Green tea vs. black tea, ah the dilemma. Does it really have to be one or the other? “I only drink black tea”, a comment I hear very often. Or, it goes the other way with green tea favoritism. Having a favorite is a great place to start when choosing a tea; at least you know you’ll like it. However, I do encourage people to branch out to have a taste of something a little different. We offer a free sample of brewed tea each day which is a great opportunity to venture at very low risk.

Our “Sit-n-Sniff” table is the second stop I take them to. Let them examine and sniff the leaf of their favorite tea, then the one we are sampling for the day. Sooner or later we will get to a sniffing tin of tea that really lights them up! If they are so daring, they can buy a cup of from our Blend-Your-Own Tea Bar to taste before buying a bag. They may just find they really love something they wouldn’t have otherwise tried. A great joy is when a new discovery is made in someone’s palette. They themselves are surprised and a door opens.

Experimenting one day, I came up with a blend that is now one of my favorites—one part of our Cream Earl Grey and one part Japan Sencha. Oh yeah. It has wonderful depth from the smooth creamy Earl Grey but becomes a whole other cup adding the Sencha—something delightful and new. There you go! Black tea pleasantly shaking hands with green.

Ok, so it happens. I decided to try a different tea this morning—an Irish Breakfast that is of small granular size. I’m not used to brewing this type of tea, so I figured I’d use the same brewing method I’ve used for steeping other loose leaf black teas. My first sip made my face contort as if biting into a lemon. Strong, very bitter and very astringent. I did taste the usual maltiness of an Assam which is typically used as the primary base in an Irish Breakfast (I love a well-brewed Assam!). But this particular brew was way too bitter for my tastes. I knew instantly that I had made an error.

This prompted me to do some research and consult a couple of my tea reference guides to learn more about leaf vs. granular. Ok, so this type of smaller particulate tea doesn’t need as much or to be steeped as long (for my taste). 

Instead of throwing out the pot, I decided to experiment a little. After adding a bit of milk and dash of cinnamon, I rather enjoyed it! I rarely ever add to my tea—I drink it straight up—but this proved to be a lovely drink after all. The milk smoothed out the bitterness and the cinnamon gave a sense of pseudo chai tea.

The reason I chose to write about this is because of the experience of the lessons learned. I may not have enjoyed that first cup, but it certainly made an impression! And, it prompted me to try something new. Even a seeming mistake can turn out to be fun!

The good side:

-       Not a bad tea, but a poor brew. There IS a difference!

-       Don’t back down! Try and try again.

-       Don’t be afraid to experiment to find something that thrills you!

-       Learn something new about tea!

-       I just found the perfect cup of tea for someone who asks for a stout, malty tea that’s bitter and astringent. Ha!

Our convenient Tea Brewing Guide can also be a reference for you at home or on the go. Remember these are simply guidelines, not hard and fast rules. What matters more is that find how to make the perfect cup for your tastes!