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Maybe the type of tea is more prone to over-steeping? I know the turks also do something similar, they make a tea concentrate and then dilute it in the serving vessel. Perhaps use some turkish tea as the base tea.
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Mar 2, 2015 18:54
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I figure whole leaf black tea would be the best bet for that. I've had zavarka-style tea from Samovar (via a samovar, natch) using their Russian Caravan tea and it has worked just fine. Similarly, using a filter or basket as Devi suggests to control the concentration level is likely fine as well. Also, five minutes being normal for black tea is two minutes too long in my usual experiences - though, if you were making a huge batch of tea for people, if you have the fridge space you could also totally cold brew a concentrate batch overnight to avoid the tannin/bitterness portion of it, then heat the concentrate and add hot water as needed.
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Mar 2, 2015 20:24
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Devi posted:Is the tea still bitter from the long steeping time? I've tried to dilute over-steeped tea and the results have never been good. Yes, but there's artificial bergemont flavor anyways  If you aren't aren't stuck with one tin of tea every three months like me, you can get the right flavor out of diluted concentrate even if it has been brewed a ton, just by adding the right amount of water at the right temperature.Devi posted:Have you tried disposable bags? Sometimes in moments of great laziness I just wrap a coffee filter around tea and prepare it that way. Yes, whole leaf or broken leaf black tea is the only tea I would recommend with this method. No delicate flavors, in my experience most people drink Earl Grey, but really plain Ceylon tea gives the most balanced flavor. Has anyone else noticed the ACKBAR brand of russian tea is complete garbage? My family grew up drinking it, but it's bad tea and on one occasion, the outside of a tin of yellow ACKBAR was marked "FBOP" but in actuality it contained fannings.
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Mar 3, 2015 14:18
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call me crazy, but i spent a couple weeks reading this (entire) thread and I learned a lot. picked up a sencha, a gunpowder tea, and a wuyi oolong from my local store. Really loving the sencha. It's sort of kelpy and salty and really refreshing after a workout or during work. Tea is great.
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Mar 4, 2015 17:32
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Owner of the local hippie grocer accidentaly ordered  NON-ORGANIC jasmine tea and none of the other customers wanted any. Scored a full pound for fifteen bucks. Now to make iced tea  And she is going to order up some darjeeling for me. It is a good day.
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Mar 4, 2015 19:22
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Did my first cold brew with some sencha Incredible. I'll have to do this with all my other teas.
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Mar 6, 2015 22:30
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Ghost of Reagan Past posted:Heh, the local Chinese grocery has a bag of "Iron Goddess" tea for $4/8oz, never knew that. Ti Kuan Yin is an extremely popular tea in China with a huge variety of qualities from garbage dust in bags to hand processed luxury batch full leaf tea. Generally, anything less then @ $40/lb is suspect. Anything not loose full leaf can be discounted immediately. Be wary of anything in the US/Europe with fanciful or ethnicy marketing like Republic of Tea or Teavanna. You will get charged top shelf prices for lower-mid range tea. It's also likely to be old. Good TKY starts to loose flavor after a year or so. I mostly drink this sort of tea. I've slowly crept up to the $150/lb varieties somehow. It very difficult to go back to the cheap stuff now. If you want to try it, here is a good mid-market offering. Please research making it correctly first. When in doubt cooler water/shorter steeps. http://www.silkroadteas.com/jade-oolong-huan-jin-gui/ They have a cheaper variety I don't recommend. Generally, this is not a super time of year (March) to source Chinese tea. The best tea comes up in the Spring, with a lower quality Summer harvest and a slight improvement for the Fall harvest. The expensive versions will have the year and season listed if the seller is at all reputable. Look for the good stuff to roll in around May.
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Mar 8, 2015 00:01
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I drink bagged tea, it's about 4p a mug
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Mar 9, 2015 20:22
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What tea has the most caffeine?
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Mar 11, 2015 04:48
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It really depends on what tea it is (I know the most unhelpful post ever). I think where it came from on the tea bush and what stage it was picked at are most important. For example, I've had a black tea that was absolutely too much for me (couldn't sleep, gave me anxiety), and I've had black teas not do too much to me. It's really dependent on the specific tea you get. I will say that I'm sensitive to caffeine though so I can really only do like 1 good mug of tea before it's too much. I get half decaf/half regular when I drink coffee because otherwise I just turn into a mess.
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Mar 11, 2015 05:21
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It's not really "tea" but yerba mate is supposed to have as much caffeine as a cup of coffee and whenever I drink it I feel pretty alert, but I don't get the crash I do from coffee.
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Mar 11, 2015 11:28
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Neukoln19 posted:What tea has the most caffeine? It's worth remembering that the common wisdom that black tea has more caffeine than green and such is not necessarily true. Growing conditions, the particular plant, and processing all affect caffeine content.
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Mar 11, 2015 12:16
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Matcha will probably have the highest caffeine per prepared serving.
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Mar 11, 2015 17:06
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I pasted this together real quick from caffineinformer. Sorry if it stretches your screen. Of course, these are ballparks. Tea used and preparation method will dramatically vary caffeine content. Keldoclock fucked around with this message at 11:52 on Mar 14, 2015 |
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Mar 14, 2015 11:50
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I tried the Yunnan White Jasmine from Verdant and I really liked it, but it's out of stock. Does anyone know of something similar?
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Mar 14, 2015 13:47
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Is there some scientific reason why it's better to boil water from a cold temperature rather than hot? It always felt like one of those old traditions that never changed but I wonder if there is something to it.
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Mar 16, 2015 19:49
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al-azad posted:Is there some scientific reason why it's better to boil water from a cold temperature rather than hot? It always felt like one of those old traditions that never changed but I wonder if there is something to it. Because the hot water has been sitting in the thermal danger zone in the pipes all day, and it has more minerals and poo poo dissolved in it.
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Mar 16, 2015 20:26
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Looking to buy some actual tea for the first time. Before I have only had the different little flavored bags and have not really enjoyed them. After reading about tea the last hour I am very interested in seeing if I can actually enjoy it. Does anyone have some recommendations for some good green/oolong teas that would be good for a beginner and able to order online?
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Mar 18, 2015 07:13
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Upton doesn't have the most intuitive online shop, but their prices are pretty reasonable, the shipping is cheap, and they have a wide variety to choose from. I haven't ordered from them lately because they haven't had the specific teas I was looking for, but if you're just looking to try a little of each, the Green Tea Sampler or Introduction to Oolong Teas wouldn't be a bad place to start. You could also skim through the oolong or green sections and order a sample size of whatever catches your eye if you don't like the idea of spending $10+ on something you may not even like. One thing I'd also recommend is glancing at some of their Chinese black teas, even if you're wary of black tea based on your previous tea experience. They taste very different even to loose-leaf Indian teas, let alone cheap bagged stuff.
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Mar 18, 2015 08:27
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I'm in the market for a new teapot and I'm having a hard time finding one on the internet. I mostly drink tea by myself but I wouldn't mind something that could also work for two people, maybe even 4. I'm not sure what size to get. Definitely need a strainer that gives enough room for the tea to bloom and something I can remove to stop infusion. Heat retention is important so maybe cast iron or ceramic? I used to have a glass pot (bodum I think) but it didn't seem to keep the heat long. I wouldn't mind a set with those little cups. It seems if I make a big (16oz) cup, the tea gets cold before I finish it. I know I'm being picky here but those little things seem to make drinking tea more enjoyable.
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Mar 26, 2015 06:27
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If you're worried about heat retention with a traditional Western style teapot, I would recommend using a tea cozy (either something that costs a ridiculous amount of money and looks like an elephant or just some towels wrapped around your pot). If you want to use a filter basket, the standard 4 cup size teapots that Bee House makes are nice and simple aesthetically and come with a filter basket. Additionally, they will take replacement filter baskets or teabags just fine, and if you're brewing a cup just for yourself most of the time, half a teapot will get you an average sized mug's worth of tea. Making a full pot will yield your sixteen ounces that you're looking for. Here's an example of the teapots I'm referring to: http://www.beehouseteapot.com/beehouse.htm Cast iron does have better heat retention properties if you preheat it properly. You need to allow the thermal transfer from hot water pass to the actual material for a bit longer than ceramic, but that lets you keep it out on the table looking nice for a little while longer, anyway. However, most cast iron pots have weird shapes that aren't friendly to filter baskets, and either have a permanent strainer or a mini basket filter (sometimes, there are mesh filters that are mounted in such a way you can remove them from inside the teapot like a lining too). Really, what it sounds like is you want hot tea on demand. One of the better options would be to find a teapot you like, brew your tea, then pour into an insulated container immediately. I used to do this before going into jobs where there was no ready hot water access for brewing with a few thermoses to varying success, but it worked out on the whole. You can also consider tealights and trivets to hold your teapot over said tealights, since that is what they are designed for.
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Mar 26, 2015 07:12
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Awesome! I think that bee house is perfect. I'm not too worried about long heat retention times, maybe 30 minutes max.
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Mar 26, 2015 07:29
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aldantefax posted:Really, what it sounds like is you want hot tea on demand. One of the better options would be to find a teapot you like, brew your tea, then pour into an insulated container immediately. I used to do this before going into jobs where there was no ready hot water access for brewing with a few thermoses to varying success, but it worked out on the whole. I do this when I'm gone for the day working a sports tournament. I have one of those giant black Thermos, and the heat retention is really very awesome. I've had it stay hot for 24 hours and only lose 10-15 degrees. I just preheat the inside of the thermos before filling with 68 ounces of tea. Who cares if people look at me crossways, I have tea for all day long and some to share.
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Mar 26, 2015 18:17
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Jhet posted:I do this when I'm gone for the day working a sports tournament. I have one of those giant black Thermos, and the heat retention is really very awesome. I've had it stay hot for 24 hours and only lose 10-15 degrees. I just preheat the inside of the thermos before filling with 68 ounces of tea. Who cares if people look at me crossways, I have tea for all day long and some to share. I think I discussed it earlier in the thread at some point but I definitely was a big fan of the Nissan "The Rock" Thermos for its durability. It's not widemouth, sadly, so you may want to brew your tea separately, but I used to preheat it before putting my tea in it and I had steaming hot tea that I made at 6:00 AM still steaming hot at 6:00 PM.
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Mar 26, 2015 18:30
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I make hot tea at work but for iced I use my 64oz thermos. Will keep it cold 24 hours and cool for at least a day after that.
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Mar 26, 2015 22:27
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Picked up a 20oz bee house and some nice oolong from a tea place in town. It's perfect. It took me about a half hour to finish the pot and it kept the tea nice and warm the whole time. I like how to lid stays on when you pour, and if something were to happen, it's made of metal and won't break. The spout is well designed too. I feel like you have to go out of your way to spill any tea. One question, do you guys ever wash your pots? I was only planning on rinsing it unless it somehow got funky.
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Mar 27, 2015 06:07
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Bee House is good stuff, glad you like it. Regarding maintenance it's best to make sure you don't leave any teas in for too long - staining isn't really an issue with new teapots these days unless you're using pristine white china, giving it a wash every couple of days (assuming regular use) is good. The only time you do not want to wash your pots is if you have concern about seasoning for porous materials - specifically, yixing clay pots and raw iron tetsubins that cost 300 bucks. Anything that is enameled should get a decent wash and dry on a regular basis.
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Mar 27, 2015 06:39
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Haggins posted:Picked up a 20oz bee house and some nice oolong from a tea place in town. It's perfect. I'll wash mine if I'm switching between two different teas and I'm concerned about mixing the flavour. Like, if I'm making green tea and the last thing I made in the pot was Earl Grey, I don't really want that Bergmot flavour getting in there too much. You can often get away with just rinsing, though.
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Mar 29, 2015 04:27
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Yeah occasionally I'll go on a black tea kick (I mostly drink green or oolong) and after that I give it a real good scrub. So...like 3 or 4 times a year maybe.
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Mar 29, 2015 15:04
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May be a bit late, but I use a cast iron teapot warmer from World Market to keep my teapot warm. The teapot itself is ceramic. I fell in love with it and didn't care that it would stay warm on it's own and it's too pretty to cover up. I don't even care that I rarely use it because it just sits and looks nice. When I do use it, the warmer is wonderful. Keeps the tea warm as long as the tea light is lit. I usually put my tea in a Kleen Kanteen and that will keep it warm if I don't leave it open all day (which I do, but I like the tea cooler, too). At home I typically just make one cup at a time. Today I made a pot but used the Breville One Touch. Should have used the teapot and warmer since it's taking me so long to drink the tea.
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Mar 29, 2015 22:05
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Does anyone have a recommendation for a good ginger-based tea? I've been having a lot of stomach problems, and as delicious as Mint Majesty from Teavana is (and cheap: 2 oz of the stuff packs an 8 oz size bag!), I'm getting really really really sick of minty things. I was looking at Super Ginger from DavidsTea, but it's listed as being really spicy and I have to limit spice for the moment.
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Apr 1, 2015 00:59
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Any reason why you couldn't just add ginger root to your favorite tea, or just boil the ginger by itself? You only need a little bit of grated ginger to add a lot of flavor.
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Apr 1, 2015 01:39
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gamingCaffeinator posted:Does anyone have a recommendation for a good ginger-based tea? I've been having a lot of stomach problems, and as delicious as Mint Majesty from Teavana is (and cheap: 2 oz of the stuff packs an 8 oz size bag!), I'm getting really really really sick of minty things. What's stopping you from steeping your tea with ginger broth? Using fresh ginger crushed or shredded in addition to your tea leaves of choice heated to the right temperature works out well in my experience. If you want some serious ginger, there are powdered ginger mixes that are extremely potent that I used to mix with black tea and honey in order to ease throat and upset stomach issues. Alternately, you can find an herbal tisane that floats your boat with a fair amount of ginger and blend that with a cheap black tea in some capacity.
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Apr 1, 2015 01:39
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gamingCaffeinator posted:Does anyone have a recommendation for a good ginger-based tea? I've been having a lot of stomach problems, and as delicious as Mint Majesty from Teavana is (and cheap: 2 oz of the stuff packs an 8 oz size bag!), I'm getting really really really sick of minty things. It drives me nuts that adding pepper is such a common thing with ginger teas. If you have a local Asian market (they're usually cheaper than the supermarkets around here), it might be more convenient/easier to just buy ginger root and make it yourself  .
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Apr 1, 2015 01:47
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I think you guys might be right about just buying ginger and steeping it It'll probably be cheaper that way. I'm just a lazy person and don't want to drive forty-five minutes to the Asian market.
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Apr 1, 2015 02:09
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Hey, an excuse to post a vintage recipe! quote:INGREDIENTS:
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Apr 1, 2015 02:36
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Coincidentally I was looking at buying bulk ginger and Penzey's is apparently a good place to order from.
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Apr 1, 2015 02:47
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Juaguocio posted:Hey, an excuse to post a vintage recipe! This looks awesome. ...also very '70s. I have to avoid citrus/acid for the moment, but I'll try it once these issues have been resolved!
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Apr 1, 2015 03:15
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Someone teach me how to make puerh or link a tried and true video or article I have a couple gaiwans and some loose leaf puerh I got from a legit Chinese tea shop.
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Apr 1, 2015 08:11
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Steve Yun posted:Someone teach me how to make puerh or link a tried and true video or article Like, manufacture it, or just prepare it? For manufacturing, here's a 12-min video that explains the processing steps from Aroma Tea Shop. You can probably skip around if you need: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYcQySL_ozg Otherwise, to prepare puerh, use fresh boiling water and rinse once, then pour more boiling water for steeping. Decant after 10-15sec or less, then increase time by 10-15sec per steep. You can fiddle with this depending on leaf/water ratio and also if it's ripe or raw puerh.
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Apr 1, 2015 17:35
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