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Tabby

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Tabby drank Cream Earl Grey by TeaFrog

Yesterday, I declared that I would stop sweetening my tea. I drank my Dilmah Earl Grey without it and honestly, kinda suffered through it. But I stuck with it again today and brewed this up, adding only ice.

Yeah. I can’t do this. It’s going to be some kind of low calorie sweetener from now on, because all the sugar I’ve been consuming lately has been hurting my waistline. Anyway, um, about the tea…

Got it in a trade with Spencer. This is pretty tasty. The bergamot could be a bit stronger and cleaner-tasting, but it’s not bad. I particularly like the creamy aspect. But as I drank it, all I could think was “Man, this would be good with some sugar…” Especially since I brewed it on the strong side, and it was pretty bitter. I wish I had some more… I feel like I can’t even properly review it after today…

2012-08-10 23:01:08 -0400

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ashmanra 2012-08-11 08:18:30 -0400

For me, the key was finding teas that were really good without sugar and that even suffered a little with it. Wel, the main thing that helped was two people I drink tea with who won’t add sugar to ANYTHING, even coffee, and it embarrassed me to add sugar in front of them, so I ended up becoming accustomed to no sugar. I guess the conversation distracted me a bit from missing it, too! LOL! Golden Monkey is one that tastes so great plain, but for me, was less stellar when sugar was added.

Calochortus 2012-08-12 05:24:34 -0400

I decided to stop sweetening my tea a few years back and, while it was hard at first, it definitely got easier (to the point that I don’t use sugar at all). I’ve noticed milk helps with bitterness, but I know a lot of people don’t like creamers in their milk, too…

Mercuryhime 2012-08-12 08:22:07 -0400 I usually don’t take sugar with my tea because I usually don’t drink blacks. When I do have a black tea, I usually find myself reaching for cream and sugar. Except Lupicia’s Chaud les marrons! That is fantastic by itself. So maybe try oolongs and greens and see if you can take them unsweetened. I also find that teas brewed at lower temps extract less bitterness and astringency which will decrease the desire for sugar. God luck!

Tabby 2012-08-12 18:32:07 -0400

This is all really encouraging me to keep trying. It’s hard to stop when you were brought up in the deep south where the tea is 1 part water, 1 part sugar!

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Quiet, strange, and in love with the world of tea. 20-something and living just outside of Atlanta. Cat lover, EBM/industrial geek, balcony gardener, and collector of fossils. On the hunt for the perfect tea in each of my favorite categories.

I prefer black and fruit teas, but I’m trying to broaden my horizons. My favorites tend to be yunnan tips, earl grey, golden monkey, chai, and darjeeling. My favorite add-ons are plum, cinnamon, coconut, apple, raspberry, bergamot, cucumber, sage, vanilla, and caramel.

I’m shy about green tea, curious about white, and learning to love oolong. I hate rooibos and anything with orchid, fennel, or jasmine.

I’m currently trying to grow my own tea. I have a 2-year-old potted Camellia sinensis, and I plan on picking a tiny bit of new growth this spring for my first try at drying my own leaves.

I have a habit of shopping at Asian grocery stores, so I end up pioneering a lot of teas that are new to Steepster.

I’m always down for a trade, so feel free to browse my cupboard and note me!