Help me find the best orange pekoe tea

[dzero]

Also, what exactly is 'orange tea?' I know pekoe is the cut used on the tea leaves, but I haven't been able to find 'orange' as a class of tea like 'green', 'black', etc.

Right now I drink Swee-Touch-Nee brand tea but in the past I'd bought Twinnings orange pekoe. I like it so much I'd like to explore other varieties.

Thanks to all who respond. :) :)

[Zany Zeolite Zipper]

Orange pekoe is just bog standard black tea. And the best Orange pekoe is Red Rose. Every other brand is trying to sell blackish liquid.

[Parenchyma]

Here's a well-regarded specialty tea concern's highest-rated (https://secure.uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=catalog.asp&itemID=TC05&begin=0&parent=Teas%3EBlack%3ECeylon&category=Other&sortMethod=0&categoryID=0) of 3 orange pekoes.

Upton's is a good place for trying a lot of $1 samples of all kinds of cool teas.

[twickster]

Moved from MPSIMS to Cafe Society.

twicks, who lives on Twinings Earl Grey.

[zombywoof]

"Orange Pekoe" is a general black tea grade (based on leaf size), with many sub grades ("Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe", anyone?) - and of course has nothing to do with oranges - you might start here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe).

[dzero]

Orange pekoe is just bog standard black tea. And the best Orange pekoe is Red Rose. Every other brand is trying to sell blackish liquid.
I have to admit to having a relatively unrefined palate, so I can't really swear to my alleged preferences, but I do like Red Rose. I will have to try a side by side comparison at some point.
Here's a well-regarded specialty tea concern's highest-rated (https://secure.uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=catalog.asp&itemID=TC05&begin=0&parent=Teas%3EBlack%3ECeylon&category=Other&sortMethod=0&categoryID=0) of 3 orange pekoes.

Upton's is a good place for trying a lot of $1 samples of all kinds of cool teas.
Excellent advice thank you.
Moved from MPSIMS to Cafe Society.

My apologies. I tend to hang out on GQ. Even now this board is too overwhelming and as much as I might like to, I can't spend multiple hours per day here.

Anyway, the point was . . . I keep forgetting about CS. If I go there I won't have time to read The Enquirer. :rolleyes: :D
twicks, who lives on Twinings Earl Grey.
"Orange Pekoe" is a general black tea grade, with many sub grades ("Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe", anyone?) - and of course has nothing to do with oranges - you might start here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe).
You know, I've actually been to that wiki page. I remembered as soon as I saw it. Not sure why I forgot in the first place though. I think it just didn't make much sense to me. It still doesn't really. I mean, I get what they're saying, it just seems very amorphous.
Orange pekoe (OP), also spelled "pecco" (pronounced /pɛk oʊ/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English) or English pronunciation: /piː koʊ/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English)) is a term used in the Western tea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea) trade to describe a particular genre of black teas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tea) (Orange pekoe grading).[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe#cite_note-StashOP-0)[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe#cite_note-Swan-1) Despite a purported Chinese origin, these grading terms are typically used for teas from Sri Lanka, India and countries other than China; they are not generally known within Chinese-speaking countries. The grading system is based upon the size of processed and dried black tea leaves.
The tea industry uses the term Orange Pekoe to describe a basic, medium-grade black tea consisting of many whole tea leaves of a specific size;[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe#cite_note-StashOP-0) however, it is popular in some regions (such as North America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America)) to use the term as a description of any generic black tea (though it is often described to the consumer as a specific variety of black tea).[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe#cite_note-PCT-2)[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe#cite_note-BW-3) Within this system, the teas that receive the highest grades are obtained from new flushes. Etc.

[zombywoof]

Are you a "Good Eats" fan? - Alton talks about OP grading in his tea episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkKdRYDspPE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQtpjujGRFw

[Tabby_Cat]

"Orange Pekoe" is a general black tea grade (based on leaf size), with many sub grades ("Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe", anyone?) - and of course has nothing to do with oranges - you might start here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe).
Far Too Good For Ordinary People.

;)

[dzero]

Here's a well-regarded specialty tea concern's highest-rated (https://secure.uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=catalog.asp&itemID=TC05&begin=0&parent=Teas%3EBlack%3ECeylon&category=Other&sortMethod=0&categoryID=0) of 3 orange pekoes.

Upton's is a good place for trying a lot of $1 samples of all kinds of cool teas.
I took your advice and ordered 125g. Will have to break out the tea ball and see if i can find that electronic spoon scale I got from thinkgeek to measure out the 2.25g it recommends.

Thanks to everyone for your responses. :)

[Parenchyma]

I was thinking of this thread today when I was in the Indian grocery store. Even though I ran out of my favorite Baker Street Afternoon Blend (https://secure.uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?itemID=TB75&from=searchResults.asp&searchString=baker&searchOptionMatchAll=1&searchOptionCategory=1&searchOptionItemName=1&searchOptionItemDescription=1&searchOptionDocuments=0&searchOptionLimitCategory=&searchOptionPriceRange=0&sType=new&begin=0) (Keemun/Darjeeling/Lapsang Souchong in a perfect balance) from Upton's this morning, I have to put off a new order from them for awhile.

So I tried a pound of the Brooke Bond Red Label orange pekoe for $3.79 at the Indian store. Very decent for the price. So thanks back to you for getting me thinking in that direction to tide me over.

[dzero]

I got my delivery today. I'm not sure how they managed that.

The tin's are adorable. For some reason though they gave me a sample of green tea. {shrug} I guess they had to pick something at random since I've never ordered before.

Anyway. I couldn't find the measuring spoon that can also do weights so I winged it and used half of a tea ball. It's very tasty but I can't say what's actually different about it. The best I can do is say it's much more tea-like - as silly as that sounds. When I'm more motivated, I'll try to do a side-by-side comparison.

Thanks again. :)