# Explain the tea used in making Thai iced tea **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 19, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193 "2010-07-19T04:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/1 "2010-07-19T04:38:07Z")
I buy [Pantainorasingh brand Thai Tea](http://www.amazon.com/Pantainorasingh-Thai-Tea-16-Ounce-Pack/dp/B001M23VEW) “mix” to make Thai iced tea. The ingredients are green tea and Yellow #6. It’s not a mix; it’s tea that you steep, with yellow food coloring. The tea, as with any Thai iced tea I’ve ever had, doesn’t taste anything at all like green tea. It tastes mostly like regular black tea, but with some other flavor in it. I’d like to be able to buy it without the yellow food coloring. What kind of tea should I buy? Is there any brand or type I’d find at an Asian market that has the same taste? Is it made with Oolong, or some other variety? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/2 "2010-07-19T04:50:02Z")
A tack on question: do they use cream or condensed milk in Thai iced tea? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/3 "2010-07-19T05:05:46Z")
They use sweetened condensed milk. I usually use 1/2 & 1/2 and sugar. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/4 "2010-07-19T05:10:45Z")
Actually, some places use evaporated milk in addition to the sweetened condensed milk, and one place I go to uses sweetened condensed milk and regular milk together. Oh, not only does the tea not taste anything like green tea, it is very black in color. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/5 "2010-07-19T05:32:26Z")
The orange colour in real Thai iced tea is from turmeric. I am talking about Thai iced tea as made in Thailand. Not sure what stage the turmeric is added. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/6 "2010-07-19T05:57:18Z")
Why would they make it with tumeric there but not here? In [this video](http://videos.importfood.com/020-Dish8.html) from Thailand, the Thai tea vendor is making it with the same tea I’m using, and there’s no tumeric. Sampiro, they are pouring a bunch of sweetened condensed milk into the glass first, then hot tea, and top it off with evaporated milk. Then they pour it into a big bag of ice, tie it off, and send the customer on their way. When I order it, they mix the condensed milk and the tea in the glass, add ice, then top it off with evaporated milk. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/7 "2010-07-19T06:02:46Z")
I’m trying to imagine what it would taste like with tumeric. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/8 "2010-07-19T06:26:52Z")
Sorry, a few people told me the yellow colour was from tumeric but searching online I can’t find any mention of it. Maybe I was misinformed or something was lost in translation. [Wikipedia says](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea#Thailand) the tea may be flavoured > [@](#): > > with orange blossom water, star anise, crushed tamarind seed or red and yellow food coloring, and sometimes other spices as well. I think these flavourings are added to the tea before the vendors start making your drink. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/9 "2010-07-19T06:52:50Z")
Sorry for the double post but I just remembered something. When I bought black leaf tea in Thailand, the leaves looked like regular black tea. But when I boiled the tea, it came out orange. So the colouring or flavouring was in the leaves already. This was regular tea, bought off the shelf of a supermarket or small shop. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/10 "2010-07-19T06:58:55Z")
> [@Manwich](#): > > Sorry for the double post but I just remembered something. When I bought black leaf tea in Thailand, the leaves looked like regular black tea. But when I boiled the tea, it came out orange. So the colouring or flavouring was in the leaves already. This was regular tea, bought off the shelf of a supermarket or small shop. That’s how this stuff is, too. And boy, does it stain. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/11 "2010-07-20T01:32:27Z")
By the way, it makes great tea ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/12 "2010-07-20T03:09:36Z")
I’ve always thought that Thai iced tea tastes like how a campfire smells. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/13 "2010-07-21T05:12:47Z")
I was at a tea store downtown today and they said that the variety of tea used in Thai iced tea is [Keemun](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keemun_tea). They had Keemun Red, red being the degree of fermentation, which is medium, between black and green. I’m assuming this was accurate information, but I didn’t buy any there because they only sold the world’s most expensive teas, evidently. I might break down next week and try it, though. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/14 "2010-07-21T18:46:48Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > I’ve always thought that Thai iced tea tastes like how a campfire smells. Well, you DO have some… interesting ideas, and we do appreciate you applying for the position of Marketing Director here at _TaiChiThaiTea_LLC, but… we’re going to keep looking. We will keep your resume on file, so no need to get back in touch. ---
**Author:** ![cuberdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@cuberdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuberdon)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/15 "2010-07-21T23:47:15Z")
Here are some directions, as it is a little different from regular hot tea. > **[Thai Iced Tea Recipe](http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/thaitea.html)** > > Thai Iced Tea (Cha Yen) recipe by Kasma Loha-unchit. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/16 "2010-07-21T23:53:12Z")
Where’s Siam Sam when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/17 "2010-07-24T10:54:54Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Where’s Siam Sam when you need him? In Laos, actually, where I’ve been for much of this week. Just got home this morning. But Alas! I just drink the stuff, not make it. I asked the wife, and she said maybe it’s just the sweetened condensed milk that’s used, but I don’t think so. That sounds like a wild guess. But it’s nice to be missed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![justafriend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@justafriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justafriend)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/18 "2010-07-24T20:28:36Z")
Hm. On a similar note, is the coffee used in Thai iced coffee something special? To me it seems to have a kind of nutty flavor or something; not as bitter as regular coffee, even when black. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/19 "2010-07-25T01:47:15Z")
Unfortunately for purposes of this thread, the wife and I are both coffee drinkers and don’t bother with tea very much. The wife probably drinks more of it than I do though, but she says it’s one of those things you just grow up with and don’t pay much attention to. She does say – and this may not please some of the Thai-tea aficionados here – it’s made with a very low grade of tea, just like the old-style “bag coffee” sold in local ethnic-Chinese shops. That coffee you could probably remove paint from your car with, but it packs a powerful punch. The same with the tea. It’s a very low-grade, low-class brew, both the tea and the coffee. The actual terms for the really old style are _cha boran_ for the tea and _kafae boran_ (with slightly different spellings sometimes for _kafae_). They’re also called _chai thung_ and _kafae thung_, respectively, _thung_ meaning “bag” and referring to the wind-sock-looking bag it’s filtered through. You don’t see much of that anymore, though. Thailand is truly the land of Nescafe; most people drink instant coffee from a jar. In fact, 20 years ago, that was the only coffee readily availabe. If you wanted a drip coffee, you had to go hit Sunday brunch at the Hilton or something like that. It was next to impossible to find a decent cup of coffee. At least now we have Starbucks and some local chains and lots of good coffee around, but these are all imports, and the staff are just wage slaves who don’t know much about the brew. Anyway, at your normal stand, you would just order _cha yen_ (“iced tea,” sometimes shortened to “ice tea”) or _kafae yen_ (“iced coffee” or “ice coffee”). But these days, the ice tea and coffee tends to be franchised, and many of the drink stands, especially in shopping-mall food courts, will dispense it out of large containers of premixed brew – Nestea and Nescafe brands are big here – and the employees have no idea how it’s made. I don’t think tea output in Thailand is very significant. Mostly in the hilly North but not much compared with other tea-growing countries in the region. The wife’s uncle is Chinese – not just ethnically, but he holds a Taiwan passport and so is a foreigner here like me – is quite a tea expert, but he turns his nose up completely at any and all local brews. He’s quite a cantankerous old character but a really a great guy, in his early 80s now, but even whenever the wife and I are in a major tea-growing country, we can’t bring anything back for him, because he inevitably complains we don’t know anything about tea. He drinks only hot Chinese tea made from special leaves somewhere in China, and whenever we go to his house, he often makes a special show of preparing it (there’s a little ritual involved, too.) Good stuff, but I’ve never been able to tell much difference between it and other teas, cretin that I am. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193/20 "2010-07-25T02:06:49Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > but I didn’t buy any there because they only sold the world’s most expensive teas, evidently. TeaGschwendner then? (With what they charge, you’d think they could buy a vowel.) I was just looking into this, and evidently Thai tea is sometimes labeled as “Thai tea dust,” so I’m guessing the assessment of low quality is probably right. It sounds like the spices, plus the method of sweetening it and adding evaporated/condensed/coconut milk are what make Thai iced tea special. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-tea-used-in-making-thai-iced-tea/547193.md?page=2)