I would like to hear people's recommendations for decaf black teas (assams,
ceylons, etc.). I am currently drinking Upton's decaf black (the English
Breakfast actually) when I have to, and it's...acceptable (not nearly as bad
as some gnarly tasting stuff I got from a local store) but decaf can all too
easily slip into that "funny-tasting" realm. So is anyone out there an
expert?

I realize there are different ways to decaf and I look for the CO2 decaf
teas, also I know one can decaf by doing a presteep but it hardly seems to
work with a black tea, especially a BOP or something. Black teas tend to not
have as much mileage in them (good darjeelings excepted, but they I don't
usually drink those with milk and sugar).

This is just for the evenings when I want a black tea but can't do the
caffeine.


Melinda

Prince John: Poor John. Who says poor John? Don't everybody sob at once!
My God, if I went up in flames there's not a living soul who'd pee on me to
put the fire out!
Prince Richard:: Let's strike a flint and see.

-Lion in Winter

My local tea shoppe has various CO2 decafs of Indian and Ceylon teas.
My wife occasionally likes a decaf in the evening. I've tasted them
and I think a bit understated but still with characteristic flavor.
I've never came across a commercial decaf I liked. My evening tea is
cooked pu. I drink it right after supper or with a bedtime snack. It
will settle the stomach so that isn't a sleeping problem. I drink
strong pu but a little goes a long way. A 1/2 gram would make a good
cup. I just don't experience the caffeine effects like I do with a
breakfast tea. I wouldn't drink any tea on an empty stomach in the
evening. A weak cup of good tea taste better than a cup of bad decaf
tea. Take a pinch of your normal tea amount and drink it off the top.
I like this approach better than tossing the first infusion. Along
that line don't be afraid to double or triple up the decaf tea amount.
You'll get a strong flavor but at least caffeine free. If I were
drinking a decaf it wouldn't be something I'd otherwise be drinking on
a frequent basis. You can also find a good tasting tisane you like and
add just enough tea for the smell and not the taste. Make a cup of
chai with more masala and less tea. I think a reduced caffeine intake
in the evening is a better approach than caffeine free.

Jim

Melinda wrote:
> I would like to hear people's recommendations for decaf black teas (assams,
> ceylons, etc.). I am currently drinking Upton's decaf black (the English
> Breakfast actually) when I have to, and it's...acceptable (not nearly as bad
> as some gnarly tasting stuff I got from a local store) but decaf can all too
> easily slip into that "funny-tasting" realm. So is anyone out there an
> expert?
>
> I realize there are different ways to decaf and I look for the CO2 decaf
> teas, also I know one can decaf by doing a presteep but it hardly seems to
> work with a black tea, especially a BOP or something. Black teas tend to not
> have as much mileage in them (good darjeelings excepted, but they I don't
> usually drink those with milk and sugar).
>
> This is just for the evenings when I want a black tea but can't do the
> caffeine.
>
>
> Melinda
>
> Prince John: Poor John. Who says poor John? Don't everybody sob at once!
> My God, if I went up in flames there's not a living soul who'd pee on me to
> put the fire out!
> Prince Richard:: Let's strike a flint and see.
>
> -Lion in Winter

Melinda wrote:
> I would like to hear people's recommendations for decaf black teas (assams,
> ceylons, etc.).

> I realize there are different ways to decaf and I look for the CO2 decaf
> teas.
>
> This is just for the evenings when I want a black tea but can't do the
> caffeine.

I like Upton's Decaffeinated Kenya BOP. It has the flavor I expect from
a Kenyan tea. That is a distinctly different flavor from Assams or
Ceylons so you may like it or may not. I like it with milk.

I believe it's processed with the CO2 method but you should check.

Eric

"Melinda" > wrote in message
...
> I would like to hear people's recommendations for decaf black teas
(assams,
> ceylons, etc.). I am currently drinking Upton's decaf black (the English
> Breakfast actually) when I have to, and it's...acceptable (not nearly as
bad
> as some gnarly tasting stuff I got from a local store) but decaf can all
too
> easily slip into that "funny-tasting" realm. So is anyone out there an
> expert?

I'm no expert on decaf'd blacks, but FWIW, my standard decafs are Upton's
decaf Apricot with Flowers (a favorite) and decaf Darjeeling. Their decaf
Black Currant is one that I buy as a sample only occasionally since I'm not
that into raisin-y flavor.

I don't always sweeten the decaf Apricot, but when I do, I use apricot
preserves .

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

All the above suggestions are fine. Mostly you need to know that all
decaf teas will be less flavorful than the straight tea they are made
from. The flavored decafs are probably good as they hide the fact that
the tea isn't very good. The 'throw away the first infusion method'
doesn't always work no matter what has been written. Caffeine is still
released in second and third infusions (all depends on the tea, where
grown, water temp and chemistry, etc. Have you tried Japanese Kukicha
(twig tea), Houjicha (roasted Bancha) or very roasted Oolongs such as
Wuyi Oolong from Rishi? Metropolitan Tea in Canada has a 'decaf Irish
Breakfast' fromKenyan leaf that was decaffeinated in the green leaf
form with solvent and then processed. Has a good flavor for a decaf.
All seem to me to have less caffeine than most black teas.

Richard

'Life without tea is simply intolerable.'

The decaf Darjeeling (#881) from specialteas.com is brilliant. It's
one of my favorite teas, decaf or otherwise. FedEx happens to have
another half-pound of it with my name on it at the moment.

I tend to stay up all night if I have so much as a diet coke after
noon, but I can drink a quart of this after dark (and usually do) and
crash.

They also have English Breakfast and Earl Grey in decaf. Hmm...2
straight black decafs, 9 flavored (including the E.G.), and 3
green...you could make yourself a full sampler pack (half-ounce
envelopes, 5-7 cups each) for $14 plus about $4 shipping.

--Blair

<a href="
http://www.specialteas.com/881+Decaf+Darjeeling+CO2+/item_no=122+41+00+81+1/cid=72/product_detail.html>Decaf
Darjeeling #881</a>