Hello Dudes,
Never been much of a coffee person, but due to a sore throat, I started drinking tea. I've found it to be very relaxing, and recently discovered that there are many health benefits in drinking it, especially green tea.
So, just as a conversation starter, what do other dudes think of a nice cup of tea to relax?
Like, what types of tea? do you like it with milk? Do you absolutely hate it? etc.
I'm British! I do not understand your question! Of course I like tea. You strange person! ;)
I'm a Canuck, so I also appreciate a fine tea. Milk? Hm, depends on the tea, but I can't remember which ones I tried it with. A friend of mine once said she wanted to start a tea shop, and she wanted me to help out. (She's from Ohio.) I think I have something like 25 types of tea in my home right now. Seriously.
Earl Grey, awesome tea.
I'm British as well and don't understand your strange foreigners question, are you suggesting one may actually consider drinking some other beverage?
I have drunk tea most of my life but mostly since an accountant I worked with about twenty five years ago mentioned if you drink coffee all day your breath ends up smelling like an over percolated coffee pot (or more precisely like you've been eating your own faeces)
How can anyone not like tea? It's tea!
Iced tea, next to beer, my favorite!
When I worked in an office I drank it literally by the gallon, plain English breakfast tea or tetleys for short ;)
Unfortunately I discovered I was massively overdosing on caffeine as a result and now I can only drink decaf tea. I like dark leaf teas, none of your fruity tooty nonsense
I dunno, I just wanted it to be a conversation starter. I recently took a class on tea culture; things like japanese tea ceremonies, Chinese mythology, culture of hospitality in the Middle East, etc.
Its just interesting how people create such interesting cultural ideals based on simple comforts. Very dudely if you ask me.
Britain is built on Tea! In more ways than one too.
Quote from: Caesar dude on September 17, 2013, 07:02:00 PM
Britain is built on Tea! In more ways than one too.
Wasn't built on The Beatles, The Who and The Stones? 8)
Also a Canuck, but like many of us (note the somewhat disturbing proliferation of Tim Hortons franchises), I drank coffee by the gallon before attempting to achieve a balance by supplementing with tea ... especially of the decaffeinated variety. My usual now: morning - coffee; lunch - coffee; post dinner - tea; pre-sleep - tea (insert lots of non-rug micturition between each). Orange pekoe, green, chai, earl grey... Whatever is set in front of me. A class on tea culture sounds really interesting by the way.
For some additional reading, check out the International Institute of Not Doing Much's story, "The British tea break."
http://slowdownnow.org/stories/the-british-tea-break/ (http://slowdownnow.org/stories/the-british-tea-break/)
This doesn't just apply to gardening Rev paddy. But every aspect of work. It is part of our British work ethic!
Tea is also used in as crisis because "it makes everything better"
Tea can be used as pick me up or to relax. Before breakfast and at bedtime tea is wondrous stuff!
The Beatles and the Stones and the Who all drunk tea DB! :)
QuoteThis doesn't just apply to gardening Rev paddy. But every aspect of work. It is part of our British work ethic!
Ha, no, I never let a lack of gardening stop me from enjoying a good tea.
Though I am happy being a Canuck, I like the sound of the British work ethic, and intend to incorporate it more thoroughly into my own. Must be the influence of the Commonwealth...
I like to brew a cup of Jasmine Green with a lump or two. I find it soothing. It really puts me in a mood to achieve a state of cosmic oneness with the universe.
My body doesn't work properly until I've had the first cup of tea.
My Dad was in the RAF so as a kid I pinched his pint tea mug and can't drink it in small quantities any more.
Whilst working in pubs and restaurants I used to make a pint of tea in a beer mug (as long as you put a spoon in as a radiator the glass doesn't smash with the boiling water).
It used to have a plastic bread label hanging from the handles with "Simon Smug" written on it.
I now have to make do with a soup mug (like this (http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3044/2679579304_a30de491e5_o.jpg)) as my tea cup.
Quote from: meekon5 on September 18, 2013, 05:48:46 AM
My body doesn't work properly until I've had the first cup of tea.
My Dad was in the RAF so as a kid I pinched his pint tea mug and can't drink it in small quantities any more.
Whilst working in pubs and restaurants I used to make a pint of tea in a beer mug (as long as you put a spoon in as a radiator the glass doesn't smash with the boiling water).
It used to have a plastic bread label hanging from the handles with "Simon Smug" written on it.
I now have to make do with a soup mug (like this (http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3044/2679579304_a30de491e5_o.jpg)) as my tea cup.
We must have a spot of tea together sometimes, M5. Some good dude-like fellowship. 8)
I really started getting into tea a couple of years ago when (gasp!) I was getting burned out on coffee. I love a good oolong blend and there's a black tea blend called Aha sold by a local merchant that really hits the taste buds.
Mint tea calms me. A touch of sugar. Vodka works too...
Quote from: Hominid on September 24, 2013, 08:56:33 PM
Mint tea calms me. A touch of sugar. Vodka works too...
blasphemy...
Quote from: DigitalBuddha link=topic=4841.msg40396#msg40396
We must have a spot of tea together sometimes, M5. Some good dude-like fellowship. 8)
I like that idea DB. It may take a bit of organising but I love a challenge.
Too funny M5...
Tea, the drink of drinks. The tipple of champions.
As a proud Englishman, I find it inconceivable to start the day without a good ol' mug of char. A dash of milk and three sugars, if you please.
Also, a tip for any of trans-atlantic friends making tea for the first time, I suggest adding the milk before the hot water. It stops the milk scalding and going all frothy.
Nice to have you on board Rev Rudolph. Interesting tea tip you've got there. I've never really had tea with milk before...
neat tip there, Rudolph, gonna have to try!
BrotherShamus, it's actually pretty good when sweetened. Just don't go adding stevia to it...
This hot beverage is the first one I have to drink to wake me up properly and nicely. Earl grey, one sugar, boiled water (no micro wave), no milk would it be added before or after the water.
It is much softer than coffee, which I find aggressive as a matter of taste.
I love to drink some during soft weather days.
It often surprised BnB owners when I visited new zealand, 'cause most of the british that I met were drinking coffee, and me, froggy, drank tea.
Quote from: Havazhyol on October 02, 2013, 04:13:21 AM
Earl grey, one sugar, boiled water (no micro wave)
who microwaves their tea anyway?! o_O
I did, in my young age. Had to wake up to go to school, but woke up a bit late, so I didn't have time to boil water, so I warmed water in MW, then added the tea bag, and cooled it with cold water.
I was young, I was innocent...
Quote from: Havazhyol on October 03, 2013, 02:10:31 AM
I did, in my young age. Had to wake up to go to school, but woke up a bit late, so I didn't have time to boil water, so I warmed water in MW, then added the tea bag, and cooled it with cold water.
I was young, I was innocent...
tea boils in mysterious ways I guess...
A nice pitcher of iced sweet tea is what I enjoy. Nothing beats it. ('Cept maybe a caucasian or an oat soda.)
As a southern gentleman I'd have to agree with you on that one High Priest Allen. So refreshing ::)
Y'know what they say about birds of a feather, BrotherShamus. :P ;D
I recently cold-brewed some tea. I almost felt like a traitor for not using heat, but it was pretty damn good. I let it "brew" (more like soak) for a lot longer than most do. I think it sat for something like 25 or so hours. It was a green tea & chamomile mix. Going to play around with the ratios.
Black tea (absolutely love the "Irish" teas made with more assam) ocassionally with milk and sugar, sometimes just sugar and some mint, green tea usually with no sugar, same for oolong and other light or delicate teas. Absolutely no tisanes.
I'm a coffee person here and there but I need lots of cream and sugar with it.
I like both my black teas and my coffee to be moderately strong.
At one of the pickups for our food bank this weekend there was a shopping cart full of "expired" bags of coffee and some tea. There was a large bag of black and another of oolong so I grabbed those, the rest went out to everyone else.
When I got home I looked it up, Holy Camellia Sinensis Batman! It was close to $200 worth of tea!
It's good, too! :)
@jdurand : I love your exclamation, dude ;) (just got myself a 2 faced coin prop, can't stop playing with it).
So who buys $100 bags of tea in the grocery store? Or am I that out of touch with people who have money?
Quote from: jdurand on November 18, 2013, 11:51:49 AM
So who buys $100 bags of tea in the grocery store? Or am I that out of touch with people who have money?
I wish I could spend that on tea, it's PG tips (http://www.pgtips.co.uk/?WT.srch=1&gclid=CLaI5Onr5LsCFfMPtAodGV4AIQ) all the way for me, but I can usually tell what tea is by the smell.
Earl Grey and English Tea Time; a couple of favs...after beer. 8)
Sliding from tea to dinner, on the stove is a Chinese, Korean, Japanese dish based on raccoon, lettuce, tofu, kimchi, rice, and various spices.
I guess my wife got bored. :)
RACOON!!!!???? WTF?
Racoon man....are you serious?
Peace.
What's wrong with raccoon? Quite tasty, lot of meat on one, not at all endangered. Got a bunch of meat in the freezer.
Just finished the last bite. Yum!
raccoon tea?
Is that like lapsou souchong (some sort of eastern thing)?
I did say I was moving from tea (just finished my tea when I wrote that) and on to dinner.
Got to have something to chase the tea with!
"Tooth & Claw Tea", has a real bite!
"Bandit Tea", will really sink its teeth into you.
I drink it straight, I don't like adding milk or sweeteners in my coffee OR tea. The only exception is a little honey in my Green tea, but that's pretty rare.
For teas, I really like green (white, red, & black are fine too), earl grey, peppermint, and oolong on occasion. My wife buys Celestial Seasonings in various flavors, so there's always a variety on hand, and I like pretty much all of them. So far...
I've been going through that BIG bag of Yunnan Black we got, this will take me a while. :)
Good tea, but better be for the price of that bag. I don't add anything to tea. In cold weather I drink it hot, in the summer chilled and diluted (one strong serving diluted to half a gallon).
As our current winter is pretty warm during the day (T-shirts on some days), I'm alternating between hot and cold.
Yes.
Tea is my very good friend, has been since I can remember; was never a fan of coffees until my teen years but even then it never really grabbed me.
I've had a rather lengthy trial run on finding the perfect tea for me:
Lipton, milk and two sugar was the start, followed then by Earl Grey with milk and two sugar, then it became Bushells with milk and two sugar. Then I discovered organic eating/drinking which led me first to Chai with honey and milk, then to Green teas with lemon and honey, or even ginger and lemon tea.. so much variety!
We are about to start on our own "Tea Adventure" trying small packs of different tea blends
We had Lipon and just picked up a package of black tea from our local market. It was ok, but seemed to be missing "something"....maybe in the brewing?
I read through the thread and did not find and brewing instructions as I had received when I first made a 2000 Ml beaker of Lipon tea for the lab some 45 years ago. The first "tea person" to try it threw it out. He told me "Boiling water should Never touch tea!" Boiling the tea bags in the beaker of water as I did I made tannic acid.....not tea!
Not being a tea person yet....my first observation is that no matter how you heat your water, boiling water should never tough the tea leaf.
How about "Steeping"? How long can you keep it on the warmer before it is too cooked? I take it there will always be a fine line between too much and not enough....all according to you own taste.
I would really like to find a really good tea....something sort of special to enjoy during the different times of day.
Right now we are just going to try 'hit and miss' till we get a better feel for things.
Irish tea's sound interesting....maybe a good morning type tea? 8)
I tried and orange/peco blend but that tasted too much like potpourri. A long time ago I remember trying an earl gray, but I think that was with milk and I did not care for it.
I drink everything as is anymore....no dairy or sweeteners. That may change depending on the tea of course.
Hey Oliver!? Do you guys have and special teas in Thailand? 8)
I always boil the water separately then add it to the tea (either in cup or pot).
There are some that insist that you must empty the kettle and re-fill it with "fresh" water each time.
I was always told you should scold the leaves to bring out the most flavour, then don't brew it for too long (or do if you like to stand your spoon up in it).
I did have a Dutch friend who I was the only one who could make tea properly for her. It mostly involved getting the tea bag out of the cup as quickly as possible after adding the water (much pantomime and Ninja skills needed for that).
I will drink it black (depending on the flavour and the company), I used to have the full Japanese/Chinese tea set (pot, warmer stand, cups with no handles).
I mostly drink PG at work (because I'm used to it), but have been known to indulge the more estoric (Lapsang souchong, gunpowder green). I don't drink much coffee so can actually tell when someone near me is drinking a specialist blend (say English Breakfast, or earl grey are some of my favourites).
I did have to travel to a specialist tea shop in Brighton the get some of my teas at one point.
This tea thread got me thinking. Could we get together and make a list of "Dudeist Teas"?
Something we each enjoy that feels Dudely while drinking it....maybe a special tea just for breakfast, but Not just the tea dudes, we need the whole routine on how much tea...how much water, how hot to steep it and whether it is better with or without. Just as a recommendation to start out of course.
I have never tried a Breakfast tea....Irish or English...if you have and enjoy it, how would I go about making it the same way you do?
Is there a special tea you like to drink at night? Any special teas in your part of the world, something the square world wouldn't give 2 shits about, but a dudeist might find right up our alley?
I think you all can guess where I am going here...A Dudeist Tea book for the Dudely Inclined with all the "how tos" for us too lazy to try doing it all ourselves.
So, any one want to tell us about how to brew the perfect Breakfast tea? What kind is it and where can we get a sample?
8)
I'm a big fan of oolong teas - seems the best are whole leaves dried into tiny balls. It's stronger than green tea but, to me, has the same general flavor profiles.
My first run at the Irish Breakfast Tea.
We didn't make it to the one speciality shop I had in mind but stopped by a high end supermarket that carries a lot of the most popular coffees and teas. Probably nothing a real tea connoisseur would look at though....too soon for me to be actually making that judgement though. I picked up Twining's Breakfast tea and Twinings English Breakfast tea, along with a Harney & Sons Japanese Sencha tea. It says it's a traditional green tea hand picked in the spring. Can't wait to try that one, but that will be next after the English breakfast tea.
Did not know exactly how to start out so I heated one cup of water to just bowling then let itsit till it just stopped bubbling. I transferred that cup of water into my teacup and then added the tea bag. I started dipping right away and kept it up till the tea look golden brown. I did Not add sweetener of and dairy this time.
It was ok, but missing a lot of "body" I think....needs to be stronger for m taste. I will try steeping it longer next time of use 2 tea bags to boost the flavor and "essence" of the tea. I'll stick with the Irish Breakfast tea for now just to see if it can be improved or if what I got is all it's ever going to be. Maybe it does need a little honey? Maybe a different blender will have a better product?
I got 20 bags of each, so after the Irish I will try the English. Holding off on the Japanese till later, maybe as an evening tea?
If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to submit them. 8)
I've worked with a great many people from China who do take their tea very seriously.
They actually make it in a coffee maker.
They use the whole dry leaf type of tea and they run a pot of water through the leaves, dump it and run another pot through the same tea leaves. They say that is the way to do it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony)
Quote from: BikerDude on June 18, 2014, 02:48:15 PM
I've worked with a great many people from China who do take their tea very seriously.
They actually make it in a coffee maker.
They use the whole dry leaf type of tea and they run a pot of water through the leaves, dump it and run another pot through the same tea leaves. They say that is the way to do it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony)
Are you saying they make a pot of hot tea with a coffee maker and just throw it away? The use the same leaves and all and brew a second pot with hot water threw it?
I'm not sure, but that sounds like the are trying to leach out the caffeine with the first brewing.
Any special type or blend of tea that you know of....anything we can get here in the States?
My special lady thinks the Irish Breakfast tea needs sweetener. She prefers artificial sweetener, I cannot stomach any of the artificial sweeteners....sorbitol gives me stomach cramps and projectile shits!
I may try a little brown sugar or a drop or so of honey. but I'm hoping to find a real good tea that needs nothing but to be brewed the right way with only water.
We received a Tea Service on Chinese New Years some 35 years ago from our local Chinese restaurant...we used to eat there quite a lot back then....it was close and they were cheap.
We still have it packed away....just may have to get it out to see if it does make a difference in brewing? I do like the coffee pot idea though....a whole lot less trouble brewing! 8)
Quote from: BikerDude on June 18, 2014, 02:48:15 PM
I've worked with a great many people from China who do take their tea very seriously.
They actually make it in a coffee maker.
They use the whole dry leaf type of tea and they run a pot of water through the leaves, dump it and run another pot through the same tea leaves. They say that is the way to do it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony)
Thank you BikerDude for this and the wiki link.
After reading it I caved in and decided to give the Harney & Sons Japanese Green SENCHA tea a try tonight.
The instructions are to use on cup of less than boiling water and let steep for 1 to 3 minutes.
I am happy surprised! It is light green but doesn't get much darker on steeping.
It's packaged very well (it looks as if they been doing it awhile and know what they are doing)
It stays on the mild side. It's not a bodied type of tea....I guess a green tea should not be...I'm still just mostly guessing here, but it does have what I am calling an "essence".
I'm like it just the way it is as an afternoon or evening tea and would not play around with it much....maybe a spot of honey, but No dairy. I think milk/cream would ruin it. 8)
Quote from: cckeiser on June 18, 2014, 07:20:34 PM
Quote from: BikerDude on June 18, 2014, 02:48:15 PM
I've worked with a great many people from China who do take their tea very seriously.
They actually make it in a coffee maker.
They use the whole dry leaf type of tea and they run a pot of water through the leaves, dump it and run another pot through the same tea leaves. They say that is the way to do it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongfu_tea_ceremony)
Are you saying they make a pot of hot tea with a coffee maker and just throw it away? The use the same leaves and all and brew a second pot with hot water threw it?
I'm not sure, but that sounds like the are trying to leach out the caffeine with the first brewing.
Any special type or blend of tea that you know of....anything we can get here in the States?
My special lady thinks the Irish Breakfast tea needs sweetener. She prefers artificial sweetener, I cannot stomach any of the artificial sweeteners....sorbitol gives me stomach cramps and projectile shits!
I may try a little brown sugar or a drop or so of honey. but I'm hoping to find a real good tea that needs nothing but to be brewed the right way with only water.
We received a Tea Service on Chinese New Years some 35 years ago from our local Chinese restaurant...we used to eat there quite a lot back then....it was close and they were cheap.
We still have it packed away....just may have to get it out to see if it does make a difference in brewing? I do like the coffee pot idea though....a whole lot less trouble brewing! 8)
Yeah that's what they do. Dump the first pot then use the same leaves.
I'm not sure about the caffeine.
Quote from: BikerDude on June 19, 2014, 07:14:06 AM
Yeah that's what they do. Dump the first pot then use the same leaves.
I'm not sure about the caffeine.
I cringe at the thought of all that waste, but then they have been doing it for awhile and I must assume they know what they are doing. It did say in the wiki article something about washing the leaves with the first water.
jut a quick up-date on the Irish Breakfast tea....I made it in the coffee pot by placing the bags in the bottom of the pot....I let it steep twice as long as well since it was on a warmer and I didn't worry about it getting to cool.
It was better....still not the body of a Black tea, but the extra steeping helped with the essence. I added a drop of honey after my first tasting and that did help a little. My special lady said it brought out the taste of her milk and Equal. So it looks as if the Irish Breakfast tea is one to hve with maybe a small cake....maybe toast and jam?
To be clear....
I drink Coffee. Dark Roast usually. Cream, no sugar.
Two larges every morning. One on the ride to work. One while I stand around scratching my balls in the morning.
Quote from: BikerDude on June 19, 2014, 10:09:00 AM
To be clear....
I drink Coffee. Dark Roast usually. Cream, no sugar.
Two larges every morning. One on the ride to work. One while I stand around scratching my balls in the morning.
I'm with you here BikerDude... I like nothing better than a real good cup of black coffee...lots of body and lots of essence, but Not bitter.
My problem is I can no longer find that real good coffee we getting It was a New England 4 star Hotel and Restaurant blend...it was actually the only coffee my special lady would drink....and of course we had to brew it at home. I absolutely Loved that coffee, but the old man died or something....and his kids or whoever took over stopped making that blend.
We jumped about looking for another coffee of that quality and came across a second choice...almost as good, but it did not measure up to the 4 star blend. That was a Diamond Station Restaurant blend as well, but after just a few years they have also stopped making that blend....actually it hard to find their coffee anywhere around here at all.
I really do want my 4 star coffee back and when I get the chance I pick up a sample of what I hope will be my new coffee. It's been years now and have not found anything even close to that New England 4 Star Hotel Blend.
I have tried a lot of on-line blenders, but they don't seem to have a good understanding of the roasting and blending process. Of course it could just be they cannot get the quality beans that are needed to start with. You cannot roast a good quality coffee fromshit beans...and I understand the whole world wide coffee trade is having big problems.
Most of the local roasters try to give bad beans more essence by over roasting them which ruins the whole thing and just makes for a bitter nasty tasting concoction I would not call coffee.
All this dude ever wanted was to enjoy a really good cup of exceptional coffee like I once had.
But since that seems to be on the verge of impossible anymore I'm going to see if I can find something in tea that I may enjoy as well.
But at heart I am a coffee drinker. 8)
When we get high quality whole-leaf teas, one serving is good for about four steeps unless you let them sit too long in between. Maybe that's part of the "throw out the first batch" concept. I think the first or second steep is the best; my palate can't really tell them apart. The third steep is good; but the fourth is kinda weak for me. The wife likes the later steeps more.
And we got a winner with the English Breakfast Tea....at least for breakfast. I made it in the coffee pot and just let it steep for 5 minuets till golden. It has the body I was looking for and a real tea essence without tasting bitter. I may try blending the Irish tea with the British just so it doesn't get tossed.
But now that I found a good tea my Special Lady has mentioned I have Not as yet tried any of the "upscale" coffee shops in our area....not even a Starbucks. I'm really put off the price and the nomenclature necessary to order it. But there are a few really high end steak houses setting up shop....maybe.....just maybe they will have a 4 star coffee to go with their name!
I am happy to have found the English Breakfast tea....the only problem with it is it is Not a 4 star hotel blend coffee! 8)
Now I need to drink Something else for awhile....too much frickin tea!
Quote from: cckeiser on June 20, 2014, 12:35:52 PM
And we got a winner with the English Breakfast Tea....at least for breakfast. I made it in the coffee pot and just let it steep for 5 minuets till golden. It has the body I was looking for and a real tea essence without tasting bitter. I may try blending the Irish tea with the British just so it doesn't get tossed.
But now that I found a good tea my Special Lady has mentioned I have Not as yet tried any of the "upscale" coffee shops in our area....not even a Starbucks. I'm really put off the price and the nomenclature necessary to order it. But there are a few really high end steak houses setting up shop....maybe.....just maybe they will have a 4 star coffee to go with their name!
I am happy to have found the English Breakfast tea....the only problem with it is it is Not a 4 star hotel blend coffee! 8)
Now I need to drink Something else for awhile....too much frickin tea!
It's not always the most expensive places that have the best coffee.
Here in the states in the north east we have Cumberland Farms (Cumbies for short).
They have really great coffee. And I'm a bit of a coffee snob.
Any size for $1. I mean any size.
I have a 64oz coffee container that I bring in and fill for a buck.
Killer!
https://www.cumberlandfarms.com/ (https://www.cumberlandfarms.com/)
yeah, I am all about the coffee. I have just been on a real bummer since they stopped making the 4 star hotel blend and we could not find anything as good, we found a second best, but not near the quality of that 4 star blend.
This tea quest is to find out if I can even enjoy a good tea....which then means we have to define what is a good tea. And to that we all the know the answer....it is one that you really like and will probably be different for each of us, but at least on this tea quest I (and maybe one or two others???) may be able to point in a direction and say "Hey! That ain't bad!"
I brewed a cup of the Chinese Green tea last night and put a lemon drop in for support...it was very tasty....sort of kicked the green tea up little.
My special lady surprised me with a package of Bigelow Oolong tea....I have it in the coffee pot brewing now.
I think that will be the last of the teas for awhile...I try different blendings of the different teas we have on hand just to see what can be made from them.
I been hearing some good things about Seattle's best coffee. They have only recently arrived in our area. I need to travel to a Target store to get the beans. I prefer to grind and brew my own so it is as fresh as possible. They have a few different blends of coffee as well....maybe.....just maybe there's a 4 star in there somewhere.
I'll let you know if I find anything worth finding. 8)
whoa! Oolong....now that is really a different taste....even for tea.
I take that back! I now thing oolong is the essence of teas.
Still sipping at the oolong....very interesting taste....it's cold now, but still tasty, not like any other tea we have. Sort of think the oolong may be more of a eastern flavor compared to the teas we usually get here in the states....do not know about the U.K.?
This will require a few more brewings. I think it's neat that I found a different taste. Now I'm wondering what (We) can do with it? Can we perfect a "Dude" tea from an Oolong?
We will need a consensus opinion on that one.
Not that I want to call anything "Dude" and"Un-Dude", but we do not seem to be going anywhere with Dudeism right now.
Not sure what Oliver is up to, but he doesn't seem to be trying to tackle any media of late.
So I was thinking that maybe a "dude" tea....or a "dude" anything might shake things up a little and get some interest back here in the forum. Some Good Dude type interest that is.
We've been slacking....and it shows.
Anyone else want to throw something into the pot. I'm about done myself for awhile. Not sure how I got started really....posting about teas was not on my mind at all, and now I got a whole shelf full of strange teas....and I'm a coffee drinker!
Maybe it's the caffeine??? 8)
So what the hell would a "Dude" tea be anyway. The essence of The Dude in our Dudeism represents Abiding....taking it easy. Keeping you mojo and not getting all worked up about everyday shit going down.
Can we blend a tea so it has that kind of essence to it?
A mellow tea to help keep us calm in the face of all the shit and human paraquats we face every day?
I think for that mellow almost mystic essence we need to blend in an Eastern Tea...maybe the Oolong or something like the Oolong. I'm still tasting it. I just blended it with the Irish Breakfast tea in the coffee pot 2 cups water and one bag of each tea. I like it.....feeling like I may be on the right line...will try adding the Chinese Green tea to both of these in the next trial.
May need to stay away from the caffeine though...if we want it to be mellow.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this....someone who actually Knows teas? Do you already have a "mellow/mystic" blend for keep calm and for just taking it easy?
Do I have any of the right teas? Any other tea you would like me to try either alone or in a blend.
I think I am going to head out tomorrow to a Target store and pick up a few blends of the Seattle's Best coffee. Target has a nice big tea assortment as well. Let me know if there is a tea you would like me to try and I'll look to see if they carry it.
By the way....What do you dudes think about a White Russian Tea? You know....a tea made to taste like a White Russian?
It was not my idea, but I was asked about maybe putting together a White Russian powder to add to a tea.
So why am I still doing this? Fuck if I know....guess I just don't have anything else to do?
I think it may be getting a bit old by now though. 8)
Wow....bummer... the Target and Walmart stores in my area no longer are selling Seattle's Best coffee.
I'm hearing there is global coffee bean crisis....no one can get a good green bean to roast. Which of course just make me want a really good coffee to drink even more now! 8)
Finally made it to Wegman's to pick up coffee. picked up a 100% Colombian Decaf because I think with my blood pressure I really should stay on decaf....but decaf doesn't have the 4 star taste I have been looking for....well may none in the past, but just maybe a new roast is closer.
Picked up two different Starbucks blends the house medium blend and a Spring 20/14 blend which I think they just came out with....also picked up a Peet's Coffee Deep Roast Colombia I never heard of but it looks like it may be on the high end...and finally a Gevalia Colombia...they are all pre ground in the package so I will not have to fool around grinding them.
I will be having a lot of fun getting a caffeine buzz going over the next few weeks.
While i was there I did check out the specialty teas. I decided to stay away from the herbal teas for now, but I found Wegman's has a small tea line of their own. A "Just Tea" caught my eye. All it says is it's a White Tea "Smoothing and Refreshing White Tea" It's good. Not as strong as the green tea on this first brewing, but it's simple and soothing....just what a dude would want to keep his mojo on and stay mellow.
I think it will make an interesting addition to tea shelf I have so far and I'm curious how it is going to blend off with Oolong and Chinese Green tea. 8)
I have almost exclusively drunk tea since my early twenties because an accountant I worked with then pointed out people who drink coffee all day end up with breath like over boiled coffee pots (his opinion).
I have noticed that friends of mine (particularly the coffee fiends) do tend to look slightly more dessicated than I do, and I tend to put the fact that I don't have bags under my eyes down to my strict tea regime.
But then I'm not a doctor so don't quote me.
Quote from: meekon5 on June 26, 2014, 07:48:30 AM
I have almost exclusively drunk tea since my early twenties because an accountant I worked with then pointed out people who drink coffee all day end up with breath like over boiled coffee pots (his opinion).
I have noticed that friends of mine (particularly the coffee fiends) do tend to look slightly more dessicated than I do, and I tend to put the fact that I don't have bags under my eyes down to my strict tea regime.
But then I'm not a doctor so don't quote me.
Is there a tea you would like me to try....something you think I may enjoy and maybe go good with my Tea Shelf? I want to try the White tea again, but wondering which of the other teas to blend it with.
Yahoo! I can drink the Starbucks Spring Blend!! My Special Lady does not care for it, but then she never was much of a coffee person....the 4 Star is still the only coffee she liked.
she Has been enjoying my Tea Quest though. I think she will stay with the plain Lipton and the English Breakfast tea though.....not as adventurous as I am.
I'm going to brew the Starbucks Medium House blend up next.....as soon as I am finished with the Spring Roast blend so the taste is fresh in my mind.
It tried the Peet's Dark....it wasn't as bitter as I had expected it to be, but it was bitter. Adding sugar and creamer did not really help much.
I left the Starbuck's Medium sit while I napped....it makes a good cold coffee. It made even a better coffee Mocha....I may be going over to the Willie Wonka side!
I blended the brewed Peet's with some of the Starbuck's medium...not much help with either....I'm drinking it Mocha as well.
I do not think Starbuck's servers a really good coffee, they serve coffee drinks....mochas, lattes and ice coffees with flavors added to help hide the fact we can no longer get a good raw bean to roast.
Someone somewhere has got to be sitting on some very excellent raw beans, but I think they are all being sold privately....to people who really Know coffee.
I'm not one of them, so it looks as if I will have to content myself with second and third grade beans then turn them into a "Coffee Beverage".
It was fun while it lasted, but I think I have been defeated by the coffee cartels. and will have to stand inline with all the Yuppies at Starbucks and just quietly order a Latte or Mocha and be thankful I can still get one.
I think my Tea Quest just may continue though....there are Sooo many teas out there! 8)
Brewed a cup with the mixed Peet's Dark and Starbucks medium roast....it came out really bad. Added some chocolate syrup and made Ice Mocha with it. I could at least drink that. It's Not the good cup of coffee I really want though.
Doesn't look like we will ever be able to get a good raw bean around here anymore, and I do not have the pockets or the contacts to seek out that special coffee bean all on my own.
Unless I can find a restaurant that serves a quality coffee made from quality beans...I guess I am just shit out of luck in the good old cup of Joe department. I think it's beginning to hit me I may Never have another cup of real high quality coffee and may have to settle for coffee flavored drinks.
THEN IT HIT ME!!
I Already DO! It's called Kahlua!
I make my own Coffee Liqueur...a home made type of Kahlua I actually like better than the store bought.
WE Already have our Dude Coffee! A White Russian Coffee we brewed up back a while ago. I can brew up all these nasty coffees to mix up a new batch of Kahlua. Then when I wish a cup of hot coffee I will just mix in the Kahlua and make a White Russian coffee!
Dude Coffee anyone?! 8)
Started thinking about teas again. After my coffee mocha I think I am ready for a nice tea tonight....maybe the Japanese Green Tea....as is. May try a blend later.
I was thinking about it then decided maybe it is time I checked the internet just to see what kind specialty teas are out there. Did not take long to find this web site.
http://www.enjoyingtea.com/ (http://www.enjoyingtea.com/)
I guess there are just about every type and blend of tea you could ever want!
This may take me awhile....don't wait up! 8)
This May be my last post on teas....at least for awhile.
I tried brewing the Oolong and the Japanese Green together. 1 cup of water with one tea bag of each tea. I now have a better understanding of Not drinking the first steep. I drank it and it was interesting and complex. That Oolong requires a different type "acceptance" is they only word that comes to mind right now. The second and third steep of the same two bags made a more pleasant tea....both the second and third steep were longer to extract more essence. The third steep was actually very good and did not have that wild Oolong taste that comes with the that first steep.
The Harney & Sons Japanese Sencha Green Tea is a High Quality Tea and I will looking to buy more the next time we run low. I am also going to stick with the Basic Black and White teas, but will try and find a higher Quality than the supermarket blend I got now.
As I am tasting these teas I am beginning to pick up on quality over the lower grades of tea. That and the Lipon and Irish Breakfast tea are what will be on my self to make and mix as the moods move me.
For some of the other teas, the "very special" blends of High quality tea, my special lady pointed out we have a Tea House 20 mile form us. We can stop in there and try any type and brew of tea we wish.
I will try their teas and see if the have a "Master Tea Blender" to recommend.
So far I like Harney & Sons and Bigelows. Enen their packages feel a better quality.
Not real sure, but I think my Tea quest is pretty much over and you all can now go about your normal business! 8)
I hope you enjoyed it even just a little as much as I did....it got me through a rough period.
Abide Dudes.....Abide. 8)
I am having a White Russian right now....forgot just how good a White Russian is with my homemade.
Which just provided the solution to what to do about that Peet's Deep Dark roast ground bean coffee I have. It's too bitter for me to drink as a coffee, but it is going to make an excellent base for my next batch of Kahlua. I'll need a bit more dark molasses to help with the rum taste this time though. Brew 8 cups of the Peets' triple strong like 6 tablespoons per cup of water, add 1 lb of brown sugar....dark brown sugar is even better. 1/8 cup high quality vanilla extract, 1/4 cup chocolate syrup and then add rum/vodka to taste. We do not usually have any rum about so I had vodka and that is why I need to add the dark molasses to help with the rum flavor.
You do Not need the chocolate syrup, but I think it really kicks the Kahlua up to another whole dimension of flavor.
And...as a bonus...if you want a good coffee "drink" you can mix this coffee liqueur with either Hot or Cold coffee. Add a little more chocolate syrup to make an ice coffee mocha if you wish.
Abide dudes.....Abide! 8)
I am taking it all back!
Yes,, everything I have wrote about coffee and never getting a quality bean again.
I found it! 8) I'm having a second cup right now!
I love this coffee!
We drove to Target for some puppy food and treats....yeah, we got a new puppy in our house!
While we were there I wanted to see if they really did stop selling the Seattle's Best coffee and I wanted to look for a better quality black tea than the supermarket brand. The supermarket black looks sloppy and doesn't have a quality taste to it like the Bigelow and a few of the other sealed packages of tea. It's just tea bags thrown into a another plastic bag.
I found a pkg of First Quality Bigelow Classic Black, and a Bigelow Lemongrass as well.
When I checked out the coffees they really are not selling Seattle's best and it looks like they are getting rid of most of the Starbucks.
They now feature Archer.
I looked at a dozen or so pkg of the coffee and they all looked like the same old crap coffee everyone else carries. Light, medium,dark this and that with French, Breakfast or House blend thrown in to give some idea of what you are getting.
Then I saw this:http://www.target.com/p/archer-farms-fair-trade-organic-sumatra-ground-coffee-12-oz/-/A-14773871#prodSlot=medium_1_2&term=sumatra+coffee
I think this is it!! I love this coffee! It just maybe up there with the 4 Star Hotel blend we used to get from the New England Coffee company way back when.
After actually giving up on ever finding another high quality coffee just a day or so ago....I find one! Today!
Life is beginning to look just a little bit brighter now.
I'm going to brew another cup! 8)
I can't wait for Sue to try it and see if she likes it as well. So far that 4 Star blend is the Only coffee Sue would drink...and that was at home....she would never drink coffee out.
Now I can only hope they continue to sell this coffee...I will stock up the next time we get the Target!
It's turning into a good day! 8)
Ok...it's official. This second cup is even better than the first.
This is my coffee.
And I love sharing good things with others.
Not saying anyone else will enjoy this Archer Farms® Fair Trade Organic Sumatra Ground Coffee as much as I do, but if you get a chance i would love to hear what you think of it. My years of searching are over.
Right now I am a Very Happy dude.
Glad to hear you found yourself some liquid happiness, CCK, and much love for the puppy. We have two fuzzy little gentlemen of our own.
But don't give up on tea just yet. There's a bunch of knowledge, peace, and love in them there leaves, my friend.
Quote from: jgiffin on June 29, 2014, 04:37:51 PM
Glad to hear you found yourself some liquid happiness, CCK, and much love for the puppy. We have two fuzzy little gentlemen of our own.
But don't give up on tea just yet. There's a bunch of knowledge, peace, and love in them there leaves, my friend.
Thank you dude!
I am glad to see someone got something from messing around here with all the teas and coffees.
I hope you all can get your hands on that Archer Farms Organic Sumatra blend. I let it cool to room and it is still excellent!
And I am not giving p on the teas. If you read again what I wrote above....I just picked up two more teas. A bigelow classic black and a bigelow lemongrass.
By the way....it looks like there are no Archer Farms...Archer Farms is a Target Brand. 8)
Still I like the idea of the Fair Trade and Organic coffee.
We need to take care of the farmers who grow food dudes!
Oops! I think I may be having a slight problem with caffeine in the neaar future! 8)
Fuck dudes....I'm sorry..my bad again.
In m y excitement over finding the coffee I completely fuck up the whole tea part from Target.
It was Not Bigelow's...it was a Teatulia Tea Company Black and their Lemongrass tea I picked up at Target as well as the Teatulia Black Tea I wanted to replace the supermarket black tea I am not that happy with.
The Teatulia Teas are flat round and come in a nice wood tube.
Also picked up a Bigelow's Classic Green tea. I wanted to see the difference between their Basic green tea and the Harney & Sons Japanese Sencha green tea.
I keep saying "this is it...the last one...no more for awhile" but then something catches my eye and....well it may be a while till I am over this tea fixation.
But it has actually been interesting, educational, and fun!
And I hope healthy as well.
But I cannot wait to brew another cup of coffee tomorrow and really looking forward to having my special lady try it. I hope she likes it as much as I do...even though she is Not a coffee drinker.
I also hope all you dudes get a chance to try it as well.
I think if you like coffee you will really like this one.
Ok, I think I corrected all my mistakes for now....sorry about giving the wrong name for the teas.
Yeah, if you cannot guess from my ramblings here....I sill have a bit of a caffeine problem and can't sleep.
The Lemongrass tea is very good. I can tell it's a good grade of tea. 8)
Quote from: jgiffin on June 29, 2014, 04:37:51 PM
Glad to hear you found yourself some liquid happiness, CCK, and much love for the puppy. We have two fuzzy little gentlemen of our own.
Two male puppies! They must be a real handful. Bree our 9 week old female border collie is keeping my Special Lady very busy. We are crate training, but it looks as if Bree is still a little too young to grasp the concept on Only going outside. To her....everything outside her crate Is Outside!
Also wanted to note the coffee is a winner. My Special Lady likes it! 8)
Just another quick note for this thread.
I have already turned about half the Peet's Dark Roast Coffee into my homemade Kahlua/coffee liqueur. I now have 3.5 liters on hand just in case any dude cares to stop by for a White Russian or two....or 3....or 4... 8)
BikerDude....you still reading this thread?
Since you are a coffee drinker and really enjoy a cup brewed from a quality bean I think you will really enjoy the Archer Farms® Fair Trade Organic Sumatra Ground Coffee.
It's a Target brand....Target has now come out with their own Archer line of coffee. So far it looks like they know what they are doing and have been able to purchase a quality raw bean for roasting.
Please....if you get a chance to try it....if anyone gets a chance to try it....give me some feed back on the Tea thread.
When I am writing this shit I am always look for feed back. I would like to know if anyone has any interest in what I am writing or not.
just gave away all the coffees (Except for the Fair Trade Sumatra of course) to my brother-in-law.
We will be picking up All the Archer Fair Trade blends and I want to try their house blend as well.
Sorry dudes....looks like I'm off again! 8)
I think this will be my last posting for Tea.
finished the cup of the classic black....it was ok. Having another cup of the lemongrass...right now I think the lemongrass and the Japanese Green tea are my favorite afternoon/evening teas. I dropped a lemonhead into the lemongrass just to kick it up another notch!
Either the Irish or the English Breakfast tea will do for breakfast but since I do not add anything I prefer the stronger flavor of the English Breakfast tea.
I will drink all the Classic Green, Black and the White on my self...depending on mood, time of day and what if anything I will be having with them. A pear or apple a slice of cheese may call for the White rather than the Black or Green.
I will brew all the generic black tea into ice tea. they are calling for into the 90s here in the coming days/weeks.
But I am done with teas as a quest....I found what I had set out to find.
So looking at all this and all the different trials I am now looking back at the very beginning and my quest for a "Dude Tea."
They are all Dude teas....it all just depends on if You like them or not.
But over and under all and going back down to take another look....I would say as a dude tea....you can Not go wrong with the Lipton.
Just a good bodied flavorful tea with a nice tea essence that goes well day or night.
If anyone wants to know anything more about the teas I have been making...please feel free to ask.
But I do believe this is pretty much it for teas.
My New Coffee Quest will begin tomorrow!! 8)
I've not responded too frequently but I've been following your journeys, man. The detail and honest opinions have been much appreciated.
Although a tea-novice, myself, my motto is "You can't go too wrong when you go Oolong." Little buds of brilliance, I say.
I would go with the classics Earl Grey (very mellow) or English Breakfast.
After readin' through this thread new shit has come to life for me. You dudes have me interested in trying some tea, other than sweet. Livin' in Ga. I have had a lot. I went to the grocery store, was runnin' low on half n half, while there I picked up some Earl Grey. I'll see what I think about it.
Quote from: A Dude on July 05, 2014, 03:24:25 PM
After readin' through this thread new shit has come to life for me. You dudes have me interested in trying some tea, other than sweet. Livin' in Ga. I have had a lot. I went to the grocery store, was runnin' low on half n half, while there I picked up some Earl Grey. I'll see what I think about it.
What I found out is not all teas are equal. A great deal depends on the quality of the leaf. One brand of black tea may be wonderful while another is not so much. Look for a tea that is packaged in a sealed bag in a container.
From my tastings I now shy away from store brand teas and look for something that looks like it may be a high quality leaf by a quality tea company.
Good luck on the Earl Gray. 8)
Quote from: A Dude on July 05, 2014, 03:24:25 PM
After readin' through this thread new shit has come to life for me. You dudes have me interested in trying some tea, other than sweet. Livin' in Ga. I have had a lot. I went to the grocery store, was runnin' low on half n half, while there I picked up some Earl Grey. I'll see what I think about it.
I live in North Carolina, have for many years. I've never been able to get used to Southern sweet tea. With a Canadian mother and NYC father I guess I just never really got a taste for it. I'm not saying it's bad; I just always joke with my friends that I'd rather not chew my tea. :)
I tried it and liked it but I need to try others. I'm sure there's better out there. Thanks for the advice CC. On a side note, "new shit comin' to life?" Must of been havin' some sort of mental fart there.
My special lady and I will be drinking drinking all the teas on our self...it may take years, but I hate throwing anything away. I may pick up another if it catches my eye, but we will trim our tea self down to the all around simple and pleasing basic Lipton tea but I do want to keep a high quality Lemongrass on hand for evenings when I feel like something different/special....that and the oolong and Japanese Green tea....especially if we get guests who are not coffee drinkers.
I think the real trick is being able to find someone who been around for awhile and offers a high quality leaf/blend...the packaging may be of some help...but may not. I would think if really know their tea and are offering a high quality leaf/blend....they would try and show it off with how they package it.
I got surprised by the lemongrass and how much I like it....completely different taste to anything else on the self. 8)
I fucking love tea :D
And since I'm only 16 years old, I can't really drink white russians
My favorite tea to relax with is a big cup of earl grey, with some milk and sugar :)
Quote from: DutchDuder on October 15, 2014, 08:42:37 AM
I fucking love tea :D
And since I'm only 16 years old, I can't really drink white russians
My favorite tea to relax with is a big cup of earl grey, with some milk and sugar :)
I live on tea most of the day. Have for years.
Oh and welcome to the forum DutchDuder grab a rug and a brew.
I don't ( cant stomach) alcohol and now drink TONS of tea as well. I have everything from 'Holy Basil' to organic catnip blends( very mellowing!) to 'horny goat weed' tea, and of course i start the days with lots of green tea blends and i love earl grey and a little milk( well almond milk) too!
i could talk tea all day long.
As we are on the subject of Tea:
The Tea Calendar (http://www.joquz.com/2004/the-tea-calendar)
I thought it looked particularly interesting.
;D
Whoa. Yeah. That's a very interesting idea. I want one of those things. Even overlooking the challenge of pressing tea into a 1mm thin square that holds its flavor before dissolving in water, the potential for the flavor of each page to either dissipate or "bleed" over onto the next seems a potent challenge. Very, very cool though.