"Supermarket" Teas

I've totally given up on supermarket tea. I won't even buy tea at the Asian megamart, because it all looks like low-grade stuff (I've tried a few and haven't been at all impressed).

The good tea I order off the net is much, much, much tastier, not that expensive, and I can always order more when I'm down to my last quarter-pound (which is about two weeks' supply these days, probably going to be less when the weather warms up).

--Blair

I have been happy enough with Twinings in the past, but it is no cheaper than the less exotic blends from Upton, or many of the bulk blends at my local CO-OP. I drink a fair amount of CTC Assam from the Co-Op and it is under 13 bucks a pound in bulk. I want to say the twinings I have bought in the past was more like 6 bucks for around 125 grams.

Earlier this month the cheapest green tea sold in a huge A&P supermarket in Cliffwood, NJ (USA) was not Lipton, Tetley, or Red Rose, but goes under the brand name 'Asian Gourmet', which is imported by H.L. Benndorf Corp. of Medford, New Jersey.

I've tried numerous green and "white" teas, including several of the fancy brands such as Choice, Numi, Tao, and Republic of Tea... but none of the fancy brands I've tried have a green/white tea anywhere near as aromatic as that cheap Asian Gourmet (AG) green tea. AG stands alone in that regard; so much so that its aroma is immediately noticable simply by sniffing the dry bag, and I have a terribly weak sense of smell!

However, curiously the AG green tea's color was an unremarkable pale yellow and its flavor was not significantly different from aromaless Twinnings Pure & Natural Green Tea, which was the next lowest priced green tea available at the above mentioned store that day.

I compared both teas by first microwave heating identicle glass mugs of charcoal filtered water to about 185F (85C). When the water in each mug cooled down to exactly 180F (82C) I began steeping a bag in it. The mugs were covered with cork coasters to minimize heat loss. Steeping time was exactly 10 minutes.

Certainly I always get stronger tasting green/white teas from the premium brands. However, I've observed that I can get a heck of a lot more "bang for my buck" (for you Brits, buck=US$) by buying certain low cost brands. I can always add extra teabags of the cheap tea to the brew and still come out ahead both flavorwise and moneywise.

I can buy a 100-quantity box of TenRen green tea bags (that are individually well sealed) at Costco for only US$6. Some Costco stores carry nicely painted 120-quantity steel canisters of Twinnings Earl Grey bags for only US$6. These are amazing values.

When I do drink bags, it is either Tetley's (the classic blend or the British Blend, though I don't like the way they've designed those British Blend strings on the bag) or PG Tips or Williamson and Magor (last summer for iced, pretty tasty). I tried Yorkshire Gold but actually didn't swoon over it the way some other folks did, I wouldn't rebuy it. I am not remembering the name at the moment but there's an Irish black tea, not sure if it comes in bags...Brook Bond? Something that has a b in it...anyway I want to try that someday when I get a chance.

One bag I absolutely hated (really, it was the worst I've ever had I think) was a Bigelow Darjeeling teabag in an airport, it was terrible. It's the one in the pink pouch. Yeeeuk.

Melinda

Bigelow "Darjeeling" comes in a purple packet.

I find most Bigelow, Stash and Twinings to be acceptable tea bags, along with Republic of Tea's "Blackberry Sage" and "Ginger Peach" blends. I won't touch Lipton.

stePH in cup: nothing yet

----------> Those are the Drawstring Bags. You can get British Blend in ordinary round bags without strings at a lower price. With the drawstrings, you're paying for packaging.

I am not

----------> That would be Barry's Tea. It's very good. My local Albertson's just started carrying it, along with Lyons (another Irish brand) and PG Tips.

. Some Costco stores carry nicely

Really? That is a very good price. I shall have to head over to Costco to see if I can find some. Thanks for the info.

I tried (and still have some) of the Snapple Strawberry White Tea. It is terrible. You barely get one brewing and that is all. I've never seen tea that litterally produces pure water after having been brewed for 1 minute. Even though they claim it all natural it has a horrible artificial stawberry flavor. I was really bummed at the quality and taste.

Some good supermarket teas are: Kame Brand Chinese Restaurant Tea, PG Tips, Tazo, Republic of Tea,

Of the supermarket types, I was rather disappointed by PG tips, but have found consistent quality and taste out of Twinings. This is the original Earl Grey blend, and I think, still the best. I have begun my own business out here on the Vermont and New Hampshire border, called Moorgunn's Teaery, available on the web at moorgunnstea.com. We carry one of the finest Earl Grey and English Breakfast blends I have ever had, and dress it in our own unique packaging. I gave up on the market and went into wholesale and co-op offerings for the best tea. We obtain ours through importers. The tricky and expensive Pu-erh tea types are not yet in my price category realistically. Any one have any experience selling them in the states?

Check out moorgunnstea.com. We sell gift boxes with some great retro photography and down-home labeling. New England stuff, and only premium tea. Twinings, that you're talking about, is our favorite... outside of our own. :)

For the quick (tea-bagged) supermarket brand cuppa I always return to PG Tips. I never found a better brand (but I had to rely mostly on German supermarket-brands, which are incredebly bad, and I also tried different Twinings as well as Tetley).

Tetley was ok, but it didn't get me.

What I dislike is Twinings. I found it not really better than PG and esp. the "Darjeeling" (i doubt it is one) was groce. The price-to-value-ratio is really bad. You can get cheaper tea in far, far better quality at every tea shop around the corner. Also, here in Germany it is meanwhile (thank God) quite common to use real bergamotte oil for Earl Grey teas again, which is much better than this Twinings and other supermarket tea brands industry aroma stuff. Ok, the tea has a very much shorter durability than the ones with flavourings, because the oil gets rancy quite quickly, but IMHO it's *definitly* worth it.

So, for me PG Tips is the best (yet tasted) supermarket brand.

Dieter

You are thinking of Bewley's, which is a blend with a whole lot of assam in it. I could never stomach it, but I have Irish friends who swear by it.

Brook Bond is what you'd get if Brooke Shields married James Bond.

Dunno, but I am always apt to blame the water in airports. I spend too damn much time in airports too.

--scott

What's the typical "Irish Breakfast" blend? Isn't it mostly Assam?

stePH in cup: sencha (bulk) from Limbo, 2nd infusion

Yes, Assam is the main component in most Irish Breakfast blends. I believe Twinings Irish Breakfast is a pure Assam (or close to it). I do not care for it.

Bewley's Irish Breakfast is a blend of Assam and Darjeeling and is quite good and definitely worth a try.

Yes. Bewley's is definitely in the "Irish breakfast" category. Even though the label does not describe it that way.

--scott

Snapple's bottled drinks are shit; I thought this was common knowlege. Why would you think their tea would be any better?

stePH in cup: Se Chung Special Oolong (bulk) from Wild Oats, 1st infusion

stePH,

Usually Irish Breakfast teas are a blend of Assam and Kenyan teas. To make the dark liquor most use CTC grade 'leaf'. Obviously each brand differs and may put in some other origin to make their product unique.

Richard

stePH,

Usually Irish Breakfast teas are a blend of Assam and Kenyan teas. To make the dark liquor most use CTC grade 'leaf'. Obviously each brand differs and may put in some other origin to make their product unique.

Richard