It's Not Easy Being Green (Tea) (Clipper Organic Green Tea)

Member Name: mattygroves10

Product:	Clipper Organic Green Tea
Date:	10/06/09 (123 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Ethical green tea, conveniently packaged

Disadvantages: Slighly bitter, not as tasty as loose tea

I didn't grow up a tea drinker - I am American, we don't do tea that well. However, I have been in the UK for over 20 years, and now have a cup of tea (made in a tea pot with loose tea, natch) each morning. Sometimes, though, I don't fancy 'normal' tea, especially if I'm trying to avoid milk (which I do when I'm dieting). I have, therefore, discovered green tea. And I like it.

Somehow, green tea always tastes better in Chinese restaurants. I am not in a Chinese restaurant though, I'm at my desk. In front of me is a cup of Clipper Organic Green Tea. Rather unimaginatively, the tea bags are packed in a green box. As well as being organic, this tea is also Fair Trade, thus ticking all the ethical boxes. The box I have contains 25 individually wrapped tea bags, all of which have the little tag and string on them so you can delicately dip and dunk your bag (oo err missus). (You can buy these teabags at all fine supermarkets; in Tesco (for example) they'll cost you £1.25 for a box of 25 tea bags.)

The box recommends you use a tea pot, as it will apparently 'enhance the quality of tea'. I struggle to believe that particular claim, frankly , though it may make you feel more tea-ceremonial. They also recommend you serve it in white china. As it happens, mine is in a white mug, though calling the mug 'china' is probably over-egging the truth a bit. For the terminally baffled, the instructions on the box also tell you how to make tea - use one tea bag per person, boil 'freshly drawn' water, and infuse for one to three minutes. Clipper also kindly gives you permission to 'sweeten if preferred.'

Green tea has a different flavour from black tea. It doesn't suit milk, and tastes, well...greener - think of the difference between freshly cut grass and autumn leaves. I like my tea fairly strong, so I boiled my 'freshly drawn' water, and brought the tea to my desk. I have sweetened with one sweetener (Canderel). The tea in my white mug is slightly cloudy, and a sort of greenish amber. It does not taste as nice as loose green tea that you can get in far Eastern restaurants or specialist shops. It is somewhat bitterer (despite the sweetening). This could be because I may have let it stew a wee bit too long. Green tea is fairly forgiving of 'cool down' - my cuppa is now on the cool side of lukewarm, but is still quite drinkable.

I like green tea. Clipper green tea is not the best green tea I've ever drunk, and I do much prefer loose green tea - it has a fresher, cleaner taste, and a more authentic one. However, as commercial tea bags go, these are satisfactory. I think, though, I may get myself some 'proper' green tea.

Summary: A pale substitute for good quality loose green tea