Tuesday TeaDay 6/02/09 Caffeine importance in tea?

[Chip]

Happy TeaDay everyone. Please come on in and share what is in your cup today.

Yesterday most responders indicated they do not drink more tea on Mondays to kick start the week. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. How would you rate the importance of caffeine to your enjoyment of tea? Please share with us.

I am looking forward to sharing another TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[Salsero]

Caffeine is probably more important to my enjoyment of tea than I would like to admit.

Once again thanks to Steve for this sample of the so called "king of yellow teas." These are the dry leaves. Once infused they turn a bright green and look for all the world like very tiny, blanched green beans.

(Click the photo for a closer look.)

[iannon]

Caffeine isnt important to me at all really...I have to have copious amounts to really feel anything from caffeine.. its more about the experience and tastes for me

[olivierco]

I don't seem to feel many effects of caffeine so I would drink tea even without it.
Guo Bin Li Cha Mao Feng this morning.

[Drax]

Caffeine's not really important to my enjoyment of tea.

This morning, I am being lazy again and continuing with the TPHK that i started a couple of days ago. Yeah, it's a green, I probably shouldn't do that, but it's still hanging in there and I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I wanted...

[chad]

The caffeine component isn't all that important, though I tend to not buy decaf tea. But then, except in the evening I don't drink decaf coffee either.

I enjoy the caffeine lift in the morning but I'm not "hooked' on it. Too many years of shift work and heavy duty coffee drinking, I guess.

I'm enjoying a nice organic Assam tea this morning.

[davidlhsl]

I would actually prefer tea didn't have caffeine, but it would be nice if it had scotch (a pathetic attempt on my part at a running joke). I've never been a coffee drinker, but I did treat myself occasionally to Starbucks. That had to stop when I started getting the jitters.

Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun this morning.

[tea-guy]

Caffeine holds no importance to me in my appreciation of tea!

In my cup this morning: Quangzhou Milk Oolong from David's Tea

[kymidwife]

Not particularly important... but not irrelevant either. There are times I drink tea because I really want that energy burst. In those times, I pick matcha or gyokuro or lately, multiple steeps of shincha. But, at other times, the caffeine in tea is an annoyance to me because I'd like to be able to drink unlimited amounts at any time, day or night. Most teas don't affect me greatly anymore, but I really couldn't drink matcha at night, for example.

And yes, I would drink tea without the caffeine IF it magically still tasted the same. Decaff processing just doesn't leave the same flavor... so I'm not sure how much tea I would drink if I had to choose decaff.

No tea yet... need something before I leave for work!

Sarah

[tea-guy]

I'd like to be able to drink unlimited amounts at any time, day or night.

You could always drink herbals/tisanes at night... since they don't have caffeine...

[Riene]

Kymidwife, I didn't know that those green teas had caffeine.

I like my first couple cups of morning tea to be caffeinated, but the oolongs or greens I drink at night need to have less or no caffeine. It didn't used to bother me, but the older I get, the less tolerant of it I am.

We need a "depends on the time of day" option, Chip!

[CynTEAa]

Caffeine is probably more important to my enjoyment of tea than I would like to admit.

Ditto!

[auggy]

Not particularly important. I would drink tea even if it didn't have caffeine with the exception of my morning tea, though I think that is more mental reaction to thoughts of caffeine than actual caffeine rush on most days. I think the caffeine in tea is enough to have me feeling refreshed, not buzzed. Most of the time. But while it isn't that important, I won't go decaf (but that has more to do with the taste).

Wedding cake tea this morning. Mmm.

[Intuit]

Never developed a caffeine addiction and have never drank coffee or 'pop' regularly. Went through a period of years of only drinking herbal and oolong (low caffeine) teas. Do not get caffeine headaches if I skip a day.

Tea, a traditional beverage of both the East and West, is enjoyed purely for it's flavor and beneficial calming effect.

Tiger Hill OP in the cup this morning.

[JP]

Unfortunately, caffeine has some importance for me, but not in the manner that one might think. Caffeine can limit my consumption of tea towards the end of the day because I don't want it affecting my sleep. In general, dinner time is the cutoff point.