Any Tea Drinkers Out There?

[Jesse]

I had a really good hot tea in Washington State last month, and it got me kind of interested. So far the stuff I've been trying has been tasteless crap, stuff I've been picking up in the grocery stores. Any suggestions on products, or where to get good ones? Thanks!

[BobRSnow]

What was it that you liked so much? What is it that you didn't like? I don't want to steer you into something you don't like.
Most stores carry some good brands of single serving packages and some of them are in the local coffeehouses, like Mighty Leaf, Tazo, Republic of Tea. Nothing wrong with Twinings or Celestial Seasonings either. They've been around for decades.

Personally I've been drinking Oolong. Great as a hot tea as well as iced.

[ratcheese]

I never touch the stuff myself, but my wife is an addict so I asked for you:

1)Good water is a must -- she says all tea will taste like crap with tap water.

2)Buy a nice tea pot to brew in

3)The best tea she knows is Okinawan(?) Green Tea

4)Sucre sells a good line of teas/Wholefoods/PJ's

6)White sugar alters the natural tea flavors drastically--she says try honey

7)She likes Twining's for commercial brand convenience

Good luck

[Suzy Wong]

I love tea!

To me, one of the best ones is Republic of Tea (I've gotten it at whole foods) My favorite is Asian Jasmine white tea
http://www.republicoftea.com/

Yogi tea is also good (Have bought it at Rouse's and WF's)
http://www.yogitea.com/

I use all brands, besides the above...I usually make it in the coffee maker. Cool it, add massive amounts of lime and party ice.

[Annie Laurie]

The same brand of teas at Whole Foods are at World Market.....and the
prices are quite a bit lower for the same tea.

Annie Laurie

[mojo]

This vendor has over 400 kinds of loose tea. The site is packed with information about the different types of tea that they sell, the proper preparation of each type of tea, accessories needed for brewing loose tea, even the history and impact of tea drinking through the ages.

http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/home.asp

They have great customer service and shipping costs are modest. Highly recommended.

[DivaKitty]

For me the difference is from brewing loose tea leaves in a teapot vs. tea bags. Hong Kong Market has a tremendous selection of lose teas. I've got a nice Oolong and some Chinese Gunpowder (green tea.) Genmaicha is a lovely nutty green tea with toasted rice. Twining's English Breakfast is a good basic black tea. They sell loose teas at World Market too.