# How do you take your tea?



## TheWonderingNovice (May 31, 2015)

I am just curious about how people prefer their tea.

I usually have honey vanilla chamomile with two sugars and toast.

Is there a right way to drink it? 

I find it strange to put milk into it, not sure if any one else shares the sentiment.


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## dale (May 31, 2015)

i like earl grey, darjeeling, and jasmine tea...with A LOT of sugar. i love sugar in tea.


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## musichal (May 31, 2015)

Lipton for iced tea with just a bit of sugar - most sweet iced tea drinkers think mine is black.

However, I have recently begun to appreciate hot tea.  I guess predictably enough, I like black teas, with Earl Grey my favorite so far, but any black tea with fruity overtones will do - no sugar, no milk.  I'm trying out various teas now, in fact I had just put on some water for a lemon by Bigelow when I saw this thread.


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## am_hammy (May 31, 2015)

I try all the time to get into tea, and I struggle.

I prefer white tea. There's one called silver jubilee that has a nice almond flavor. Chamomile is nice with honey. I've tried it with milk but then it just tastes like watered down milk. And if I were to have a snack with it, I really like toast with butter and honey, or little dainty sweets you get when you go to tea time.

And if I ever have it iced, I like ones that are more berry flavored.


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## popsprocket (Jun 1, 2015)

Depends on what kind. No milk ever. No sugar in green or black tea most of the time. One sugar in there the rest of the time.


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## dale (Jun 1, 2015)

oolong makes me anti-social. i mean...i'm pretty much anti-social anyway....but oolong makes me feel even MORE anti-social.


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## musichal (Jun 1, 2015)

dale said:


> oolong makes me anti-social. i mean...i'm pretty much anti-social anyway....but oolong makes me feel even MORE anti-social.



"That's right, Your Honor, we do intend to invoke the oolong tea defense on behalf of our client."


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## Sonata (Jun 1, 2015)

I do not like regular tea but do like green, red or herbal.  Must be without milk but a small bit of Stevia helps some types.  Nice hot in the winter, cold in the summer, but TBH prefer coffee [black, no sugar but  a small bit of Stevia] either leaded or unleaded, also hot in the winter and cold in the summer.


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## PiP (Jun 1, 2015)

I'm pretty boring. I like bog standard breakfast tea, milk no sugar.


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## ppsage (Jun 1, 2015)

I have six jars in my tea kit; right now they contain Irish Breakfast, an Earl Grey, oolong, vanilla decaf, spice decaf and mate.  I mix them all different ways and add trace amounts of milk and sugar to open up the flavor. Mostly drink tea at room temp.


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## Ariel (Jun 1, 2015)

I love tea in all its forms.  Honey, sugar, unsweetened, hot or cold.  I just like it brewed strongly.


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## Pluralized (Jun 1, 2015)

Earl, steeped too long and way too hot. A splash of agave and a snifter of Blue Dream, and all's right with the world.


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## TeriBeth (Jun 1, 2015)

I like chamomile tea steeped within an inch of its life with a bit of Truvia sweetener and a splash of hazelnut-flavored creamer.


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## stevesh (Jun 1, 2015)

Iced, no sugar.

We generously allowed Johnny Reb to move north after The War to work in our factories, and he brought his damned 'sweet tea' with him.


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## patskywriter (Jun 1, 2015)

I make (very) sweet tea with Lipton, Salada, or Luzianne black tea and Constant Comment tea for a bit of orange flavoring (I leave the Constant Comment teabags in the pitcher). Just the other day, I bought a sweet tea from some Hispanic street vendors—and it had a huge slice of pineapple in it. Ooowweee! Oh. So. Good.

When I make hot tea, I experiment with different flavors … lately I've tried chamomile, salted caramel, and some super-strong Moroccan tea given to me by a friend.


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## Loveabull (Jun 1, 2015)

Thai tea for me please. I don't know what kind of leaves but even a molecule of the dry mix turns everything intense orange. Ideally served very sweet over ice.


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## Ariel (Jun 1, 2015)

Thai iced tea is strongly brewed with a mix of spices.  It's served hot or cold with condensed milk.  It's very good but very fattening.


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## Mesafalcon (Jun 1, 2015)

Sugar sugar _milk_ sugar sugar

wait that's coffee...

in Japan there is milk tea (made by Lipton which you all know)

its just 50/50 milk and tea and its really good.


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## kilroy214 (Jun 1, 2015)

Texas Sweet Tea 

8 oz lemonade
2.5 oz Firefly Sweet Tea vodka
1 oz vodka
1 oz amaretto
Ice


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## InnerFlame00 (Jun 2, 2015)

I LOVE tea. I started young because my mom and I both have problems sleeping so it was a habit to have a nice hot cup of sleepy time tea each night with only just enough sugar to take away the bitter because we'd steep it forever. So I started with all sorts of herbal teas, and branched out into caffeinated teas as soon as I realized I couldn't drink coffee because it gave me heart palpitations.

My favorites are:

Ginger tea, as spicy as possible. Delicious and an excellent nausea cure
Sleepy time
Mint tea, no sugar
Lady Grey with a splash of half and half and two sugars. I like Earl grey as well but I like Lady grey better as the floral notes are a bit more apparent. Anyone else hear of "Double earl grey" or something like that? It's supposed to be a super intense version of it and I wanna try it but I can't find it anywhere....
Chai, heavy on the milk. Lots of sugar if I'm feeling in an indulgent mood and frothed. I love the froth (got myself a fancy froth thingie just for that!)

Recently I've been enjoying fruit teas as well. I don't really like cold tea that much so I almost look forward to cooler weather because I can really get into a good cup of hot tea when it is 

As for milk in tea...I think milk in herbal tea would be weird, but I prefer black teas with milk or half and half. Guess I just like the creamyness


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## musichal (Jun 2, 2015)

InnerFlame00 said:


> Lady Grey with a splash of half and half and two sugars. I like Earl grey as well but I like Lady grey better as the floral notes are a bit more apparent. Anyone else hear of "Double earl grey" or something like that? It's supposed to be a super intense version of it and I wanna try it but I can't find it anywhere....





"Double earl grey" - check Amazon, I saw it there yesterday


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## Sam (Jun 2, 2015)

Milk, three spoons of Stevia (with the spoon provided), and one teaspoon of sugar.


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## Olly Buckle (Jun 2, 2015)

mornings start the day with a pot  of builder's, milk no sugar, minimum three cups, continue through day varying with the occasional green tea, usually with milk, chai latte if someone takes me in a coffee house, or whatever they serve me accepted with gratitude if I am visiting. Many of my friends simply put the kettle on when I arrive, for those who ask it is a one word question 'Tea?', the rare occassions I refuse are usually met with astonishment.


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## escorial (Jun 2, 2015)

I like my tea in a mug...usually in a greasy spoon café were the people watching is endless


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## MamaStrong (Jun 2, 2015)

Sweet Tea that you'd only be able to truly find in the South.


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## Anari (Jun 3, 2015)

Hot tea with sugar. Red Zinger is a favorite. Iced tea with milk and sugar or plain southern sweet tea. Never any lemon. I really prefer coffee. Strong, high test with a little half and half. No sugar.


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## musichal (Jun 3, 2015)

escorial said:


> I like my tea in a mug...usually in a greasy spoon café were the people watching is endless



You reminded me of a place where I'd go for lunch, sometimes for morning coffee, forty years ago - long closed now.  A blue plate special two dollar lunch, where all the stoneware was chipped, the iced tea sweet and coffee strong and hot.


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## escorial (Jun 3, 2015)

musichal said:


> You reminded me of a place where I'd go for lunch, sometimes for morning coffee, forty years ago - long closed now.  A blue plate special two dollar lunch, where all the stoneware was chipped, the iced tea sweet and coffee strong and hot.



sounds like a great  place to write a piece about..poetry or prose...either would be cool dude....


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## Pluralized (Jun 5, 2015)

Three cups of Earl this evening and listened to Louis CK's latest special. That guy is a crass genius.


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## midnightpoet (Jun 5, 2015)

Iced tea straight up and coffee black, Mac.  A hint of mint in the tea is not bad though.  For someone who was brought up in Texas I can't stand sweet tea.  Yuck. Hot tea okay if I have a sore throat.  Iced tea is best served by a diner waitress that calls you sweetie and has a pencil stuck in her hair.  Double points if she reminds you of your sister.


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## Ariel (Jun 5, 2015)

I'll be honest, my absolute favorite way to drink tea is hot, strong, spiced, sweet, and creamy.  Huh, not too far from how I like my guys (that being hot, strong, and sweet--like Kilroy).


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## Kevin (Jun 5, 2015)

Thai-tea, Boba...


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## aj47 (Jun 5, 2015)

I like my hot tea light and sweet, but my iced tea strong and unsweet.  I'm not a fan of designer teas.


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## Joe_Bassett (Aug 14, 2015)

I always find myself drinking fruit teas or spice based teas.  I drink a lot of chai and green teas both hot and cold and I always put a little honey in.  Local honey is supposed to help with allergies but since I'm staying in the states at the moment I've not had the chance to get any.  I don't put any milk in since I'm lactose intolerant but on occasion I'll mix in a little soy milk.


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## Schrody (Aug 14, 2015)

Fruity (I don't drink non-fruit teas, they're disgusting to me), sweetened with honey and lemon. On the other hand, my "hubby" likes green with none or very little sugar, and black with honey and lemon.


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## Deleted member 56686 (Aug 14, 2015)

Black and strong, no sugar, maybe a little lemon


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## MzSnowleopard (Aug 14, 2015)

Melaleuca with a pinch of sugar and lemon for iced tea, chamomile for sleep- and Chai with milk when I really need a wake up.


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## JasonNewton (Aug 15, 2015)

​Earl Grey usually.


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## ppsage (Aug 15, 2015)

Summertime fresh mint with oolong don't brew too hot or too long drop of whole milk


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## Blade (Aug 15, 2015)

Generally Green tea or Orange Pekoe with no sweetener.



TheWonderingNovice said:


> I find it strange to put milk into it, not sure if any one else shares the sentiment.



A British custom, I believe. I grew up in a 'tea household' and the standard was tea, milk and a bit of sugar. Once the pattern is established many people just continue with it apparently.:chargrined: Milk smooth out the taste a little if the tea is a bit bitter. (over steeped)


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## TheWonderingNovice (Aug 15, 2015)

Blade said:


> Generally Green tea or Orange Pekoe with no sweetener.
> 
> 
> 
> A British custom, I believe. I grew up in a 'tea household' and the standard was tea, milk and a bit of sugar. Once the pattern is established many people just continue with it apparently.:chargrined: Milk smooth out the taste a little if the tea is a bit bitter. (over steeped)


Yesterday I tried putting milk in my apple cinnamon tea and it wasn't too bad. It did smooth out the flavor because the cinnamon stung a bit. I think that is the only exception.


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## Blade (Aug 15, 2015)

TheWonderingNovice said:


> Yesterday I tried putting milk in my apple cinnamon tea and it wasn't too bad. It did smooth out the flavor because the cinnamon stung a bit. I think that is the only exception.



I think that pretty well any tea can be over-steeped and have a bitter, over-strong flavour. In regular tea tannins are the culprit leaving a bitter edge which milk can smooth over somewhat although the brew may still taste too strong. I no longer use milk in tea generally but I don't mind the experience as I was 'programmed' as a child to buy into it as normal.:scratch:

Thinking about it a moment the custom of milk and tea allows the maker a bit of leeway in quality.:dejection:


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## bazz cargo (Aug 15, 2015)

I drink hot chocolate, with a teaspoon of brandy, while driving my flame enveloped, tire screaming Ferrari Diablo backwards through the gates of Hell.


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## Rune (Aug 17, 2015)

Lately I've been drinking lavender milk tea. Taro milk tea is my favorite kind so far, though..


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## Crowley K. Jarvis (Aug 17, 2015)

I drink lots of chai tea with a generous amount of milk and sugar. 

It opens up my olfactories, and is one of the few things I can still taste when I have a cold.


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## Bishop (Aug 18, 2015)

Large tea, extra coca cola, hold the tea.


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## Arthur G. Mustard (Aug 19, 2015)

In a tea cup of course!


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## Thaumiel (Aug 19, 2015)

Put hot water in mug.
Place flowering tea in water. 
Stare at the tea.
Drink the tea.


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## ppsage (Aug 19, 2015)

For night, strong brewed Tiger Eye (black tea with caramel and cocoa notes) with cream, sugar and bourbon.


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## Bloggsworth (Aug 19, 2015)

Lapsang Souchong plain and unadorned...


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## Scarygothgirl (Aug 27, 2015)

I'm British, so generally black tea is the only thing called tea here, fruity/herbal teas are usually called infusions. Some people call them tea, but in Britain if someone asks you if you want a cup of tea, they mean black tea. I have milk in mine, used to have sugar but I've been trying to be healthier. 

I've not heard of people putting milk in any teas that aren't black tea, does it work?


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