So, as I'm wont to do, I'm going to start by waxing on endlessly about boring crap no one cares about (but you're reading it, aren't you? Muahahahaha, I'm hypnotic that way). If you don't have that kind of time (or attention span), skip down to the solid line.
Years ago I used to drink a lot of the premade tea (well, I suppose it looked like tea once). I was a huge fan of the Lipton flavored iced teas (especially Mountain Berry Apple, oh man that stuff rocked), eventually moving into the Sobe Teas (Green and Oolong especially, though the black was too sweet, ugh, like drinking fountain pop sludge). Unfortunately, they were too laden with calories, and five or six of those in a day and I was up to 156 pounds and feeling god-awful. So I switched to diet coke, my beverage of choice for the last....7(?) years. Sure it makes my stomach feel like I'm drinking thumb tacks, and the aspartame is close to wood ether when it gets warm, but hey, it has caffeine and I enjoy the taste (or my brain believes I do, which is close enough) enough to drink about a 2 liter and a half a night.
Skip ahead to August of 2007, and I develop dysgeusia for 6 days (basically, anything which would normally taste "sweet" instead tastes FOUL). Like, "Don't touch it mom, it's evil!," kinda bad. Which leaves me with a real need for caffeine, considering I had water and water to drink. Not wanting to rely on 357's more than a day or two while I found a replacement beverage, I started drinking Lipton Unsweetened Tea (which I loathe, by the way; unsweetened tea, blech), which didn't kick off the reaction (although it tasted awful in its own right). I suppose I could have quit sweets and pop/soda/cola cold turkey after that, but some part of me said, "Screw that noise!," and I'm back to drinking diet coke again this week (about half of what I used to, supplemented by tea)."
Anyhow...during this period, I developed a real hankering for tea again. I like the peppermint tea we had in the cupboard, but unfortunately, it is not caffeinated (although it is nice before bed, well not "right" before). Luckily it has started cooling off finally around here (70's/80's), and I don't mind warm tea so much. The other sampler box of tea had "Ming Dynasty," which I liked a lot (very subtle, until the aftertaste hits), but it also was decaffeinated (sigh), not to mention the final boxes of "Tension Tamer" and "Sleepytime Tea" were just not going to cut it at work. We keep the Lipton (black) bags here at work, and I've been experimenting with the coffee machine using different combinations of flavors (because the normal black is just...too yuck, though it does have caffeine). Also bought lemon and lime juice, but I can never seem to mix them correctly. I did find one caffeinated tea I liked a lot this week, "White Tea with Pear" at Kroger (grocery thing), and I have been mowing through those bags quite rapidly (usually after three uses they go kinda yucky).
To branch out, last night (well, today afternoon for most of you) before bed I ordered five boxes from Celestial Seasonings (can you tell I like them?):
Vanilla Apple White Organic Tea, Antioxidant Green Tea, Green Tea Sampler, Fast Lane Black Tea (awwwwwww yeah, baby), and Morning Thunder Tea.
I have yet to try red tea, so that may be next.
So, wishing to replace about half of my typical carbonated soft drink intake with tea, I thought I would ask for suggestions from those of you who already drink tea (in whatever form). Also, what format do you prefer (premix, bag, cake), and how long do you steep for typically (leave in (that's me usually), remove after x, etc..)? Which teas are better cold, which are better hot?
Oh, forgot to mention, I'm a supertaster, so it will probably be difficult to get me to try a bitter tea (not that it affects your preference, just thought I might throw that in because I enjoy hearing the clickity-clack of my work keyboard).
Caffeinated preferred, but also a good non-caffeinated tea would be great after 7 am (which is my caffeine cutoff point). Both warm and cold tea suggestions would be excellent (especially because I hate waiting a fricking hour for my caffeine to become cool enough to imbibe [although now that I have caffeinated soap this isn’t such a big deal], but I only drink diet or very low calorie drinks (I take in so much liquid I don’t really have a choice)). Thanks!
[teasnob]Go here. :) Not really the best types of tea around but quite nice anyway -for supermarket fodder. [/teasnob]
Hmmm, spearmint does sound good. I hadn't considered other varieties of mint. Unfortunately I'd have to leave the box at home (plantation has kind of a negative connotation and might get me beaten to death), but I just may try that (the tea, not being stomped). Koscher gelatin even, interesting.
You might try camomile tea for your work day. Tastes naturally sweet (at least to me, but my taste buds are a bit wonky), smells divine.
[teasnob]Go here. :) Not really the best types of tea around but quite nice anyway -for supermarket fodder. [/teasnob]
Neat, thanks! Do you prefer loose or bagged?
You might try camomile tea for your work day. Tastes naturally sweet (at least to me, but my taste buds are a bit wonky), smells divine.
I might use it to flavor another tea, but the soporific effect of chamomile would make it a tough sell working midnights (be great for at home though). Still, it is very healthy (and holy crap has drinking tea made me regularly lately, not that you wanted to know, probably).
I, too, am a big fan of Celestial Seasonings. I order them by the case from Amazon. My absolute favorite is Bengal Spice--sometimes hard to find, but well worth the search.
Question: How intense in the ginger? If it is subtle, I will definitely order some with the next batch. My problem with ginger is in excess (much like over salting or overly strong mint) the flavor becomes "hot."
I forgot to ask: I was avoiding dairy to clear up my sinus issue, but now that that's over, do any of you go the milk route?
I don't think you can ever go wrong with mint tea. Bigelow's Plantation Mint has a very pleasant spearmint taste served cold with just a hint of sweetener.
Holy crap. I JUST poured my fiancee a cup of that not even 5 minutes ago. I think it's the strongest mint tea on the market right now- and so cheap!
My personal favorite from Bigelow are their vanilla chai and their vanilla hazelnut flavors. Drizzle a little bit of honey into one of those and you're set.
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I perfer Earl Grey myself. it is strong in the caffine department and is a good get up and go tea, at least for me. I tend to not add milk or cream as I find it barbaric and rude to the flavor of the tea itself. I also tend to use honey over sugar when I can but either will work.
Bigelow actually has a very good range to choose from and the plantation mint is divine. A good choice for Fall and winter drinks.
I love a good black tea with honey and cream (cream just plain tastes better to me along with making it drinkable faster).
The brand I use most is called Red Rose. Just a basic breakfast tea, comes with a cute little random figurine, and it's available in most grocery stores in my area.
When I feel like spoiling myself a bit, The Republic of Tea has lots of fun (and good) flavors, my favorite being Vanilla Almond. It is amazing. I find their teas at Cost Plus World Market.
Anyway, I like cream in tea so much that I'm going to vote for it twice. Give it a shot.
Probably not of much use, but I thought I'd chime in anyway, seeing that I love tea too (prepared my way, of course).
I still haven't found anything that can beat Earl Grey.
Some of my methods might seem heretical to the tea snobs, but I like it this way, so here's my usual MO:
- Brew a thermos full of Earl Grey (from time to time I use variants called Russian Earl Grey (added citrus flavour) or Earl Grey w/lime). If things have to be "fancy," I brew it in a glass tea pot (slightly similar to those used in ordinary coffee machines) and keep it warm on a ceramic tea pot warmer.
- 3 teaspoons of sugar in a big ol' mug
- Add a dash of milk
- Stir
- Pour tea in mug
- Stir
- Enjoy!
I usually use regular tea bags, since it's easier, but I do have everything needed to use loose leaf tea.
From time to time I do enjoy a mug of green tea too, usually one with lemon flavour.
I prefer Twinings Earl Grey, while the Russian Earl Grey is from Lipton and the lime flavoured one is Pickwick's.
If you're looking for a simple black tea that won't scorch your bitter-sensitive tastebuds, try Ceylon tea. It's very mild. Twinnings makes a nice, affordable version. It's my current favorite non-Diet Coke caffeine source.
Re: Fake Healer: Coffee one of the grossest things I've ever tried. Tea, however, is soothing and delicious.
Hearing a lot of votes for Earl Grey (the one with citrus sounds very appealing).
My problem with coffee is twofold: I have to add so much to it to make it palatable, it isn't coffee anymore; plus during the recent problem, I did try coffee, but my every instinct was to sweeten it, at which point I'd immediately have to throw it out (gah!).
I've never tried my tea with milk or cream, but maybe this week I will give it a shot. I'm very leery of the idea (cloudy substance in clear substance?), but people seem to speak highly of it.
Mentioned the spearmint tea to my wife downstairs, and she sounds intrigued as well.
I have extended my pinky finger whilst I sip
Oddly enough, I've always instinctively drank (drunk?) this way...(lol)
Hearing a lot of votes for Earl Grey (the one with citrus sounds very appealing).
I actually find earl grey sort of bitter compared to other black teas, but maybe it's just me. Flavored black tea does take some of the bite off, though, so the citrus one might be a good bet.
Re: Fake Healer: Coffee one of the grossest things I've ever tried. Tea, however, is soothing and delicious.
Hear hear! (don't know why so many people write "here here" or some other nonsense instead).
I'll go so far as admitting that I actually do like the smell of fresh brewed coffee in the morning, but as for drinking it! No way!I can't even eat mocca flavoured things (ice cream etc.), that's how bad I dislike the taste of anything coffee related.
Another type of tea I miss greatly is the Chai tea from Starbucks (great, you visit the US and become hooked on Chai tea (2nd visit) and Krispy Kreme donuts (1st visit) - not exactly what I had planned!).
I've tried Chai tea from a couple of other places (e.g. the café at Borders), but it's just not the same.
The Lady Earl Grey by Twinnings is delicious. Earl Grey but lighter in flavor. The English/Irish Breakfast Teas are great as well.
Mate Latte by The Republic of Tea is delightful. Has a hint of chocolate scent.
The aforementioned Bengal Spice is another favorite.
When I'm sick, the Throat Coat, Breathe Easy and HerbaTussin from Traditional Medicinals are moved to the front of the cabinet.
I can't do chai. The last time I had chai, I got heart palpitations from it, which was fairly bizarre. Of course, I don't remember the brand, which sucks because I love the flavor of chai. Ginseng is a no-no for me as well - migraines! Bleh!
Not a big cream person in my tea, but lemon or honey is good. Cream is for my coffee. Or whipped and put on desserts. Or people. :P
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You bunch of pus$ies, drink coffee! Oh lookie at me, I have extended my pinky finger whilst I sip my tea and my beautiful lace doily is placed gently upon my lap. You people make me sick!
;PFH
Drinking coffee as a sign of toughness is like having to wear a t-shirt that says you're a bad ass. Now, a real bad ass can walk into a room and people know what he is, no announcement being made. And he'll be drinking tea, too.
For historical validity, look at famous tea drinkers-
Leonidas
Ellen Ripley
James Connolly
St. Michael the Archangel
Captain Ahab
Theodore Roosevelt
"Doc" Holliday
versus coffee drinkers-
Judas
Benito Mussolini
Anne of Green Gables
Arthur Slugworth
Andrei Chikatilo
Shirley Temple
Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Also, Popeye really ate tea leaves, Darkseid of the New Gods takes his tea with just a drop of honey, and coffee gives you the clap.
I rest my case. :)
(Bigelow also makes a damned tasty Blueberry flavored Green Tea.)
So, wishing to replace about half of my typical carbonated soft drink intake with tea, I thought I would ask for suggestions from those of you who already drink tea (in whatever form). Also, what format do you prefer (premix, bag, cake), and how long do you steep for typically (leave in (that's me usually), remove after x, etc..)? Which teas are better cold, which are better hot?
Oh, forgot to mention, I'm a supertaster, so it will probably be difficult to get me to try a bitter tea (not that it affects your preference, just thought I might throw that in because I enjoy hearing the clickity-clack of my work keyboard).
Caffeinated preferred, but also a good non-caffeinated tea would be great after 7 am (which is my caffeine cutoff point). Both warm and cold tea suggestions would be excellent (especially because I hate waiting a fricking hour for my caffeine to become cool enough to imbibe [although now that I have caffeinated soap this isn’t such a big deal], but I only drink diet or very low calorie drinks (I take in so much liquid I don’t really have a choice)). Thanks!
I used to drink orange pekoe almost exclusively, I started with Red Rose as that is what I grew up with but I bought a box of Tetley one day and found that I preferred it. I drink orange pekoe by leaving the bag in, the stronger the better.
About two years ago my parents bought me some loose tea from a store in Nova Scotia. My brother who lived in Taipei for a year told me how they brew it there. You use 90 degrees Celsius water (I don't use a thermometer or anything I just put some tap water in after boiling) and you steep it for about a minute.
This tea was unlike anything I've ever had. I started experimenting with the tea and from what I found you could brew the first cup, about 1 - 2 table spoons of loose tea, for about two minutes. After that each additional brewing needed only about 45 seconds until the 5th cup. Then you could brew it up to 1 1/2 minutes. After about the 6th cup the tea is too weak.
If you have a tea pot that has an insert you will need to increase the quantity of tea used. I have a special cup my brother bought me that has an insert for the loose tea. Anyway I am going into the process in such detail because if you brew any of the teas I'm about to talk about too much they get bitter.
So anyway:
Taiwan Oriental Beauty: Very light flavour almost like drinking flower petals.
Big Red Robe: This one needs to be brewed carefully there is a fine line between delicate flavour and too bitter.
King of Guan Yin: Another light flavour but similar to a lot of packaged green teas.
There are others but those are the ones I enjoy the most and have consistently, or will, order.
If you are interested here is the store’s contact information:
1360 Lower Water Street
Halifax, NS
B3J 3X2
Canada
phone & fax: (902) 420-1994
email: mulan@ns.aliantzinc.ca
webpage: www.mulan.ca
These teas are not inexpensive. The Big Red Robe is $1.00 / gram and the Taiwan Oriental Beauty is $0.75 / gram. I don't know the price of the King of Guan Yin as it was a gift from my brother. However when compared to a cup of tea at your local coffee/tea shop it is still less and in my opinion much superior. I'm talking Tim Horton's tea here so your milage may vary.
Actually I just looked at their web page. It looks like the price might go down when you order larger amounts > 25g. I order between 15 - 30 grams each of two or three teas at a time and that usually lasts a month (when mixed with drinking Tetley tea about half the time).
I suppose I should qualify my amount of tea drinking for that last statement to be of use. I drink about three pots (4 cups each) of Tetley tea a day, on a work day. On a day off I drink tea constantly while I'm at home 6+ pots a day.
I would highly recommend you get in touch with the above store their teas are excellent!
Liam
[EDIT] If I edit this will it magically appear? [/EDIT]
If you drink iced tea a lot, I really love Honest T organic iced tea. They come in a lot of flavors and the most important thing to me is that they don't add sugar. I used to love Arizona Green Tea, but it's so loaded with sugar that I personally blame the Arizona company for every filling I needed at the dentist. Plus, they have Opus on one of their bottles. Remember Opus? He's back! In tea form!
I'm with GentleGiant. There is only one tea for me:
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.
It's fun when I nuke a mug of water in the microwave, instead of using a kettle, as I like to say that out loud in my best Picard voice.
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I am a huge fan of Tazo Awake - nothing but black tea!
...oh, and Long Island Iced Tea works for me too.
...oh, and Long Island Iced Tea works for me too.
Oh yes! However, it's probably not a good idea to drink what amounts to several kettles of this a day... in that case I'd say that one's tea addiction is the lesser problem. ;-)
But it's yummy yummy yummy (and expensive!)!!! :-D|
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I, too, am a big fan of Celestial Seasonings. I order them by the case from Amazon. My absolute favorite is Bengal Spice--sometimes hard to find, but well worth the search.Question: How intense in the ginger? If it is subtle, I will definitely order some with the next batch. My problem with ginger is in excess (much like over salting or overly strong mint) the flavor becomes "hot."
I pick up on the cinnamon moreso than the ginger. There is a little ginger there, but the cinnamon seems to come through more. This one is slightly sweet, but I don't get any of the "hot" from it--I know what you are talking about on that one, because there is a ginger candy out there that burns you up like a habanero pepper. I usually drink my tea on ice, and this one is great on ice.
I'm with GentleGiant. There is only one tea for me:
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.
It's fun when I nuke a mug of water in the microwave, instead of using a kettle, as I like to say that out loud in my best Picard voice.
I'd call you a huge nerd, but I'm a bit of a black pot myself.
Wow, lot of tea drinkers coming out of the woodwork. Once you are all identified, my evil plans will come to dark fruition, ahahahahaha. I can't back that up, really.
Thanks for the loose tea instructions Liam! Honest T, eh? With honesty right in the name, how could they be bad...? Seriously though, I am looking for a good sweetened iced tea drink, and sure enough they have a coop in Ypsilanti that sells this brand. Will check it out this week, appreciate it.
I'd call you a huge nerd, but I'm a bit of a black pot myself.
Yeah, I'm thinking even knowing this message board exists means we've all had a few "nerdments" at one time or another...
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Residing in Melbourne, Australia, brands etc may differ, but here's my take on teas:
I forgot to ask: I was avoiding dairy to clear up my sinus issue, but now that that's over, do any of you go the milk route?
I avoid milk in springtime for the same reason, hayfever. However, I find the little amount required in tea doesn't affect me much, so I continue to milk my tea, as I cannot tolerate tea without milk. Or I should say, some tea without milk - the thing is knowing which teas to add milk to, and which teas not. My (rather vague) rule of thumb is to add milk to British teas, don't add milk to Chinese teas.
However, I switch from dairy milk to soy milk for my breakfast cereal. The taste can take a little getting used to at first, but it's not too bad, much like making the switch from full-cream to non-fat milk, you soon get used to it. If you really don't like it, try another variety, as they have sweetened, unsweetened, pandang flavoured (coloured green from pandang leaves, like banana leaves?), and can even get it vanilla or chocolate flavoured.
My personal favorite from Bigelow are their vanilla chai and their vanilla hazelnut flavors. Drizzle a little bit of honey into one of those and you're set.
Wholeheartedly agree! Vanilla tea, and Chai tea were my two all-time favourite varieties, until ... Lipton released VANILLA CHAI in the one tea! This has to be tea sent from heaven! Seriously, Vanilla and Chai are great teas on their own, but combine them, and WOW!
When I feel like spoiling myself a bit, The Republic of Tea has lots of fun (and good) flavors, my favorite being Vanilla Almond. It is amazing.
Sounds similar to a tea franchise here in Melbourne called T2. They sell boxes of loose-leaf teas in a dizzying variety of trendy flavour combos, and they display them all arranged on a table in small china cups for customers to smell. Vanilla Almond definitely sounds like something I'd like, I've already described my addiction to Vanilla tea, and those Almond jelly desserts you get at Chinese restaurants are delicious! I'll have to try track Vanilla Almond tea down for myself and give it a try.
I still haven't found anything that can beat Earl Grey (from time to time I use variants called Russian Earl Grey (added citrus flavour) or Earl Grey w/lime)
Twinings Lady Grey sounds very similar to the Russian Earl Grey you described, a blend of Earl Grey with an added flavour like grated orange peel. It gives an edge to the otherwise tame Earl Grey flavour, which I really enjoy. It's entirely possible that Russian and Lady Greys are in fact the same tea, but labelled differently for foreign markets. If you already enjoy Earl Grey, but looking for a subtle change, I recommend giving one of these Earl Grey /citrus blends a try.
Another favourite of mine is Twinings Lapsang Souchong. It has a strong smoky flavour and auroma. Not for everyone, like Vegemite, you either love it or hate it, and nothing can sway your view.
An often complaint of Chinese tea is that it looks/tastes like dishwater. When I'm out at a Chinese restaurant (Yum Cha lunch!), I don't accept the standard tea, but always ask if they have Boleh (unsure of the spelling, but pronounced like the sunglasses brand). It's a much darker and stronger flavoured tea than the dishwater they usually serve up, but can become bitter if left too long.
There's a Spanish(?) chocolate bar in Brunswick Street, Melbourne, (sorry I forget the name) that serves hot chocolate blended with chilli! You can also purchase tins of chilli-chocolate powder to take home to make your own "hot" chocolate. Sorry, I realise this is straying from the subject of tea, but thought I'd offer something for those extreme beverage fans among us (as if Lapsang Souchong weren't enough? :-)
Personally I'm a BIG fan of the Red Seal "Black Adder" liquorice tea. I have a huge sweet-tooth, and usually have to add heaps of sugar, but this one is wonderful as-is. It's sweet and it smells glorious. It's also quite tasty hot or cold, which works for someone like me who forgets I have a cup of tea sitting next to me on my desk. I tend to leave the bag in, as it doesn't go bitter. I find it really good as a pick-me-up, and it's great if you're feeling a bit sick as well (just as an aside).
Heh, I'm a bit of a tea-snob, so the only drawback about this tea is that it is in bag form, but it's tasty enough for me to overlook this fact.
If you're interested, here in New Zealand it's "flavour"
Edit: also, I feel compelled to add that this isn't, technically, a "tea" it's an infusion, since "tea" only refers to the infusions made from leaves of the tea plant. Did I mention I'm an incurable tea snob, and avoiding doing my uni essay? :p
Rooibos (red tea) changed tea for me forever, and for the better. I used to just drink chamomile when I was sick. Now, red tea, all the way. If you haven't tried it, make an effort to do so. Harney & Sons has a good one called African Autumn, and Republic of Tea has one, but I forget what it's called.
(However, for the record, french-pressed coffee will remain my true love forever.)
Nasty (sinus, shocker) headache this evening, so I didn't get much chance to post, but I wanted to thank everyone for their instructions and suggestions.
Tried tension tamer (which is awesome) this weekend, and it is a good mix for the white with pear. Might bring a few to mix with the black at work to see if it evens out. Yet this morning I'm going to try Indian Spice Chai (came with the tension tamer as a sample, I love when they do that), and the next order will definitely contain some red teas now.
Coffee drinkers: Jim Kirk, Wesley Crusher, & the Ferengi
Tea drinkers: Jean-Luc Picard, Khan Noonian Singh, & the Borg
'Nuff said!
:P
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Tea. Big topic.
Twinnings, as mentioned, is a very good introductory tea. If you want to go to the other end of the spectrum Upton Tea Imports
Upton has some of the best tea you'll ever put in your cup. I recommend getting yourself one of their samplers, like their Iced Tea Sampler, Assam Sampler, and British Blend Sampler
Earl Grey all the way baby. With just a little 'raw' sugar. The best I have had was loose made the right way but when I need something I can get at the supermarket I go with Numi or that zen one.
During the summer I find some hot earl with a few ice cubes thrown in after steeping tastes a lot better than 'iced tea' and is not nearly so sickly sweet.
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My personal choice is Bigelow Chinese Fotune, which use to be labeled as Oo'long (might still be in some places) prepared with honey.
In winter, when I am congested constantly, I usually made a 2 quart pot on the stove with 2 tea bags, and left it to simmer all day. Pour a cup out, then add a cup of water back to the pot. You get a full day out of 2 tea bags, and the house smells great.
Rooibos was mentioned. Big fan of that, too. Interesting flavor.
Turns out the Meijer (grocery chain) near where I work has a big tea section. Picked up a Bigelow sampler while I wait for my Celestial Seasonings package to arrive. Plantation Mint is a big hit with both of us, especially as it is cooler today.
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Turns out the Meijer (grocery chain) near where I work has a big tea section. Picked up a Bigelow sampler while I wait for my Celestial Seasonings package to arrive. Plantation Mint is a big hit with both of us, especially as it is cooler today.
Glad you guys like it. It's really the best thing since ever.
I don't think you can ever go wrong with mint tea. Bigelow's Plantation Mint has a very pleasant spearmint taste served cold with just a hint of sweetener.
Especially cold. COLD.MINT.TEA. MMMMMM
SAMMICH!
Well, I just have to put my two cents worth in (Blame Cosmo). I don't claim to know about all tea, but I do know a lot about Chinese tea. First of all, if it does not contain camellia sinensis (or, the Indian variant camellia assamica) it is not tea, it is a tisane.
Now as to taste, it depends on what taste you want. If you want mint, why not brew up a nice minty tisane? If you need caffeine, pop a couple of caffeine tablets.
Tea should taste like tea. Gentle additions are okay as long as you can still taste the tea. Otherwise, why bother?
Good tea can only rarely be found in the supermarket. It either began its life as tea dregs swept up off of the floor, or it was grown in the dark, moist crotch of a festered orc. Sometimes it is simply too old.
Stay away from Lapsang Souchong. It is bad tea flavored with turpentine-like smoke. The Chinese smoked cheap tea over pine fires and sold it to unsuspecting foreigners.
If you want good, fresh high quality tea, the easiest solution is Tazo's China Green Tips in tea bags. This is pure Chinese Mao Feng, considered one of the top 4 green teas in the world. For sublime brewing pleasure buy the loose leaf and brew from scratch. You can get it at Starbucks. If your local store doesn't carry it, ask for it. They can get it.
Be warned, this is pure green tea, no mint or berries or Pelor-knows-what, just tea. Although one Paizo-ite recently described it as tasting like "Lucky Charms without the marshmallows."
For added flavor, try something like Zen which has mint in it.
If you want to explore tea culture, I recommend Devitea.com. You can buy a tea brewer (Lu Yu Brewer--Lu Yu is the father of tea)from them that emulates the traditional Gongfu Brewing process (this brewer takes less than three minutes for a small pot, also, you can use the leaves more than once--3 or 4 times, or Pu-erh up to 7), and their loose leaf teas are first class.
If you want green, try a variant--yellow tea. Devi's yellow bud is delightful, traditional, authentic, and a former Tribute Tea (as was Mao Feng). For a little more flavor, try the Jasmine Pearl or the Display Teas (which are also lovely to look at). These are both fine, long-bud green teas scented with jasmine flowers.
Want something a little more hearty? Try the Tie Kuan Yin oolong (Iron Goddess of Compassion) or a little stronger, the Bai Hao (Oriental Beauty or Big Mouth) oolong--which means black dragon.
If you really get into Chinese Tea Culture, you can buy a lovely little Yixing Clay tea pot and learn the true Gongfu (Kungfu) method.
According to some Chinese Tea Masters, these are the 7 types of Chinese tea:
1. White--most delicate, prescribed as medicine in China, lots of polyphenols
2. Green--try Mao Feng, Dragonwell, or, if you are rich, Bi Luo Chun. Do not buy cheap Bi Luo Chun!
3. Yellow--nuff said
4. Oolong--more oxidized than the above, means black dragon because the traditional ball style was thought to look like little sleeping black dragons. The first caress of the water is said to "awaken the dragon."
5. Black--invented in India, but several wonderful blacks from China like Keemun, and Golden Tian Hong.
6. Pu-erh (Puer)--The only tea valued for its age. Secret processes developed to satisfy the Ching overlords. Careful, lots of bad Pu-erh out there. Try Devi's Green Pu-erh (although their loose leaf black Pu-erh is excellent too!). This green is pressed into traditional cakes for shipping along the horse and donkey roads in old China. A smokey green tea.
7. Jasmine--also lots of bad, cheap jasmine. Devi's is made from traditional long buds and exposed to the jasmine scent 5 times.
Tea, the liquor that exhilarates without intoxicating.
As my Tea Master says: "Tea makes a happy day."
I rest my case.
Pierce
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Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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Nasty (sinus, shocker) headache this evening, so I didn't get much chance to post, but I wanted to thank everyone for their instructions and suggestions.
Tried tension tamer (which is awesome) this weekend, and it is a good mix for the white with pear. Might bring a few to mix with the black at work to see if it evens out. Yet this morning I'm going to try Indian Spice Chai (came with the tension tamer as a sample, I love when they do that), and the next order will definitely contain some red teas now.
Tension Tamer is one of my favorites. I also like Tazo's Refresh (alas, caffeine-free), and Clipper White Tea with Peppermint.
But above all, I LOVE Chai Tea. Celestial Seasonings has a good one, but my favorite is Oregon Chai, in any form (carton, bag, or mix). I used to have that late in the evening as I sat down to read before bedtime. Ahhhhh.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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I wouldn't call myself a 'tea person' but I have enjoyed tea from time to time.
I'm mostly partial to chai teas. My current favorite is Stash's Black Chai Spice tea with a little bit of sugar and enough whole milk to make it murky. You can substitute the sugar with honey and it's still awesome, too. As far as more 'mainstream' teas are concerned, Earl Grey is a good one, but I don't care much for Morning Breakfast or Prince of Wales.
I've also recently discovered Lipton Brisk Iced Green Tea. There's a slight hint of apple in it and, when you're picking up something to drink for a long hike or a roadtrip, that stuff is awesome. Very refreshing.
I can't drink much of anything that isn't caffeinated though. I'm good and thoroughly addicted, to the point of developing tear-inducing migraines if I try to go more than 8 hours without a cup of coffee or a soda. I kinda wish I could 'un-addict' myself without enduring the days upon days of mind-numbing pain, but I tried that once already and couldn't handle it. On top of that, I'm allergic to aspirin and ibuprofen so I can't even use painkillers to get me through the rough spots. I can take Tylenol (acetominophen) but it isn't nearly potent enough to stop the kind of pain I'm talking about. Maybe if I could get some codeine or vicodin...
Nice to see someone so passionate about tea, Pierce, though I think our enjoyment might be motivated by dissimilar rationales.
I'm mostly partial to chai teas.
But above all, I LOVE Chai Tea
Uh oh, two more votes for Chai. I've held off, mostly because Chai seems so much more dessert-y than tea, and the idea of adding milk still worries me. Still, I may yet fold.
I've also recently discovered Lipton Brisk Iced Green Tea. There's a slight hint of apple in it and, when you're picking up something to drink for a long hike or a roadtrip, that stuff is awesome. Very refreshing.
I love those, but the calorie count kills me, and the diet versions taste like goat urine (I think it's the splenda). :(
I can't drink much of anything that isn't caffeinated though. I'm good and thoroughly addicted, to the point of developing tear-inducing migraines if I try to go more than 8 hours without a cup of coffee or a soda
Right there with you, although honestly, I'm not bothered knowing I have a cycle of caffeine dependency. Everyone needs one good vice.
Tension Tamer is one of my favorites. I also like Tazo's Refresh (alas, caffeine-free), and Clipper White Tea with Peppermint.
I like the tension tamer a lot, but the problem I have with it (and the peppermint) is that the flavor can be overpowering. After two cups, my palate is done for, and everything smells and tastes like it for hours.
The good news is that my Celestial Seasonings package arrived today (woo!). The "Fast Lane" is very drinkable, though I'd hesitate to call it "enjoyable." The cinnamon helps (smells nice) at any rate, and it has one heck of a kick to it, which is why I bought it in the first place. Grabbed Green and Lemon on the way out of the house (though too be fair I was aiming for Plantation and was too tired to notice) to see if I like the taste of either of them, Earl Grey is tomorrow. Still debating loose leaf, as I'm not keen on crap floating around in my beverage (is it soup now?).
I did have a question though: Is red tea the same as black tea? I much prefer green and oolong, and if red is just relabeled black...