Tea (the drink) in America - should I bring my own?

This isn’t a question of popularity, but style of tea. British tea is very distinctive compared to what you might find in hotels and restaurants overseas. Not better, just personal/acquired taste.

I know very little about tea other than the fact that it takes up very little room, it’s not that expensive and weighs next to nothing. Of course you should bring your own. Is there really a point to asking this other than to talk about America’s shitty taste in tea?

The OP said that all Americans are coffee drinkers. Various posts implied that all Brits are tea drinkers. My post’s point was that those stereotypes are wildly wrong. Furthermore, you can get specialty teas in the U.S. As has been pointed out, the biggest problem is the lack of kettles in many hotel rooms. Yes, you still might want to bring your own tea bags. I don’t know what to do about the kettle. You might want to bring one or buy one when you get to the U.S.

Bring your own. If you don’t need it, fine. But if you do and don’t have it… It’s not like you’re packing a samovar or an Aga. Just bring it.

I have traveled with a little immersion heater for decades now. They boil a cup of water in a few minutes. I have used them for heating coffee and soups as well.

I once went on an office retreat to the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne. After dinner there were ~300 orders for coffee and one order for tea - from the only American in the room (yours truly).

Sorry, but it is inadvisable for Brits to attempt to bring their own tea into the United States.

Customs and/or Homeland Security are under strict orders to confiscate all British tea and dump it into Boston Harbor.

A further warning - Brits ordering iced tea in the U.S. should be aware that they will receive a beverage containing ice. :eek:

I always take a few teabags with me when I’m staying in a hotel in the States in case they don’t provide any in the room, and anticipate that I will have to get hot water from the coffee-maker. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an electric kettle in a hotel room in the US, while one is taken for granted in any place I might go in the UK.

I’d like to confirm the lack of electric kettle in the US hotels versus the UK, and also confirm that the water heater that is provided in the US often does indeed make the water taste slightly of coffee. However, if you like your tea strong you might not be able to taste it, but of course not all hotels will have even that.

And so much sugar it’s a wonder the glass itself doesn’t float.

This is an important point - if you don’t like your iced tea so sweet it will cause your pancreas to explode, it’s best to specify “unsweetened”. You can always add a preferred amount of sugar afterwards if you want.

Once upon a time, unsweetened was the default. I hate having to specify ‘unsweetened’ or, after ordering tea, being asked if I want sweetened or unsweetened. Iced tea should contain tea and ice; nothing else.

Note that this is for drive-throughs. I (personally) have not experienced it in sit-down restaurants.

Hardly universal. That’s primarily a southern phenomenon.

Make sure you bring the loose stuff, and to keep it fresh, put it in a baggie and roll it up tight, then put it somewhere hidden in your luggage so no one steals it! :smiley:

It’s pricey, but Fortnum and Mason tea can be found in Williams & Sonoma stores in the U.S. Have not seen it in any groceries around here (SE Louisiana), but I hadn’t checked Whole Foods yet.

Er, what? Even my small-town groceries carry a variety of Twinings, including Earl Gray, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, etc. They also have a huge selection of Celestial Seasonings and Bigelow. Probably not the same selection and quality that you’d find in an English store, but it’s hardly Earl Gray, Lipton, or nothing.

And that’s just the grocery store. Any specialty coffee shop will also have decent tea. My favorite local roaster has a ton of loose-leaf tea in bins that you can buy in bulk or have them brew for you. Even the ubiquitous Starbucks has a decent selection of tea.

Tea (the drink) as opposed to tea (the xxx)?

:confused:

How many British people do you think are going to be ordering iced tea. Ever. This is not a problem.

My Mother is English and she drinks PG tips, not provided in hotels, but widely available in stores. When I was a kid in the 1980’s it was impossible to find. Today, no issue.

Leoni? Party? Bagging?