I brought back an assortment of teas from Fortnum & Mason and the first cup I made was pretty bitter. Is it possible that it was just a bad bag? Is it because I bought bags instead of the loose leaves? Will using filtered water help?<BR><BR>Thanks in advance for any help.

How did you brew it? Perhaps too long or too hot? You should put the bag(s) in a cup or pot, and pour in water that is *just off the boil*, not rolling boiling water, which can bring out flavors you don't want. Steep for 3 minutes, remove tea bag.<BR><BR>Or, perhaps there are some types of tea in your assortment that you just don't like!

what did it say on the box?

how about adding sugar /milk or lemon?

How do you like your tea? whtat tastes good to you?<BR><BR>I like black English Breakfast tea with lots of milk and sugar. But usually I drink Earl Grey and that I like with sugar and lemon.<BR><BR>Don't make it too strong.That is when the tanins make it bitter. I never heard of a "bad bag of tea".<BR>

Vita go to the Food TV Network web site and go to show or recipe search Marth Stewart did a show just last week on tea. Also check out Alton Brown show good eats . it will have everything you want to know about tea do a recipe search put tea and it will link you to the shows. www.foodtv.com

The problem is the fact that you are using tea bags instead of loose tea.<BR><BR>Mr. Haines posted a URL here once for the tea museum in London. Very interesting site. It says there that tea in bags is the equivalent to instant coffee. It is rolled and cut differently than loose tea. <BR><BR>I've never liked tea from tea bags but have always absolutely loved tea from loose tea, and now I know why.<BR><BR>I wish I still had the URL for the tea museum to give you, but I don't. Maybe if you did a search here? Look for "tea" or maybe do a search of Ben Haines. Good luck. (Tea should not be bitter!)<BR><BR>

Here's the link Cuppa is talking about<BR><BR>www.bramahmuseum.co.uk/need_to_make_tea.htm <BR><BR>Enjoy

Perfect Cup of Tea <BR> <BR><BR><BR>Recipe courtesy Alton Brown<BR><BR>4 heaping teaspoons loose tea<BR>4 cups water<BR>Place loose tea leaves into a warmed tea kettle. Pour heated water over loose tea leaves. Let steep. Strain tea and serve. <BR><BR>*Note: For Oolong and Green tea, water should simmer at 200 degrees F. and 180 degrees F. <BR><BR>*For Irish and English tea bring water to a full boil. <BR><BR>*Black tea should soak for 3 to 5 minutes. Oolong tea should soak for 4 to 7 minutes. Green Tea should soak for 2 to 3 minutes.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Yield: 4 servings<BR>Prep Time: 5 minutes<BR>Cook Time: 2 minutes<BR>Difficulty: Easy<BR><BR><BR> <BR>

I use the bag forms of Fortnum and Mason's Darjeeling and of Mariage Freres jasmine tea and have no problems with bitterness. <BR>However, I don't steep it very long and I also follow the advice of my British mother-in-law: don't fiddle with the tea bag while it's steeping. Don't jiggle the bag and lift it up and down. That can turn tea bitter.

Thanks, all. I probably just let it steep too long. No fiddling, no jiggling, no rolling boil. <BR><BR>PS - I drink my tea straight, but I usually have something sweet with it. Cheers.

My aunt, who was so tight-fisted she squeaked when she walked, loved good British tea but balked at the price. She "discovered" that she could re-use the teabags if she didn't let them steep too long, because the teabags contained enough tea to make a very stiff first cup. <BR><BR>She had a "mug-tree" (a metal stand with several hooks on which to hang mugs) on her kitchen counter, from which several used teabags always hung. It was the most bizarre little bit of tea-bag-willow "bonzai" you can imagine.

I would watch the time you let it steep. I use tea bags at home & find it tastes nasty if I don't let it steep long enough. I was told that first comes the color & then comes the flavor. So I guess it turns dark before the flavor steeps in. Also I found some teas had an "oily" taste. I can't remember which it was but maybe some breakfast tea. Lipton tea always tastes too stron to me so it might just be that you need to experiment & find one that suits your palate.

May I disagree with Alton John ? Four spoonsful of tea leaves for the water that will fill four cups is black, black, tea, with tannin a-plenty. My mother taught me, and I practice, one spoon per person drinking the tea, and one extra for the pot.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London

Ben Haines,<BR> you must be my long lost brother!! Lol`that is what my mother taught me also<BR>Are you enjoying your travels still?<BR>Regards, Kate C

use a tea-pot instead of placing the bag into a cup. Much too strong.

Put a little gin in it and the bitter taste will disappear.

Bitter, schmitter. My Irish grandmother use to throw loose tea in an aluminum saucepan, cover it with tap water, and BOIL the whole damn thing for 5 minutes. After that, everything else tastes like pansy water.<BR><BR>Consequently, I find that bottled water (Phoenix water has a funny taste, and leaves scum on top of the cup of tea), just barely boiling, and leaving the bag or teaball in the cup for about 3 minutes makes a decent cup of tea.

elvira, do you ever make sun tea? we did that once when visiting relatives in the desert.It was very good,especially with mint leaves added.!

Random thoughts about tea:<BR>* The tea in tea bags is very fine (the sweepings from the floor) and therefore turns bitter quickly. <BR>* I drink mine black so I use a high quality loose tea and brew for color. * Breakfast teas (English, Scottish, Irish) are stronger than afternoon teas. <BR>* Darjeeling is considered an afternoon tea and is less bitter. <BR>* Many people who drink strong tea also use milk and sugar to deaden the bitterness.<BR>* After many trips to the UK, the best tea I had was at Plasir du Chocolate in Edinburgh. They brought a perfectly brewed pot with the leaves removed. Most places have used bags or left the loose tea stewing in the pot. Yuck!<BR>* The Tea Museum is interesting, mostly a large collection of tea pots, but has a tea room and small shop.