Loose Leaf Tea, Anyone?

[Warpnow]

Does anyone here buy loose leaf tea? I've gotten in the habit of buying it recently, and just purchased an adagio.com sampler of chai tea, which is my favorite (I make chai tea lattes).

Anyone else do this? It is quite a bit cheaper than buying tea bags I've noticed, for hot teas anyway...not sure how it would compare with the large, cheaper teas designed for iced tea, like lipton and such.

[sideaway]

$2 for 100 tea bags is the way I go :P 2c for a cup of tea? It probably costs more than that to boil the jug... :)

[Exodist]

I used to drink many different varieties of tea. Now I am just lazy and use lipton ice tea.

[LowSky]

Why do you want to make tea out of this?


Kidding of course

[joey-elijah]

You're not alone - i sometimes use loose leaf tea (mainly nettle) but it's a bit of a hassle at times so i stick to my nettle/dandelion/white/etc tea bags...

[sgosnell]

Many stores sell tea balls, little perforated metal balls to hold loose tea for brewing. They used to be even more common, and it hasn't been that many years since teabags were invented. Loose tea is cheaper, because of less handling and materials needed. It also probably tastes better because of the less handling. It does take a few seconds to dip some loose tea into a teaball, but it's not like it's hard physical labor.

[pwnst*r]

Does anyone here buy loose leaf tea? I've gotten in the habit of buying it recently, and just purchased an adagio.com sampler of chai tea, which is my favorite (I make chai tea lattes).

Anyone else do this? It is quite a bit cheaper than buying tea bags I've noticed, for hot teas anyway...not sure how it would compare with the large, cheaper teas designed for iced tea, like lipton and such.

loose leaf is the only way. and yes, adagio thanks to kevin rose

[Warpnow]

Many stores sell tea balls, little perforated metal balls to hold loose tea for brewing. They used to be even more common, and it hasn't been that many years since teabags were invented. Loose tea is cheaper, because of less handling and materials needed. It also probably tastes better because of the less handling. It does take a few seconds to dip some loose tea into a teaball, but it's not like it's hard physical labor.

The Wal-Mart near me sells them. And, yes, unless you buy the uber cheap unflavored black tea like Tetley or Lipton, it is much, much cheaper.

It does taste better, too, in general. Its usually fresher and the flavors are alot more pronounced.

[Lightstar]

All my green tea is loose. I do use a "tea ball" kind of thing, though there's always a bit of leaves left in my glass.

Green tea is the only one I drink, both chinese and japanese.
The taste between the two is VERY different, I never expected that.

[Warpnow]

I have some chinese green tea sitting here in a can. I'll brew some up. Not really a fan of green tea, it was a gift, but have never had japanese, how is it different?

[oldos2er]

A Chinese restaurant here sells loose leaf jasmine tea in a 1 lb. tin. I have an old Corningware electric percolator that I use for making tea.

[mkendall]

I get loose leaf when I can find it. Bagged tea is the worst method for brewing tea; in order for it to "work" it's necessary to pulverize the leaves. Just terrible.

Chai: great stuff. Love it. But then, the only tea I've tried that I can't drink is smoked Souchong. Can't stand the stuff. It's like drinking an ashtray.

[koshatnik]

I never understand why people stick cow juice in tea. No one sticks it in wine, so why do people insist on putting it in tea?

You just end up with a drink that tastes like warm milk. :(

[Ladkipz]

I used to drink many different varieties of tea. Now I am just lazy and use lipton ice tea.

Pretty much the way I went as well.
Although recently I have gotten into Damiana tea, which is refreshing in its own right.

[Exodist]

I never understand why people stick cow juice in tea. No one sticks it in wine, so why do people insist on putting it in tea?

You just end up with a drink that tastes like warm milk. :(

I agree. I once tried some Earl Grey with Milk. It was pretty sickening.
I will just stick to honey in my green or jasmin tea. Sugar and Lemon juice in my cheapo Lipton tea..

[Warpnow]

I never understand why people stick cow juice in tea. No one sticks it in wine, so why do people insist on putting it in tea?

You just end up with a drink that tastes like warm milk. :(

Most people who brew chai tea use milk, but they brew the tea with the milk. Chai also has a very strong flavor, so it can easily overcome the milk.

[diesch]

There's a great Russian Tea HOWTO (http://home.fazekas.hu/%7Enagydani/rth/Russian-tea-HOWTO-v3.html)

[Frak]

Loose Leaf is the only way I drink tea.

[Biochem]

I tried loose leaf tea a year ago, now I can't stand the tasteless bag kind. There is also a lot more choices of flavor for those who want to explore new thing.

[dmsynck]

Twinings Earl Grey loose tea is especially good.

[rajcan]

My girlfriend got me hooked on it, and now my coffee is sitting in the cabinet not being used. There's a store in the local mall called Tea Junction that sells tea much like Starbucks does coffee, and they get their stuff from Amanzi Tea. The one thing I really like about tea though is that you can use the leaves several times.