Lapsang Souchong tea for BBQ

[SandPiper]

In the winter I enjoy Lapsang Souchong tea- it is smoked over wood. Do any Pit members have recommended suppliers of this tea? I plan on smoking a brisket this weekend but based on the review of the tea below, maybe I can save some time and just have a cup of this tea.

[Huskee]

Calling the dual expert on both BBQ and tea, FireMan!

[Donw]

Well I do. https://www.willoughbyscoffee.com/TLAP.html Been buying tea leaves and coffee beans from them for over a decade and it is always top notch.

[SheilaAnn]

I’ve never had it! I’m intrigued.

[Sid P]

For those rainy mornings? https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/05d2944...a-e20073237eb1https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/05d2944...a-e20073237eb1

[FireMan]

In Chinese it is Zhongshan xiaozhong, a black tea best from a village of Tong Mu.
Mei Leaf has 4 types taste tested for the highest quality.
Smoked Ton Mu Z.X. smoked over old & extra resinous pines.
Old Bush Back- ultra smooth sipping black tea from old bushes
Little Tong Mu- unsmoked - melted butter, raspberries, sweet pastry smells/flavor
Souchong Liquour- unsmoked- dark cocoa, charred bourbon casks & rambutan smells & flavor.
All these are to be used in the Gong Fu brewing style. If you are using the western tea bag style (cook the dickens out of it, 4-6minutes steeping) yer on yer own.

Mei Leaf.com

Interesting, my last wib cook about 3 weeks ago I brewed Mei Leaf’s Ruby Black, a Sun Moon Lake black tea from Taiwan. Was a huge hit. Everbody loved it so much that I will have to go back by strong demand. They also went out & bought their own teacups.

[Mosca]

Some Wegman’s stores sell loose tea in canisters. If there is one near you, check the website. That’s where I used to get mine, when I drank it; I had to give up tea, the oxalates were contributing to my kidney stones. (Not a problem for most people, so drink your tea!)

[KimO]

Mosca, never heard of oxalates, are they found in oolong or green teas? I am sensitive to black tea (caffeine I think though I can drink coffee). Go figure. A real bummer, but I do greatly enjoy oolong and the more flavorful green teas, though.

[SandPiper]

KimO, oxalates are compounds found in many plants such as spinach, rhubarb, and beets. They are found in teas although usually at significantly less concentrations. That said; unless you are predisposed to kidney stones, specifically calcium oxalate kidney stones, you have nothing to worry about and can enjoy your tea. Green and oolong have low amounts.

[KimO]

Thank you so much SandPiper, I was actually asking more for Mosca, hoping he could perhaps swith to oolong or green teas if he enjoyed teas a lot, but it seems he probably cannot.

Thank you very much for the information! I did not know anything about oxalates. You learn something new every day!

Kim

[Alan Brice]

KimO on this site, at least. Tx AR.

[Mosca]

KimO You don’t have to worry about oxalates unless you get calcium oxalate stones; that is about 10% of the population. I get both those and uric acid stones. For the uric acid stones, I take potassium citrate twice a day; for the oxalate stones I avoid foods high in oxalates. For me, that essentially is black tea and spinach. The other foods that are high in oxalates, like potatoes, beets, almonds, etc, I don’t eat enough of them to consider. As SandPiper says, tea has a lower concentration of oxalate, but I was drinking a lot of it, and it is in liquid form; it was best to stop completely.

I used to drink tea as a lower caffeine alternative to coffee, and iced tea as an alternative to sodas; I would get stones about every 3-4 months. Now, I get a uric acid stone once every few years. I still drink coffee, but about a third of the amount I used to, just one cup first thing in the morning. I only have one kidney, so a stone can be life threatening.

[KimO]

It sounds like you are taking good care of yourself; I am sorry that you have to in this case. Thank you Mosca and SandPiper for the information, it always helps to know those things that can affect our health (what to watch out for and what not to worry about so much), especially as we get older. Continue to take care. Kim.

[skipsdaughter]

I've never tried this kind, but I buy most of my tea from these folks in St Paul. They had a tea house near my college and I have been hooked ever since.

https://www.teasource.com/products/smokehouse-lapsang-souchong-black-tea?_pos=1&_sid=d8fb7a354&_ss=r

[Texas Larry]

Lapsing Souchong is an acquired taste, but well worth it for something different. Enjoy it when you find it.

[FireMan]

Interesting tidbit, tis more caffeine in green tea than the “darker” teas. Cuz, caffeine in plants is to fight off bugs, them little critters. The older a tea leaf gets the less fightin it has to do, so’s the caffeine lessens in strength.

[Huskee]

I've heard somethin similar, but for diff reasons, with coffee- the darker the roast the less caffeine.

[SandPiper]

Thanks everyone for the tea sources you trust and for the tidbits of information. skipsdaughter that is some costly tea at $27 for 2 oz-but I suppose it's a lot less than some of the good pu-erh teas. As is common on this site, ask for advice and you may be convinced to buy more than you planned (not necessarily a bad thing). Mosca congratulations on having the discipline to change your diet - many do not. Wishing you the best of health.

[skipsdaughter]

I didn't even look at the price -- probably one reason to go there and try before you buy! Good luck on your quest!