loose tea

Pie · 10-01-2008, 01:46 PM

So, I've recently started drinking loose tea at work. I got a electric kettle and a nifty tea-brewing device called ingenuiTEA. It came with a sampler of black teas (Irish Breakfast, English Breakfast, Earl Grey & yunnan jig). The bergamot flavor of the Earl Grey is so strong, it's best cut with another tea. I'm also planning to pick up some herbal mint tea, oolong jasmine, and a masala chai.

Anyone have favorites varieties? Or favorite purveyors? How about steeping techniques, or brewing guidelines? What's your favorite cuppa?

Undertoad · 10-01-2008, 01:57 PM

This ingenuiTEA seems like a great idea.

I get a tin of English Breakfast every month from Peets Coffee (& Tea) (peets.com), along with two pounds of New Guinea coffee. Peets has an automatic ordering system so that you just sit back and boxes of coffee and tea arrive on your doorstep.

Pie · 10-01-2008, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

This ingenuiTEA seems like a great idea.

So far, it's working well (I think I've brewed about 8 cups so far.)
If I had an actual sink into which I could wash it, all would be perfect. As it is, I end up with a less than optimally clean teapot.

Undertoad · 10-01-2008, 02:11 PM

Oh but that's a good thing - will it take on a tea stain or is the plastic impervious to that sort of thing? I believe you can be proud of a good stained teapot.

monster · 10-01-2008, 03:27 PM

PG Tips. Brewed in a warmed teapot for as long as it takes me to get back to it (strong), poured through a strainer, dash of milk added.

ZenGum · 10-01-2008, 06:49 PM

Boil the water in an old soup can over a fire of eucalyptus. Throw in a handful of tea leaves and a light sprinkling of dust. Add one fresh gum leaf. Swing the billy (the can) in vertical circles to "settle" the tea.

As good as it gets. Might be hard in the office.

jinx · 10-01-2008, 08:37 PM

Honeybush and rooibos are my favorites, but I usually drink Dunkin Donuts tea.

BrianR · 10-02-2008, 10:04 AM

as I understand it, to make "proper tea", you need one heaping tsp loose tea to one cup hot water.

Place loose tea leaves into a warmed teakettle, pour warmed water over and let steep, strain and serve.

Seems simple, right? Nope.

It also appears that the type of tea depends on the temperature of the steep. Oolong teas should simmer at 200 deg F, green teas need 180 deg. Irish and English teas should steep at a full boil.

And that's not all! Time is important, too. Black tea should soak for 3 to 5 minutes. Oolong tea should soak for 4 to 7 minutes. Green Tea should soak for 2 to 3 minutes.

I learned more than I ever wanted to know about tea by asking a tea nut. She also expounded on the shape of the pot, serving etiquette, the value of tea balls versus simple straining, bottled water vs tap water, location for tea, frame of mind and the list went on for long time before I begged off and scrammed before brain implosion set in.

Alton Brown does a show on tea here on Youtube. I'd post the video but I forget how.

I hope this helps a bit, even though it doesn't really answer the original question.

Brian

barefoot serpent · 10-02-2008, 10:21 AM

Yerba mate

Pie · 10-02-2008, 10:42 AM

Hi Brian,
Yep, I got that lecture too, from another tea nut. I'm not a big green or white tea drinker, so I don't need to be too persnickety about the temperature. They're right about the timing, though. It's a fine line to walk to extract the optimal amount of flavor (vice tannin) for the tea in question.
My other strange complication is that I burn my tongue really easily (and get nasty black marks from the scorching, and pain that lasts for days!) so I need to cool my tea down significantly before I drink it. Thankfully, there is a hvac vent right next to my desk that pours out enough cold air to chill a cup of tea in no time flat.

bbro · 10-02-2008, 12:56 PM

I have a tim of Mambo tea from TAZO. It was a gift from my mother, but I like it a lot. Flowery. It's past the expired date, but I can't bring myself to throw it away.

PS - LOVE the teapot!

Sundae · 10-02-2008, 01:03 PM

I'm with Monster - proper builders' tea for me. Strong enough to trot a mouse across. Oh and tea stains can always be cleaned by adding boiling water and bleach, and leaving it to sit for a while. I've never met a mug (or teapot) yet that hasn't responded to this treatment.

Rinse well afterwards of course.

BrianR · 10-02-2008, 01:24 PM

Pie: Did your lecture include proper serving etiquette?

I won't go into proper dress for the server....and who it should be.

Pie · 10-02-2008, 01:37 PM

Nah. It's drunk by me, alone, at my desk. No etiquette necessary, 'cept not spilling it on my keyboard!

Juniper · 10-02-2008, 01:41 PM

Iced!

No sugar or lemon.

10-01-2008, 01:46 PM	#1
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	loose tea So, I've recently started drinking loose tea at work. I got a electric kettle and a nifty tea-brewing device called ingenuiTEA. It came with a sampler of black teas (Irish Breakfast, English Breakfast, Earl Grey & yunnan jig). The bergamot flavor of the Earl Grey is so strong, it's best cut with another tea. I'm also planning to pick up some herbal mint tea, oolong jasmine, and a masala chai. Anyone have favorites varieties? Or favorite purveyors? How about steeping techniques, or brewing guidelines? What's your favorite cuppa? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

10-01-2008, 03:27 PM	#5
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	PG Tips. Brewed in a warmed teapot for as long as it takes me to get back to it (strong), poured through a strainer, dash of milk added. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-01-2008, 06:49 PM	#6
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	Boil the water in an old soup can over a fire of eucalyptus. Throw in a handful of tea leaves and a light sprinkling of dust. Add one fresh gum leaf. Swing the billy (the can) in vertical circles to "settle" the tea. As good as it gets. Might be hard in the office. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

10-01-2008, 08:37 PM	#7
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	Honeybush and rooibos are my favorites, but I usually drink Dunkin Donuts tea. __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

10-02-2008, 10:04 AM	#8
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	as I understand it, to make "proper tea", you need one heaping tsp loose tea to one cup hot water. Place loose tea leaves into a warmed teakettle, pour warmed water over and let steep, strain and serve. Seems simple, right? Nope. It also appears that the type of tea depends on the temperature of the steep. Oolong teas should simmer at 200 deg F, green teas need 180 deg. Irish and English teas should steep at a full boil. And that's not all! Time is important, too. Black tea should soak for 3 to 5 minutes. Oolong tea should soak for 4 to 7 minutes. Green Tea should soak for 2 to 3 minutes. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about tea by asking a tea nut. She also expounded on the shape of the pot, serving etiquette, the value of tea balls versus simple straining, bottled water vs tap water, location for tea, frame of mind and the list went on for long time before I begged off and scrammed before brain implosion set in. Alton Brown does a show on tea here on Youtube. I'd post the video but I forget how. I hope this helps a bit, even though it doesn't really answer the original question. Brian __________________ Never be afraid to tell the world who you are. -- Anonymous

10-01-2008, 01:57 PM	#2
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	This ingenuiTEA seems like a great idea. I get a tin of English Breakfast every month from Peets Coffee (& Tea) (peets.com), along with two pounds of New Guinea coffee. Peets has an automatic ordering system so that you just sit back and boxes of coffee and tea arrive on your doorstep.

10-01-2008, 02:11 PM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Oh but that's a good thing - will it take on a tea stain or is the plastic impervious to that sort of thing? I believe you can be proud of a good stained teapot.

10-02-2008, 10:21 AM	#9
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	Yerba mate __________________ Chooses rowing vs. wading

10-02-2008, 10:42 AM	#10
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Hi Brian, Yep, I got that lecture too, from another tea nut. I'm not a big green or white tea drinker, so I don't need to be too persnickety about the temperature. They're right about the timing, though. It's a fine line to walk to extract the optimal amount of flavor (vice tannin) for the tea in question. My other strange complication is that I burn my tongue really easily (and get nasty black marks from the scorching, and pain that lasts for days!) so I need to cool my tea down significantly before I drink it. Thankfully, there is a hvac vent right next to my desk that pours out enough cold air to chill a cup of tea in no time flat. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

10-02-2008, 12:56 PM	#11
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	I have a tim of Mambo tea from TAZO. It was a gift from my mother, but I like it a lot. Flowery. It's past the expired date, but I can't bring myself to throw it away. PS - LOVE the teapot!

10-02-2008, 01:03 PM	#12
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I'm with Monster - proper builders' tea for me. Strong enough to trot a mouse across. Oh and tea stains can always be cleaned by adding boiling water and bleach, and leaving it to sit for a while. I've never met a mug (or teapot) yet that hasn't responded to this treatment. Rinse well afterwards of course. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

10-02-2008, 01:24 PM	#13
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	Pie: Did your lecture include proper serving etiquette? I won't go into proper dress for the server....and who it should be. __________________ Never be afraid to tell the world who you are. -- Anonymous

10-02-2008, 01:37 PM	#14
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Nah. It's drunk by me, alone, at my desk. No etiquette necessary, 'cept not spilling it on my keyboard! __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

10-02-2008, 01:41 PM	#15
Juniper I know, right? Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,539	Iced! No sugar or lemon.

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