Shocked at not having anymore tins, I would like to present this observance on the last shipment.
Alas, I confess, the teas are weak! I have to double the recipes for my teas to get the same bang for my cupful- anyone else have this rather negative experience. I ordered my usuals of irish breakfast and my blend of irish breakfast, lapsang souchong and caramel teas (alas that should be strong no?)
Anyone else?
Re: Tea Strength/Quality gone down?
I seem to be mistaken, perhaps the tea has gotten weak for my palate. Alas too much coffee?
Re: Tea Strength/Quality gone down?
People are shy about responding to posts from new members who haven't introduced themselves first. Just an FYI.
Re: Tea Strength/Quality gone down?
I recently had a Lapsang Souchong strength problem. My problem is probably completely different than yours. I mentioned it in a TeaDay post, but thought I'd mention it here also. It might be of help to someone who finds this thread searching for tea strength problems.
I tried a couple of Lapsang Souchong samples from Upton Tea. I liked them, and ordered a tin of one of them. That's one of the things I like about Upton. Most of their teas can still be ordered in tins. Anyway, when the tea arrived I took the tin to work. With my first steeping attempt at work the tea was weak, and the liquor was much lighter than the sample I had tried at home. I tried another mug with more leaves than the first. It was better, but still not right. I took the tin home over the weekend. I tried some at home and it came out great. Back at work Monday I tried the tea again with the same weak tea results as the first attempts. After some head scratching the problem finally dawned on me. At home I was steeping in an Adagio personaliTEA pot. At work I was using an Adagio glass mug/infuser. The mug's infuser is made of a thin sheet of stainless steel with very very tiny holes in it. The personaliTEA's infuser is made of a wire mesh. One reviewer described the tea's liquor as "thick", much like coffee. The mug's infuser was too fine for the tea in question. I tried another steeping keeping all of the equipment used the same, except leaving out the infuser. I then strained into another mug with a wire mesh tea strainer. The tea came out great, dark and rich. I think it might actually be a little better than the results I got with the personaliTEA pot. I was already questioning whether infusers were a good or bad thing. Before long I might completely kick the infuser habit.
I tried a couple of Lapsang Souchong samples from Upton Tea. I liked them, and ordered a tin of one of them. That's one of the things I like about Upton. Most of their teas can still be ordered in tins. Anyway, when the tea arrived I took the tin to work. With my first steeping attempt at work the tea was weak, and the liquor was much lighter than the sample I had tried at home. I tried another mug with more leaves than the first. It was better, but still not right. I took the tin home over the weekend. I tried some at home and it came out great. Back at work Monday I tried the tea again with the same weak tea results as the first attempts. After some head scratching the problem finally dawned on me. At home I was steeping in an Adagio personaliTEA pot. At work I was using an Adagio glass mug/infuser. The mug's infuser is made of a thin sheet of stainless steel with very very tiny holes in it. The personaliTEA's infuser is made of a wire mesh. One reviewer described the tea's liquor as "thick", much like coffee. The mug's infuser was too fine for the tea in question. I tried another steeping keeping all of the equipment used the same, except leaving out the infuser. I then strained into another mug with a wire mesh tea strainer. The tea came out great, dark and rich. I think it might actually be a little better than the results I got with the personaliTEA pot. I was already questioning whether infusers were a good or bad thing. Before long I might completely kick the infuser habit.
Re: Tea Strength/Quality gone down?
I had the Lapsang a while ago and that it was too strong. I noticed many people criticized the mix for being too smokey. And I would agree more smoke than tea taste. Back then I mixed it with my irish breakfast and fashioned a blend with a hint of caramel.
Now it is my mainstream teas, even my irish breakfast, using double the suggested allowance that seems watered down. I try to steep it longer and all I get is a weak tea flavor coupled with that characteristic bitterness of over-steeped tea.
Any others with the same problem?
As far as the infuser, my favorite way is with a pyrex and a fine strainer works wonders for me. Sometimes infusers do not give me enough space for my leaves to open. They must have ROOM!
Now it is my mainstream teas, even my irish breakfast, using double the suggested allowance that seems watered down. I try to steep it longer and all I get is a weak tea flavor coupled with that characteristic bitterness of over-steeped tea.
Any others with the same problem?
As far as the infuser, my favorite way is with a pyrex and a fine strainer works wonders for me. Sometimes infusers do not give me enough space for my leaves to open. They must have ROOM!
Re: Tea Strength/Quality gone down?
its a bit strange that all their teas you have would be less strong.
Do they leaves look the same as before?
if your brewing technique/equipment hasn't changed recently maybe its your water
Do they leaves look the same as before?
if your brewing technique/equipment hasn't changed recently maybe its your water