Tea Bags vs. Loose tea leaves

pol

I use loose tea too. I keep 3 or 4 different ones in the cupboard and find the taste is miles better than teabags.

metherer

Ressurecting the thread, as I've just enjoyed a very nice pot of leaf tea.

Price wise, if you go for normal varieties it can be cheaper, whereas the special blends are, of course, more expensive. However, as someone else said, the tea can be infused several times whereas teabags are good for one go only.

If you do re-infuse, make sure you empty all the liquid out of the pot each time, to avoid stewing.

www.leafshop.co.uk has some lovely types on, and some sample tins too so you can try a few varieties before settling on a favourite or several! I bought a couple of sets to keep at work so I can have a decent drink occasionaly.

Sorry for waffling.

Can anyone else recommend sites for good value leaf tea?

Metherer

Telute

http://www.theteahouse.co.uk/

Found these a while back while looking for a different company. I've not ordered from them but their prices look similiar to leaf shop, and they give a small discount (20p) if you order refills after your first order.

[Deleted User]

I like loose tea and was brought up on 'Brooke Bonds Divi' I think my Mum saved the stamps off the side of the packet .She also used the liner of the packet as a drainer when she made chips ,cheaper than using greaseproof paper. The rest of the packet when empty was screwed into a tight twist and used as a firelighter .Nowt was wasted in our house . I also use tea bags for convenience and save some of the used ones to line the bottom of hanging baskets with as they help to save the water a bit when I water them .it means I use less water and the baskets stay damp longer. I don't think there is a lot of difference in the price but the taste of a good pot of tea made with loose tea is nicer .Right I'm off to make myself a pot right now
TTFN

jannyannie

I've recently gone back to loose tea. It tastes much nicer. My Mother-in Law brings her own teabags when she visits! I used to go out with someone who worked in a tea factory, he reckoned teabags were full of the sweepings off the floor!

Olliebeak

jannyannie wrote: »

I've recently gone back to loose tea. It tastes much nicer. My Mother-in Law brings her own teabags when she visits! I used to go out with someone who worked in a tea factory, he reckoned teabags were full of the sweepings off the floor!

I remember my grandmother saying that in the 50's when I was young - it was her excuse for not 'going modern' at the time. Besides that, she used to say 'teabags are for bone-idle lazy mares who can't be bothered to do things properly' - lovely woman but oh-so-narrowminded about many things that she didn't understand!

Hate to think what her opinion of me would be these days !

Seakay

The only thing that put me off loose tea was the way tat it stewed if left - now that I have a tea ball this is no longer a problem as I can remove it when the strength is right for me (and replace it if i want to top up the pot with more hot water.
My MIL has just given me gift set of tinned loose teas for my birthday, so I'm off for a pot now!
(It is worth noting that a tin, tea caddy or well cleaned jam jar is a good idea for keeping any tea, but especially loose tea which seems to me to deteriorate more rapidly than tea bags if left in a cardboard packet.)

metherer

Re the dust conversation - this site clarifies the various grades, and yes, it is often tea dust & fannings (big dust) in teabags!
http://www.imperialteagarden.com/teagrading.html

I'm sure the Twinings website also had this info, as well as a tasting guide to the ones they sell.

Metherer

FemmeAuFoyer

Yes! We have loose tea and not bags for ecological reasons, hate the thought of all those tea bags and cardboard for packaging. You can get a lot more of loose tea that tea bags in an equivalent size box

Nix143

This shop where I live does amazing teas and coffees http://www.atkinsonsteaandcoffee.co.uk/index.php - a bit pricey but amazingly good quality and taste.