UK tea versus US tea

Is there a real difference? I know many people think so but I can't say I've ever noticed a huge difference. The only thing I do is steep mine longer in the US.

What do you think?

If you steep it longer, doesn't that mean it is a weaker tea? 

Eh, I don't know...I never was a big black tea drinker in the US and I like mine milky-it all tasted the same to me

Yes, to me there is a huge difference.  Seems most store tea in the US is orange pekoe which is not as strong as English store tea.

Yes, to me there is a huge difference.  Seems most store tea in the US is orange pekoe which is not as strong as English store tea.

And probably why I steep it longer! I gues this may be why I never notice a huge difference. Mom got her love for tea in India so we drank a wide variety of teas - not just Lipton!

If you steep it longer, doesn't that mean it is a weaker tea? 

Eh, I don't know...I never was a big black tea drinker in the US and I like mine milky-it all tasted the same to me

I'll drink it any way you give it to me! I used to drink it black with a tad of sugar in the US. Now, after 8 years here, I usually drink it with milk, no sugar. I'll drink it hot, I'll drink it iced, with or without sugar, with or without milk!

I'm not sure which is my favorite!

DB notices a difference. We find English tea pretty easily over here, though.

DF drinks Assam so strong, it practically looks like coffee. In fact, he drinks his so strong, when we use bags I tend to make mine from his used bag.

I brought some Constant Comment from the States once and he laughed and laughed.

Also, the bags are different shapes. No string and tag on the British kind.

I can't believe Brits don't drink the stuff iced as a rule. Best cold beverage in the world and the world's biggest tea drinkers don't drink it. All the better for me, though. When we make a pot of tea, I drain off the dregs for my iced. In the States make iced tea out of the cheapest, crappiest tea I can buy, so it's a real luxury to have iced tea made from fine Assam.

British black tea is the 'nectar of life'. I need at least two 20 oz. mugs before I even start my day. I think the British tea is much better than other tea, and I think I've tried most of them. I can't believe I pay $7.45 for 80 PG tips teabags here, but I can't seem to find them any cheaper.

I would say it's definitely stronger in UK. I brought back a whole bunch of tea from the Twinings shop in London this summer and I find I can use less of the loose tea per cup and steep it a little less. PG tips is also stronger. I can't steep it more than a few minutes. But with american tea, I'd often forget it was steeping and it could go on for 30 mins with no problem! Wouldn't get bitter or anything.

I drink all tea (except mint or ones that just shouldn't..) with milk and sugar.

Its not only the blend of tea, it is the water it is brewed in. My inlaws down south have very chalky hard water and their tea is terrible, we have lovely soft water here, and the tea is delish. Its not just the brand.

I had a friend that used to work for Lipton tea and he said that the orange pekoe is basically the best tea for making iced tea so that is what is most available in the States.  It has a very different flavor that tea that you buy here.  

I love British tea. Much more flavor than the US. Alot more strong. I'm planning on taking some with me when we visit later this year.

My advice?  Go to Costco or one of those bulk places and buy some tea.  Put it in your shipment. 

We have a ton of PG.  I love PG.... you can find some really nice teas here too though. (They tend to be the more expensive ones!)

I just happen to love a good cuppa PG.  I like Lipton only in iced tea and PG makes great iced tea too!

Dh would have to say that UK is better than US tea. because whenever we go to the States for 2 weeks he always takes his own tea with him cause he says American tea is way to weak for him my mom loves Dh's tea better than American tea. I don't drink tea here in the UK I only drank iced tea when I lived in the States.

US tea is rubbish.

tea is tea.