I am on a student's budget, but trying to get back into drinking tea instead of soda for health reasons. I'm sensitive to caffeine and prone to insomnia, so I am trying out a variety of herbals and decaf teas, but I seem to be a picky tea drinker as much as I'm a picky eater.
I've been starting the day by infusing a large mug of caffeinated tea and then rebrewing the leaves a couple times throughout the day. Although I used to like black teas hot, it seems that I slightly prefer green tea when hot, and strongly prefer greens when cold. And it seems that any herbal I drink, I usually think too much rooibos, too much mint, too much hibiscus, and not enough chamomile. So since chamomile is cheap by itself, and I'm slightly disappointed by the Mango Dreamzzz chamomile from Tiesta, I may just stick with chamomile hot and iced for anything I drink after mid-afternoon. Plus drinking 2 quarts of iced chamomile tea seems to make me sleepy at a reasonable hour that nights.
I'm wanting to explore green tea more, but wonder what are some good options on a budget. I'm also wanting to get something I can pass along samples to a cousin who is a black tea drinker and claims to hate all the greens he has tried. I'm wondering if he is brewing it at boiling temperatures at home or else has only had Chinese restaurant green tea.
I've had genmaicha in tea bags before and liked it, but bought Yamamotoyama genmaicha from a local Asian store but found it incredibly bitter. I'm using a variable temp kettle that is flaky, but thought it wouldn't have been above 180 degrees. I found in the past, that I seemed to like Chinese greens more than Japanese greens. Or maybe it was just that I preferred gunpowder to sencha, regardless of origin. Regardless, I don't like strongly bitter teas.
I generally love all Jasmine teas, and in the past found several decaf greens I liked, but they seem to be getting harder to find. Culinary Tea's decaf Jasmine (bought from Amazon) is delicious, and strongly Jasmine flavored without seeming artificial. I've bought several flavored green teas but the flavoring sometimes seems to overpower the tea taste itself. But what else should I expect from a tea labeled "Fruity Pebbles".
Anyways, what suggestions do people have for inexpensive, decent, non-bitter greens, jasmine, and decaf greens for a relative beginner on a budget? I'm in the US, if that makes a difference.
Re: Decent inexpensive green, jasmine, and decaf green?
Hey AliceG!
Great post! You know I couldn't let it go by without some links over to our teas at Adagio! Have you tried our teas yet?
Our Green Teas are varied, and we have lots of great options! Our
jasmine phoenix pearls are one of our most popular greens, providing the lovely floral quality from the jasmine, while offering a smooth and deeply flavorful cup. Not bitter!
The best part is that we offer small and inexpensive sample sizes of our teas, so you can try a lot while staying on a budget! Once you find some favorites, we keep our prices low too! Hope this helps!
Great post! You know I couldn't let it go by without some links over to our teas at Adagio! Have you tried our teas yet?
Our Green Teas are varied, and we have lots of great options! Our
jasmine phoenix pearls are one of our most popular greens, providing the lovely floral quality from the jasmine, while offering a smooth and deeply flavorful cup. Not bitter!
The best part is that we offer small and inexpensive sample sizes of our teas, so you can try a lot while staying on a budget! Once you find some favorites, we keep our prices low too! Hope this helps!
AliceG wrote: Anyways, what suggestions do people have for inexpensive, decent, non-bitter greens, jasmine, and decaf greens for a relative beginner on a budget? I'm in the US, if that makes a difference.