Chamomile

[yresim]

I used to think that, while there was a huge difference between bagged and loose teas, there wasn't much of a difference between bagged and loose tisanes.

Well, I was wrong. At least when it comes to chamomile. I compared two stash chamomiles against loose chamomile from Adagio and Royal Dynasty. The bagged teas did not hold a candle to the loose teas.

I am never paying for bagged chamomile again!

~Yresim~

P.S. For full review, see http://community.livejournal.com/teareviews/1798.html

[Carnelian]

I can agree to that. I used to have problems getting my chamomile tea strong enough from bags. And while I grow chamomile in a garden, the flowers (which I recently learned is the source of flavor) are not available for very long and its tedious to dry them properly.

[Kai]

If you have an ethnic foods section, you might find it in your local grocer. That's where I found a bag o raw chamomile. It's "manzanilla" in spanish. Great stuff.

[Madam Potts]

Generally speaking bagged tea never compares with loose tea. The tea that goes into bags is always cut/chopped finer which means that the tea or herb is loses its quality and properties faster. Also any essense or taste is compromised when a leaf is not able to unfurl.

I have found that even among my favorite (read: top quality) tea retailers the bagged tea always is significantly less enjoyable.

Convenience is the only attribute of the bagged tea.

So to say one thing positive about the bagged teas: Sometimes conveneince is worth its weight in gold.

[rabbit]

Going along with mad pots, I've heard that because the teabags more often than not contain dust/fannings, these smaller bits of camellia sinensis release their tannans faster than the larger ones which in turn will brew (esspecialy in black) a more bitter cup of tea.

[yresim]

Going along with mad pots, I've heard that because the teabags more often than not contain dust/fannings, these smaller bits of camellia sinensis release their tannans faster than the larger ones which in turn will brew (esspecialy in black) a more bitter cup of tea.

As I said, I knew this about bagged tea. Just not about tisanes.

I guess I just sort of figured that, since tisanes don't typically contain leaves so much as flower petals, they didn't need to expand as much.

There goes that idea.

~Yresim~