Teas to convert the skeptical

Hi guys!

My husband is not a big tea drinker. Instead, he prefers juice and diet cola. Considering that he’s diabetic, I really worry about that sometimes. He dislikes drinking tea because he thinks tea tastes “too watery” for him.

However, a few days ago, I brewed up some Big Apple by David’s Tea and he had a sip out of curiosity. He said that this is one of the few teas he’d probably want to drink in the future. I was surprised for a number of reasons:

- I didn’t taste much apple flavour in the tea, and didn’t add any sweetener.
- The only other tea of mine he’s liked is straight-up spearmint with a LOT of agave nectar added.

So, now I’m wondering: how many of you have friends and family members who don’t really like tea? Have any of you found teas that will “convert” those that don’t like it? If so, which teas?

20 Replies

Hmmmm. I don’t have any that I know of who actively dislike tea, but left to his own devices my BF (who says he went through a tea phase years ago before I knew him) would drink Dr. Pepper or Dr. Pepper Cherry, or some other non-tea drink. Except for iced tea, which is his drink of choice at restaurants if it is fresh brewed.
He even likes the really sweet fruit sodas, like Fanta, and the really sweet agua frescas from Mexico.

I am able to interest him in true tea occasionally, but he has greater interest when the tea is either a fruit blend or a fruit flavored black, green or white tea. Or a good fruit flavored rooibos or honeybush. I have noticed that teas with tropical fruit flavors, like mango, papaya, and pineapple seem to go over particularly well with him, as do teas with peach flavor.

Thinking back on my own tea journey, the fruit blends, rooibos and honeybush were sort of gateway drugs for me, too. So maybe get him started with the fruity things and when he gets used to the somewhat lesser degree of sweetness those have, then you can move from that to less fruit and more tea.

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carol who said

I push one of my go-to teas like Guayaki Yerbe Mate Chocolatte or Mateavana for people who like coffee. For the people who like cream and sugar I give them the tea with a little vanilla stevia drops. The touch of coffee flavor helps. The extra caffeine doesn’t hurt. It seems most people who drink coffee don’t think that teas will give them that extra kick. :-) I stay away from herbals for a wile or the do think they its water. Often they have tried Celestial Seasonings and haven’t been impressed.

These vanilla stevia drops you speak of…. is there a particular brand that you like? I’m trying to convert someone to stevia and pull them away from artificial sweeteners.

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LuckyMe said

I’ve grown accustomed to straight tea but I’ve found most tea novices don’t really care for them even good quality tea so I serve them flavored tea. Something with a light fruitiness and hint of sweetness like Teavana’s Fruta Bomba seems to work well.

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Dxniel said

Perhaps Ginseng Oolong (Lan Gui Ren). It’s a very sweet tea. So sweet that you should really not steep it for too long, because it might turn out too sweet to enjoy.

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Black tea was my gateway tea. And also rooibos.

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Katiek said

I’ve also found flavored tea, without any additional sugar, a good way to entice people used to sodas. In winter, vanilla, caramel and chocolate flavored teas, or gingerbread/pumpkin are my favorites. In warmer weather I tend to drink more iced tea and prefer fruit and berry flavors such as peach, cranberry or citrus flavored black teas.

See if there are certain flavors your husband likes and see if you can find a tea to match. If he likes “richer” flavors like coffee, maybe something like an Irish cream rum tea.

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Kaylee said

My dad thinks all tea tastes the same, but he fell head over heels for Harney & Son’s Hot Cinnamon Sunset. It tastes like candy.

Like red hots?

Kaylee said

Pretty much.

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I converted a friend with this, problem is I can’t find a place to order it….got it for 25 bucks at Homegoods, half of it went in the trash because of living situation(Mold, all food must go…).

http://www.touchorganic.com/specialty-show-3431.html

Oh yeah if anyone knows where to get it PM or reply to this haha…

vc said

I’ve seen this brand in Winners (Canada).

Sadly I am in the U.S…NYC to be specific, can’r seem to find it, but it did convert a friend who though all tea was bitter and gross, it was my daily tea for a while, some reason its the only one I found so far that I can drink ridiculous amounts of without getting bored.

vc said

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Skysamurai said

It really depends on what the people like. My husband doesn’t drink much but he loves a tea called Red Hot Cinnamon
http://www.indigo-tea.com/cinnamon-red-hot-black.shtml

I would try Evening in Missoula. Many tea companies make it but I’ve found I really like it from the same company that makes Red Hot Cinnamon.

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I’m the only one who consistently drinks tea in my household, but I’ve found that fruitier teas tend to go over pretty well? Art of Tea’s Green Pomegranate, for example, is pretty well liked. Or Butiki’s With Open Eyes can be an easy transition for those who enjoy a sweeter flavor profile (someone I forced it on described it to me as tasting like jello?). Also, I’ve noticed that the milkier-tasting teas tend to be a big hit, so something along the lines of a milk oolong is a good way to start. My mother, who hates most tea, really enjoyed a cup of Mandarin Silk that I brewed up for her. I should note that I only drink my teas straight up, no milk or sweetener, so anyone I foist tea on is getting the same treatment.

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