TeaPigs Tea?

[Tim_McD]

Anyone sampled the teas from TeaPigs?

They are using “big leaves = big flavor” as their hook and compared to the ground up dusty bits in most teabags, I am willing to give them a go…

tbh - I am not a huge tea drinker, but I have switched over from coffee in the late afternoons and I do like scent / flavor profile of green jasmine tea.

The cost-per-serving is not stopping me, esp if it is good stuff. Cant get worked up about $.50/cup at home for tea when I think nothing of paying close to $18 for a cocktail when I go out…my hypocrisy does have bounds

 

[Ad Astra]

Never heard of them, but have heard teabags referred to as "floor sweepings" by a good book... I don't mind paying for better tea.

AA

 

[Tim_McD]

Got a bunch inbound, sold my soul profile information for a 10% discount

Items in this shipment​

darjeeling earl grey × 1 50 tea temples (50 servings) silver tips white tea × 1 15 tea temples (15 servings) jasmine pearls × 1 50 tea temples (50 servings) mao feng green tea × 1 50 tea temples (50 servings) english breakfast × 1

[StillShaving]

A nice set of tea samples. I hope a few will turn out very good.

When I first read the thread title I envisioned something like this:

 

[RayClem]

I grew up in Virginia, where iced tea is commonly consumed, even on the coldest of days. Since Lipton Tea had a plant in Suffolk, Virginia, their tea bags were normally used for the brew. As I have gotten older, I now consume unsweetened iced tea. I also occasionally enjoy hot tea. With the exception of jasmine tea consumed in Chinese restaurants, most of my tea has come from tea bags, or floor sweepings as many call it. I recently decided to explore the world of tea prepared from loose tea leaves.

I just received a tea sampler of China teas from Solstice Tea Traders. I just started tasting the teas this morning with China Standard Oolong. Thus, I am not yet in a position to comment on the quality of the teas in the sampler.

I have never heard of Tea Pigs. In looking at their website, it looks like most of their teas are flavored teas. However, they have a good selection of black, oolong, green and white tea as well.
As you try the various teas in your sampler, please list any that you consider worth of consideration. You have several teas that pique my interest.

 

[Tim_McD]

So far, I have been switching between the Mao Feng green and the Jasmine Pearls teas...they are excellent. The jasmine pearls unbundle in the hot water and are just unbelievably fragrant.

I did have a mug of the Silver Tips white tea...the lower brew temp did take a bit of time to coax out the full flavor. It was very light and fragrant - I tend to like something a bit bolder, but I may grow into it. None of these teas have a hint of bitterness, even when they remain in the mug till I finish.

The english breakfast tea I bought mostly for my daughter, who likes tea with milk. I will hit the darjeeling earl grey this weekend, although historically I prefer my bergamot in shaving related products...drinking it will be a novel experience

Two non-tea observations; the bonavita electric kettle kicks butt and using an insulated mug is the way to go...esp as I sit at my desk working.

 

[Tim_McD]

Did enjoy the darjeeling earl grey tea; there is quite a hit of non-specific citrus from the bergamot and it pairs nicely with the black tea. They have added blue cornflowers to the teabag...from what I can tell, it is for decoration...

 

[MarkM10431]

I have tried a few of the loose leaf vendors, but local brick and mortar and online. my go- to is Simpson and Vail, (SVTea.com) a great variety of teas, coffees and foods.

 

[Stevenmcdaniel]

Thanks

 

[Rhody]

Thanks for posting the review. I’ve tried tea pigs brand. I think green tea. I can’t remember any specific info other than the package and tea bags are interesting. We bought a box on vacation and it was pricey. I’m an afternoon tea drinker with pedestrian tastes. P&g tips are my go to. I’ve flirted with loose teas but really need the convenience of bags.

 

[MarkM10431]

I get that steepers are not necessarily convenient, but you can buy bags and put loose leaf into. the company filled bags are what's left after they trim off the leaves that go into the loose leaf filters so you are getting dust and stems, mostly.

 

[Calton01]

I'm a fan of Turkish tea

 

[RayClem]

I get that steepers are not necessarily convenient, but you can buy bags and put loose leaf into. the company filled bags are what's left after they trim off the leaves that go into the loose leaf filters so you are getting dust and stems, mostly.

I agree that for convenience, nothing beats tea dust in a tea bag, but the flavors extract so quickly that you lose a lot of the flavor nuances.
The Pyramid shaped tea sachets are a little better as they have more room for expansion of tea leaves. Rather than using tea dust/fannings, there is room for broken tea leaves.
Using an infuser or tea pot can provide room for using full tea leaves which is best for quality.
If you want to combine enhanced flavor with convenience, you can brew your tea "grandpa" style. While tea houses in China may use Gaiwans and brew gongfu style for the benefit of customers, working folks are likely to measure their tea into a mug and add hot water. The tea leaves normally sink to the bottom. You drink the tea liquor from the until the mug is half-full, then you add more hot water. When the infusion gets weak, you dump the tea leaves and start over. You might occasionally get a tea leaf in your mouth. You can either spit it out or eat it.

 

[musicman1951]

I use this from Adagio Teas - also a nice selection of teas.

IngenuiTEA 2 Teapot from Adagio Teas

The most convenient teapot you will find anywhere... version 2! When the tea is ready, simply place it atop your cup. This will cause a valve at the bottom to release: crystal-clear tea flows down, wh

www.adagio.com

 

[honeycutt]

I'm a fan of Turkish tea

Sorry for looking at this post 2 months months later, but would mind giving me some info of the where,what ,how information to the site or stores that have Turkist teas? Thanks David