer to drink it out of a mug, not one of those thin tea-cups.. I like it fairly strong.

[Kawa]

The fantastic sushi place near my college has amazing green tea. It's actually *green* and seems to be at least partially matcha, which I didn't think was possible. Oh sweet Lord, that was good tea.

I <3 sweet tea. Mmm, sweet tea.

I can't do English teas for some reason. Don't know why.

[Elenion]

Btw in a pub near by I had the most expencive tea ever this fall...oO I asked if they had tea cause I wasn't up for beer, and they were like "yeah", and I got a glass of boiling/hot water (2-3 dl) and a Twinings Earl Grey tea-bag, and had to pay 50 NOK, which is like £5 or $10... They are like less than 1 NOK per bag if you get them in the grocery store.. ><

[Moo]

"Oh I'm sorry, did I say I want the teabag in my water? I would like to make a suggestion as to where you can put your ridiculously overpriced tea bag instead, wanna hear it?!"

[sherbertfox]

Yogi Organic Mayan Cocoa Spice +1
Chai lattes, mmm
BUT!!!!!!!! Barry's gold or classic blend is the greatest tea in all of Christendom. If you're ever in Ireland, get some, and make it properly! By which, I mean in a pot, three - four teabags (leaf is good too), brewed ultrastrong, good drop of milk, best thing ever. The Irish drink more tea per head than any other country.