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brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
10,025
16,070
I'm too lazy to get into loose leaf tea so just use bags...but I do love black tea and drink about 6 to 8 cups of it daily. I've tried a few different brands and far and away the best IMO is Newman's own organic royal black tea...the others I've tried don't even compare...I buy cases of it.
 

bobpnm

Lifer
Jul 24, 2012
1,543
10,404
Panama City, Florida
Steven Smith teas are my favorite. On the web as Steven Smith Teamaker. Love his Earl Grey. There is a wide selection. Vahdam from India makes excellent black tea blends. Wife orders on the Internet. Twinings is also usually in our cabinet.
 
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agnosticpipe

Lifer
Nov 3, 2013
3,412
3,824
In the sticks in Mississippi
I've been drinking different teas over the years, lots of years and lots of teas. I have found however some new teas that are very interesting made by a company called August Uncommon Tea. A couple of my current favorites are Painted Desert, crisp black tea with chili and chocolate, and Low Country, black tea with bourbon and burnt sugar notes. These teas are not sweet as they contain none of the sugars their description would indicate. Worth checking out if you're into something that is different, but still tea.
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,600
39
The Last Frontier
I've been drinking different teas over the years, lots of years and lots of teas. I have found however some new teas that are very interesting made by a company called August Uncommon Tea. A couple of my current favorites are Painted Desert, crisp black tea with chili and chocolate, and Low Country, black tea with bourbon and burnt sugar notes. These teas are not sweet as they contain none of the sugars their description would indicate. Worth checking out if you're into something that is different, but still tea.

I’ll check them out. I guess I’m realizing I’m a bit of a purist? I tend to get loose leaf tea without any blending or additives and just appreciate the nuances in the region they were grown, when/how they’re picked, the processing, etc.

I haven’t really gotten much into the artisanal stuff available here in the US. I’m typically buying stuff from China or through houses that are simply importing product.

Perhaps I need to change this up a bit and explore some of these blends and things. Thank you all for the recommendations!
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,600
39
The Last Frontier
Are we drinking the same stuff?

Puerh is fermented, stagnant, ditch water. 🤮

But we can't all like the same thing. I'm glad I tried it.

Have you ever had a Virginia that you loved and a Virginia that you hated? Burley? A Lat blend? VaPer? Catch my drift?

Trying it once is kinda silly, considering how many types are out there. Did you try ripe or raw? Old tree? Ancient? Young? Where was it from? How was it processed?

I’d be reluctant to paint with such a broad brush.
 

agnosticpipe

Lifer
Nov 3, 2013
3,412
3,824
In the sticks in Mississippi
I’ll check them out. I guess I’m realizing I’m a bit of a purist? I tend to get loose leaf tea without any blending or additives and just appreciate the nuances in the region they were grown, when/how they’re picked, the processing, etc.

I haven’t really gotten much into the artisanal stuff available here in the US. I’m typically buying stuff from China or through houses that are simply importing product.

Perhaps I need to change this up a bit and explore some of these blends and things. Thank you all for the recommendations!
I think you might be glad you did. I was skeptical too, but they are loose teas and the additives are natural things you wouldn't normally think of. They have some very reasonable sample sizes you can order which helps.
 

Flatfish

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 20, 2022
780
1,933
West Wales
Have you ever had a Virginia that you loved and a Virginia that you hated? Burley? A Lat blend? VaPer? Catch my drift?

Trying it once is kinda silly, considering how many types are out there. Did you try ripe or raw? Old tree? Ancient? Young? Where was it from? How was it processed?

I’d be reluctant to paint with such a broad brush.
Point understood. 😄
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,600
39
The Last Frontier
Just brewed my first infusion of some competition grade Tie Guan Yin oolong from Yunnan Sourcing. Fifteen to twenty more to go!

image.jpg

This is one of my absolute favorite teas. I get it in the pre-weighed packets, too. Makes life easy. I love this stuff. Daily drinker for me, but any TGY works.
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,600
39
The Last Frontier
I think you might be glad you did. I was skeptical too, but they are loose teas and the additives are natural things you wouldn't normally think of. They have some very reasonable sample sizes you can order which helps.

Mei Leaf has an Earl Grey that they make with real bergamot. It’s another one of my favorites when I’m in the mood for an Earl Grey, so I guess I have a little experience. I’ll definitely check them out. Thanks!
 

Servant King

Lifer
Nov 27, 2020
4,737
27,462
39
Frazier Park, CA
www.thechembow.com
I'm in Hoosier's camp...one expensive hobby is plenty. My tea interest is surface at best. That said, I do find that Earl Grey pairs well with just about any non-aromatic. Then again, so does coffee, which I will usually opt for instead (how the hell else is one supposed to make it through the day? :LOL:). The only other teas I enjoy with any degree of frequency are chai/chai rooibos and green. Chai seems to go best with non-aros without latakia, and green...green as a drink pairing doesn't really knock my socks off for any category. It's fine with aromatics, but just fine, not great.

The fact is, the blends I'm often smoking during tea weather (Englishes, burleys and the occasional light aromatic) are better suited to be paired with coffee or something alcoholic. But hey, that's just my own peculiar tastes.

Welcome back, Barrel!
 

elvishrunes

Can't Leave
Jun 19, 2017
368
690
I’m primary a black tea (and some but less coffee) drinker with cream and sugar, although I drink herb tea for health reasons, and a deadly loose leaf tea when I have the fortitude to make some (yes brewing loose tea is so difficult😂) called genmaicha…. It’s a Japanese green tea combined with smoked rice, so it has a smokey flavour, often served in sushi restaurants. You can get a large loose leaf bag for very little…

awesome stuff:
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,600
39
The Last Frontier
I’m primary a black tea (and some but less coffee) drinker with cream and sugar, although I drink herb tea for health reasons, and a deadly loose leaf tea when I have the fortitude to make some (yes brewing loose tea is so difficult😂) called genmaicha…. It’s a Japanese green tea combined with smoked rice, so it has a smokey flavour, often served in sushi restaurants. You can get a large loose leaf bag for very little…

awesome stuff:

Genmaicha is good stuff. If you want to try something else interesting, give gyokuro a try. Probably one of my favorites, but brewing it the right way is kinda time intensive, so I save it for when I’ve got the time to do it right.
 

elvishrunes

Can't Leave
Jun 19, 2017
368
690
Genmaicha is good stuff. If you want to try something else interesting, give gyokuro a try. Probably one of my favorites, but brewing it the right way is kinda time intensive, so I save it for when I’ve got the time to do it right.
Cool I‘ll look that up, never heard, should make an interesting YouTube watch from some remote village in Japan…
 
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