Your Morning Cuppa
I notice that I tend to drink the same few black teas first thing in the morning. My sense of adventure and willingness to try new things is obviously still asleep when I first get up, so I drink one of several very similar black teas. Sinharaja is my favorite morning go-to tea followed closely by Bohea Select and, for mornings that call for something a bit stronger, I go to Black Dragon Pearls (known as Dragon Balls in this house). If I want something with chocolate I generally sip Mélange de Chamonix (usually this is for mornings I wake up later).
And that’s it. I don’t drink greens, oolongs, whites, or most other teas in the early morning (though I will later in the morning).
How about you? How adventurous is your early morning palate? Do you tend to drink the same few teas? The same one tea? Or are you ready for all tea comers in the morning?
Workdays, I’m not very adventurous. Something strong, black and very forgiving that’ll taste OK if I don’t have enough time to brew it and have to throw it in a travel mug. PG Tips or an Irish Breakfast is usually my default.
I actually start my day with 2 cups of coffee. Some times on the weekend I’ll do mate instead (Teavana just came out with their EXCELLENT Raspberry Riot), but I need a large caffiene jolt to wake up.
I’m with gmathis in that I try to do something that will taste fine in a travel mug. For me, that pretty much rules out Chinese blacks or any oolongs since smell is a big part of those for me and they taste different when I drink them out of something with a lid. And I avoid greens in the morning just because I need something with more oomph. Since I’m just now getting into Assams, that means I tend to have a lot of flavored blacks in the morning. I think I’ll be mixing more unflavored breakfast blends in in the future but I don’t think the flavored morning teas will every fully go away for me.
More often than not, I wake up with Ryokucha. However, my mood upon waking up is the main determinant in what I decide to get going. The act of waking up is inversely proportionate to sleeping on my list of favorite activities. And I really, really like sleeping.
Sometimes, I need something quiet and whispering, and then I drink a white tea. If I need to be slapped around a little bit more, I’ll drink a black. But Matcha gives me a good kick in the pants and keeps me on a good energy level for a decent amount of time, which is why I favor it in the AM.
Each night when I go to bed I think to myself, “Matcha sounds great for tomorrow morning! I’ll make matcha in the morning when I wake up! I can’t wait for my morning matcha.”
Then I wake up and think “Stir things? Work up a foam? Are you kidding? Just kill me.” Then I make Sinharaja.
HAAAAAH that’s why I get my matcha fix in Ryokucha. My brain is typically not functioning enough to actually make matcha in the morning eitehr, and I like to be in a good place before I make it. I’m typically not in a good place when I wake up. Making matcha is a bit of a ceremony for me, so if I do it it’s usually mid-morning to afternoon and I’ve got time and am legitimately awake.
I pretty much drink the same nice black in the morning. I’ve been addicted to Golden Spring for quite some time now and I always have it as my morning wake-me-up. I’m not opposed to throwing some breakfast blends or assams in the mix once in a great while…but this golden spring is just orgasmic for me and I can’t stop it! I’m definitely addicted(who wouldnt be right?!) As the morning progresses I venture into my greens, oolongs and whites- a different mix every day to keep things interesting and fun.
If I drink chai, it’s usually in the morning. Usually steeped in coffee w/ milk added. I have a 3 tea rotation right now that I take w/ me to Bible study and church on Sunday mornings to infuse in my coffee. Adagio’s cocomint green, their chocolate chai, and Fava Tea Co’s Maple Sugar black. When I get more of Adagio’s caramel creme oolong and Black Whiskey Creme it will be a 5 tea rotation. Then I go to greens, whites, or oolongs and finish the day w/ a dessert tea. I need matcha. As soon as I get some I will have a bowl every morning as soon as I wake up.
HAHA as much as it may seem, I’m really not type A. Just very slightly when it comes to tea. The sunday morning rotation is more out of necessity. I love all 5 infused in coffee so this way I don’t run out of or get sick of one way before the others. And this way on Sat. nite before I go to bed I can just look and see which one I’m having and measure and put it in my filter bag so it’s ready for the morning. This also is LARGELY because I spend way too much time deciding what tea I’m in the mood for since I don’t have any tea in my stash I don’t love (I rehome those). I know whatever I pick I love, so it’s just easier this way- especially when I have to be at church by 7:45.
This might be an overexposed college thing, but every time you say you have a “bowl” I have to do a double take. You don’t strike me the type to do the more illicit nature of the term, but it makes me giggle every time.
@teafiend HAHA!!! No, I mean matcha. Athough I’m sure there are some stoner college students that would probably try sniffing it.
@teafiend LOL about the bowl comment, as a newbie to tea I myself was wondering what this means.
@cofftea I knew some college students way back when that probably would have tried to sniff it!
@rabbysmom, matcha is a powdered form of green tea that is traditionally drank from a bowl instead of a cup. Speaking of which… I JUST ordered my very 1st matcha set online so I will be having my morning matcha VERY soon!=D
I’m kind of strange in that I don’t want anything too strong in flavour in the morning if it’s for my travel mug. If I’m at home, I’ll drink whatever, but it I’m taking it with me on the train I prefer a white or a green most days. Well, I say ‘green’, the only green I’ve had in it so far was the Genmaicha, which was excellent for the purpose. Very nice morning tea. I’m not too bothered about the finer tasting quality at six in the morning, so I’m putting the cheap bagged white to good use. Not sure I’ll buy more of those bags when I’m through the box, but for now, it’s good enough. Better than wasting the expensive stuff on it when I’m not really paying attention to what I’m drinking.
Gemaicha for breakfast? Interesting, never tried that before. Certainly unusual but you know what? I’ll try tomorrow.
I think it’s a bit like drinking cereal. :) The rice makes it feel a little more ‘filling’ than if you just had a plain tea. For me, at least. :)
Yes…I agree on the filling part. That’s why I like to have it as a ’ afternoon snack’ at around 5.00pm…
My taste buds can’t feel anything subtle in the morning so I usually go for a strong black tea of some sort – Assam is always nice. I’m also less inclined to want to mess around with leaves and a filter when I just get up and often I’ll just reach for a caffinated tea bag.
Interesting! My taste buds seem to be the opposite. They are very sensitive to flavors in the morning, which is why I choose simple black teas that avoid astringency and bitterness even when oversteeped a bit.
Ooolongs and greens are always tougher for me to get right and my mouth complains much louder in the morning if I don’t.
Mostly black or black flavors but sometimes not…lol…
I usually like a good black tea too, usually a rose or leechie today I tried a grapefruit, assam is always good. I don’t like green or white in the AM not enough oomph for me.
Oh I forgot to mention that I take my vitamins and Rx pills in the morning so I also have a cup of premade loose leaf chilled tea. My favorites are Adagio’s white cucumber and their ginseng green (either w/ or w/o dried ginger root). Artichoke might be darn good chilled as well.
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