EISHN From Ireland, joined Feb 2007, 1506 posts, RR: 8 Posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 4286 times:
For years I've been drinking regular, ordinary tea, provided by the usual Irish brands, recently they've been using fair trade tea bags.
I've grown bored with them, and found a box of Earl Greys in the kitchen last week. I must say, I do like it quite a bit, but fear Imay grow tired of it soon.
Can anyone suggest a truly delicious brand or collection of tea loves I should try?
Cheers
St. Flannan/ Fhlanain- She took off to find the footlights, And I took off for the sky
MadameConcorde From San Marino, joined Feb 2007, 10241 posts, RR: 40 Reply 3, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 4266 times:
I never use tea bags. Always buying bulk tea leaves.
BCAL From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2004, 3384 posts, RR: 18 Reply 4, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 4254 times:
Everyone's tastes are different. Some people like red bush tea others think it tastes like cat's pee. Earl Grey has an acquired taste.
The best way to find the best brew of tea is to buy a taster's pack from a reputable blender and see which you like best. Taylor's of Harrogate would be a good place to start, or try Twinings as both will deliver to Ireland.
MOL on SRB's latest attack at BA: "It's like a little Chihuahua barking at a dying Labrador. Nobody cares."
Nimish From India, joined Feb 2005, 3076 posts, RR: 9 Reply 5, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 4252 times:
I use a variety of teas every day - mornings are Earl Grey with milk, and the rest of the day is a combination of Darjeeling, Oolong, Green, Earl Grey etc. without milk/Sugar.
I've been trying to avoid coffee, milk and sugar wherever possible, so end up drinking tons of "black" tea (though not black tea).
My favorite is Earl Grey, recently tried "Earl Grey Green tea" as well - that was really nice.
Green tea is supposed to be healthy - that's the main reason I drink it. Don't really like it too much, but it's not too bad.
Darjeeling/ Oolong are very different (and nice). I guess they're heated/ fermented etc. and the liquor is much stronger and tastier (than green)...
Ultimately it's a very personal taste, and you'll have to try a bunch to figure out which you really like.
My friend loves Camomille, but I detest the stuff. My wife doesn't fancy any o fthe teas that I drink, she like regular "Assam" team - kind of like "English Breakfast".
Comorin From United States of America, joined May 2005, 4669 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 4243 times:
My tea-snob friends go for PG Tips, available in the UK and Canada.
I personally like the heartiness of an Assam (Orange Pekoe) tea, the favored roadside beverage across India.
Earl Grey contains Bergamot which gives it that unique flavor, I liked it at first but not anymore.
Revelation From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 10441 posts, RR: 20 Reply 9, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 4230 times:
Quoting Nimish (Reply 5): My friend loves Camomille, but I detest the stuff.
The only tea I don't like is the kind served at Thai restaurants, it's got that strong, burnt taste. It must be an acquired taste, one that I have yet to acquire.
Garnetpalmetto From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 5244 posts, RR: 55 Reply 10, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 4216 times:
Quoting Comorin (Reply 8): Add Lapsang Souchou to your list of teas to try
Blech - tastes like asphalt, if you ask me - must be an acquired taste!
By no means are they a high-end blend, I'm sure, but I rather like the freshness that comes as a result of domestically grown teas. Of course, that the tea plantation is in my birth state is also nice:
Ammunition From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2002, 1064 posts, RR: 4 Reply 11, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 4191 times:
I dont know what the best one is, but Earl Grey must be towards the bottom of that list!
My normal tea is the standard (mass produced) PG Tips or Tetley- and i love it.
Saint Augustine- 'The world is a book and those who do not travel, read only 1 page'
Signol From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2007, 2948 posts, RR: 7 Reply 13, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 4155 times:
Quoting Nimish (Reply 5): she like regular "Assam" tea
I love Assam too. One of the best.
I'd avoid Lapsang Suchong though - that does taste like boiled tree bark.
Green is ok, I usually have it in Vietnamese restaurants (if they ask "bag or flower?" go for the flower!)
Red bush (roibos) too is ok, but I prefer it with milk.
I'm currently on Tetley's Decaf, probably the best English decaf tea out there.
Boeing74741R From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2007, 1103 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 4154 times:
I currently drink Tetley's Extra Strong. You do notice the difference, especially if you drink it from a smaller cup.
Max999 From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 906 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 4152 times:
Quote: After the tea has been scented, the leaves are hand rolled into pearl shaped balls which gives this tea its name. When steeped, these leaves unroll and produce a tea with a pronounced floral and fresh green tea scent, a full-bodied refreshing sweet taste, and a pleasing long lasting floral aftertaste. The hue of this tea is a light peach color.
BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11135 posts, RR: 61 Reply 17, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 4130 times:
I like many different teas, but the one I drink on a daily basis is just a simple Ceylon black tea.
This is a great brand:
"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 18, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 4126 times:
Quoting Comorin (Reply 8): My tea-snob friends go for PG Tips, available in the UK and Canada.
You find PG Tips here in the States. If there's a shop in your area that sells British or Irish goods, you can find it there. I've even found them at Cost Plus World Market (They sell all sorts of international foods and beverages).
While my employee manufactures their own brands of tea for iced tea and do the smaller bags for hot tea (the same blend they use for the iced teas just using the smaller pieces of tea), we carry a decent selection of Bigelow Teas.
Myself, I've long been an Earl Grey fan. English Breakfast, English Tea Time, and Prince of Wales aren't too bad, but I still love a cup of Earl Grey. Some of the best Earl Grey I've ever had was a number years back when my stepdad went to London and brought me back a box of loose Earl Grey from Harrod's.
IH8BY From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 1117 posts, RR: 3 Reply 20, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 4114 times:
On a daily basis I drink Ringtons Northern Choice (www.ringtons.co.uk), which is a strong loose black tea. For afternoons where something more subtle is appropriate, a cup or two of Darjeeling usually does the trick.
Lady Grey, however, is my guilty pleasure.
Have you ever felt like you could float into the sky / like the laws of physics simply don't apply?
Scooter01 From Norway, joined Nov 2006, 1153 posts, RR: 8 Reply 21, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 4090 times:
My wife is the tea-drinker in our household -Twinnings Earl Grey. I have been known to drink some too on a rare occasion, with milk and sugar. However, if some South American (Argentinian) guest shows up, bringing some dried mate-leaves,
-I have the silver bombadillas and the drinkingcups made of dried gourds.
Scooter01
"We all have a girl and her name is nostalgia" - Hemingway
Ipodguy7 From United States of America, joined Aug 2008, 301 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 4062 times:
the best tea is some good old fashioned Southern Sweet Tea ( i prefer Liptons)
PPVRA From Brazil, joined Nov 2004, 8492 posts, RR: 43 Reply 23, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 4056 times:
Quoting Scooter01 (Reply 21): However, if some South American (Argentinian) guest shows up, bringing some dried mate-leaves, yummy
-I have the silver bombadillas and the drinkingcups made of dried gourds.
I'm not a tea person, but I love Mate. I prefer it iced but hot is fine too.
"If goods do not cross borders, soldiers will" - Frederic Bastiat
Nimish From India, joined Feb 2005, 3076 posts, RR: 9 Reply 24, posted (3 years 8 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 4031 times:
Ah - just remembered - Jasmine is one of my regular day time teas - Just love the stuff! It's unfortunately very rare in India, so I have to buy most of it during an overseas trip.
Twinings Assam tea bags are surprisingly good (and cheap) - about $1.8/100 bags (bulk packing) here in India.
Twinings Earl Grey is definitely more expensive - about $6/100 tea bags (individually wrapped).
A "bastard" tea I really like is "bubble tea" - popular in south east asia
The tea served in Malaysia in the roadside stalls is quite nice - the strong/sweet taste of the condensed milk used goes quite well with the "red color" tea that's produced...
Latest Trip Report - GoAir BLR-BOM-BLR
25 HAWK21M: Out here in Mumbai. The roadside Chaiwalla serves fantastic masala chai at a cheap rate & its quite popular,All the Ingredients are boiled together &
26 FCA767: haha! I think I've tried earl grey once in a UK hotel, it's quite funny because most people in the UK don't get introduced to those types as much as
27 Sunshine79: For normal tea, I use PG Tips, which I love, it's a pity the machine at work dosen't use them. For other tea, I use Tetley green tea bags, and a favou
29 PIA777: I also like this brand also: Stuff like Earl Grey and lipton just does not do it for me. PIA777
30 TransIsland: Just for the novelty, may I suggest cerasee tea? It's positively vile, but it helps when you have a cold or the flu. I have a cerasee bush in my garde
31 MadameConcorde: My tea store pictures report from my last visit there at the time of the Paris Air Show. This is Mariage Frères They are located in the old tradition
32 Ferengi80: The perfect way to ruin a good cup of Earl Grey is to add milk! It is best to drink it black, with maybe a slice of Lemon. My favourite tea is Tetley
33 EISHN: Hey everyone, just want to say thanks for all the suggestions. Does anyone know the name of a south african tea, I tried it a few years ago in Seattle
35 BCAL: Rooibos (aka Red Bush tea) is most likely but it might also have been Honeybush tea. For everyday drinking I prefer Yorkshire Gold Blend tea and Rooi
36 AlexEU: Is there anyone out here that likes smoky tea?
37 Skywatch: Love that stuff! Yep, that's it! I got a big box of Freshpak rooibus while I was in Lesotho this summer. So good on a cold morning! I also favor Masa
38 FatmirJusufi: Ever tried Turkish tea? Anyway we name it as a Russian tea (Çaj rusi)! Don't know why!
40 BigTom: I prefer black teas especially Indian and Sri Lankan varieties. Loose leaf - if properly stored - is far more flavourful than bags. Here are some of m
41 Cws818: I am becoming more and more of a fan of white tea. Plain white tea has a mild, creamy, almost nutty flavor, more antioxidants but less caffeine than g
42 Nimish: I need a bit of energy/sugar in the mornings to help me wake up - and the full fat milk in the tea provides me that! I often have black Earl Gray dur
43 HAWK21M: Is there any paced version of the local masala cutting chai available in packs. regds MEL.
45 FCA767: Apart from the posh men in suits that ignored our lost plea... I did love how paris makes you feel that your alive...and not in a partying way but ju
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