|
So I got a really nice electric kettle and an ingenuitea for Christmas and now that they both live by my desk my tea consumption has tripled, which is great, but the problem is that its increased late at night as well, making my sleep schedule look like a meth addicts. I need a decaf tea for late night, but I tend to not like most herbal blends. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a decaf oolong (on the amber side if possible) that's not going to taste terrible from the decaffeinating process? Most of the one's I've found cover up for the flavor loss by combining with some kind of fruity nonsense, I've heard some good things about decaf ceylons though.
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 04:39
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 17, 2024 00:55 |
|
|
WanderingMinstrel I posted:So I got a really nice electric kettle and an ingenuitea for Christmas and now that they both live by my desk my tea consumption has tripled, which is great, but the problem is that its increased late at night as well, making my sleep schedule look like a meth addicts. I need a decaf tea for late night, but I tend to not like most herbal blends. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a decaf oolong (on the amber side if possible) that's not going to taste terrible from the decaffeinating process? Most of the one's I've found cover up for the flavor loss by combining with some kind of fruity nonsense, I've heard some good things about decaf ceylons though. Green might be low enough caffeine for you, but what is it specifically that you don't like about herbals? Maybe there's one or two that can slip by. Rooibos might be a good thing to look into as well.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 05:10
|
|
|
WanderingMinstrel I posted:So I got a really nice electric kettle and an ingenuitea for Christmas and now that they both live by my desk my tea consumption has tripled, which is great, but the problem is that its increased late at night as well, making my sleep schedule look like a meth addicts. I need a decaf tea for late night, but I tend to not like most herbal blends. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a decaf oolong (on the amber side if possible) that's not going to taste terrible from the decaffeinating process? Most of the one's I've found cover up for the flavor loss by combining with some kind of fruity nonsense, I've heard some good things about decaf ceylons though. It's not an oolong, but try rooibos if you haven't - it's the only non-caffeinated tea (yeah yeah tisane whatever) I've found that doesn't taste awful.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 05:10
|
|
|
More recent studies that I've seen have shown that teas (from the camellia sinensis bush) all have roughly the same amount of caffeine, regardless of whether they're green, oolong, white, black, etc. Health benefits (and detriments?) are also more or less the same because they all come from the same plant. Anyway, I would say try some rooibos or honeybush if you haven't. I've personally never messed with decaf tea because I'm not all that sensitive to tea-level doses of caffeine. http://www.mayoclinic.org/caffeine/art-20049372 This is interesting, if you'd like to compare caffeine amounts between beverages. Even a really strong cup of tea only has a fraction of the amount of caffeine that a really weak cup of coffee would have.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 08:23
|
|
|
Definitely try rooibos and honeybush. I really like combining the two equally. I've also found that rooibos varies quite a bit, and I actually don't like Upton's very much. Davidson's rooibos, which is available in bulk at my local supermarket, has a nice strong, rich flavor I really like. I also like to use about twice as much compared to tea. I'm not sure you can make it too strong but you can definitely make it too weak. My wife likes Upton's decaf black teas. I think they aren't too bad.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 13:55
|
|
|
Rooibos is the only herbal stuff I like, its good stuff. I like to steep it for atleast 20 minutes though.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 14:26
|
|
|
Adding to the yay rooibos! South Africans drink it with milk, and it is absolutely delicious that way. I like mixing it with peppermint (not milked), too. Any rooibos from South Africa is the best.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 15:58
|
|
|
Entenzahn posted:I'm about to finally return my Morphy Richards machine and replace it with a standard pot/kettle combo. To that end I still have a few questions: Yeah, just get whichever pot/kettle suit your fancy. No advantage to brewing in a pot vs mug (except yeah, larger quantity). If you're only brewing a cup for yourself I would actually give the nod to the mug being better. Definitely preheat your brewing vessel. If tossing the water really bugs you, you could just pour it back into the kettle. Or save it to flush your toilet with or water plants, I dunno. Edit: yeah I actually don't really like Upton's rooibos either, though I do like others. Their honeybush was pretty decent though. Thoht fucked around with this message at 18:58 on Jan 21, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2014 18:55
|
|
|
For any UKers, I recently discovered while looking for cheaper everyday alternatives to teapigs chai teabags that Tesco actually make some decent bags themselves. It's the Tesco finest brand, but it's only £1.50 for 50 teabags, there's no added flavourings/etc and the actual taste is pretty nice, especially for what it is. http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=279335332 There's also a vanilla chai version, but it has added flavourings and I haven't tried it yet. Same price though: http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=279343685
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2014 14:59
|
|
|
Anyone have recommendations for a floral-based tea? (stuff like lavender, corn flowers, rose petals, hibiscus, chamomile, etc). Right now I'm drinking David's Tea's Jessie's Tea, which has lavender and coconut, and I really want to try the Rooibos de Provence next, which has rose petals, lavender and rosehips.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2014 16:19
|
|
|
Grrl Anachronism posted:Anyone have recommendations for a floral-based tea? (stuff like lavender, corn flowers, rose petals, hibiscus, chamomile, etc). Right now I'm drinking David's Tea's Jessie's Tea, which has lavender and coconut, and I really want to try the Rooibos de Provence next, which has rose petals, lavender and rosehips. Are you interested just in herbals, blends, or tea in general? Cause a good high mountain oolong is a very floral tea without any herbal infusions, the flavor mainly being affected by the temperature changes in high elevations. It's not as in-your-face as a typical davidstea blend will be, but the qualities are gradually revelead through multiple infusions.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2014 16:34
|
|
|
Grrl Anachronism posted:Anyone have recommendations for a floral-based tea? (stuff like lavender, corn flowers, rose petals, hibiscus, chamomile, etc). Right now I'm drinking David's Tea's Jessie's Tea, which has lavender and coconut, and I really want to try the Rooibos de Provence next, which has rose petals, lavender and rosehips. If you're including stuff with tea in it, I thought Upton's lavender Earl Grey was pretty fantastic and made a nice bedtime tea in spite of the caffeine.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2014 16:52
|
|
|
I know it really isn't the season for it, but what are some basic recipes for brewing iced tea (ala Lipton or whatever)? I was gifted a big tin of black tea from Upton, but I'm not a fan of drinking black tea hot. I much prefer oolong/greens. So I need a way to use these black tea leaves for something other than hot tea, since what black tea I drink is the iced kind.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2014 23:38
|
|
|
Brew it really strong and add iice water. For sweet tea boil a lot of tea in water for a very long time. Then add sugar till you can't anymore. Add iice water.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2014 23:46
|
|
|
Use twice the amount of tea, and half the amount of water. Then, pour over ice. Or, cold brew overnight in the fridge.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2014 23:54
|
|
|
detectivemonkey posted:Green might be low enough caffeine for you, but what is it specifically that you don't like about herbals? Maybe there's one or two that can slip by. Rooibos might be a good thing to look into as well. The thing I don't care for about herbals is mostly the fact that they don't taste like tea tea. I'll give rooibos a shot, I tried it a long time ago and really didn't care for it, but I might have just had a crappy rooibos. To everyone recommending mixing it with honeybush, that's not going to be sweet is it?
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2014 00:16
|
|
|
WanderingMinstrel I posted:The thing I don't care for about herbals is mostly the fact that they don't taste like tea tea. I'll give rooibos a shot, I tried it a long time ago and really didn't care for it, but I might have just had a crappy rooibos. To everyone recommending mixing it with honeybush, that's not going to be sweet is it? Honeybush is a bit sweet, but not sugary sweet. It's hard to explain. I like adding it to rooibos because it makes a more complex mix of flavors. If you don't like sweet things at all then honeybush may not be for you. I don't sweeten drinks but I like honeybush, so... I don't know? Anyway, I think the main thing with rooibos is making it strong enough, which means using more and steeping it longer. If you make it like regular tea, it comes out pretty weak and blah.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2014 00:50
|
|
|
Archer2338 posted:I know it really isn't the season for it, but what are some basic recipes for brewing iced tea (ala Lipton or whatever)? Cold brewing is my usual method for iced teas (well, it's not really iced I guess). Stick double the leaves in, put it in the fridge. Black tea takes a long time since it's so oxidized, so ~12 hours or so. Or put the leaves in half a pitcher of boiled water, remove, then add ice until it's full and put it in the fridge. If you want sugar, add it to the boiled water while steeping and stir.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2014 04:40
|
|
|
Got my cascarra today, drinking my first cup- if I had to describe it as anything I'd say 'sour cherry'. Had someone else try it and they listed off citrus fruits. Calling it coffee cherry tea is pretty apt. I like it though. I'm trying it without anything added, wonder if sugar/honey/milk will bring out any flavors or just mask them.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2014 21:24
|
|
|
Comic posted:Got my cascarra today, drinking my first cup- if I had to describe it as anything I'd say 'sour cherry'. Had someone else try it and they listed off citrus fruits. Calling it coffee cherry tea is pretty apt. I like it though. I'm trying it without anything added, wonder if sugar/honey/milk will bring out any flavors or just mask them. Yeah, I've found one awhile ago which tasted like currents and sultanas, I like the primary cherry tasting ones better though. Never tried it with honey or milk so love to hear how that turns out!  I've had it with and without sugar, I like it more without but I think it's because I don't have a very sweet tooth. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2014 21:34
|
|
|
Comic posted:Got my cascarra today, drinking my first cup- if I had to describe it as anything I'd say 'sour cherry'. Had someone else try it and they listed off citrus fruits. Calling it coffee cherry tea is pretty apt. I like it though. I'm trying it without anything added, wonder if sugar/honey/milk will bring out any flavors or just mask them. I got mine today, too! I haven't tried it but it's also Verve so I'm glad to hear you like it. I also ordered two custom blends from Adagio. Chamomile/peppermint/lemongrass (apparently the same as their cha cha but I don't put much lemongrass so I'll pretend it's different) and Irish breakfast/cranberry/orange. I think my favorite thing about Adagio is how easy it is to get samples, then mix them up into something even more delicious, then have them make you a big pile of that.
|
|
#
?
Jan 24, 2014 04:53
|
|
|
detectivemonkey posted:I think my favorite thing about Adagio is how easy it is to get samples, then mix them up into something even more delicious, then have them make you a big pile of that. I like that about Adagio too. I have to convince myself that I don't need more teas or I'd order everything. I used to order from Dragonwater all the time because they had convenient sample sizes and a monthly tea club. I would get three sample pouches a month and mix my own tea blends sometimes. They went out of business years ago but I'm still working my way through a giant bag of hibiscus and a small but potent bag of lavender. Sometimes I also buy dried rosebuds and chrysanthemums at Chinese markets and mix those with my black or oolong teas.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 05:17
|
|
|
Recently I broke down and bought myself an electric boiler/steeper set (what the hell do you call them anyway?) and have been super pleased with the purchase. Now instead of making 20 oz cups of tea and having them go cold halfway through, I can use a more civilized size of drinking ware, and have my tea nice and hot on demand. I do feel bad for my water boiler now, though.  Now on to my next (non-consumable) tea-related purchase, I want to find a nice vacuum bottle or thermos for day hiking and camping, etc. The main thing here is that it can keep liquids hot for 4-6 hours of a hike (or the time it'd take to get to the campsite, get half-unpacked, and desire a nice cuppa,) and that it hold an enormous  amount of liquid. Also, no leaks!I checked out around and found that 2 liters (68 oz) seems to be about the biggest size possible and I have no problem carrying 5 lbs around in a backpack for a couple hours, for the chance to enjoy a nice hot cup of tea and lunch on a mountaintop or at the foot of a waterfall with some company. Does anyone have experience with anything of this size? Zojirushi's (apparently) only offering has some iffy-sounding reviews about its durability, so I was thinking it may be wiser to go with a Thermos brand one, and frankly I don't have a clue of what other brands to look for, or if any are worthwhile. coyo7e fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Jan 28, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 22:57
|
|
|
coyo7e posted:I checked out around and found that 2 liters (68 oz) seems to be about the biggest size possible and I have no problem carrying 5 lbs around in a backpack for a couple hours, for the chance to enjoy a nice hot cup of tea and lunch on a mountaintop or at the foot of a waterfall with some company. Does anyone have experience with anything of this size? Zojirushi's (apparently) only offering has some iffy-sounding reviews about its durability, so I was thinking it may be wiser to go with a Thermos brand one, and frankly I don't have a clue of what other brands to look for, or if any are worthwhile. I have a Themos brand one that works wonders. It keeps things hot for way longer than it logically should, but I payed plenty for it. I think I have the 64 (68?) oz one. It holds about eight cups of liquid and keeps it hot/cold legitimately for a long time. I use it to take tea out with me while refereeing and while it looks ridiculous, it's fantastic when it's cold or rainy and I want something to warm me up. Worth every penny. Make sure you get one that does have a vacuum rating for the area inside. From what I understand, this is why it stays hot/cold (due to the lack of transference of the heat energy), so make sure you take the time to find the right one. \/\/\/ The 68oz looks to be about the same price as the Thermos brand too. Jhet fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Jan 28, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 23:29
|
|
|
coyo7e posted:Now on to my next (non-consumable) tea-related purchase, I want to find a nice vacuum bottle or thermos for day hiking and camping, etc. The main thing here is that it can keep liquids hot for 4-6 hours of a hike (or the time it'd take to get to the campsite, get half-unpacked, and desire a nice cuppa,) and that it hold an enormous  http://www.zojirushi.com/products/sfcc Zojirushi can be lost in the frozen tundra for 3 days and still be piping hot.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2014 23:31
|
|
|
XBenedict posted:
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 20:38
|
|
|
User tip: Don't drop it out of a car "a couple times". A lot of high-capacity Thermos-type products contain a glass interior.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2014 23:57
|
|
|
http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Stain...eywords=thermos This is the one I use. It has a stainless steel interior and exterior and has taken a bit of a beating. I've had hot tea a day and a half later. It did taste a little stale, but not metallic. I've dropped it a few times, it's been struck by a flying soccer ball more then once, and it still works very well. The price fluxuates on amazon a little so maybe wait for it to sneak down under $40? I've seen it there a couple times.
|
|
#
?
Jan 30, 2014 14:55
|
|
|
The Rock. This one has fallen off of a motorcycle on a highway at 65mph. The guy I know who had it said he just circle around and picked it back up since it got flung to the shoulder. Still worked, until someone stole it from him! I have one around somewhere too and it works like a champ, you can find it at most places. Failing that, look for Stanley thermoses - a lot of them are full stainless steel bodies without vac-glass inserts and can hold a respectable amount as well. Maybe ask at a Home Depot for some pro tips. In purely anecdotal terms I've found you can tell if something has an interior glass wall if the outside material is somewhat on the thin side for material, or you can sound it out by tapping it a couple of times to see if it's hollow (suggests a glass insert of some kind). e: fixed it up aldantefax fucked around with this message at 18:02 on Jan 30, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jan 30, 2014 16:57
|
|
|
My kettle blew a fuse so I'm boiling water on the stove like a caveman. It's taking forever.
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2014 15:30
|
|
|
Just wanted to post about the great customer service experience I had with Davids. I bought like 100g of their new tea Mint to Be the other week based on the fact that it seemed to be made entirely of ingredients I had tried before in their other tea- however, it was awful, and smelled strongly of... not coconut or mint, but an artificial smell that turned my stomach. I sent an email to Davids asking for a list of which natural ingredients were added to it (cream, butterscotch, white chocolate mousse... what?) and which other teas contained those ingredients so I could avoid them. They sent me back an email within a day, and not only apologized for my experience and provides me a list of the additives, but also offered to send me 50g of a tea of my choice shipped to my door, which leads me to my next question- anyone else shop Davids and have favourites they'd recommend? I tend to go for blacks and herbals and anything not terribly sensitive to temperature since I just have a kettle after I broke my thermometer.
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2014 18:19
|
|
|
I started drinking english breakfast tea and earl grey with a coworker, and now I can't get enough. I see people put milk in their tea- how does that change the taste? I'm curious to try it, but really I'm afraid of change.
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2014 19:44
|
|
|
It mellows it out. I think the fat in the milk binds to the tannins in the tea, takes out the bitterness. Personally I like milk with a few kinds of black tea, typically flavored ones.
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2014 20:03
|
|
|
Grrl Anachronism posted:Just wanted to post about the great customer service experience I had with Davids. I bought like 100g of their new tea Mint to Be the other week based on the fact that it seemed to be made entirely of ingredients I had tried before in their other tea- however, it was awful, and smelled strongly of... not coconut or mint, but an artificial smell that turned my stomach. I sent an email to Davids asking for a list of which natural ingredients were added to it (cream, butterscotch, white chocolate mousse... what?) and which other teas contained those ingredients so I could avoid them. I really liked their red velvet tea, which was black. The orange and chocolate puerh was pretty awesome if you like a stronger orange and chocolate taste and kind of a smokey tea.
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2014 20:16
|
|
|
Happy Year of the Horse, all! Teavana trip report: the Golden Dragon yellow tea is pretty good. Probably not worth $30 for two ounces, but I tried a cup today in honor of the Chinese New Year. It's a bit like a dark oolongy Chinese green. The employee said it shifts toward their Golden Monkey black tea after multiple infusions. I think Upton's is at least comparable, but it's been a whole since I tried it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 31, 2014 21:22
|
|
|
Tea lovers in the Toronto area - this weekend is the 2nd annual Toronto Tea Festival! Saturday and Sunday, 10am - 5pm at the Toronto Reference Library (Yonge & Bloor). I volunteered last year and had a lot of fun, so I'm doing it again this year. Watch tea ceremonies from various cultures, presentations on different tea-related topics, 30+ vendors to buy tea and teaware, an auction, raffle, and all the tea samples you can drink!
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2014 04:39
|
|
|
areyoucontagious posted:I started drinking english breakfast tea and earl grey with a coworker, and now I can't get enough. I see people put milk in their tea- how does that change the taste? I'm curious to try it, but really I'm afraid of change. It's amazing.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2014 05:36
|
|
|
areyoucontagious posted:I started drinking english breakfast tea and earl grey with a coworker, and now I can't get enough. I see people put milk in their tea- how does that change the taste? I'm curious to try it, but really I'm afraid of change. I can't drink Assam teas without some milk in. They're too bitter and wreck my stomach, but with milk they don't bother me at all. As for taste, it's less intense and also has a bit of creaminess to it (imagine that!), as well as a little heavier mouth feel. I usually drink all my tea straight, but I love adding milk to black tea! Never sugar, though. 
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2014 12:31
|
|
|
areyoucontagious posted:I started drinking english breakfast tea and earl grey with a coworker, and now I can't get enough. I see people put milk in their tea- how does that change the taste? I'm curious to try it, but really I'm afraid of change. People have said it better so won't repeat what they said but yeah, it works great with black teas and pretty much well the Brits always add milk to their tea (because its mainly black tea). Some people add sugar but tend to be people who drink tea but like tea do that (if that makes sense), milk no sugar.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2014 12:35
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 17, 2024 00:55 |
|
|
areyoucontagious posted:I started drinking english breakfast tea and earl grey with a coworker, and now I can't get enough. I see people put milk in their tea- how does that change the taste? I'm curious to try it, but really I'm afraid of change. I'm more partial to irish breakfast myself, but I can't enjoy that unless it has at least a little cream or milk in it. It doesn't need a lot, just enough to break the bitterness. I only add sugar to my teas if it's closer to a chai, and I'm wanting something closer to a dessert.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2014 12:38
|
|