Loose Leaf Tea?

[akpreacherplayz]

I’m looking for some input from any of you that drink loose leaf tea. I enjoy a a soda when I have a cigar, usually Root Beer but I would like to try and cut that out. So I’m wanting to try tea, I’ve had the regular bagged variety but didn’t care for it. Can you point me in the direction of some good teas, maybe a place that does samples?


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[Hopduro]

@memphsdad

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[NavyJC(RET)]

@akpreacherplayz check out teavana. When I was drinking tea that is where I got it from. May different varieties and if there is a store near you, they will brew you some and you can buy it buy the cup

 

[akpreacherplayz]

@akpreacherplayz check out teavana. When I was drinking tea that is where I got it from. May different varieties and if there is a store near you, they will brew you some and you can buy it buy the cup

Thanks brother but that’s kinda like saying just go to famous and get some cigars. I’m looking more for specific types or brands.


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[Nacho Daddy]

Lan Gui Ren...........has ginseng in it, and is nice
Raw Puerh......clean and bright,healthy (Sheng )
Cooked Puerh......rich and earthy,savory (Shou )
Jasmine.......aromatic and smooth
Long Jing or Dragon Well........nutty and delicate,I love it
Jin Jun Mei........"Golden Eyebrow ".......brewed properly it almost tastes like meat broth. another fave
You can browse The Puerh Shop (US ) and find good products.
generally these Chinese teas can be brewed 3 to 5 times.
you get best results with not quite 200 degree water.Let it boil and then sit for a couple of minutes,or get a water kettle.
darker tea = hotter H2O some teas do well at 180 deg.

 

[Champagne InHand]

I drink Twinnings Earl Grey sweetened with half and half every morning, though late mornings with my first pipe.

I do Chai Tea but it’s a pain to make right but fine with Balkan or English blends.


I also will drink Irish breakfast tea with cigars.


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[akpreacherplayz]

There is sooo much tea out there


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[Juice]

I’ll throw in here.....
I’ve been drinking loose leaf tea daily for about 10 years but don’t pair it with cigars so can’t speak to that aspect.

You don’t need much to get started, just grab some sachets like theseOr if you confident you will stick with it get one of these, best infuser I’ve been able to find.If you are into fruity or sweeter tasting teas you will find an almost endless selection of herbal/flavored teas out there but that’s not my thing so I can’t speak to them.

With regards to straight teas they are catagorized by how oxidized they are with white and greens being unoxidized, oolongs partially oxidized(10-70% usually), and blacks being fully oxidized. Pu’er is a fermented and aged black tea that is a beast all on its own. If you plan of pairing with cigars you might want to look at the oolongs and blacks that can stand up to a strong smoke.

Much like with cigars it takes time to build a tea pallet. I’d suggest you don’t go for the small batch high end stuff right away as you would be hard pressed to taste the difference between that and a good solid mid-end. The real serious tea enthusiasts brew their tea in multiple infusions and follow the flavor as it develops over 4-6 mini brews. I don’t have time or patience for all that and brew western style, one infusion. Good tea leaves will stand up to being used one or two additional times before they are done giving flavor so if you want a second cup you can use the same leaves. 95% of the caffeine is released in the first infusion so for additional cups caffeine is not a concern.

If you have a tea store close it is nice to be able to have a cup brewed for you to try before buying but if that is not an option just buy a few you are interested in 1 or 2 ounce packs. 2 ounces is often the smallest pack you will find, I expect to get 20 or so servings out of that. I prefer my tea a bit strong and make it in 16oz mugs so 2oz could well get you more.

I’d suggest trying www.rishi-tea.com. They are a bit high end but they have a lot of stuff they sell in ‘teaser’ size. The teasers get you 2-4 servings and is a good way to sample different stuff to get an idea of what you like. Once you do try www.theteaspot.com, much cheaper and good quality. They do more with flavored teas but have some of my go-to teas at solid prices. If you do end up trying Rishi I’d grab teasers of
Ancient Golden Yunnan
China Breakfast
Earl Grey
Iron Goddess of Mercy
Jade oolong
Jade cloud
Plus whatever flavored teas interest you if they do. That should get you a good sample of general flavor profiles of strong blacks(China breakfast), malty blacks(ancient Yunnan), medium oxidized ooling(iron goddess), lightly oxidized oolong(jade oolong), a standard green(jade cloud), and earl grey just because it’s good and the one flavored tea I drink. Dark oolongs are a treat as well but they don’t habe the ruby oolong in teasers now.

Just my 87¢

 

[akpreacherplayz]

I’ll throw in here.....
I’ve been drinking loose leaf tea daily for about 10 years but don’t pair it with cigars so can’t speak to that aspect.

You don’t need much to get started, just grab some sachets like theseView attachment 127371Or if you confident you will stick with it get one of these, best infuser I’ve been able to find.View attachment 127376If you are into fruity or sweeter tasting teas you will find an almost endless selection of herbal/flavored teas out there but that’s not my thing so I can’t speak to them.

With regards to straight teas they are catagorized by how oxidized they are with white and greens being unoxidized, oolongs partially oxidized(10-70% usually), and blacks being fully oxidized. Pu’er is a fermented and aged black tea that is a beast all on its own. If you plan of pairing with cigars you might want to look at the oolongs and blacks that can stand up to a strong smoke.

Much like with cigars it takes time to build a tea pallet. I’d suggest you don’t go for the small batch high end stuff right away as you would be hard pressed to taste the difference between that and a good solid mid-end. The real serious tea enthusiasts brew their tea in multiple infusions and follow the flavor as it develops over 4-6 mini brews. I don’t have time or patience for all that and brew western style, one infusion. Good tea leaves will stand up to being used one or two additional times before they are done giving flavor so if you want a second cup you can use the same leaves. 95% of the caffeine is released in the first infusion so for additional cups caffeine is not a concern.

If you have a tea store close it is nice to be able to have a cup brewed for you to try before buying but if that is not an option just buy a few you are interested in 1 or 2 ounce packs. 2 ounces is often the smallest pack you will find, I expect to get 20 or so servings out of that. I prefer my tea a bit strong and make it in 16oz mugs so 2oz could well get you more.

I’d suggest trying www.rishi-tea.com. They are a bit high end but they have a lot of stuff they sell in ‘teaser’ size. The teasers get you 2-4 servings and is a good way to sample different stuff to get an idea of what you like. Once you do try www.thereaspot.com, much cheaper and good quality. They do more with flavored teas but have some of my go-to teas at solid prices. If you do end up trying Rishi I’d grab teasers of
Ancient Golden Yunnan
China Breakfast
Earl Grey
Iron Goddess of Mercy
Jade oolong
Jade cloud
Plus whatever flavored teas interest you if they do. That should get you a good sample of general flavor profiles of strong blacks(China breakfast), malty blacks(ancient Yunnan), medium oxidized ooling(iron goddess), lightly oxidized oolong(jade oolong), and a standard green(jade cloud). Dark oolongs are a treat as well but they don’t habe the ruby oolong in teasers now.

Just my 87¢

Wow thanks! This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for!


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[Juice]

Wow thanks! This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for!


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Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I planning to make another trip to Chinatown to pick up tea before my store closes in February. I’ll probably try to find time early January so if you are interested by then let me know.

 

[Juice]

I’ll throw in here.....
I’ve been drinking loose leaf tea daily for about 10 years but don’t pair it with cigars so can’t speak to that aspect.

You don’t need much to get started, just grab some sachets like theseView attachment 127371Or if you confident you will stick with it get one of these, best infuser I’ve been able to find.View attachment 127376If you are into fruity or sweeter tasting teas you will find an almost endless selection of herbal/flavored teas out there but that’s not my thing so I can’t speak to them.

With regards to straight teas they are catagorized by how oxidized they are with white and greens being unoxidized, oolongs partially oxidized(10-70% usually), and blacks being fully oxidized. Pu’er is a fermented and aged black tea that is a beast all on its own. If you plan of pairing with cigars you might want to look at the oolongs and blacks that can stand up to a strong smoke.

Much like with cigars it takes time to build a tea pallet. I’d suggest you don’t go for the small batch high end stuff right away as you would be hard pressed to taste the difference between that and a good solid mid-end. The real serious tea enthusiasts brew their tea in multiple infusions and follow the flavor as it develops over 4-6 mini brews. I don’t have time or patience for all that and brew western style, one infusion. Good tea leaves will stand up to being used one or two additional times before they are done giving flavor so if you want a second cup you can use the same leaves. 95% of the caffeine is released in the first infusion so for additional cups caffeine is not a concern.

If you have a tea store close it is nice to be able to have a cup brewed for you to try before buying but if that is not an option just buy a few you are interested in 1 or 2 ounce packs. 2 ounces is often the smallest pack you will find, I expect to get 20 or so servings out of that. I prefer my tea a bit strong and make it in 16oz mugs so 2oz could well get you more.

I’d suggest trying www.rishi-tea.com. They are a bit high end but they have a lot of stuff they sell in ‘teaser’ size. The teasers get you 2-4 servings and is a good way to sample different stuff to get an idea of what you like. Once you do try www.theteaspot.com, much cheaper and good quality. They do more with flavored teas but have some of my go-to teas at solid prices. If you do end up trying Rishi I’d grab teasers of
Ancient Golden Yunnan
China Breakfast
Earl Grey
Iron Goddess of Mercy
Jade oolong
Jade cloud
Plus whatever flavored teas interest you if they do. That should get you a good sample of general flavor profiles of strong blacks(China breakfast), malty blacks(ancient Yunnan), medium oxidized ooling(iron goddess), lightly oxidized oolong(jade oolong), a standard green(jade cloud), and earl grey just because it’s good and the one flavored tea I drink. Dark oolongs are a treat as well but they don’t habe the ruby oolong in teasers now.

Just my 87¢

Typo in one of the links, corrected

 

[PetersCreek]

Preach,

Next time you’re in town, try Summit Spice & Tea. They sell tea by the cup and will brew anything they have on the shelf...and they have quite a few. The Teavana shop here closed a while back but Summit took over their space for just tea.

I don’t pair tea with cigars either but some of my favorites are:

Lapsang Souchong - originally from China, black tea smoked over pine fire. My wife calls it “campfire tea”

Smoky Russian Caravan - a blend of tea leaves, also smoked.

Earl Grey Crème - like the traditional Earl Grey, with the addition of lavender and vanilla. More depth of flavor.

Black Dragon Pearls - black tea leaves, hand rolled into small balls.

Samovar tea - a holiday blend of black tea, orange peel, and spices.

Typo in one of the links, corrected

I have both and also recommend them.

 

[akpreacherplayz]

Preach,

Next time you’re in town, try Summit Spice & Tea. They sell tea by the cup and will brew anything they have on the shelf...and they have quite a few. The Teavana shop here closed a while back but Summit took over their space for just tea.

I don’t pair tea with cigars either but some of my favorites are:

Lapsang Souchong - originally from China, black tea smoked over pine fire. My wife calls it “campfire tea”

Smoky Russian Caravan - a blend of tea leaves, also smoked.

Earl Grey Crème - like the traditional Earl Grey, with the addition of lavender and vanilla. More depth of flavor.

Black Dragon Pearls - black tea leaves, hand rolled into small balls.

Samovar tea - a holiday blend of black tea, orange peel, and spices.




I have both and also recommend them.

Those all sound great!


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[akpreacherplayz]

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I planning to make another trip to Chinatown to pick up tea before my store closes in February. I’ll probably try to find time early January so if you are interested by then let me know.

Thanks for the offer, I actually really started thinking about tea after your Chinatown post but I realized I know nothing about tea and would have no idea what to get.


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[Cigary43]

A friend turned me on to loose tea about 8 years ago and I really liked it...it's like gourmet coffee vs regular brand in terms of flavor. My wife and I really got turned on to this vice when we sailed on the QM2 the first year it sailed....they have Tea Time on board that we got into the habit every day for a 14 night cruise....great teas, finger foods....gotta say this...the Brits know how to do Tea. There are literally hundreds of flavor profiles and of the ones I tried I don't think I'd smoke a cigar around it. You'd think that Winston Churchill would drink tea with his cigars....truth be told he was more partial to good Champagne....Pol Roger... which is not that expensive at all.....go figure that Winston could have any libation at all and this was his favorite.

 

[sweemzander]

I dabble more in tea when its colder out (currently). . . i try a few new ones and have a couple standbys... I also use a fair amount in my Mead Making:
- lapsang souchong
- pu erh (some of the richest/darkest tea ive had)
- Black Dragon Pearls
- Irish Breakfast
- Yunnan Noir

 

[Juice]

One of the challenges I’ve faced over the years is the naming. Seems like every different retailer will call a tea something else when it is in fact the same of very similar. It’s hard for a novice to determine what ‘jade oolong’ actually is. If possible read the descriptions and see what region the tea comes from. You will find much similarity in Chinese blacks or Taiwanese oolongs within families. I swear I’ve been sold the exact same tea under different names by different companies on multiplal occasions.

 

[Champagne InHand]

I use a tea press most of the time. Very similar to a French press for coffee.

The one ting I would say that I have not seen mentioned is that certain teas are made for being steeped in water that is far lower than the boiling point. Blazing bubbling water all but ruins their delicate nature.

Another one is that most teas should only be steeped for a recommenced time that you adjust for your tastes. Leaving tea steeping indefinitely also wrecks the intended enjoyment factor.

One example is Earl Grey. 3:00-4:00 minutes max for me otherwise it tastes like garbage to me. Plus you have to remember that there have been many different Earls Grey. I prefer the blend that was favored by the first and second Earls. They have more citrus and less Bergamot oil. Some are just too lavender centric. While I love the smell of lavender, I don’t want it to overwhelm the actual tea.

Same with Chai. I like Chai that uses black tea but I also enjoy ones that use a blend of oolong and a touch of Argentine mate.

Very fresh Argentine mate can be good too but to get the true experience you need a gourd and silver/(plated) bombilla.

Teas in North Africa and the Middle East often have bigger leaves and have no straining device. You just sip it carefully out of a larger glass. These teas and florals are supposed to stay in the glass the whole time, so you find the right cadence to sipping as the do get quite strong as time goes on.

Tea, in general isn’t loaded with caffeine like robusto or even arabica coffee beans. Taurine is the stimulant that is more prevalent. Taurine, for me, is easier on the guy and nerves. It’s also more predictable as to when its effects will curtail.


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[Cigary43]

One

I use a tea press most of the time. Very similar to a French press for coffee.

The one ting I would say that I have not seen mentioned is that certain teas are made for being steeped in water that is far lower than the boiling point. Blazing bubbling water all but ruins their delicate nature.

Another one is that most teas should only be steeped for a recommenced time that you adjust for your tastes. Leaving tea steeping indefinitely also wrecks the intended enjoyment factor.

One example is Earl Grey. 3:00-4:00 minutes max for me otherwise it tastes like garbage to me. Plus you have to remember that there have been many different Earls Grey. I prefer the blend that was favored by the first and second Earls. They have more citrus and less Bergamot oil. Some are just too lavender centric. While I love the smell of lavender, I don’t want it to overwhelm the actual tea.

Same with Chai. I like Chai that uses black tea but I also enjoy ones that use a blend of oolong and a touch of Argentine mate.

Very fresh Argentine mate can be good too but to get the true experience you need a gourd and silver/(plated) bombilla.

Teas in North Africa and the Middle East often have bigger leaves and have no straining device. You just sip it carefully out of a larger glass. These teas and florals are supposed to stay in the glass the whole time, so you find the right cadence to sipping as the do get quite strong as time goes on.

Tea, in general isn’t loaded with caffeine like robusto or even arabica coffee beans. Taurine is the stimulant that is more prevalent. Taurine, for me, is easier on the guy and nerves. It’s also more predictable as to when its effects will curtail.


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One thing I know about CIH....the guy knows his stuff. Funny how the use of Essential Oils is common in teas and for diffusers that hold healing properties ....the aromas they give off in diffusers and even in laundry are great.

 

[boltman]

@ChefBoyRG54 is a big tea guy. Maybe he will see this thread and add his advice. Then again, maybe not.