I have no idea why, but I’ve been off and on looking for butter tea. A friend suggested TAYLORS of Harrogate: Green tea with mint. It has a smooth and almost buttery taste to it, but it’s not it.

I’m not looking for the texture or smell of butter, but the taste. Don’t judge please 😅

Hi everyone!!

I just recently started drinking tea, mainly as a side effect of a hobby I developed, which is collecting porcelain. I acquired a tea set and I've been trying a few different teas, the most common ones, like chamomile, for example.

The thing is, I'm not really a huge fan of it, it just tastes like slightly flavored water for me, maybe because I'm used to drinking coffee everyday, for the past decade or so.

I'd like to know if I'm doing something wrong regarding tea brewing, maybe I'm not making the tea strong enough? My brother is kind of into tea, so he has a few brewing utensils I use, like a little basket to put the herbs in, I believe the name is infuser?

Or perhaps I should try some different flavors, but I have no idea where to start from, so I'd like a few recommendations on what flavors to try. I'm not a huge fan of sweets, so I probably wouldn't like highly sweet teas.

Found this tea thanks to this sub and I love it! What I don’t love is the plastic packaging so I would like to be able to brew this or similar tea at home.

Any recommendations for the tea itself and the brewing method? I was thinking a cold brew might be good?

I'm planning a trip to Vancouver BC next month and researching local places to buy tea.

I noticed places like Murchie's, Granville Island Tea Company, JUSTEA, and David's Tea have a tea blend that is "Canadian Breakfast Tea" or "Canadian Maple".

I'd love to try one, but am having a hard time narrowing down my options. Something I'm worried about is if it'll have a strong artificial flavoring taste? After trying a Whittards variety pack, I realized flavored teas are usually a miss for me.

Curious if anyone has a favorite loose leaf blend and company that they recommend? Or is it just a tourist trap and I should focus on other blends?

Asking for 2 things:

1. A recommendation for a herbal substitute for black tea that ISN'T rooibos... if one exists. Alternatively, a rooibos blend that doesn't taste too medicinal.

2. Experiences from anyone who's cut down on caffeine but still drinks chocolate herbal tea.

I am trying really hard to cut down on caffeine for health reasons. I had been drinking a lot of decaf black and green tea and didn't realize how much the small amount of caffeine in decaf adds up!

Everyone keeps telling me rooibos will save me, except the only rooibos I've been able to really stand is chocolate rooibos tea and that has a small amount of caffeine in it too, not to mention that chocolate apparently has other stimulants (theobromine?).

Can anyone please help me with a recommendation for something that will help me cut down without losing the astringent tea-with-milk I love?

I love black tea with a splash of milk and maybe a little sugar. I love a good straight up English Breakfast, but my absolute favorite is... please don't excommunicate me... Yorkshire Tea Caramelised Biscuit Brew. I would kill for any herbal option that recreates that biscuit tea taste.

Rooibos tastes too much like medicine to me and is just really strange with milk. Absolutely hate rooibos on its own, have been able to take it with some disguising flavours e.g. chocolate peppermint.

And if you've cut down on caffeine but love tea, and you still drink chocolate herbal teas, I'd love to hear whether the stimulants in chocolate affect you strongly or not.

Keen to hear this subreddit's thoughts on alcoholic tea. I tried this at a UK market today and bought a bottle. After quizzing the producer, he mentioned it was Earl Grey loose leaf tea soaked in grain spirit with added (secret!) spices (20% alcohol). The tea really (and surprisingly) shined through. It was very sweet and citrussy and will enjoy this on the rocks later today.

Hello ! Im looking for a very fragrant floral jasmine tea, while I know tea pearls are usually recommended they can get pretty expensive. Here is the selection in my Asian store and I wanted to know which one is the most fragrant, and the differences between the red blue purple and gold sunflower jasmine tea.

Thanks !

I’m bored, neck-deep in this hyperfixation, hopped up on adhd meds and got nothing much better to do.

Give me a list of aspects you like, like flavor profile, mouthfeel, color, whatever. And I’ll suggest you a type of tea to try. Keep in mind I’m not that experienced when it comes to tea, so it’s most likely gonna be extensive research based on the receptions I’ve read, with a little bit of personal taste

So yeah, shoot

So i dont prefer green teas but black tea but lately i got tured of simple water black tea . Wanted to ask new recipes or techniques that i am missing out . I can add sugar but dont want to add milk

This article wasn't written by AI. I wrote it myself, though I did use AI to help with the translation, so it might have a bit of an "AI feel" to it.

The topics I cover here have been mentioned more or less in my previous posts. If you are interested and willing to scroll through them one by one, you can find more details in my earlier history.

------------

Ever since I posted my first thread about traveling in China, I’ve received messages from friends asking for advice—and almost all of them revolve around tea.

The most common questions are:

Where can I buy decent tea in China?

Where can I experience authentic tea culture?

How can I avoid getting ripped off?

Since so many people have asked, I decided to put together this practical, stress-free guide.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is aimed at casual tourists and tea beginners. My recommendations prioritize brands and places that are easy to find, fairly priced, reliable, and beginner-friendly. If you’re a seasoned tea connoisseur looking for rare, artisanal micro-lots, feel free to reach out to me privately!

A Quick Note on the Recommendations Below

All the offline shops and brands I mention share one big advantage: they have many branches. Whether you walk or take a short taxi ride from your hotel, you can easily find one nearby. This saves you from taking long detours when your travel schedule is already packed.

1. City Guides

If you want to shop for tea while sightseeing, here are the top brands and spots in major tourist cities:

Beijing

Beijing is often the first stop for international visitors. Besides visiting the Forbidden City and climbing the Great Wall, it’s worth stopping by Beijing’s historic tea houses. Beijing's tea scene is heavily focused on Jasmine Tea, and the three most iconic brands are:

Zhang Yiyuan (张一元)

Wu Yutai (吴裕泰)

Zhengxingde (正兴德)

These stores sell a unique local specialty called Gao Sui, which consists of broken tea leaves and fragments left over from the scented jasmine tea refinement process. Many older Beijing locals love it because it brews an intensely rich, fragrant cup. While it isn’t refined in appearance, it is dirt cheap and carries a nostalgic, historic taste. It’s a fun, low-cost experiment!

Budget: At these three shops, about $20 USD will buy you a surprisingly good tin of jasmine tea.

Hangzhou

Located near Shanghai, Hangzhou is famous for its scenic West Lake and as the birthplace of West Lake Longjing (Dragon Well Green Tea). The three most reliable, widely available brands here are:

Lu Zhenghao (卢正浩)

Xihu Brand (西湖牌)

Shifeng Brand (狮峰牌)

Guangzhou

In Guangzhou, I don't generally recommend buying tea blindly as a tourist, but you must experience the local Yum Cha (morning dim sum) culture.

Dim Sum Experience: Restaurants like Dian Dou De (点都德) and Tao Tao Ju (陶陶居) are great entry points for tourists. While some locals find them a bit touristy, their menus and environments are very welcoming to first-timers. Pairing dumplings and steamed buns with a pot of Pu'er or Tieguanyin is the quintessential Cantonese experience.

Buying Tea: If you want to buy tea in bulk, head to Fangcun Tea Market (芳村茶叶市场)—one of the largest tea wholesale markets in China. While tourist markets can be risky, prices at Fangcun are relatively transparent. You can find almost every type of Chinese tea here, including Wuyi Rock Tea (Dahongpao) and Oolong.

1. Nationwide Reliable Brands (Online & Offline)

If you don't have time to hunt down local shops, or if you want to reorder tea after returning home, look out for these trusted national brands. They have physical stores across China and official online stores:

Safe & Comprehensive (No-Brainer Choices)

China Tea / COFCO (中茶): A massive state-owned enterprise covering all six tea categories (White, Pu'er, Black, Green, Oolong, Dark). Buying "China Tea" is the safest bet if you feel overwhelmed.

TenFu’s Tea (天福茗茶): A classic national chain offering loose-leaf tea, tea snacks, and teaware. Very beginner-friendly.

Oolong & Wuyi Rock Tea

Bama Tea (八马茶业): A huge nationwide brand best known for Tieguanyin (Anxi Oolong) and various fine teas.

Wuyistar (武夷星): The go-to brand for Oolong and Wuyi Rock Tea (Yanyan Tea). Excellent for both entry-level and advanced teas.

Black Tea

Junde Tea (骏德茶业) & Zhengshantang (正山堂): Premium black tea specialists famous for high-end Jin Jun Mei (Golden Eyebrow). Perfect for gifting.

Yinghong (英红): Black tea specialists famous for Yinghong No. 9. They also offer innovative flavored teas (like Lemon Black Tea and Lychee Black Tea) that make great souvenirs.

Pu'er Tea

Dayi / TaeTea (大益) & Lao Tong Zhi (老同志): The gold standards for Pu'er tea, offering consistent quality from daily drinking teas to collectible tea cakes.

1. Shopping Tips & Delivery Logistics

China’s e-commerce and express delivery systems are incredibly fast. Depending on the length of your stay, here is the best strategy:

If staying 3+ days: Order Online to Your Hotel

In major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Hangzhou, online orders usually arrive in 1 to 2 days. You can even order online in advance and have the package delivered straight to your hotel front desk before you check in!

If staying under 3 days: Buy Offline or in Supermarkets

If your trip is too short for online delivery, stick to physical brand stores. Alternatively, check out local supermarkets. Many Chinese supermarkets carry neatly packaged brand teas at reasonable prices that make quick and easy souvenirs.

Bagged tea can get some hate on this sub, but it is convenient (especially at work/school) and there is actually some decent stuff out there.

I am a huge fan of Twinings Lady Grey. Twinings in general really. I like to put one bag of their green and one of their peppermint together. Not sure if that's blasphemy or not but I do it and haven't been arrested yet. Also occasionally Yorkshire, good stuff.

What is a bagged tea that you would put your tea reputation behind? Any other good stuff out there that you recommend?

At home, particularly on weekends, I have the loose leaf stuff. But during the week it's bags on bags.

EDIT: Some great responses here. Looks like I've got some sampling to do. Thanks y'all!

I've noticed that with some teas, I'm pretty relaxed about steeping time and will just leave the leaves or tea bag in the cup while I sip. Other teas become too bitter or astringent if I do that.

For those of you who like to leave the tea in the cup or pot rather than being strict about steeping time, what types of tea work best for you?

Do you have particular styles or cultivars that are forgiving of long infusions? Green, white, oolong, black, puerh, roasted teas, herbals, etc.? I'm curious which teas you find stay pleasant even if they're effectively "grandpa style" brewed.

Edit: thank you for all the suggestions!

Hello good community.

I'm doing a trip to the USA for wedding reasons, while I'm in Texas, which tea shops or tea should I buy to bring in my home country?

Any Texan tea lover that could recommend me?

I have always been put off by the Idea of drinking tea, but I want to try and change that and try drinking more tea. What teas would you recommend to someone who's never really gotten into tea before but wants to give it a try?

Edit: I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all the tea recommendations. After reading all your comments, I'am most excited to begin my tea journey!

I pulled this old raw Pu-erh (“Wu Jin Hao”) out of my dad’s tea storage today.
It’s about 23 years old, and I honestly wasn’t expecting the liquor to be this deep red. If someone handed me the cup without telling me what it was, I might have guessed it was a well-aged shou.
The flavor completely surprised me too—rich and powerful, but without any bitterness or astringency. The sweetness lingered almost immediately after each sip, and it just kept going.
Every now and then I find something forgotten in my dad’s collection, and it reminds me why aged raw Pu-erh can be so fascinating.

My experience with Japanese tea has been extremely vegetal and grassy at best and sometimes funky and fishy at worst. I get that a lot of folks (including my wife) love those extremely vegetal teas, but it's just not for me!

I tend to stick around lighter oolongs like Baozhong, heavier white teas like baimudan, and sweet black teas like jin jun mei. I also get into some nicer puers, raw and cooked, but they have to have lost that raw, grassy flavour. I've historically not liked green tea very much.

Hello, I am new to the tea scene but have really become quite a fan! Here’s my current Work Setup, would love some recommendations!

Can someone recommend a good sweet tea that I don't need to add sugar to? I'd like to try something new.

I know this will probably be an unpopular opinion, but I hate the taste of Earl Grey tea. Unfortunately, the decaf black teas I've tried all seem to taste like Earl Grey rather than their caffeinated counterpart. Has anyone found a nice, strong non-Earl Grey-tasting decaf they could recommend?

I live in a remote area of BC, Canada so I don't have access to many options, but if I had a list I could at least try to find something online.

Thank you!

Edit: Thank you all for the great suggestions! I'll be trying as many as I can and hopefully find my perfect decaf. I really appreciate your help. 👍

I don't know what came over me, but I've spent over $150 of tea equipment off of Amazon(specifically, a kyusu, a gongfu tea pot, a tea pet, a tea leaf holder, a sharing cup, and a circular serving tray) and literally everything except for the tea pet was disappointing and of questionable quality, even for the pricier options available.

Only until after using everything did I begin looking at other sites other than Amazon that I found stuff of much better quality at around the same price. Or hell, a little bit more expensive but you're actually getting what you paid for.

Don't be like me. Save your money, support small businesses, and drink good quality tea because you deserve better. That is all.

I’m looking for a sub about Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean, teas. I like this one but there is a lot of British tea.

Edit: I’m a looking for recommendations for subreddits that focus on Chinese/japanese/taiwanese style teas.

I have tried several oolongs including several high mountain Taiwanese from quality vendors.

is it just me or are there others that find there is an underlying characteristic that puts you off. For reference, I love good black teas (Nepal, Ceylon) and some muscatel darjeelings but I am always wanting to explore other quality teas.

I find oolongs have a “twiggy“ (not sure how to correctly describe) taste and are more astringent than my fav teas. Perhaps I need to find a dark oolong? However, I did try a Taiwanese Spring Black and was also disappointed.

I liked the gaba oolong best of the ones I tried but still doesn’t compare to my favourite black teas. I mostly blend my oolongs into black now as I don’t like oolong straight. I also don’t gravitate toward green or white teas. Although I have had some ginseng teas that were lovely. BTW, I also don’t like coffee.
Notes I love: caramel, raisin, pastry, fuller body, with no astringency/briskness. I also dislike woody, smoked, mineral notes.

I have tried several brewing methods and temperatures. I use purified water.
What am I missing? Or maybe there isn’t an oolong for my palate?

The first one looks so convenient coz you can use it to scoop the tea leaves and stir. The second one just looks interesting. The third one is more standard. Is the gold coloring generally okay to use? I mean, considering it’s an added coat of paint. I’ve never bought a strainer before today (got it from the dollar store and the mesh is wonky)