What's in a bag?

[ByMyBeard]

So, I had mistakenly gifted SWMBO with some loose leaf teas as a gift. She's excited about trying them, but we don't really have a good way to use them. We have a spring loaded doodad that you can drop tea in, but it tends to not close fully and lets bits of the tea float around in the cup. So, I was looking into getting some empty tea bags to try instead, and dammit if they don't make a ton of options there too! Is there really any difference in these? Or do you have suggestions for another method to use loose leaf teas?

 

[CANES]

I've used the bags a few times. Still got a box in the cabinet that I hadn't touched in years. I'm assuming they're all basically the same. If you go that route, buy bigger bags than you think you'll need.

Personally, if you guys wanted to drink the tea right now, I'd put some in a preheated measuring cup (I like 3g of tea for 8oz of water for western style brewing), add the hot water to whatever line you desire, let it steep the right amount of time and strain the tea with a kitchen strainer.

What type of tea did you get?

 

[ByMyBeard]

Some different samplers from Murchies. Versions of Earl Grey and then a "fall pack" or something like that.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I really like Chai tea. I use tea bags from Amazon, but any of them should work fine. They allow you to fill the bags and steep the tea.

 

[OkieStubble]

I really like Chai tea. I use tea bags from Amazon, but any of them should work fine. They allow you to fill the bags and steep the tea.

Me too. Had this this morning.

 

[Ad Astra]

I use something like this, a brew basket. Nothing escapes.

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-BREW-Tea-Infuser-Basket/dp/B07GF4WYGT/ref=asc_df_B07GF4WYGT?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79989588690232&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583589115140434&psc=1

AA

 

[TexLaw]

I use a bottom dispensing tea pot. I wish I could recommend one to you, but the one I have still is going strong after I don't know how many years (has to be at least 15 years). It's super easy to use, and then just rinse the thing out. The filter catches everything. I pop the thing in the dishwasher every now and then if the stains and scale starts to bother me.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I occasionally make loose tea in a cafetière, or French press coffee maker. It seemed perfectly OK to me but I am not a connoisseur of tea.

 

[LuckyR]

Another vote for a ne mesh brew basket. They generally come with their own tea mug, but you can use them with anything coffee cup sized.