Tea: Need Some Suggestions

[The *Other* Green Fairy]

Replacing my soda with tea was tough, but doable.

My go-to had been Good Earth tea, the Sweet and Spicy.

Problem is, you drink one thing too much and you get sick of it. I can't stand the smell anymore, and I'm very sad.

I was trying to find an alternative flavorful tea, and picked up some Yerba Mate. But in spite of its "The energy of coffee, the nutrition of tea, the euphoria of chocolate" reputation, I'm getting nothing. No euphoria, no real energy boost... it doesn't even taste like a particularly good tea. (It's Guayaki brand... am I doing it wrong? O_o)

Tea can be expensive and I'd rather not keep buying them willy-nilly and finding out they're "meh".

So does anyone have any "I love this brand/it changed my life/I'm drinking it now" recommendations for tea?

[Lowenna]

Don't get me started on tea! I'm a complete tea devotee.

I'm English and I don't know if these teas are available in America or not, but these are my favourite teas:

Whittard's have an amazing teas range of loose teas. White tea with lemon and rose, English Rose and River of Clouds are all very yummy.

Twinning's Lady Grey is an excellent everyday tea.

I'm also a big fan of any Lapsang Souchong, bit it has a very smoky flavour which isn't to everyone's taste. If you like Whiskey you'll probably like Lapsang, if you don't you probably won't, they have similar notes to them.

I like Clearspring's Mu Tea, which is sweet and spicy too.

I like Pukka Teas a lot too, their Cleanse and Refresh blends are both really good.

But my absolute favourite tea ever is Pukka Three Ginger tea, it's really energising and the best thing first thing in the morning.

The English Rose, Lady Grey, Lapsang, White Tea and River of Clouds will all have caffeine in them, so avoid them if you're trying to cut caffeine.

But the Pukka Teas and the Mu Tea are all caffeine free.

[CyningaDena]

Now that you've made the tough switch from soda to tea, make the easy one from tea to water. Caffeine is a diuretic, so a lot of people think they're getting tons of water from their drinks when really they're on the border of dehydration. You'll totally be dragging a$$ for the first week, but then your body will pick up the slack and you'll have way more natural energy than you did after your morning caffeine hit. And your dentist will love you for not corroding your teeth. Wins all around!

I know that's not really what you asked, but it's all I've got for ya. Sorry!

[Raincloak]

I mostly drink regular ol' black tea, preferably Irish Breakfast blends (they're nice and strong). Once in a while when I'm bored, I'll fix masala chai (Indian spiced tea) or smoked tea (lapsang souchong or Russian somethingorother), which tastes kinda like bacon. Earl Grey has that distinctive bergamot scent, which is not my thing, but it adds a nice fragrance if you like your tea without milk. And I'm thinking about trying pu-erh (Chinese aged tea) some time. If I'm trying to relax I'll have mint tea, but obviously you're not gonna get a "boost" from it. Trader Joe's has a nice mint/lemongrass blend which I like.

Green tea is not bad, but to me it doesn't taste like anything. If you like that nutty flavor, you can get "brown rice tea," which is kinda like green tea with toasted Rice Krispies. A lot of people like hibiscus or jamaica tea; that's the base for the pink "passion" tea sold at Starbucks. It has a fruity flavor (no caffeine since it's made from flowers).

Basic tea is NOT expensive; you can get a box of 100 teabags from Trader Joe's for $3. Basic Earl Grey and mint teas are also pretty cheap; you can buy dried hibiscus flowers at a lot of ethnic markets (Latinos call it "jamaica," pronounced "ha-my-ca.") The expensive ones are loose leaf teas, fancy imported brands (eg Twining's; it's quality tea all right, but in the USA it's like $8 for a 20-bag pack!), and flavored blends. I think Good Earth is a bit overpriced.

Do not buy your tea from a yuppie chain like Teavana, unless you are really hooked on a blend they sell. They're overpriced and not that great in my opinion. But then I am the kind of person who does not care for flavored teas. If you buy black tea and add your own flavorings you can save mega $$, if you like flavored tea. (They make all kinds: vanilla tea, strawberry tea, cinnamon tea, your mom tea. You just add a few dried fruit chips or a drop of extract to the leaves, then brew the tea.)

[Sambalina]

I, in general, hate tea, especially those with caffeine in them (I swear I can taste caffeine).

However, one tea I love is peppermint tea. It's simple, refreshing, and doesn't have a yuck after taste. I like my teas to be pretty peppermint-y, so I leave the bag in while I drink.

Good luck with your tea journey

[Centurion]

Now that you've made the tough switch from soda to tea, make the easy one from tea to water. Caffeine is a diuretic, so a lot of people think they're getting tons of water from their drinks when really they're on the border of dehydration. You'll totally be dragging a$$ for the first week, but then your body will pick up the slack and you'll have way more natural energy than you did after your morning caffeine hit. And your dentist will love you for not corroding your teeth. Wins all around!

I know that's not really what you asked, but it's all I've got for ya. Sorry!

This just isn't true. It's a complete myth that caffeinated drinks dehydrate you, caffeine itself does have a dehydrating effect but it is more than nullified by the amount of fluid you intake in relation to caffeine when drinking tea/coffee/whatever. I can't find a source for it but I'm pretty sure the only fluid that will cause actually dehydration is salt water because the salt draws the water out of your muscles.

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm

[Ollyswim]

I'm a fan of green tea with mint, have a cup or two a day. Or peppermint tea, nice alternative

[GoToTheGround]

I rock about a liter of this every other day.

Excuse to use my Eva Solo tea pot ;-)

[JediJem]

Oh yes, Teapigs are really good! I love their lemongrass tea. Might have to re-stock actually...

[CyningaDena]

This just isn't true. It's a complete myth that caffeinated drinks dehydrate you, caffeine itself does have a dehydrating effect but it is more than nullified by the amount of fluid you intake in relation to caffeine when drinking tea/coffee/whatever. I can't find a source for it but I'm pretty sure the only fluid that will cause actually dehydration is salt water because the salt draws the water out of your muscles.

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm

Interesting...I'll have to do more research on this now!

[Maj. Bloodnok]

Replacing my soda with tea was tough, but doable.

My go-to had been Good Earth tea, the Sweet and Spicy.

Problem is, you drink one thing too much and you get sick of it. I can't stand the smell anymore, and I'm very sad.

I was trying to find an alternative flavorful tea, and picked up some Yerba Mate. But in spite of its "The energy of coffee, the nutrition of tea, the euphoria of chocolate" reputation, I'm getting nothing. No euphoria, no real energy boost... it doesn't even taste like a particularly good tea. (It's Guayaki brand... am I doing it wrong? O_o)

Tea can be expensive and I'd rather not keep buying them willy-nilly and finding out they're "meh".

So does anyone have any "I love this brand/it changed my life/I'm drinking it now" recommendations for tea?

How strong are you brewing your mate? In Argentina, they'll put about 3 to 4 tablespoons of loose tea into a gourd the size of a tennis ball, then pour hot water over it and let it steep a bit. Then they drink the tea through a straw with a filter on the end. Rinse and repeat until your head is buzzing. :-) It's common to see groups of people passing a mate gourd and kettle around like a bunch of stoners with a bongful of Maui Wowee. It helps to brew it strong, stronger than regular tea. One of the more popular brands in Argentina is Cruz de Malta; pretty easy to find in international grocery stores, although you have to buy it by the pound.

It may be that mate simply isn't for you. I can definitely second the recommendation for hibiscus tea: 'flor de jamaica' is wonderful stuff.

As far as the black teas go, my wife swears by PG Tips (English brand, easily available in Indian groceries) or Trader Joe's Irish Breakfast. I like green tea, but it doesn't like me much. Loose Japanese or Chinese green teas are wonderful things, though they get bitter if steeped for too long. I've found that asking the employees at Asian groceries can get you some really tasty beverages.

Peppermint tea is a wonderful thing, as is ginger tea. If you're a DIY type, you can grow mint varieties in pots on your windowsill, and steep fresh leaves in hot water. Nothing like ginger and chocolate mint tea for a cold.

Hope this helps.

[The *Other* Green Fairy]

How strong are you brewing your mate? In Argentina, they'll put about 3 to 4 tablespoons of loose tea into a gourd the size of a tennis ball, then pour hot water over it and let it steep a bit. Then they drink the tea through a straw with a filter on the end. Rinse and repeat until your head is buzzing. :-) It's common to see groups of people passing a mate gourd and kettle around like a bunch of stoners with a bongful of Maui Wowee. It helps to brew it strong, stronger than regular tea. One of the more popular brands in Argentina is Cruz de Malta; pretty easy to find in international grocery stores, although you have to buy it by the pound.

Tablespoons. Ah. Alright, I am definitely doing this wrong. Looks like it's time to increase the mate, lower the water, and see what happens. XD

Teapigs. I will look into this brand.

Thanks for all the help, folks!

[BeckyBuckeye]

The other thing you can do is get sampler packs. Most brands have them of some sort or another (if they aren't in stores you can find them online). My friend swears by Adagio tea, I know she has a peach one she loves.

[alice-on]

I drink lots of tea, but I mainly go to wal-mart and buy the cheap stuff. So far my fave is buying a new Tea Nation tea every time I run out, and I like the fruit flavored green and black teas. Things I rotate through as flavoring/added stuff: fresh chopped ginger root (at wal-mart), lemon juice from those small plastic squeeze containers, honey, apple cider vinegar (this one is really different, and takes a bit to get used to). Also, the Tazo teas are good, but pricey for me (maybe not for others) but I've only tried and approved the passion tea (passion fruit, lemon grass, rose hips, my favorite tea) and a certain green tea someone gave me for my keurig that is great tea with mint, and it's also really good. I also don't mind just drinking straight black breakfast tea, though at first it wasn't as great, but now I don't mind i just drink it. I feel so much better, too. Also, I stopped drinking sodas years and years ago, so it's hard for me to empathize on getting used to the teas.

[coonskee]

I love Chai tea (bit of almond, tiny bit of honey or brown sugar [yes i know that's bad!], all heaven).

You can also try TeaLuxe, they have a great variety

[Waltron]

Love me some rooibos!

[Doodle]

My favorite Tea store of all time is Harney & sons They have a million different flavors and are good quality tea. I do not buy Grocery store tea because to be honest there is a big difference in taste. Not all Tea is created equal. Though Tazo's is okay. Teavana might be overpriced but it has a good quality tea. How many other stores can you go into that you can inspect the tea leaves before you buy them. If you look at the harney site there are actual brew isntructions for black, white, oolong, and green teas so can check those out to see if that will make your tea taste better. Filtered water and being careful about brewing your tea too long makes a bit of a difference. The latter can produce a bitter weird aftertaste. Anyways hope I helped and don't sound too much like a tea snob.

[Rebel Pilot Gar]

I'm a bit of a tea nut. Family in the UK always brings enough good english black tea to last a year, but I have found a few places to buy other flavors/styles of tea so I don't get bored.

I get my favorite tea at a local coffee shop. You can try the teas there and they sell bags of the loose leaf tea. Might be worth checking if there are local "small" coffee shops in your area that do the same thing.

Republic of Tea is pretty common/well known in the US. They sell sampler packs so you can try a variety and see what you like. They also sell some of the loose leaf stuff in "taster tins" which gives about 10 cups and a really cute tin.

Adagio is another company that I've bought tea from. I think they also do sampler packs, but I haven't tried them. Website here.

As far as supermarkets go, most have the Twinings selection. Celestial seasonings has some fun blends and cool box art, and Stash makes a really good peppermint tea and a great chai tea...

Teavana is a store that sells teas in the mall, but I'm not a big fan of their teas. Might be the 'british tea snob' part of me, but they always seem to have a strong smell with a really weak flavor. Especially given how much they charge you for the tea. The good part with them is they'll make you a hot (or iced) version of any tea in the store so you can try before buying a few ounces. They try to sweeten everything though so if you don't like sugar in your tea let them know it

Sorry for the info dump, I'm a bit obsessed with tea

[Leimanu]

This just isn't true. It's a complete myth that caffeinated drinks dehydrate you, caffeine itself does have a dehydrating effect but it is more than nullified by the amount of fluid you intake in relation to caffeine when drinking tea/coffee/whatever. I can't find a source for it but I'm pretty sure the only fluid that will cause actually dehydration is salt water because the salt draws the water out of your muscles.

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm

Really? That flies against all convention. I wonder if it might be more true of tea, and green tea which is on the lower end of caffeine, compared to coffee. When is start my days with coffee instead of water, I have bags under my eyes. Hmm.