Recommendations for Hot Tea without Caffeine & Tea Bags

[Math Is Hard]

I can't find my favorite tea anymore so I am looking for a new one. I'm looking for something without caffeine so I can drink it before bed. I also want something that is available in a tea bag; loose teas are too inconvenient. I tend to like fruity and tangy blends, and sometimes, spice flavors. I'm not much into herbal.

Any tea drinkers out there who could recommend a brand?

 

[EnumaElish]

Mighty Leaf, hands down.

www.mightyleaf.com

 

[Astronuc]

Celestial Seasonings have quite a choice.

http://www.celestialseasonings.com/index.html

There are a couple of others, I'll dig up later.

 

[Chi Meson]

Good Earth original caffeine-free. Yum. Fruity, tangy, spicy, all in one. One bag is strong enough to make a big, big mug of tea.

 

[Kurdt]

Can't go wrong with earl grey. I think they do a decaf version now.

 

[Andre]

I would strongly recommend googling "rooibos tea". My favorite.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Thanks for all the recommendations. The one I can no longer find was a Good Earth "Red" (I think it was a rooibos tea) tea that was kinda spicy. I've even been to the Good Earth restaurant and was told that the one I liked was discontinued.

That mighty leaf tea looks very interesting. Astro, which do you like from Celestial Seasonings? I love Earl Grey (especially Stash brand), but it is such a "breakfast tea" to me.

Speaking of tea, have you folks seen these "blooming teas"?
http://fullbloomtea.com/

 

[Chi Meson]

Thanks for all the recommendations. The one I can no longer find was a Good Earth "Red" (I think it was a rooibos tea) tea that was kinda spicy. I've even been to the Good Earth restaurant and was told that the one I liked was discontinued.

I've had that! It was awesome! I just thought our lame supermarket stopped carrying it.

Hurry
http://store.drsoda.com/goearedteasw.html
whilst it lasts

 

[Math Is Hard]

I've had that! It was awesome! I just thought our lame supermarket stopped carrying it.

Hurry
http://store.drsoda.com/goearedteasw.html
whilst it lasts

I also just saw it on Good Earth website!

https://www.goodearthteas.com/productinfo.asp?prod=43&typek=8

Maybe the people at the restaurant were confused. Anyway - woohoo! I'll be ordering a bunch just in case it is going away.

 

[Chi Meson]

I also just saw it on Good Earth website!

https://www.goodearthteas.com/productinfo.asp?prod=43&typek=8

Maybe the people at the restaurant were confused. Anyway - woohoo! I'll be ordering a bunch just in case it is going away.

A better deal is available through Amazon. Buy a case of boxes!

 

[Moonbear]

I don't know where you get rooibos tea in a bag. Zz and I are both enamored with a blend called African Autumn that is a rooibos tea with orange and some other spice to it. It's VERY tasty, perfect for bedtime (or any time), but only sold as a loose tea as far as I know.

Then again, if you get a small tea infuser like this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006SYA34/?tag=pfamazon01-20
making loose tea isn't really any harder than making it with a tea bag.

Ooh...actually, I see that they are now selling the African Autumn tea in sachets (fancy teabags). It's pricey, but really worth it.
http://www.harney.com/africanautumn.html

That company also offers some samplers for $2 each, so you can try some different teas in amounts that are enough for just one or two pots and see if you like it before splurging on a whole tin.

 

[EnumaElish]

That mighty leaf tea looks very interesting.

That's not the half of it. It has its own class. Their pouches are made of some silky material.

 

[Monique]

I LOVE tea, I've got two cupboards completely stashed with every type I can find. One cupboard overflowing with pre-packaged ones, one cupboard with large pots of loose teas.

If you like fruity and tangy blends, try the Celestial Seasonings 'Zingers' (for instance Red Zinger).

Btw, you can buy loose tea sackets that you can fill yourself with loose tea: very easy to use.. not sure where you can get it in your area though. Especially handy for loose teas that tend to float (rooibos).

 

[Astronuc]

I'm partial to the Zinger teas -
http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/zingers/

Sleepytime Herb Tea, a comforting blend of chamomile and spearmint, is good in the evening
http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/herbal-teas/sleepytime.html

And when I have a cold I use Echinacea Complete Care™ Wellness Tea
http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/wellness-teas/echinacea-complete-care.html

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm not too picky about tea, but I like interesting tea pots:

 

[ZapperZ]

I don't know where you get rooibos tea in a bag. Zz and I are both enamored with a blend called African Autumn that is a rooibos tea with orange and some other spice to it. It's VERY tasty, perfect for bedtime (or any time), but only sold as a loose tea as far as I know.

Then again, if you get a small tea infuser like this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006SYA34/?tag=pfamazon01-20
making loose tea isn't really any harder than making it with a tea bag.

Ooh...actually, I see that they are now selling the African Autumn tea in sachets (fancy teabags). It's pricey, but really worth it.
http://www.harney.com/africanautumn.html

That company also offers some samplers for $2 each, so you can try some different teas in amounts that are enough for just one or two pots and see if you like it before splurging on a whole tin.

I would recommend the African Autumn as well. And loose-leaf tea isn't any more inconvenient than teabags. Get yourself one of those french-press coffee maker, and use that to make your tea. It works very well.

Another thing I like to do is get some good, strong Indian tea, put one tablespoon of it into a pot, and then dump like a dozen good strong mint leaves, a couple of slices of orange rind, and then maybe a couple of teaspoon sugar (more if you like it sweet). This makes a very good Moroccan mint tea and very soothing in the afternoon to go with some very good scones or cookies. Of course, no guarantee that it is decaffeinated, but if you're into afternoon tea, this is a good one.

Zz.

 

[Astronuc]

Can't go wrong with earl grey. I think they do a decaf version now.

Yes - Twinings makes decaf teas - http://206.188.203.208/ - and they have a decaf Earl Grey.

They also have herbal teas.

One can also try Revolution Teas - http://www.revolutiontea.com/
I bought Sweet Ginger Peach and White Pear teas.

Another good tea when one has a bad cold or sore throat is Throat Coat Organic Lemon Echinacea tea from Traditional Medicinals. I used that when I had pneumonia.

 

[Astronuc]

Another thing I like to do is get some good, strong Indian tea, put one tablespoon of it into a pot, and then dump like a dozen good strong mint leaves, a couple of slices of orange rind, and then maybe a couple of teaspoon sugar (more if you like it sweet). This makes a very good Moroccan mint tea and very soothing in the afternoon to go with some very good scones or cookies. Of course, no guarantee that it is decaffeinated, but if you're into afternoon tea, this is a good one.

Zz.

OK - Tea time at ZapperZ's!

I'll bring the shortbread cookies.

Here are some goodies if one doesn't want to bake them oneself.
http://www.walkersshortbread.com/index.asp?cat=Products

 

[ZapperZ]

OK - Tea time at ZapperZ's!

I'll bring the shortbread cookies.

Here are some goodies if one doesn't want to bake them oneself.
http://www.walkersshortbread.com/index.asp?cat=Products

I have been known to serve a "traditional" English afternoon tea during my "tea parties". Not exactly has nutty as the Mad Hatter tea party, but close enough. And I've been told that I make very good blueberry scones and blueberry poundcake.

So when are you coming over for tea?

:)

Zz.

 

[scorpa]

Stash makes some pretty good teas.

 

[Astronuc]

I'll let you know next time I'm out that way.

I do pretty decent blueberry muffins, which I could adapt to scones I suppose. And cranberry season is just around the corner.

Meanwhile - Scottish Shortbread IV
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Scottish-Shortbread-IV/Detail.aspx

Oh, and ginger snaps!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandmas-Gingersnaps/Detail.aspx

 

[Moonbear]

I have been known to serve a "traditional" English afternoon tea during my "tea parties". Not exactly has nutty as the Mad Hatter tea party, but close enough. And I've been told that I make very good blueberry scones and blueberry poundcake.

So when are you coming over for tea?

:)

Zz.

Sounds fun! I'm going to have to try the mint tea sometime. I know you've had Moroccan mint tea when we've been out together, but I've never been in the mood for mint those times.

Any tips or tricks for making scones? I haven't had them come out quite as good as ones I've bought when I try to make scones, which means I must be doing something wrong (homebaked should always taste better than bought!) I'm not sure if I'm overworking the dough, or maybe not working it enough...is there a trick to it? Like bread will come out too flat if you don't knead it enough, but biscuits tough if you work the dough too much. I'd love a good scone recipe.

Hmm...a Mad Hatter's tea party...maybe that's what I should do for my next lab gathering. We have some folks in the lab now with kids and/or who are not drinking alcohol, so I like to throw parties that are more family-friendly once in a while...we have plenty of beer and bbq or wine and dine type get-togethers, so I like new ideas for different themes every once in a while. Ooh, actually, that might be fun for a Halloween party theme.

 

[Moonbear]

OK - Tea time at ZapperZ's!

Oh, one of the cool things about the neighborhood where Zz lives is there are several tea shops. They're set up just like coffee shops, but serve a selection of teas...brewed, not just dunking a teabag in hot water for you. I spent a few hours one afternoon just relaxing with a book sitting at one of the tea shops enjoying that far more than a coffee shop. There's only so much coffee I can drink before I'm either too wired to sleep at night or start getting an irritated stomach, and I don't like decaf coffee (I can taste a chemical taste in it no matter how good the brand or how they claim to decaffeinate it), but I can sip herbal teas all day (or get a caffeinated tea when I need a perk up).

 

[Astronuc]

I can't drink decaffinated coffee. It doesn't tast like coffee. Anyway, I'm a hardcore coffee drinker, but I will drink strong tea. People complain my coffee is too strong, but I like it pretty much like Espresso.

Herbal teas are nice in the afternoon and evening.

 

[turbo]

People complain my coffee is too strong, but I like it pretty much like Espresso.

Herbal teas are nice in the afternoon and evening.

I make a BIG mug of espresso (about 4 normal demitasse cups) every morning, and generally avoid additional caffeine during the day, so peppermint, chamomile, and other herbal infusions are the rule. I planted peppermint and spearmint this year, but the crop is quite modest, so I'll have to try again next year, so I can get enough to dry and use for teas next winter.

 

[Moonbear]

Yep, sounds like Astronuc, turbo and I would enjoy drinking coffee together. Everyone else always complains my coffee is too strong. Like turbo, I now limit myself to coffee only in the morning (but it's a giant mug that holds the equivalent of 3 normal cups of that really strong, dark roast coffee), and sometimes I get a latte in the afternoon from the coffee shop at work if I'm really struggling to function (I would prefer a capuccino, but I have no hope they'd actually make it right and not just make a latte anyway). My coffee pretty much is espresso strength, though I don't use espresso grounds (it's usually too bitter...I use other dark roasts that are smoother).

But, this thread inspired me to stock up on tea for winter, especially African Autumn, which I noticed was getting a bit low, and per Zz's instructions, ordered an Assam tea and mint leaves so I can make the Moroccan mint tea (fresh mint is hard to find here, and won't last long), and some other blends that just looked fun and fruity...one with pomegranate sounded very tasty.

 

[Evo]

I planted peppermint and spearmint this year, but the crop is quite modest, so I'll have to try again next year, so I can get enough to dry and use for teas next winter.

The peppermint will be sending underground runners and next year it will overtake everything around it. I usually plant it within a cement container buried underground to keep it contained.

My favorite teas are plain old sarsaparilla root steeped in hot water and vervain. I wish I had some vervain tea right now. My mother always made some when I had an upset stomach. It's very pleasant.

 

[turbo]

Yep, sounds like Astronuc, turbo and I would enjoy drinking coffee together.

You're probably right! I have a Maxim Espres espresso maker that I got by trading in some air-miles on a carrier that I didn't use very much. The coffee holder/screen is calibrated for 2 or 4 cups of espresso, but I ignore that and pack the grounds tightly in layers until it is full. Instead of filling the little carafe, I only put in the amount of water recommended for 4 cups of espresso, so that steam/water runs through 50% more coffee than it is designed for. It makes a nice rich, fragrant mug of espresso. This little machine works great with about any roast and grind. Normally, we use regular grind Chock Full o' Nuts, but have tried premium coffees, dark roasts, etc, and eventually always went back to the cheap stuff.

 

[Evo]

I love the espresso bars in Italy. You walk up to a counter, there are no chairs, they hand you a little plastic cup (like a Nyquil dose cup) with about a tablespoon of thick syrupy coffee, and you down it in one gulp. At least the hard core neighborhood bars in Sicily are that way. Good stuff. You walk in, get a shot and leave. My Sicilian fiance thought it was funny to find out that I had expected to sit and linger over a cup of coffee.

 

[turbo]

The peppermint will be sending underground runners and next year it will overtake everything around it. I usually plant it within a cement container buried underground to keep it contained.

It has 15' of lawn to traverse to get close to my vegetable garden, and I mow that pretty short. Hopefully, the mint will stay where I put it. Even more virulent is horseradish, which I love. My neighbor has a huge patch of it because he planted it, dug some as needed, but didn't get all the roots when he harvested. When he deep-tilled, he cut up and distributed fragments of the roots everywhere, and now that plot is absolutely loaded with horseradish, no matter what he tries to grow there.

 

[turbo]

I love the espresso bars in Italy. You walk up to a counter, there are no chairs, they hand you a little plastic cup (like a Nyquil dose cup) with about a tablespoon of thick syrupy coffee, and you down it in one gulp. At least the hard core neighborhood bars in Sicily are that way. Good stuff. You walk in, get a shot and leave. My Sicilian fiance thought it was funny to find out that I had expected to sit and linger over a cup of coffee.

I linger over mine in the morning because it's in a mug and I have a newspaper to read. I guess I could get used to slugging a demitasse a few times a day instead, but I love my morning espresso.

 

[Astronuc]

We manage to control our spearmint and peppermint, and we've cut most of it back. We have number of herbs in raised beds.

Yep, sounds like Astronuc, turbo and I would enjoy drinking coffee together.

Yep, we'll have to get you up to turbo's place one of these days.

I have one of those plastic pint mugs from Krispy Kreme. I drink 2 pints of coffee in the morning to get going, and then several 12-oz cups during the day. I linger over PF while drinking coffee. I add a few teaspoons of cocoa powder and a few table spoons of ice-cream.


I've always enjoyed the coffee in Europe and even Japan, and basically anywhere outside of the US.

My favorite teas are plain old sarsaparilla root steeped in hot water and vervain.

I wonder where one would get sasparilla root these days. I made it a long time ago from roots I found in the woods. Evo, did you or your mom buy the root or did you grow it yourselves? I am not familiar with vervain.

 

[Evo]

I wonder where one would get sasparilla root these days. I made it a long time ago from roots I found in the woods. Evo, did you or your mom buy the root or did you grow it yourselves?

I used to buy it an apothecary at Westbury Square in Houston.

I am not familiar with vervain.

It's been used in Europe for ages as a stomach tonic. http://www.zooscape.com/cgi-bin/maitred/GreenCanyon/questc100992

 

[Math Is Hard]

I'm not too picky about tea, but I like interesting tea pots:

You shouldn't have done that. Now Evo is going to steal your fish teapot!

 

[Math Is Hard]

You guys have given me a lot of good ideas for things to try. Thanks!

I did try something unusual last week - Aveda brand tea. pleh! Pretty yucky, I thought.

Tonight I am settling for a big mug of cocoa - with marshmallows on top! Can't go wrong with that.

 

[zoobyshoe]

You shouldn't have done that. Now Evo is going to steal your fish teapot!

I thought she was into Hippos, not fish.

I've never actually used that one. I bought it because it was odd, and only two dollars.

 

[Astronuc]

I used to buy it an apothecary at Westbury Square in Houston.

I think I know the one you mean. I used to go to Westbury Square quite often during the 70's, especially the Indian shop. I lived not to far from there.

I liked the old world charm and the relative quiet. The family used to go to Rumplemeyer's old-fashioned ice cream shop. Unfortunately it when into decline when the Galleria opened.

It's been used in Europe for ages as a stomach tonic. http://www.zooscape.com/cgi-bin/maitred/GreenCanyon/questc100992

Ah - Verbena! I'll have to try it.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I wonder where one would get sasparilla root these days. I made it a long time ago from roots I found in the woods.

It grows like a weed in my yard. I tried to make tea from it, but it didn't work out. What's the secret?
edit - sorry, what I have is sassafras. I got them confused.

 

[Moonbear]

I love the espresso bars in Italy. You walk up to a counter, there are no chairs, they hand you a little plastic cup (like a Nyquil dose cup) with about a tablespoon of thick syrupy coffee, and you down it in one gulp. At least the hard core neighborhood bars in Sicily are that way. Good stuff. You walk in, get a shot and leave. My Sicilian fiance thought it was funny to find out that I had expected to sit and linger over a cup of coffee.

Hmm...my view on espresso is similar to that of hard liquor. If it's good, you can sit and sip it neat, if it's bad, you have to do a shot of it so you don't taste too much before it goes down. I'm still shocked when I see people adding sugar to their espresso. If you need sugar in it, you should be drinking something else. But, then again, it's rare to find a coffee shop that makes a really good, creamy, smooth espresso. Most are like Starbuck's swill (though, oddly, years ago, Starbucks did make good espresso...that's where I used to like it, but that was probably 10 or 15 years ago now, and as the chain has grown, the quality has gone out the window...they also used to take a little more time to make your coffee and if you had it in the shop, you'd get a real shot glass for espresso, or mug for coffee, not a paper cup...I prefer sitting in a cafe that still uses glass or ceramic mugs...paper cups are for "to go").

Oh, that reminds me, there's a cafe downtown I've been meaning to try. I just found out they are smoke-free, so really want to try it now (I had previously heard they were regularly filled with smoke, so don't know if I was told wrong or they changed their policy, and hadn't bothered trying it before because I avoid places where there's smoking).

 

[Astronuc]

It grows like a weed in my yard. I tried to make tea from it, but it didn't work out. What's the secret?
edit - sorry, what I have is sassafras. I got them confused.

Yeah - it is apparently a common confusion between sassafras and sarsaparilla. I spelled it incorrectly.

Sassafras
Order: Laurales
Family: Lauraceae
Genus: Sassafras

Sarsparilla
Order: Liliales
Family: Smilacacea
Genus: Smilax
Species: S. regelii

Both are from Division: Magnoliophyta, but that is all they have in common.

Sarsaparilla is the one used to make Root Beer. Sassafras has a somewhat similar taste, but it's definitely not the same. I am trying to think of how to describe the difference.

 

[Evo]

I'm not too picky about tea, but I like interesting tea pots:

When it comes to kitchenware, any animal shape works.

I want your fish tea pot!

 

[brewnog]

PG Tips. If not, Ringtons.

 

[Moonbear]

So I decided to go ahead and plan a Mad Hatter Tea Party for the folks in my lab...I'll do it the weekend before Halloween, and am encouraging them to either come in costume or to at least wear a goofy hat. We may not limit ourselves to just tea though. So, now I'm going to have to scour the food thread looking for all the little suggestions for finger foods that have been listed in there.

If any of you will be in the Morgantown, WV area (it's about an hour south of Pittsburgh) and want to come to a Mad Hatter tea party on Oct 27, send me a PM and I'll provide details. (I'll be celebrating my UN-birthday too, since my actual birthday is a few days before that.)

 

[Math Is Hard]

So I decided to go ahead and plan a Mad Hatter Tea Party for the folks in my lab...I'll do it the weekend before Halloween, and am encouraging them to either come in costume or to at least wear a goofy hat. We may not limit ourselves to just tea though. So, now I'm going to have to scour the food thread looking for all the little suggestions for finger foods that have been listed in there.

If any of you will be in the Morgantown, WV area (it's about an hour south of Pittsburgh) and want to come to a Mad Hatter tea party on Oct 27, send me a PM and I'll provide details. (I'll be celebrating my UN-birthday too, since my actual birthday is a few days before that.)

That's so cool, MB! I found a website that had a few ideas for a mad hatter tea party:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2057310_plan-mad-hatter-tea-party.html

I liked this one:

Tie small cards around stems of glasses that say "Drink Me," and ones that say "Eat Me" next to each plate of food.

Maybe you could paint a big grin on Ember -- ha ha!

 

[Moonbear]

That's so cool, MB! I found a website that had a few ideas for a mad hatter tea party:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2057310_plan-mad-hatter-tea-party.html

I liked this one:

Cool ideas!

Maybe you could paint a big grin on Ember -- ha ha!

I'm not sure if she'd go along with it, but her personality at parties would fit with the elusive Cheshire cat...about all anyone gets is a brief glimpse before she's gone again.

 

[zoobyshoe]

When it comes to kitchenware, any animal shape works.

I want your fish tea pot!

OK. Drop by some time and pick it up.

 

[Evo]

OK. Drop by some time and pick it up.

:!)

 

[Astronuc]

Are You Easily Distracted? Try Some Tea
By Matthew Shulman
Posted September 27, 2007

Tea as a treatment for attention deficit disorder? If the beverage's other health creds aren't impressive enough—a host of studies have suggested it shields against heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and possibly some cancers—now comes the news that it may also focus jumpy minds. "We have reports going back thousands of years that drinking tea makes people feel relaxed," says John Foxe, a professor of neuroscience and an expert on the mechanisms of attention at the City University of New York. "But it also seems to make them more alert."

The bulk of the research on tea till now has focused on the antioxidants it contains, the flavonols, catechins, and lignans that appear to arm the body against disease. It's thought that they improve blood vessel dilation, for example, and lower the risk of aortic atherosclerosis. "We know that the more tea one consumes, the stronger the cardiovascular protection will be," says Lenore Arab, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of California-Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine. By inhibiting damage to dna, some researchers theorize, the antioxidants may also slow tumor growth.

Green Tea May Brew Up Healthier Skin
In mouse study, it eased psoriasis as it lowered inflammation
http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/healthday/070820/green-tea-may-brew-up-healthier-skin.htm
Posted 8/20/07
MONDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Green tea may hold promise as a new treatment for psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions, including dandruff and lupus-related skin lesions, according to a U.S. study

 

[hypatia]

I drink Oolong tea, and my comfort tea is Red Rose. I started collecting these teapots about 20 yrs ago, the one I use most is the windmill, makes a perfect 2 mug serving.

 

[Evo]

I drink Oolong tea, and my comfort tea is Red Rose. I started collecting these teapots about 20 yrs ago, the one I use most is the windmill, makes a perfect 2 mug serving.

Agenda: trip to hypatia's to steal teapots and dogs.

Those are great hypatia! I would love to come visit you and take a closer look.