Where Are The Hot Tea Guru's?

[pipebow88]

I've only slightly dabbled in the tea realm the past couple of years. My brother has as well. Really about all I had tried was few english breakfast teas, and Earl Gray's. was pretty happy there. I read here a while back about Lapsang. The smokiness intrigued my brother and I. He picked up some Taylor's of Harrogate and we've been sampling it lately. We love the flavor, but were expecting something stronger. Are other Lapsangs a little bolder? As well what are some other suggestions to try?

B

 

[peckinpahhombre]

No idea - I'm very much a coffee guy. I just bought my wife Breville tea maker and some fancy loose teas. Would be interested to learn what people recommend here for tea.

 

[nyamuk]

If I drink a dark tea I always go for Earl Grey, its the be all end all for me. I find myself drinking more green tea recently, my wife drinks the fruity blend but I prefer just green tea with about 2 teaspoons of honey and just a little bourbon.

 

[kashmir]

I really enjoy Black Assam tea with heavy Latakia blends. It's a perfect combo. I picked this up from Regis McCafferty's detective character Joshua Pitt in The Sherlock Holmes Adventure.

 

[scrapyardape]

What kashmir said.
If you really want a stronger flavor out of what you already have, then use less water and/or more leaves.

 

[captainsousie]

I love different teas but, for the pipes, only Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice has been able to hold up flavor-wise. As for Lapsang teas, I would go to a botique tea shop and get some answers there. They can be hard to find but a good tea shop is indispensable when it comes to sampling and understanding new blends.

 

[pruss]

I'm a little more than half-way through my Tea Sommelier training, and am a professional coffee buyer/taster. I'd be happy to help if I can.
Lapsang Souchong tea is a fully oxidized (making it a "black" tea), Chinese, tea prepared by drying the finished leaves over fires (typically of pine) which creates its characteristic smokey flavour. It is generally considered the smokiest of the smoky teas. Keemun (also a Chinese fully oxidized tea) can also present smoky character, look for Keemun Mao Feng for this characteristic.
With my Virginia tobaccos, I like to drink a white tea, they undergo very little oxidation and are prepared from only the young bud of the tea bush. Flavours of white teas are floral, ranging into peachy sweet character. They are delicate teas, and are very complimentary to a less intense pipe.
With a heavy tobacco, something that is Latakia forward, or spicy and Oriental, I also like to go with a Lapsang Souchong. But I would also recommend a fresh, bright and sweet Darjeeling, or a deep heavy and full Assam.
If you're looking for green teas, you can't go wrong with the fresh, cut-grass, and approaching bitter green of a Japanese tea like Gyukuru. If you want something more robust, pick up Genmaicha which has puffed (almost burnt) rice included in the tea for a roasted nut character.
Have fun with your teas, like you do your tobaccos, and I guarantee a doubling of your puffing and quaffing experience.
Cheers,
-- Pat

 

[barleynbaccy]

I like strong dark roast coffee, but reach for jasmine green tea in the afternoon. I just have an in mug infuser, nothing special.

 

[kashmir]

Thanks Pat (Pruss). Those are some excellent recommendations, I'll be sure to follow up on. Whoever thought you'd learn about teas on a pipe forum?

 

[pipebow88]

Peck, I was like you until trying teas a couple of years ago. I really like Earl Grey in the afternoon or evening. I do love a nice cup of coffee. Some of my favorite roasts come from Killer beans coffee. I do find myself reaching for tea more and more, but my French press will always be in use. Coffee isn't going to be replaced.
Kashmir- sounds like a Black Assam is one that I will be trying.
Dave- I would like to check out a nice tea shop. However it would be a while before I could. It will be atleast a 1.5-2 hr drive to one for me. Eventually I will make it to one though.
Pruss- I'm going to add Darjeeling to my "to try" list for now too. I think darjeeling and assam are the next ones to sample. Specifically on the Lapsang. Are some brands stronger? The Taylor's of Harrogate was underwhelming in the strength I was hoping for. The flavors were incredible, just not the strength I hoped for. We double the amount of leaves we used even and it really didn't seem to change the strength of it.

B

 

[pruss]

Whoever thought you'd learn about teas on a pipe forum?

The list of other "stuff" I've learned here is growing daily, and appears endless. I'm happy to give a little back if I can.
If I'm reading between the lines of the OP correctly, it sounds like folks are looking for sources to purchase high quality, or hard to find, teas and having some trouble. Chain stores like Teavana (recently bought by Starbucks, but staying tea focused) and Davids Tea are fantastic places to explore the myriad varieties of tea. You can approach tea buying JUST like you do tobacco. They both have strong websites, and will help you find the right teas for you.
@Kashmir - My favourite white teas are Pai Mu Tun (Bai Mu Dan) or White Peony, and "Silver Needle". White Peony is the bud and first leaf, Silver Needle is comprised of just the bud. Silver Needle is much harder to come by and is more expensive. I find the White Peony fruitier and juicier in flavour.
I also forgot to mention my love of Oolong Teas. Oolong teas are fermented and slightly oxidized (depending on the prep method, location of cultivation and processing, and history of preparation). Flavours in Oolong teas very widely. For something really crazy, see if you can find a Milk Oolong, it tastes like bright green tea with a splash of scalded milk in it. Or, if you can find it, go find some Ti Kuan Yin, or "Iron Goddess of Mercy" Oolong. It's my desert island tea. Just smelling it makes me happy and feel healthier.
-- Pat

 

[pruss]

Please pardon the double post.
"Stronger" in terms of flavour delivery really amounts to a couple things: freshness, and preparation.
Strength of steeped tea comes from the ability of the tea leaf to absorb water, saturate and then infuse the water with flavinoids. With coffee we describe this as extraction, in teas we're dealing with infusion, really this is the same thing... transfer of flavour from leaf, into water.
Tea which has been on a shelf for a long time, and which may have been exposed to light, air, moisture and temperature variation (either in a tea bag, or loose) will have lost most of its volatile flavours and aromatics. This is due to oxidation. The tea is stale.
So if you bought a commercially prepare tea, that has been sitting on a retailer's shelf for a long time, it's likely to be less fresh than a tea purchased from a boutique tea retailer (or online store) which turns over their volumes readily and regularly.
If your tea is fresh, the next thing that will deliver "strength" is how you prepare it. Here are tea brewing basics:
1. Use freshly drawn water – discard old water from your kettle. If the quality of your water is questionable, use spring water.
2. Bring water to a boil for black teas, oolongs and herbals (tisanes), 80C for white and green teas.
3. Measure one teaspoon measurement per cup of tea into a large infusor – it is important that your infusor is large enough to allow the leaves to unfurl and fully infuse their flavours. You should always refer to the brewing instructions of your specific tea for measurements as some teas will vary.
4. Pre-heat your teapot – this will keep your tea warmer for a longer amount of time as the teapot won’t steal the heat away from your tea.
5. Pour water OVER the tea leaves – allow to infuse depending on the infusion time of the tea you are brewing.
6. Remove tea infusor from water – sit back and enjoy.
Remember, most teas won't have the in-your-face flavour punch of a black coffee. They aren't intended to. The flavours of tea are many and varied. Ultimately, messing around with different varieties and brewing methods will help you decide on the right teas for your pantry, and to compliment your pipes.
@Peck - I'm even nerdier about coffee... I've been doing tea for three years, but I've been in coffee for 17.
-- Pat

 

[kashmir]

Thanks Pruss. Good info!

That's worth printing out for my kitchen drawer.

 

[drwatson]

I love tea, but Im just a good black tea guy. Although there is a tea shop in the local mall here, that always gets my business whenI walk by.

 

[mso489]

I've enjoyed tea since childhood. I like it straight up, mostly, no Earl Grey with citrus or other spices, just black or green.

I find some commercial teas like Lipton a bit acidic; some of the grocery house brands are sweeter and better tasting.

A current favorite is P&G Tips, which is extraordinarily good. In herbal teas, I have come back to camomilla. I like to let

real tea cool down enough so I can belt it, not slurp and sip. It has a slight but undeniable psychoactive component, so

that it quenches your thirst but also announces that it is doing so. I like loose teas, but not the infuser gear, so I have

drifted back to tea bags. Tea is a great counterpoint to pipe smoking. The two make a sort of Bach fugue, the several

layers in each flavor pattern playing off the other.

 

[shutterbugg]

I tried Lapsang Suchong when I was young and disliked it, but probably should give it a re-try now that my tastes in everything have matured. That said, my 2 favorites are Earl Gray and Green+Jasmine. I must have a thing for flowers in my tea

 

[shutterbugg]

I tried Lapsang Suchong when I was young and disliked it, but probably should give it a re-try now that my tastes in everything have matured. That said, my 2 favorites are Earl Gray and Green+Jasmine. I must have a thing for flowers in my tea And I take my tea English-style with milk.

 

[quincy]

Oh man. Not a tea guy except for Twining's Earl Grey out of my Keurig. That with a lighter tobacco like a Va/Per is heaven

 

[joeval]

I've gone through a fair few fancy teas - some great, some nasty. Usually a decent loose leaf Assam is my go - to tea.

Just bought a terrible Vanilla tea, far too much vanilla flavour.
But, when all's said and done - you can't beat a Builders Brew. Cheap teabag, suspicious water, milk and a couple of sugars. Nectar of the Gods.

 

[latbomber]

As a lifelong tea drinker I've dabbled in most of the fancy loose leaf types at one time or another, but I always end up sticking with good ol' english black tea/orange pekoe. Splash of milk and good to go.