Loose leaf tea! What's in your kettle??

[Perazzimx14]

Actually for black tea's I quit using the kettle and now use the percolator.

Just re-upped on a 1/2lb  of Formosa Oolong (usually drink Orange Pekoe) also got another 1/2lb raspberry flavored black tea.  This stuff is really good for those of us who are raspberry aficionados.

 

[Kiwi_Roy]

I come from a country where they used to drink a lot of tea, everyone had loose tea.
Last time I was back in New Zealand everyone seemed to be on Tea-bags.
It's almost impossible to find a decent tea-pot for loose leaf tea.
We use Dilmah brand tea bags From Sri Lanka, I highly recommend it.

[Perazzimx14]

I'm lucky. There is a coffee roaster that is close to me that besides coffee they have a small Asian grocery and also a big selection of loose leaf as well as bagged tea's and fresh roasted peanuts

Not sure of the cost effectiveness but they do ship. If you'd like their website I can PM it it to you. If they won't ship internationally I can. I have no affiliation with them just a satisfied customer.

[ozarquebus]

P&G Tips here in US, but it is a bit strong for me. Other than that its all bagged unless I go to a specialty shop.
I will be interested to hear what real tea drinkers prefer.

[AJ Huff]

None for me but my 14 year old is all about loose leaf tea. She's right now into an Indonesian black tea with lavender from Culinary Tours. She has a couple of blends from a local purveyor from our local farmers market. And she has a variety pack of Korean teas I bought her off Amazon. Korean teas are her favorite. I also see a can of Tazo  loose tea in the cupboard.

-AJ

[Lannis]

P&G Tips here in US, but it is a bit strong for me. Other than that its all bagged unless I go to a specialty shop.
I will be interested to hear what real tea drinkers prefer.

I learned to use PG Tips when in England; it's the most popular tea there.   Don't have to brew it very long, you can make it any strength you want.   Enough milk to make it the color of Thames River water and Bob's yer uncle ....

Lannis

[malik]

Over here in Oz we still have loose leaf tea available in the supermarkets, half a dozen brands or so, but I don't know whether it's the loss of taste buds with age and abuse, they don't seem to have the flavour that they used to. So I get some teas, in quantity from my green coffee bean supplier, sometimes order leaf direct from the grower in Queensland (there was an honesty box beside the plantation on the Palmerston highway on one of trip to the Athertons, bought some, great taste, so order on-line now & again - Nusifera), and then there's the Chinese teas from the chineses grocers, oolong in summer & pu era in winter - currently using a Te Kuan Yin, a variation of oolong. The Indian grocers have teas suitable for chai making, and I've just come across an Irani packaged ceylonese tea which tastes good - going to have to chase up some of that.

If you want to get serious, you could ferret out the Chinese (or Japanese, if you can find one) tea shops - few & far between, but stunning teas, and often stunning prices, but, for special ocassions, 50 - 100 grams might be worth it.

[amamet]

Green Darjeeling, gen mai cha or an Assam tea with a pour over kettle with a thermometer for me

[Brian UK]

I come from a country where they used to drink a lot of tea, everyone had loose tea.
Last time I was back in New Zealand everyone seemed to be on Tea-bags.
It's almost impossible to find a decent tea-pot for loose leaf tea.
We use Dilmah brand tea bags From Sri Lanka, I highly recommend it.

Tea bags have more or less taken over here in the UK too.
Not that I use them. Tea pot and loose leaf Assam for me.

The art of making tea is being lost.

[pebra]

Loose leaf black tea for me, please.
Preferably with hints of cornflower, bergamot and / or jasmine.
I try to keep 2 - 4 varieties., and vary in everyday use.

I also drink some green teas, but have a lot to learn.

Ars longa, vita brevis, that's how I look at my tea competence. 

[twowheeladdict]

Actually for black tea's I quit using the kettle and now use the percolator.

Just re-upped on a 1/2lb  of Formosa Oolong (usually drink Orange Pekoe) also got another 1/2lb raspberry flavored black tea.  This stuff is really good for those of us who are raspberry aficionados.

Not much of a Tea drinker.  Hot or cold.  But, raspberry got me thinking.  Have you tried Walkers White Chocolate & Raspberry Biscuits?  They would go great with your tea time. 

I found a recipe for Raspberry and White Chocolate squares with sliced almonds that was amazing!

[Perazzimx14]

Not much of a Tea drinker.  Hot or cold.  But, raspberry got me thinking.  Have you tried Walkers White Chocolate & Raspberry Biscuits?  They would go great with your tea time. 

I found a recipe for Raspberry and White Chocolate squares with sliced almonds that was amazing!

Have not heard of those biscuits but after a quick search it looks like they could be dangerous. Look delicious

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I'm not a tea "snob" - Bigelow Plantation Mint (now renamed Perfectly Mint) in the morning and Bigelow Spiced Chai in the evening. Don't have time to be messing about with loose leaf and such.

[80CX100]

     I have a few packs of fancy loose teas that have somehow found their way into my cupboards over the years, but I've never actually used any of it, lol.

     I put up with the mess of doing bodum coffee sometimes, but for my tea, I stick with bags, makes things so much simpler,fwiw.

     I hate tea bags that break, so for regular black tea, I stick with Tetley if I can.

     I love my Chai Tea, and a few years ago discovered that Vaishali's Indian Grocery Store carried nice, reasonably priced bagged Chai Teas. "Wagh Bakri" Masala Chai (bargain), and "Tea India", in Masala, Cardamon or Ginger Chai.

     Late at night or to settle my stomach down, camomile or Serenitea (camomille, licorice, fennel etc).

     If I happen to be on a low caffeine cleansing run,"Celestial" Bengal Spice, or rarely, just hot water and finely chopped ginger.

     Kelly
     

[Lannis]

I'm not a tea "snob" - Bigelow Plantation Mint (now renamed Perfectly Mint) in the morning and Bigelow Spiced Chai in the evening. Don't have time to be messing about with loose leaf and such.

First we tried to be Coffee Snobs.   We tried every kind of exotic coffee, and every sort of brewing technique that there was ... and finally settled on Dunkin Donuts regular roast through a Cuisinart drip coffeemaker.

Then we tried to be Tea Snobs.   We DID learn on our visits to England that Lipton tea is made from the sweepings from behind the drying racks after the proper tea is processed (or so say the English!).   But now we've settled on PG Tips (for when we want milk and sugar with it), Earl Grey (when we want it black), or Bigelow's Lemon-Ginger (when we want it caffeine free).   So we can't be tea snobs even though we tried ....

Lannis

[skippy]

Hands down this is my favorite,
www.englishteastore .com/loose-leaf-tea-pu-erh-caramel-toffee-1oz.html

But truthfully we drink a lot of tea in my household. Earl grey, black currant black tea. are some of my other favorites. My wife is always trying to get me to drink green teas but I much prefer good, strong black teas so long as they aren't over steeped and bitter.

The pu'erh in the link above is simply divine and I can dang near drink it until I explode.

Skippy

[Perazzimx14]

We went thorough a spell where we drank expensive locally roasted coffee's and it turns out the brew method is the biggest factor for us. Perish the though we use a percolator and like WalMart Great Value brand decaf and Giant brand "original" roast.  Both pre-ground and under $6 a can and better than any of the $20  pound whole bean stuff out of the Bunn drip.

I do really like Cafe Bustelo but if you use it in the percolator its like you got a big ole dip of Copenhagen fine cut between your cheek and gum. Still use it in the moka pot though.

As for the teas the loose leaf stuff I'm buying is certainly not a budget buster. Most of it runs around dollar an ounce and make what we consider a good cup of tea.

My pallet is certainly not discerning enough to try rare exotic stuff. I also drink regular old beer in a can.

[berniebee]

My son's fiancee is from Pakistan. She's brainy and beautiful and she introduced me to variations of intoxicating and delicious chai.

It's a bit of a process, but basically you start with black tea and then add ginger, star anise or cardamom, milk, and an optional sweetener (Maple syrup is great.)

BTW, there are basically only two words for "tea" used in the world. It's either "tea" or "chai".  Pretty well the entire planet says one or the other, with some pronunciation differences. So there's no need to say "chai tea".  Just chai.   

I'll never go back to plain old Orange Pekoe!

[Mr Pootle]

I learned to use PG Tips when in England; it's the most popular tea there.   Don't have to brew it very long, you can make it any strength you want.   Enough milk to make it the color of Thames River water and Bob's yer uncle ....

Lannis

PG Tips, the Budweiser of teas, and I don't say that in a nice way.
I drink Ringtons Northumberland Blend through the day, but it causes my bladder to be a bit too active at night, so in the evening it's Ringtons Valley View.

[pebra]

People from the "chai part of the world" that I know, and who drink a lot of tea, drink inexpensive black tea from teabags, with spoonfuls of sugar to each cup.

It must be another purpose than my tea drinking,  as I drink it black, strong and without adding anything.

Morocco? I believe they drink sweet mint tea.
Turkey? Sweet black tea.

So who are the tea connoiseurs of the world, where it's embedded in their culture over centuries? The Chinese?

[Lannis]

I drink Ringtons Northumberland Blend through the day, but it causes my bladder to be a bit too active at night ..

Hmm, that's quite a ... recommendation.   I already get enough of that action, part of the "gittin' old" thing, so maybe I'll stick with the Bud ... !

Lannis

[Triple Jim]

I'm reminded of Ginger Baker's TUSA, performed by Masters of Reality:

https://youtu.be/DTuXBoA688Y

[Knuckle Dragger]

Darjeeling FOP (flowery orange pekoe) for me pls.  Been a huge fan since I visited in 1980.

[poorBob]

Loolecondera BOP Fannings - personal favorite

[malik]

My son's fiancee is from Pakistan. She's brainy and beautiful and she introduced me to variations of intoxicating and delicious chai.

It's a bit of a process, but basically you start with black tea and then add ginger, star anise or cardamom, milk, and an optional sweetener (Maple syrup is great.)

BTW, there are basically only two words for "tea" used in the world. It's either "tea" or "chai".  Pretty well the entire planet says one or the other, with some pronunciation differences. So there's no need to say "chai tea".  Just chai.   

I'll never go back to plain old Orange Pekoe!

Chai is a whole other deal. I start with water & full cream milk in a saucepan, a little Water & a lot of milk for a rich one, half & half for not so rich, tea leaf (strong, cheap & nasty is better - you are cooking it, delicate flavours don't come through), usually add cardamom, star anise & sugar  ground up, but experiment - not Indian bay is a cinnamon variety & comes through. For winter mornings, fresh grated ginger & black pepper are a bit of wake-up hit. If you should get serious about the brew, a conical strainer works well.

[Rough Edge racing]

 like Lannis we were coffee snobs for years but now Dunkin Donuts run through an old drip machine id just fine....Brand name black tea is ok...

[Lannis]

BTW, there are basically only two words for "tea" used in the world. It's either "tea" or "chai".  Pretty well the entire planet says one or the other, with some pronunciation differences. So there's no need to say "chai tea".  Just chai.   

I agree, but even the coffee/tea bars around here list "chai tea".   They may know better, but their customers probably don't, so the duplication is for them.

When you order a "chai tea" locally, you get a "chai latte" made with a steamer, which is fine with me!

Lannis

[inditx]

I'm not a tea "snob" - Bigelow Plantation Mint (now renamed Perfectly Mint) in the morning and Bigelow Spiced Chai in the evening. Don't have time to be messing about with loose leaf and such.

Me neither.
White tea, when it’s available from Hugo tea (not Huzo) :~) or Jasmine from Harney and sons, both in bags.
inditx

[Sasquatch Jim]

Spicy cimmaron tea which I sweeten with  Jamesons' Irish whisky.  Another thing my doctors have forbidden me..
 They tell me it will react with some of my medicines and cause bleeding in my stomach.  And I have two untapped bottles of
 Jamesons  Cask Whisky the stout version.  All I can do is look longingly at them.

[geodoc]

RAF Tea of course!:

https://youtu.be/hmUduW44x8A






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