TeaChat

I really don't know how to explain this, but I'll certainly try. So far I've only tried two types of tea other than standard iced tea. I've tried Chai which I totally love and then I just bought and tried Twinings English Breakfast decaf tea. What I don't like about iced tea is that strong bright um... "tea" taste and the twinings tea has that taste. I love chai though. I was hoping I'd like the breakfast tea but it's just standard tea to me. Is all black tea the same kind of taste? I know I don't like green tea, too grassy for me.

I'm looking for a black tea base that has a similar taste to chai, without the spices. Does that make sense? Or am I just totally off my rocker?

I've cut down on my diet coke consumption and need to replace it with something and I thought that something could be various blends of hot tea. But I'm getting a little bored with just chai, any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

There are infinite flavor variations in tea, even in the main categories. One green tea you might like while another you don't. There is an Earl Grey flavored Green I like from Bigelow that doesn't have a strong green tea character. You may want to give a darker (more oxidized) oolong a go and Pu-erh might fit the bill too, though I don't know enough about them to recommend one. Heck, give some flavored teas a try while you are at it.

I would try an Assam, as they are usually the base tea for chai blends. Adagio sells a couple of different Assams for a reasonable price.

Thank you. I'll try it.

Something I've found that gives a variety to black tea is using our host, Adagio, and trying their flavors - specifically in regard to the Signature Blends. So many different combinations, and you can try someone else's blend or make up your own! I have 3 on hand at the moment, 2 with a bit more fruity flavor and one that's a naturally sweetish caramel flavor that I love (and am almost out of, oh no!). That being said, there are options for some great black teas - I'm a fan of Adagio's Yunnan Noir, it's become a regular tea in my house, and it's inexpensive enough that I can drink it every day. Good luck!

Try good loose leaf tea...stuff you´re buying in tea bags is usually very low quality...I know from experience the twinings english breakfast is mostly dust leftover from the manufacture of tea.

Adagio seems like a good entry point, especially if you´re in the United States.

Don´t give up on green tea just because what you´ve had you didn´t like...better green teas have more enjoyable flavours just like with the better black teas

I second Adagio's Yunnan Noir. Its a great tea.

I think I have seen on some of your other posts concerns about the amount of caffeine as well. I would suggest trying Hojicha. Its a roasted Japanese green tea, but tastes very different than regular greens. Its a bit lighter in caffeine, and usually pretty economical as well. I have not tried adagio's, but Dens teas Hojicha gold is very good. They have a sampler pack that includes this.

I know you didnt mention it..but since you only have tried the two teas..have you thought of exploring some Oolongs?

I want to try the black sampler that comes with the ingenuiTEA. I've not thought of trying oolongs as I'm afraid that they will taste like green tea due to the variation of oxidation in oolongs. Thanks guys for your suggestions

Never be afraid to give different teas a try!
A good Oolong is what made aware that there was much more to teas than just twinings english breakfast.

Don´t be afraid of the oolongs, even the less oxidized ones don´t taste like green tea.

entropyembrace wrote:Don´t be afraid of the oolongs, even the less oxidized ones don´t taste like green tea.

Actually, Victoria was kind enough to send me a sample of the Spring '10 Da Y Ling and it is very lightly oxidized and quite green in flavor. IMHO.

TwoPynts wrote:

entropyembrace wrote:Don´t be afraid of the oolongs, even the less oxidized ones don´t taste like green tea.

Actually, Victoria was kind enough to send me a sample of the Spring '10 Da Y Ling and it is very lightly oxidized and quite green in flavor. IMHO.

I'm not a huge fan of green tea, but I'm quickly realizing that I adore lightly oxidized oolongs - to me, it's soo much different from green tea. Though if you stick with more oxidized or darker oolongs, those I find typically have what I like to think of as an "oolong complexity" - I haven't found any better words to describe it, so forgive me on this one - while being in color and sometimes in general flavor much like a good black tea. So I would say try a couple, get samples if you can, and see for yourself.

To be honest, I've never tried green tea as a hot tea. I've only ever had it in cold drinks like the commercialized ones such as Sobe and Snapple and the like. So it might be a totally different flavor hot. I'll give it a try. I have a sampler box from Bigelow that has green tea in it.

I've not really thought much about oolongs because of my green tea aversion. But right now I'm just starting out on my tea adventure as I've never drank hot tea before. Only a sip or two of iced tea at a restaurant, which I hated. So right now I'm sticking to the bagged versions from the grocery store. I'm not yet ready to try loose leaf tea.

ordering loose leaf tea or looking for a local shop that specializes in loose leaf tea would be better imo...

supermarket tea just doesn´t taste good