Tea versus teabag

I hold that there are 2 drinks. Tea, and teabag.

1. Tea comes as leaves. Teabag comes as dust in paper or (shudder) plastic pyramids.
2. Tea gets to swim freely like God intended (or if you're atheist) as nature intended. Teabag imprisons the crushed bits of tea like when my wife sends me to the doghouse.
3. Tea isn't bitter because the tannins are contained in the leaves. Teabag is bitter because the cells in the leaves are broke, and it is also bitter because it has been beaten up and broken into bits. That'd make me bitter too.
4. Tea doesn't need adulteration with things like milk, lemon, sugar, flowers, and fruit because it is naturally flavoured and wonderful. Teabag, as in inferior product may well need alteration with the flavours of flowers, berries and other contaminants. Now I don't complain if you want to flavour your tea, but it shouldn't be a requirement.

Okay, both tea and teabag are better than canned corporatism, such as those fizzy liquid candy drinks. Tea is like a real wet shave, teabag is like a disposable razor, and the canned candy is an electric shaver.

Loose leaf tea is definitely, in my opinion, the way to go. Once you do, tea bags just don't cut it.

Teabags also don't provide the necessary Brownian Motion for an Infinite Improbability Drive [emoji6]

Tea bags are good for on the go or a morning with Ive over sleep..
Loose tea gives more sleeps the a tea bag..
But tea bags give you more caffeine, then a a another brewing of tea gives you.
I can put whole tea leafs and paper tea bag into my compost heap and get something from a bi-product.

drwevil said:

Teabags also don't provide the necessary Brownian Motion for an Infinite Improbability Drive [emoji6]

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Well...

Teabags make the I.I.Drive shudder and klunk, and not really work well at all. On the other hand, loose-leaf tea keeps the Drive puerring right along nicely.

I use mostly loose leaf tea, but a properly brewed cup of Lipton tastes just fine.

Tea should come in a tuo, brick, or bing.

Old north said:

I hold that there are 2 drinks. Tea, and teabag.

1. Tea comes as leaves. Teabag comes as dust in paper or (shudder) plastic pyramids.
2. Tea gets to swim freely like God intended (or if you're atheist) as nature intended. Teabag imprisons the crushed bits of tea like when my wife sends me to the doghouse.
3. Tea isn't bitter because the tannins are contained in the leaves. Teabag is bitter because the cells in the leaves are broke, and it is also bitter because it has been beaten up and broken into bits. That'd make me bitter too.
4. Tea doesn't need adulteration with things like milk, lemon, sugar, flowers, and fruit because it is naturally flavoured and wonderful. Teabag, as in inferior product may well need alteration with the flavours of flowers, berries and other contaminants. Now I don't complain if you want to flavour your tea, but it shouldn't be a requirement.

Okay, both tea and teabag are better than canned corporatism, such as those fizzy liquid candy drinks. Tea is like a real wet shave, teabag is like a disposable razor, and the canned candy is an electric shaver.

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Great post @Old north. But now I am feeling guilty, because I brewed a cup of loose leaf English Breakfast tea this morning and put a spot of milk and maple syrup it. Just a spot though... It's Bedlam today here in Oklahoma

[MENTION=32898]OkieStubble[/MENTION]

OkieStubble said:

.... maple syrup it. Just a spot though... It's Bedlam today here in Oklahoma

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Maple syrup is another one of those Very Good Things, even if a tea adulterant. -- sorry to hear about the bedlam.

I've just begun to dabble in tea after years of dusty tea bag consumption, but I've yet to find any form of loose leaf I enjoy as much as my bagged Bigelow Earl Grey

OkieStubble said:

Great post @Old north. But now I am feeling guilty, because I brewed a cup of loose leaf English Breakfast tea this morning and put a spot of milk and maple syrup it. Just a spot though... It's Bedlam today here in Oklahoma

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Don't tell Old North, but I always put milk and honey in my Chai. And I drink my coffee black. Go figure.

Doc4 said:

Well...

Teabags make the I.I.Drive shudder and klunk, and not really work well at all. On the other hand, loose-leaf tea keeps the Drive puerring right along nicely.

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My experience exactly. In fact you just can't get into Milliways (Restaurant at the end of the Universe) if you use a teabag.

"Life don't talk to me about life" - Marvin

Old north said:

@OkieStubble
Maple syrup is another one of those Very Good Things, even if a tea adulterant. -- sorry to hear about the bedlam.

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Bedlam is the annual game between Oklahoma State University (I won't call them OSU- their is only one true OSU) and Oklahoma
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedlam_Series

Now, a teabag is not, in and of itself, such a bad thing. I've seen and used bags that were filled with good tea and that were large enough to allow that tea to spread out and do its thing. Yes, it's those tightly packed sacks of floor sweepings are pure evil.

That said, though, some of those nasty, little packs can pass muster. I recall a time when I had a cup of tea that was pretty good for what I expected it would be. I asked what the tea was, and it turned out to be just plain, old Lipton. What made it work was that it was brewed properly, at a proper temperature and to a proper strength. That makes all the difference, as so many around here think that tea should be something akin to lukewarm bath water.

Well I am rather hard up, bossy, prudish and otherwise insufferable when it comes to tea. I take my own kettle when travelling, with my own cup and of course my own tea, and am known to take water with me as well.

I try to have good manners when people offer tea and then present their little collection of envelopes with very dry tea in them that granny gave them three years ago and crusted pot last used before granny died. In the case of those elderly envelopes, the best thing is to request the adulterants, make it strong, smile politely and when no one is looking water a plant. Plants are undiscerning when it comes to tea. Or better yet, ask for scotch. Scotch is a very good cure for bad tea. Though some people think it unusual to have it for breakfast.

oc_in_fw said:

(I won't call them OSU- their is only one true OSU)

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Bags are OK, loose is better.

Wife got a set of loose teas for a Christmas gift.

In a kitchen utility drawer, we finally came up with a spring-loaded tea ball thing, which we both deny buying. It worked lousy, so I ordered a higher-end tea strainer ... Now, can't wait to dive into loose tea.

Have one of those pressed-formed bricks stashed away somewhere ... Heard where peppers hoard those; 20-year shelf life or something.

Is there a Beginner's Guide to Loose Tea?


AA

So this isn't about a pick-up game of hoops?

If my day does not start properly with a pot of loose-leaf Assam and an indulgent DE shave, then I may as well go back to bed because I'm going to be as grumpy as heck for the rest of the day.

Apart from Earl/Lady Grey, flavoured teas, tea bags - and, for that matter, bowl lathering - is the work of the Devil incarnate.