Discovering the Right Tea: Rooibos is My Favorite!

[BryanP]

Girlfriend is coming over soon so I bought some high quality Japanese green tea, particularly Gyokuro Suimei (roughly 23 dollars for 56 grams/ 2 ounces).

Other than that, I've been drinking bagged tea from Tazo. Their China Green Tips really got me into drinking tea. It has NO additives, which means it's actual green tea leaves harvested from China (Zhejiang province). The flavor is not too bitter and tastes good the second time it's steeped (for me at least). It's refreshing and the caffeine content doesn't seem bad at all... doesn't get me all buzzed out at least.

The green tea I purchased above though is Japan's (hence Japanese Green Tea instead of the Chinese kind I've been drinking) "finest" kind and usually is consumed for special occasions so I will definitely chime back in when I try this out. It's supposed to have a sweet flavor to it, so I'm kind of excited!

For anyone interested, you can buy their stuff from: hxxp://www.denstea.com/

Yes, that's what I use most of the time for brewing tea, a French press. It's just as easy as a teabag, and so much better tasting. they also make inserts for teapots, as well as wire mesh teaballs that you can put your loose tea into so you don't have bits of leaves getting into your tea. Of course, the "traditional" way to do it is to pour through a strainer to catch any leaves before they go into the cup. If I just want a single cup, I have a small teaball that I add the loose leaves to and brew right in the cup like you would if it was a teabag. While in desperation for a cup of tea at work, and while the French press was at home (forgotten when I took it home for a more thorough washing than is possible in the break room sink), a coffee filter held shut by a paper clip and dangled on an elastic band works well as a tea ball too.

There are Japanese tea pots that have metal sieves inside that strains the leaves (a strainer basically shaped like the pot itself).

They're great because they allow the leaves to expand instead of being smashed up in a tea ball.

 

[Lisa!]

I was sick for about a week and strangely I've got to hate any sort of tea and coffee since then!

 

[Andre]

That may only be temporaroly, Lisa. Have experienced that too after a flu.

 

[Lisa!]

That may only be temporaroly, Lisa. Have experienced that too after a flu.

I hope so!

 

[Monique]

I've got two kitchen cabinets completely filled with teas. One with pre-packed ones, I don't really drink those much, another with large glass bottles filled with loose teas. My favorites at the moment are lapsang souchon (it tastes like smoked eel) and finest quality jasmine green tea. I also drink chinese herbal teas that you dissolve, they are incredibly sweet with cane sugar and honey, something that gets you through the day

 

[Moonbear]

My favorites at the moment are lapsang souchon (it tastes like smoked eel)

That one is definitely an acquired taste! I have some of it in my cabinet too. The first time I tried it, I hated it. It reminded me of burnt rubber. But, I think that was simply because the taste was entirely unexpected and so strong, my tastebuds got very confused. Since then, I've learned to appreciate a nice cup of that once in a while. I prefer it in winter, since it tastes so strong and "heavy" to me, so seems good on a very cold day.

 

[Monique]

That one is definitely an acquired taste! I have some of it in my cabinet too. The first time I tried it, I hated it. It reminded me of burnt rubber. But, I think that was simply because the taste was entirely unexpected and so strong, my tastebuds got very confused. Since then, I've learned to appreciate a nice cup of that once in a while. I prefer it in winter, since it tastes so strong and "heavy" to me, so seems good on a very cold day.

I guess it is an acquired taste, we eat quite a lot of smoked eel in the Netherlands, so I am used to that smoked flavor. I guess most people wouldn't like having their tea taste like "eel", but the aroma of the tea is so wonderfully rich, I really like it a lot. You're right that it really is more of a winter tea.

 

[BryanP]

I purchased some Fukamushi Sencha by Mayamoto, and when brewed correctly (between 160-175F), the taste of the first steep is nice and rich. Has a veggie taste to it but second steep it was rich and sweet. It doesn't taste bitter at all and has a smooth "green taste" to it (hard to describe, but not bitter).

I like it a lot! So far I've drank 5 cups of this tea through the day.

 

[neu]

Chai with milk

 

[cristo]

I just prefer a cup of tetleys =]

Now that's more like it. I don't like all these crazy different teas that people are mentioning here: a good cup of tetleys (or other equivalent brand ) suits me. And one of the options in the poll is black tea?

 

[BryanP]

Well it depends on what you drink tea for.

For people just trying to get a pep with that generic taste of black tea, then there's not really a need for variation.

Green teas come in various flavors and other than the healthy benefits of it, each type of loose-leaf have their own unique taste. Therefore it's not necessarily just for that pep.

I drink tea because of the different flavors and I love trying different types out. If i wanted a daily green tea, just give me some Fukamushi Sencha and I'd call it a day.

 

[George Jones]

Earl Grey.