Tea?

[Newfie]

OK, I'm getting fascinated by this tea thing. {{Like I need another AD}}

I've spent lots of time browsing the WIKI and listened to, read lots about, and watched videos on Gaiwans & Yixings, the need for knives and different cups, etc.

First and foremost, I like bold strong flavours. I like Scotch smokey, I like full flavoured cigars and pipe tobacco, I love Espresso, Guinness rocks the beer world, Curry rules the kitchen,etc, you get the idea.

Now my impression of tea was always it's quite delicately flavoured, and that could be my dear wife's fault. She drinks green and herbal teas (always from dipping a bag, which I'd guess is akin to my opinion of "instant coffee) and also has this flowering thingy pot.

I've tasted them all and basically, it's about as full of flavour as an ice cube melted in a glass of tepid water. (I make fun of her when she dips & dunks the bag 5 or 6 times, AND then weakens it even more with water from the kettle).

While I know there's no such thing as tea that will be dark and thick as a Guinness or an Espresso, is there such a thing as a tea that will be considered full flavoured to match my preferences? Or do I have to learn to appreciate the delicateness of fine teas?

Thanks in advance.

Jim

 

[SiBurning]

Black (aka red), stronger oolongs, and especially ripe pu-erh can have pretty strong flavors. I've made some ripe pu-erhs that had a serious kick. It's not the same kind of heavy, goes down like hot motor oil feel I get from some stronger, acidic coffees, but tea has its own way of making itself known.

You should try using more tea. Even some the greens and whites can be made pretty strong, although you might never come to like a stronger green flavor. For me, greens and whites are best not so strong. I've been using a 100mL gaiwan, putting as much as 7 grams of tea in it and steeping for way longer than recommended, and have learned to cut back with the greens. The pu-erhs are especially good for brewing really strong. Sometimes, they go down smooth and don't kick back until a minute later, but they do kick.

One more thing. I'm basically a tea barbarian (aka newbie), but it doesn't take long to notice how the greens have more... let's call them delicate and subtle flavors and aromas. So it seems logical that a more refined imbiber might prefer to infuse them lighter to keep the stronger flavors subdued and let the more delicate nuances come through. Someday I might even come to appreciate that this could be true for the other teas. But not just yet.

 

[StillShaving]

You may want to try Lapsang souchong. Others have recommended it here as a smoky and flavorful tea. I have not tried it, as I need to look beyond my local supermarket and Whole Foods in order to find it.

 

[galopede]

The Lapsang will make a decent strong tea and it's tasty. I think what you need is British "Builder's" tea. Standard British black teas such as Typhoo, PG Tips, Twynings etc. Made strong enough to stand a spoon in!

Know what you mean about delicate fancy teas!

Gareth

 

[ambrose]

dont forget japanese greens, matcha is known as the espresso of tea
japanese greens are my top fav of all teas.

 

[netsurfr]

japanese greens are my top fav of all teas.

top fav this week, that is...

 

[ambrose]

top fav this week, that is...

oh thats very true I was enjoying some 07 7532 just last night

 

[RSC]

I like an Assam made strong with milk in it.

 

[smrex13]

I am exploring teas after coffee began to irritate my stomach a bit too much. I think that we should all keep in mind that tea and coffee are very different beverages. There are amazing teas out there, and I'm only beginning to discover them. However, I have also come to realize that I have to appreciate tea on its own merits. It's a new world to explore - enjoy it at that level. And, arguably, tea offers a wider variety than coffee, is healthier than coffee, and can save you some money!

Scott

 

[SiBurning]

I am exploring teas after coffee began to irritate my stomach a bit too much. I think that we should all keep in mind that tea and coffee are very different beverages. There are amazing teas out there, and I'm only beginning to discover them. However, I have also come to realize that I have to appreciate tea on its own merits. It's a new world to explore - enjoy it at that level. And, arguably, tea offers a wider variety than coffee, is healthier than coffee, and can save you some money!

Scott

I don't know about that last part. Most of the tea I've bought cost a lot more than coffee. I use 8g of coffee to a cup, or 2g of tea. That's 4:1.

Coffee costs me $10/lb for roasted or $6/lb for green. That's a tea equivalent of $1.50-2.50 per ounce.

While there are good Indian and African teas in that price range, including some estate teas, only a few types of Chinese tea are available in the coffee-equivalent price range, and even fewer teas from Taiwan or Japan.

Sure, tea prices vary more than coffee prices, so you can find bargains. You can also spend a lot more on expensive tea than you can on coffee. There doesn't seem to be an equivalent to that in coffee, nearly all of which lands in a pretty small price range, with much fewer exceptions tan for tea. You can also milk the tea through multiple, weak infusions until there's nothing left of it, and no one considers doing that with coffee. But overall, and on average, aside from the India/Africa varieties, good tea seems more expensive than good coffee.

 

[jwhite]

When I'm in the mood for a strong cup I like the Assam teas, There is a Scottish Breakfast that I've grown fond of from Upton.

 

[Born2bwire]

I find that some green pu-er's can have a nice smoky taste. It's more prominent in a green pu-er that has been aged for around 4 years or more that has been loosely packed. The stuff from Menghai or CNNP I find do not have this quality to them and I believe that it is because the cakes are tighter which slows down the fermentation. I do not know of any brands that have this quality though, the ones that I get are bought and sold under the local shop's labels. However, the young age of the pu-er does mean that it also carries a bit of astringency with it. Lately I have been going with another green pu-er from my local shop that is around 6 years old but it carries a slightly sweet taste to it and lacks the astringency.