A Wide Variety of Options & Styles
What is straight tea? Is it like flat parsley? Or is it tangled? Straight tea is a tea that is just tea. It is the tea preferred by tea purists, who drink tea for the flavor of the tea, not for fruit flavors or other sweeteners.
There are about 300 varieties of tea. So which one is the ideal one? The fact that there are so many is a blessing and curse. Because there are so many varieties of tea there is one out there for almost everyone, but narrowing it down can take time.
Assuming tasting 300 cups of tea is not going to fit easily in your schedule there are some ways that the pool of tea can be narrowed a bit. If a drinker is looking for a lighter flavor, without sacrificing tea strength consider a white tea or a green tea. These teas undergo the least amount of processing and have a light delicate flavor when compared with more mainstream teas. If a white tea or green tea is selected, remember that the preparation is slightly different than regular- or black tea. The water temperature should be hot, but not boiling, and read the instructions regarding brewing time. If the tea is not brewed properly the flavor is often adversely impacted.
Oolong tea is a nice middle ground between black tea and green/white tea. It undergoes some oxidation but not a lot.
If you are looking for a full-bodied tea- think a petite syrah version of tea- black teas are the way to go. Black tea is the tea that is traditionally thought of. Black tea is the most common tea in the western world and is readily available in loose form as well as teabags. Black tea is meant to be brewed at a higher temperature than green or white counterparts. Green tea, white tea, and oolong teas all come from the same plant but different levels of oxidation and different preparation methods mean different flavors are produced.
Straight teas can be purchased online, in grocery stores, or specialty shops. If you are a new tea drinker, perhaps a trip to a specialty tea shop is a wise choice to familiarize yourself with the different varieties available.
