I really like the Tazo China Green Tips tea that they sell at Starbucks. It has a a fairly strong and slightly bitter taste. I have bought some of the tea for home, but no matter what I do I can’t get it to taste the same as it does at the different Starbucks. When I make it weak and has none of the bitter. At first I thought it might be my water, but I have tried bottled water and when got a cup of water from Starbucks to use. I thought it might be the temperature. But the water at Starbucks is 200 degrees and I used a candy thermometer to get the water exactly 200 degrees. I infuse the tea the same amount of time. I even got a few of their cups and lids to try that.
But what I end up with has almost no flavor. I also notice that the tea I make looks much more oxidized (a lot darker and it leaves a brownish film on the cup) like it has been sitting out for a long time.
The only difference I could find is they use the spicket on the side on the coffee machine and I use a tea kettle (both the old fashion kind and the electric versions).
Now, I know that there is nothing magical about Starbucks that makes the exact same tea and water taste different, so what is the problem? Is the kettles? Why can’t I get it taste the same?
I make a lot of tea, but I don’t drink it at Starbucks, so I don’t know how helpful I will be. I think you may want to filter your water–or use bottled water for the tea. When I make tea with tap water it’s always darker and browner than when I use filtered. For some reason less tannins are pulled from the tea leaves into the infusion. I also notice my infuser and mug stay cleaner longer with the filtered water, less tannins collect on them.
Sounds like you’ve got stale/old tea. Personally, I think Starbucks tea is crap, but that’s really just my opinion and not all that pertinent. I do have to wonder how long the tea you bought had been sitting on the shelf; no doubt it’s been there quite a bit longer than the stuff they serve you, otherwise it might not be doing what it’s doing.
Next time you’re in, ask about shelf life and things like that. Are you buying the tea at the individual Starbucks location, or at the grocery store? What they package for the store and what they package for the grocery store may be a bit different, and will most certainly have different times for sitting on the shelf before purchase.
The first thing to keep in mind is that $tarbucks has very well filtered water. That always makes a difference in how your tea (or coffee) tastes. Try using bottled water (Aquafina, IMO is the cleanest water out there, followed by Kroger generic and Deer Park). You might also remember to brew the tea correctly. That means, heat the water to the correct temperature before pouring it over the tea.
Now where’s that Ask A Starbucks Barista thread when you need it?
Brewing green tea at 200F is a little bit high - most high-end tea shops suggest to brew your tea in water that’s slightly below boiling point for black teas, but specify somewhere in the neighbourhood of 176F as the ideal for green teas.
Here’s a link about making the perfect cup from my favourite tea merchant. Hope it helps.
For what it’s worth, I’ve been following those rough guidelines when brewing Tazo China Green Tips at home and at the office, and I’ve never had trouble getting a perfect cup (this is with both filtered and tap water, as well).
I guess my question is, did you take the water home with you before brewing the tea? Sounds silly, but tea is a touchy thing. This is why the Brits say things like how we Americans don’t know how to make tea. Funny thing is, I have given up on trying to make my coffee taste as good at home as it does at $tarbucks. Is it that much more to just buy the tea from them as to buy it and make it at home (honest question – I don’t do their teas)? Or is it a matter of convenience?
There are a lot of websites out there that will teach you how to brew a cup of tea correctly – the British way. It does make a difference. My Gramma Weinke, whose first husband was a snotty old British ass (from what she said) taught me how to brew tea, so it’s second-nature.
Honestly, the best tea comes out of a ceramic kettle, IMO. The stainless steel is probably very pretty, but remember tea is a bit on the corrosive side and if you’re anything like I, you will taste the stainless steel in the tea. Invest in a nice little ceramic pot for the actual brewing. It still won’t taste just like it does at $tarbucks, but it will taste better than normal.
How long do you let the tea brew? The flavor will get stronger but also more bitter if you let it brew long enough - which is the taste you say you got from the Starbucks tea. It may just be that they’re letting their tea brew longer than you do.
I took the water home and heated it myself and then brewed the tea.
It is 4.95 for a box of 24 tea packets. 1.85 for a 20 oz cup of tea with two packets. Plus I have to drive there. So it would be nice and a lot cheaper to just make it at home.
I let it brew 3-4 minutes. It is the same if they make it or I do. At the store they just put the tea packets in the cup and then add water and hand it to you so the customer determines how long it brews.
I will try the new kettle tonight and see that makes a difference.
The tea came out much better with the new tea pot. It is much have been a build up of something from the unfiltered water used in them. There is a white film that has built up in them that cannot be cleaned.
Unless you’re buying bottled water that comes from a specific place or spring (ie, Perrier, Evian), chances are it’s just local tap water, so this will vary from location to location.
While it is true that Aquafina’s water is just filtered tap water, I have noticed no discernable difference in quality from one region to the next (note – this is in the US, not other countries). It is their filtration process that must make their water the better tasting, IMO. FWIW, I can do a blind taste test on bottled water and get the right brand 100% of the time. Providing, of course, that I have had the particular brand previously.
