Help - I need a New Orange Pekoe!

[Kerry Beal]

Some of you may recall my plight a while back when my favorite orange pekoe was discontinued. Thanks to a number of eG'ers who were kind enough to pick up boxes for me, and with the help of Beth Wilson (an eG'er who lives up north) - the Ontario Provincial Police were dispatched to various small communities to fetch any last boxes remaining - I have been supplied until now. But a crisis looms - I'm down to my last 4 boxes!

So I need help finding a new brand. I used to drink Tetley - but my favorite President's Choice brand was a cut above.

I understand from reading on the Upton tea website that orange pekoe isn't actually a type of tea (like Darjeeling) - instead it is actually a measure of leaf size. So that makes my search even more difficult I expect.

What I would like to find is a nice strong, but not bitter tea - the classic english cuppa - somewhat sweet and floral.

I've tried Red Rose, PG Tips, the replacement President's Choice Orange pekoe - none of them do it for me. I'm willing to use loose tea if necessary - although I'd prefer sticking to bags if possible (that way a nice hot pot is waiting for me when I get home from work - not likely to happen with loose tea).

Let's hear it - what is your favorite orange pekoe? Help me find an excellent replacement for my soon to be depleted President's Choice.

[Beth Wilson]

How about Yorkshire Tea? I am not sure of the British Company that makes it but I like it enough. I know there is a British Store near you that I am sure carries it.

I like the red box but the gold box has a bit bolder flavour.

I can't believe you have gone through that tea supply already!!! I thought it was good for a few years!

b

[Kerry Beal]

How about Yorkshire Tea?  I am not sure of the British Company that makes it but I like it enough.  I know there is a British Store near you that I am sure carries it.

I like the red box but the gold box has a bit bolder flavour.

I can't believe you have gone through that tea supply already!!!  I thought it was good for a few years!

b

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It has been a few years! Two at least. What can I say - I drink a lot of tea.

[Richard Kilgore]

Okay, Kerry, you have aroused my curiosity. How do you use teabags so that you have hot tea waiting for you when you get home?

And how long do we have to solve this problem? The four boxes will be gone when?

[prasantrin]

Have you tried Brooke Bond?

If you end up having to go to loose tea, you could get some do-it-yourself tea bags. Use loose tea when you're making it yourself, but prepare some tea bags for when others will be making it for you?

[Kerry Beal]

Okay, Kerry, you have aroused my curiosity. How do you use teabags so that you have hot tea waiting for you when you get home?

And how long do we have to solve this problem? The four boxes will be gone when?

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Just meant that when it's tea bags, hubby will have a pot of tea waiting for me when I get home from work. If it was loose tea - that's unlikely to happen.

We have about 8 weeks to solve the problem - takes me about 2 weeks to go through a box.

[Kerry Beal]

Have you tried Brooke Bond?

If you end up having to go to loose tea, you could get some do-it-yourself tea bags.  Use loose tea when you're making it yourself, but prepare some tea bags for when others will be making it for you?

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The Brooke Bond name is familiar from my childhood, but I don't recall seeing it for sale in any shops. I'll see if I can find some in a British shop and give it a try.

What I need is a place where I can buy a tiny box to try before I commit!

[gfron1]

I get my Brooke Bond products from my Indian distributor...and very cheaply!

[Kerry Beal]

I get my Brooke Bond products from my Indian distributor...and very cheaply!

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So which of their teas have you tried? Would you be able to describe them?

I realize why the name Brooke Bond is familiar - they made Red Rose tea in Canada.

[Richard Kilgore]

Okay, Kerry, you have aroused my curiosity. How do you use teabags so that you have hot tea waiting for you when you get home?

And how long do we have to solve this problem? The four boxes will be gone when?

←

Just meant that when it's tea bags, hubby will have a pot of tea waiting for me when I get home from work. If it was loose tea - that's unlikely to happen.

We have about 8 weeks to solve the problem - takes me about 2 weeks to go through a box.

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Okay, then I would agree with Prasatrin. You may want to try the empty tea bags that you fill yourself with a better grade of loose tea. But that may be more work and expense than you want to have. Or you could send your husband here for training.

[jayt90]

There is an excellent loose tea at Lee Valley, an unlikely spot, but Mr. Lee found a high grown source of tips and buds in Sri Lanka and has been selling it for years. They have a store in Burlington, ON.

They also have a good infuser for about $4.

[gfron1]

So which of their teas have you tried?  Would you be able to describe them?

I realize why the name Brooke Bond is familiar - they made Red Rose tea in Canada.

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Unfortunately I don't drink that style so I can't really comment. We just sell them. PG, Yorkshire (red and gold), Red Label & Taj Majal are the lines that we carry.

[Kerry Beal]

There is an excellent loose tea at Lee Valley, an unlikely spot, but Mr. Lee found a high grown source of tips and buds in Sri Lanka and has been selling it for years.  They have a store in Burlington, ON.

They also have a good infuser for about $4.

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I've seen the tea at Lee Valley (I live in Burlington) - never occurred to me to try it. That will be easy to get obtain.

[Kerry Beal]

So which of their teas have you tried?  Would you be able to describe them?

I realize why the name Brooke Bond is familiar - they made Red Rose tea in Canada.

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Unfortunately I don't drink that style so I can't really comment. We just sell them. PG, Yorkshire (red and gold), Red Label & Taj Majal are the lines that we carry.

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Next time one of your regulars come in - can you ask them to comment?

[Kerry Beal]

Ok, tried the Lee Valley. It's a nice tea - but not the right one for me. It's a bit too leathery/smoky for what I'm after.

[Kerry Beal]

Today I was checking out of the market with a variety of teas - I mentioned my plight to the woman checking me out - and she said "oh, you've got to try the Typhoo tea - I'm always converting folks to that one". Long and short - she got me a handful of bags to try from the store's cafe.

So the Typhoo was closer to what I'm after - but still not quite as full of flavour as I expect. I still have the Dilmah orange pekoe, the Dilmah Premium, the Barry's orange pekoe and the Bewley's Gold Blend to try.

The Yorkshire red label that I found at a British shop this afternoon is pretty darn good - if none of the others give it a run for it's money - it will likely be the winner.

Edited April 30, 2009 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Beth Wilson]

I suspect you are going to start blending your own teas after this exercise!

A new challenge to take on!

[gfron1]

Unfortunately I don't drink that style so I can't really comment.  We just sell them.  PG, Yorkshire (red and gold), Red Label & Taj Majal are the lines that we carry.

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Next time one of your regulars come in - can you ask them to comment?

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I have a Scottish fellow that swears by it. I'll ask him next time he's in.

[Yajna Patni]

I was raised on Bewleys and Barry's gold blend.

[Kerry Beal]

Tested today - the Dilmah Premium. Very nice - if I hadn't tried the Yorkshire Red label first - this would be winning. Price is better too - so it will make a good fallback tea when necessary.

[Kerry Beal]

The Bewley's Clipper Gold and the Barry's are both excellent. I'll have to check out the Barry's Gold Label mentioned by Yajna - I'm pretty sure I saw that in the store where I bought them both.

I've got an embarrassment of choices now - this is wonderful - should have done this before - I wouldn't have been married to the one tea.

Of course now I have all these open boxes of tea. I'd better vacuum seal some so it remains fresh while I work my way through them all.