I’m on a weekend vacation and forgot to bring my tea and the international grocery didn’t have it, so I settled for Darjeeling. I can barely notice the difference. It’s so subtle that it might as well just be a different tea brand.

  • Peasley@lemmy.world
    62·
    14 days ago

    IBT is on the stronger/darker side, Darjeeling is on the lighter side.

    IBT should be rich, dark, high in caffeine, with a strong flavor that doesnt get overpowered by milk, or ruined by a little oversteeping. It can still be burned if you use water that’s too hot.

    Darjeeling should be amber-colored, light tasting, moderate in caffeine, and should have some floral notes. The flavors can be drowned out by milk or oversteeping in my opinion. Best black and lightly steeped in sub-boiling water.

    • 200ok@lemmy.world
      5·
      13 days ago

      This is a great description of the difference between bold and light black tea! I never thought about the over steeping and milk overpowering aspects and it makes so much sense – thank you!

  • Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
    28·
    14 days ago

    I’d have to assume that the Irish breakfast tea you had before just simply wasn’t Irish breakfast tea.

    Darjeeling is one of the lightest teas, not good for much other than “afternoon tea and cakes at Gleneagles hotel” kinda thing

    Try giving a cup of that to Bunny McGarry and see how fast he shoves a hurley up yer arse

  • then_three_more@lemmy.world
    21·
    14 days ago

    Sounds like you’ve been drinking some shit twinings level Darjeeling.

    Alternative

    I think the £3 bottle of prosecco I got from aldi and the £100 Champaign taste the same.

  • the_weez@midwest.social
    151·
    14 days ago

    I think you got ripped off. Darjeeling has a different taste than Irish Breakfast, but I’m terrible at describing tastes.

  • fireweed@lemmy.world
    12·
    14 days ago

    Are you comparing bagged tea or looseleaf? I feel like bagged tea tends to taste pretty similar, especially if sourced from a grocery store vs a tea shop.

  • Tiuku@sopuli.xyz
    10·
    13 days ago

    OPs reasons may be wrong, but the conclusion is nonetheless correct: Big tea did scam you.

  • milicent_bystandr@lemm.ee
    9·
    13 days ago

    One time a friend brought me some good quality, loose leaf Darjeeling tea. The box said to drink without milk or sugar, so I thought I’d give it a try.

    I am now a convert to plain black tea. That stuff was good!

    • Taalen@lemmy.world
      2·
      13 days ago

      A few years ago I got myself a nice tea maker with adjustable temperature and brew time. Then I got some nice Assam tea, brewed a pot, and it turned out so nice I decided it didn’t even need milk. Then I ended up on a wikipedia spiral and found out that the Brits apparently started putting milk in their tea when they started drinking Assam tea, after being used to milder Chinese teas. Heh.

  • aufbau161@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    9·
    14 days ago

    do you mind me asking about the amount of tea you have used as well as the time you let it sit for? most black tea like darjeeling and blends of breakfast teas taste very similar if brewed too strong (i.e. too much tea or too much time). i like to use about a tee spoon full of tea for a mug size and let it sit for about 3-4min max.

  • OpenStars@piefed.socialEnglish
    9·
    14 days ago

    IBT is best tea and I will die on this hill.

    Or maybe any hill. Perhaps I just want to die on some kind of hill? (/s btw:-P)

    img

  • Treczoks@lemmy.world
    8·
    13 days ago

    If you don’t notice the difference, well, your loss. I take a nice Darjeeling or Assam over a British Zombie Tea any time.

  • atro_city@fedia.io
    4·
    14 days ago

    I’d argue that most people can’t see nor taste the difference between similar products unless they are literally beside each other.

    • 𝕽𝖚𝖆𝖎𝖉𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍@midwest.social
      3·
      13 days ago

      Many products, sure. And with many caveats; Earl Grey is clearly distinct from Darjeeling, although both are black teas, simply because of the added bergamot. I can tell many apples apart - I couldn’t name them in a blind test, but in most cases I can tell you which aren’t Honey Crisp - the textures and tastes are very different for many varietals of apples. However, I don’t think I could identify what kinds of apples are in an apple cider.

      I’m sure you have your own examples. I’m not disagreeing with you, in general.

  • ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.comEnglish
    139·
    14 days ago

    This may be one of the most ‘first world problems’ worthy problems I’ve ever read…

    edit: /S for the downvoting folks that take a shower thoughts post seriously

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
      203·
      14 days ago

      It’s a shower thought, dude. Also, there’s no such thing as Big Tea as far as I know.

      Edit: I literally thought that in the shower and it amused me.

      • ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.comEnglish
        9·
        14 days ago

        Yeah, see I’d hardly know the difference from the $5 a box bags I buy to make iced tea in the summer.

        –Barbaric Murican 🙂

        • cynar@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          14 days ago

          I mean, your tea game is dire. Far too dilute, and made with cold salt water! Who would want to drink that. If that’s the best Boston can do, it completely explains why Americans don’t drink tea!

          • ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.comEnglish
            3·
            14 days ago

            Well we had to make enough for a whole party. The salt was just a bonus knowing no true Brit would ever let seasoning get near their meal.

            • cynar@lemmy.worldEnglish
              2·
              14 days ago

              We accidentally built an empire looking for new seasonings! It got so bad we started naming our new dishes after where we stole the flavours from!

              If you want to salt the tea, that’s your business, but at least heat the water first!

      • cynar@lemmy.worldEnglish
        7·
        14 days ago

        The British empire has entered the chat (backed by a very heavily armed fleet of warships).

      • KittenBiscuits@lemm.eeEnglish
        5·
        14 days ago

        There is however a Mr. T, and he would indeed pity the fool duped by a Darjeeling flim flam done in his name.

      • milicent_bystandr@lemm.ee
        2·
        13 days ago

        I knew a guy who looked into starting a tea growing business in Nepal. He was simplifying, I’m sure, but his answer in the end was it’s all controlled by the tea mafia!

    • cynar@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      14 days ago

      FYI, the taste differences become far more obvious with better quality teas. Darjeeling, being a more subtle (and posh) tea show this strongly. It’s also a lot less tolerant of poor brewing.

      For best results, don’t cheap out, and look up optimal brewing instructions.

      • The Picard Maneuver@lemmy.world
        5·
        14 days ago

        Sounds like good advice, thanks.

        Although I probably DO need tea that’s tolerant of poor brewing. I have small children (and ADHD) and am very bad about forgetting that I have tea brewing…

        • cynar@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          14 days ago

          Before kids, microwaved tea is an absolute travesty. After kids, it’s an unfortunate necessity.

          I personally have cheap(ish) teas that priduce a drinkable cup. I also have the good teas that deserve more care and attention.

          If you’re interested, these guys provide the best tea I’ve found so far. (They also supply a number of the best tea shops in Bath). It’s definitely not cheap tea, but I currently have several kg of it in the house 😅

          https://www.gillardsofbath.co.uk/

          • Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
            1·
            14 days ago

            Right, I’m sorry but I’m sure that tea is nice. But it basically looks to me like a bunch of trust fund babies trying to do to the tea scene what hipsters did to ale.

            I mean, their basic, everyday tea is 34p per bag. 30 bags for £11. That’s fucking nuts (not literally)

            Doesn’t sound that dreadful until you compare it to, for example, Yorkshire tea; a perfectly good everyday tea.

            4p per bag. 80 bags for £3. That’s 12X less, I think.

            I’m all for a good cuppa but all you’re doing buying that stuff is funding some posh cunt’s lifestyle

            Rant over

            • cynar@lemmy.worldEnglish
              1·
              14 days ago

              I know the sort of tea suppliers you’re referring to. Ive been disappointed by tea from quite a few of them. This isn’t one of them.

              They are actually a small family business that’s been quietly working for over 100 years. They are basically a whole sale company aimed at the ultra premium quality market. They have a little stall in one of the guildhall markets, where they’ve been for decades at least.

              As far as I’m personally concerned, their tea is worth the prices they charge. I also wouldn’t judge them by the price of bags. Them selling bags is relatively new. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn the teabags were hand made to order. When it comes to loose leaf, they are actually cheaper than some Twinings teas.

        • Deebster@programming.dev
          3·
          14 days ago

          Using leaf tea instead of bags means it’s more forgiving of over brewing. I’ve always assumed it’s because you have large pieces instead of the smaller bits plus dust you get in bags, but I have no idea really.