Quality Teas

[baroness]

Another matter to keep in mind when tea shopping: 4 ounces of loose tea will brew 40 to 50 cups on average (this is Western style, one infusion). Do the math; tea can cost considerably MORE per pound than coffee, but less per cup!

From the TeaSource.com website:

"Tea is the most affordable luxury in the world. But at first glance it may seem expensive. A tea that costs $100.00 per pound only costs 50 cents per cup when brewed. A pound of tea will typically yield 200 cups (vs. 40-50 cups from a pound of coffee).

Also, many of the teas in our collection will yield as many as 4-6 infusions from the same leaves (particularly oolongs and greens). For many teas, those later infusions yield the most interesting flavors. Since most of the caffeine is released in the first infusion, this is also a way to reduce the caffeine content."

[jsmeeker]

You are very correct. When looking at the teas in bulk at my local fancy pants grocery store (Central Market), the prices on the jars seems REALLY high. But I can scoop out a small bit. When I weigh it, the lable prints up $1.50. That little bag will brew me a couple of pots. The pot I use brews 3-4 cups of tea.

Really, it's not all that bad. Heck. that $1.50 is about ONE cup of drip coffee at Starbucks cost. What a single espresso based drink costs me ($4) would buy many many many cups of tea. (of course, I'll still buy those coffee drinks now and then)

[Yajna Patni]

Even a wonderful first flush darjeeling will not kill your budget usually.

I have in the past bought a few ounces, and had a fancy tea party. Much cheaper than fancy wine too!

[tsquare]

I was feeling like I needed a treat and bought a few spoonfuls of Jasmine tea at $85/ lb. Cost me $2.50 and it will make me quite a few cuppas.

[Naftal]

Another matter to keep in mind when tea shopping: 4 ounces of loose tea will brew 40 to 50 cups on average (this is Western style, one infusion). Do the math; tea can cost considerably MORE per pound than coffee, but less per cup!

From the TeaSource.com website:

"Tea is the most affordable luxury in the world. But at first glance it may seem expensive. A tea that costs $100.00 per pound only costs 50 cents per cup when brewed. A pound of tea will typically yield 200 cups (vs. 40-50 cups from a pound of coffee).

Also, many of the teas in our collection will yield as many as 4-6 infusions from the same leaves (particularly oolongs and greens). For many teas, those later infusions yield the most interesting flavors. Since most of the caffeine is released in the first infusion, this is also a way to reduce the caffeine content."

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Hello-Yes, Yes,Yes! Being able to resteep the leaves also cuts down on the cost per cup. This is a very important point.

[Richard Kilgore]

I agree. Tea is one of the world's most affordable luxuries.

Take a quality loose leaf breakfast blend. Costs about $2.25 - $2.50 USD per ounce. That will make about 12 - 15 first infusions. So about 20 cents per first infusion. But most of these will make a very good second infusion...so closer to 10 cents per cup.

Take a high quality Oolong at, say, $12 USD per ounce. Same math, except it will make 5 to 9 infusions brewing western style and 10 - 20 brewd gongfu style. So western style with 5 infusions, that's about 20 cents per cup...with 9 infusions it comes down to about 10 cents per cup.

When you look at the actual costs per cup, even a $300 USD per pound Oolong or Puehr is a bargain compared to Starbucks...and competes fairly well with an inexpensive bottle of wine. Do the math.

[cnpark3]

I agree. Tea is one of the world's most affordable luxuries.

Take a quality loose leaf breakfast blend. Costs about $2.25 - $2.50 USD per ounce. That will make about 12 - 15 first infusions. So about 20 cents per first infusion. But most of these will make a very good second infusion...so closer to 10 cents per cup.

Take a high quality Oolong at, say, $12 USD per ounce. Same math, except it will make 5 to 9 infusions brewing western style and 10 - 20 brewd gongfu style. So western style with 5 infusions, that's about 20 cents per cup...with 9 infusions it comes down to about 10 cents per cup.

When you look at the actual costs per cup, even a $300 USD per pound Oolong or Puehr is a bargain compared to Starbucks...and competes fairly well with an inexpensive bottle of wine. Do the math.

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That's so funny that you called tea an affordable luxury. I was bitching to someone about this green tea that he was raving about because i thought it was so expensive at 30 dollars a box. But he explained to me that it was one of the finest green teas from Japan and that at 30 dollars it was a steal of a deal for being the best of its kind. He actually used the phrase "affordable luxury"... I love coffee and tea but Coffee will always be more costly because you use so much more ground coffee to brew a cup and the grounds are so much heavier than the tea leaves. And that's when you make it at home. When you pay someone else to make it, you may as well just give them your wallet. I figured out one time than if I went to a coffee house for coffee or tea 5 days a week it ranged from 40-100 bucks a month. Imagine how much amazing coffee and tea that would buy!