what is this cr&p coffee shops are passing off as green tea?

[hermespan]

OK, so I am bit of a foodie, or a tisan-ee.

I am into herbal teas and sometimes greenteas. I travel with my own mug that is also a coffee press. That way I don't have to deal with bleached teabags.

In Phitsanulok I had 'green tea' in one coffee shop near a short-time hotel and another one at tge 'Coffee Corner' Topland mall kiosk. 25 and 40 baht respectively. In the first arty sort of corner cafe I was given something that had the bitterness (I like) and bright green colour characteristic of green tea but it had a weird sort of frothy look and slightly gritty texture. Is green tea supposed to taste and look like this?

I am not famiar with green tea except I have had in Japan the whisk it up powder and in Canada I drink Taiwanese green tea (loose leaf). It has a certain taste and green colour. I had an argument, two actually, with the staff girl at the second place. First she served me a bright green cup. I had seen her add a spoonful of WHITE powder, which appalled me so I rejected it. I had clearly said 'no milk, no sugar'. So, she reluctantly made it again. I watched her closely - she used a cappucino maker to produce * brown* tea (presumably oolong or some other fermented tea) Then she handed it to me.

We had the following conversation in Thai...

'This is not green colour so this is not green tea.'

"The powder makes it green"

'How can a *white* powder make a tea green?'

"It does. And it has no milk or sugar"

I paid the forty baht as there was policeman there and it is not the girl's fault if both her employer and customers like fake green tea.

I tasted it. It is low grade normal tea with a huge percentage of tannic acid. Nothing close to Tetley or Twinning - it tasted like bad American tea that Canadians find so disgusting crossing the border a d discovering that thd very same brand of 'Red Rose' tastes very different between countries. Tastes like very old stock too. I couldn't frink more than a third of the cup.

The best thing was the 'free' green tea provided to clean the palate after . That courtesy tea (I think Thais drink it after coffee even). That actually tasted like green tea.

What is this Dr . Frankenstein chemical mix passing as green tea?

Unless tea is made by infusion in properly boiled water and steeped at my table I will not buy tea in Thai cafes. Maybe I should give a high end coffee shop in Bangkok a try. This is why I travel with my own loose lesf teas and even teabags of better varieties for rush compromises. But come on, I figured at THB40 I would get real green tea. For twice that I can buy a whole package of Mountain grown green tea. There are multiple brands available at Tops Supermarket. You don't have to go to a specialty shop or luxury supermarket.

Any other tea afficianados tried this bizarre 'green tea' that Thai coffee shops assume I want iced, or with milk and sugar but rarely what I ordered - green tea, pure and simple

Edited September 8, 2014 by hermespan

[orchidlady]

Sounds like it was matcha-green tea powder which if not mixed well can be slightly gritty but in Thailand they add cream(powdered) or milk like latte and tons of sugar. I have (expensive) matcha powder at home and use very little as the directions state--it comes out pale yellow green color.

[Sam Gold]

Thai-style tea and coffee is full of heavy, chemical, dairy and sweet c**p.

If you want real green tea (I drink some every day myself) you have to make it yourself I'm afraid!

[pizzachang]

Cha keow sy nom (sounds like this) is a herbal mixed green tea. It may have food color as well but the "chemical crap", I don't think it has. You can buy quality green tea, either Japanese style or dried leaf and make it yourself. The "latte" teas usually use the sweetened "milk product" that they use here, rather than real sweetened condensed milk. That likely has some additive and it is made with palm oil products - no milk.

Edited September 9, 2014 by pizzachang

[mike324]

white powder is milk powder, most likely its Green Tea Latte on the menu. Those small coffee corners hardly ever sell green tea, its always ice or cold green tea latte.

Sometimes if you put too much green tea powder, you could get tea that is bitter if its too rich and steep too long.

[atyclb]

"Unless tea is made by infusion in properly boiled water "

Mr tea expert should know green tea is not infused in boiling water.

living in thailand one learns to not expect much from employees, or (some)expats.

Edited September 9, 2014 by atyclb

[hermespan]

"Unless tea is made by infusion in properly boiled water "

Mr tea expert should know green tea is not infused in boiling water.

living in thailand one learns to not expect much from employees, or (some)expats.

I like tea (more often herbal infusions of plants that are NOT the actual 'tea' leaves that we all know). I drink 'tea'. I am no expert at all. Never claimed to be. I just like simple to make pure-tasting tisanes.

How difficult can it be to pull out a teabag or bulk tea, add boiled water and serve?

If green tea is not made with very hot water I am indeed ignorant of this fact. My Canadian mother taught me three things about tea: 1) water must be rolling boil, NOT 'sort of kind of' for best flavour; 2) teapot should be heated up first by adding boiling water and rinsing before tea made; 3) tea should steep (sit) for just the right amount of time - too little and it will not be flavourful. too long and it will be too strong.

No doubt there are different procedures for different kinds of tea and tisanes, and customs vary in differeng nations and cultures.

Perhaps my complaint is like a Thai walking into a low grade cafe in a small town in the Ozarks run by elementary school children and expecting cuisine he had at Maxines in Paris.

Never the less, my opinion stands - I was disappointed at the 'green tea' in one Phitsanulok coffee kiosk in a not so sophisticated shopping mall. And I prefer making tea the way it has been made for hundreds of years.

The only innovation I like is, if you must use a tea bag, use those plastic clever-shaped bags instead of paper. Why the use of cappucino machines to make tea? Seems snobby, overkill and unneccessary.

Edited September 9, 2014 by hermespan

[Sam Gold]

Cha keow sy nom (sounds like this) is a herbal mixed green tea. It may have food color as well but the "chemical crap", I don't think it has. You can buy quality green tea, either Japanese style or dried leaf and make it yourself. The "latte" teas usually use the sweetened "milk product" that they use here, rather than real sweetened condensed milk. That likely has some additive and it is made with palm oil products - no milk.

They use Carnation which is a dairy product (and therefore contains lactose, worth noting for people with lactose intolerance).

If you don't want milky stuff you can ask for iced lemon tea which is ok as long as you ask for "namtarn nit noi" (not too much sugar).

Edited September 9, 2014 by Sam Gold

[timmyp]

There has been nasty imitation green tea for years all over the world (bar East Asia)... I remember when the Arizona Tea company in the U.S. came out with nasty green sweet Kool-Aid they called "Green Tea" in the late 90s. In Thailand, there is some funky weird candy-like "green tea" in all the convenient stores.

Marketing geniuses don't believe the real stuff will sell, so they sweeten for the lowest common denominator, the dumbed-down masses (I don't mean the folks in Thailand, I mean all human beings on this planet).

Many tea shops and coffee stalls aim for that candy, lowest-common-denominator taste captured in the convenient store drinks.

Until the discerning market emerges, we're stuck with the weirdness + sugar in everything...

[spidermike007]

I have given up on getting good green tea at Coffee shops in Thailand. I carry around my own tea bags. Order the Dilmah Jasmine green tea bags, or the Bigelow greet tea. It is decent. About And I walk into a coffee shop with my tea bags, and packets of honey or agave nectar, and order a hot water, and a dessert. Free tea! The joke is on them!

Or, you can order high quality green tea directly from China. About 900-1800 baht per kilo for a very high end tea like Bin Luo Cho, or Jasmine King Pearl tea. A kilo goes a very long way. The Chinese really know good quality green tea. I have been ordering from China for years. No restriction whatsoever with Thai customs. No duty. No issues. You can also order tea bags, and make your own tea bags. Many ways to fight the lack of good tea here. But, fight we must! The battle begins. It is a worthy conflict. LOL.

[hermespan]

I have given up on getting good green tea at Coffee shops in Thailand. I carry around my own tea bags. Order the Dilmah Jasmine green tea bags, or the Bigelow greet tea. It is decent. About And I walk into a coffee shop with my tea bags, and packets of honey or agave nectar, and order a hot water, and a dessert. Free tea! The joke is on them!

Or, you can order high quality green tea directly from China. About 900-1800 baht per kilo for a very high end tea like Bin Luo Cho, or Jasmine King Pearl tea. A kilo goes a very long way. The Chinese really know good quality green tea. I have been ordering from China for years. No restriction whatsoever with Thai customs. No duty. No issues. You can also order tea bags, and make your own tea bags. Many ways to fight the lack of good tea here. But, fight we must! The battle begins. It is a worthy conflict. LOL.

Good idea. I have done this in the past and offered both in 7-11s and coffee shops to pay for water, but they always give it to me for free. Rather enbarrassing and I don't want or expect charity. Order dessert - good idea. Tgat way I can in good conscience drink on premises instead of depart travel mug in hand.

I am near Yaworat now. Any tea supply shops you recommend?

[nickcar]

I have given up on getting good green tea at Coffee shops in Thailand. I carry around my own tea bags. Order the Dilmah Jasmine green tea bags, or the Bigelow greet tea. It is decent. About And I walk into a coffee shop with my tea bags, and packets of honey or agave nectar, and order a hot water, and a dessert. Free tea! The joke is on them!

Or, you can order high quality green tea directly from China. About 900-1800 baht per kilo for a very high end tea like Bin Luo Cho, or Jasmine King Pearl tea. A kilo goes a very long way. The Chinese really know good quality green tea. I have been ordering from China for years. No restriction whatsoever with Thai customs. No duty. No issues. You can also order tea bags, and make your own tea bags. Many ways to fight the lack of good tea here. But, fight we must! The battle begins. It is a worthy conflict. LOL.

Where can i get these green tea bags?

[spidermike007]

I have given up on getting good green tea at Coffee shops in Thailand. I carry around my own tea bags. Order the Dilmah Jasmine green tea bags, or the Bigelow greet tea. It is decent. About And I walk into a coffee shop with my tea bags, and packets of honey or agave nectar, and order a hot water, and a dessert. Free tea! The joke is on them!

Or, you can order high quality green tea directly from China. About 900-1800 baht per kilo for a very high end tea like Bin Luo Cho, or Jasmine King Pearl tea. A kilo goes a very long way. The Chinese really know good quality green tea. I have been ordering from China for years. No restriction whatsoever with Thai customs. No duty. No issues. You can also order tea bags, and make your own tea bags. Many ways to fight the lack of good tea here. But, fight we must! The battle begins. It is a worthy conflict. LOL.

Good idea. I have done this in the past and offered both in 7-11s and coffee shops to pay for water, but they always give it to me for free. Rather enbarrassing and I don't want or expect charity. Order dessert - good idea. Tgat way I can in good conscience drink on premises instead of depart travel mug in hand.

I am near Yaworat now. Any tea supply shops you recommend?

I order directly from China on eBay or sometimes direct from supplier. Low cost shipping to Thailand. PM me and I will provide details on suppliers.

[bangkapi]

It's probably not as bad as the "orange juice" that is served in many hotels and restaurants here.

[spidermike007]

I have given up on getting good green tea at Coffee shops in Thailand. I carry around my own tea bags. Order the Dilmah Jasmine green tea bags, or the Bigelow greet tea. It is decent. About And I walk into a coffee shop with my tea bags, and packets of honey or agave nectar, and order a hot water, and a dessert. Free tea! The joke is on them!

Or, you can order high quality green tea directly from China. About 900-1800 baht per kilo for a very high end tea like Bin Luo Cho, or Jasmine King Pearl tea. A kilo goes a very long way. The Chinese really know good quality green tea. I have been ordering from China for years. No restriction whatsoever with Thai customs. No duty. No issues. You can also order tea bags, and make your own tea bags. Many ways to fight the lack of good tea here. But, fight we must! The battle begins. It is a worthy conflict. LOL.

Where can i get these green tea bags?

Available at good stores like top or villa market. But expensive here. About 160 baht or more for a box of 25 bags. Dilmah or Bigelow are better than Twinings, for green tea, in my opinion. About $3-4 in the US. That equates to about 6 baht or so for a great cup or pot of tea. Still pretty decent value.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Coffee shops in Thailand sell coffee (and sometimes girls).

Anything else they sell is usually cheap and weird (come to think of it, that includes the girls).

[HerbalEd]

You've already answered your own question ... i.e., they are doing it wrong. Trying to buy proper green tea in one of these coffee shops is like looking for a good wife in Soi Cowboy.

Green tea should be steeped in clean, non-chlorinated (not tap) water at temp of 80 to 85°C (176 to 185 °F) ... water boils at 100°C (212°F). Steeping time can be to your preferred taste.

I drink about a liter of iced green tea per day ... sometimes more if it's hot and I'm physically active. I highly recommend buying the ready-made green tea by Pokka. It is excellent quality. I buy the one that says "No Sugar." I either drink it unsweetened or sometimes I add a wee bit of unrefined sugar made from the flower nectar of the coconut tree (the traditional sweetener of Thailand). Never refined white sugar.

When I'm out and about I carry a large stainless-steel thermos with the iced green tea inside. Keeps cold for many hours.

If you prefer hot green tea you can simply heat up (but don't boil) the Pokka brand green tea ... but that's difficult when you aren't at home.

Edited September 9, 2014 by HerbalEd

[buggerlugs]

"Unless tea is made by infusion in properly boiled water "

Mr tea expert should know green tea is not infused in boiling water.

living in thailand one learns to not expect much from employees, or (some)expats.

You are quite right. The dark teas we are used to in England which come from India etc need to be made with boiling water to get the true flavour but green teas are a different animal. I work with laos and Chinese folk and tea here is made with hot water, not boiling. Very nice but you often have to strain it with your teeth when drinking.

[biplanebluey]

Green coffee?

[hermespan]

"Unless tea is made by infusion in properly boiled water "

Mr tea expert should know green tea is not infused in boiling water.

living in thailand one learns to not expect much from employees, or (some)expats.

You are quite right. The dark teas we are used to in England which come from India etc need to be made with boiling water to get the true flavour but green teas are a different animal. I work with laos and Chinese folk and tea here is made with hot water, not boiling. Very nice but you often have to strain it with your teeth when drinking.

Thank you sincerely for this educational fact. I truly wasn't aware of this.

[ChoakMyDee]

Sadly, it isn't just quality teas that are difficult to find in a coffee shop. The coffee in an average coffee shop is terrible too. They usually use a very cheap "Bon Cafe" bean that tastes like a rat's ass. You would think that a "coffee" shop would be concerned with selling quality coffee but you would be wrong in Thailand. I like to ask what bean they use in their coffee before I order...usually followed by a blank look and silence. The Thais don't even like good coffee so I'm not surprised they don't sell it in their shops. At home, we have an espresso machine and a quality bean but my Thai wife prefers to drink the 3 in 1 Nescafe instant coffee that comes with the sugar and chemical cream already mixed! Oh well, TIT.

[JacChang]

Reading this green tea thread and RIGHT THERE in front of my eyes. Is a advertisement on "Have a Green Moment". Japanese green tea, <deleted>.

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[hermespan]

Rating free tea in Bangkok Airways lounge (non-premium)

I brought my own mug. I should have brought my own tea. Usually I do but I jettisoned some stuff to travel super-light.

Aroma: 1/5 nothing

Taste: 1.5/5 almost nothing

Temperature: 5/5 perfect for 'normal' Canadian tea

Strength: 1/5 Very weak

At leadt in the air decent (?) tea is served by this 'boutique' airline.

No more travelling without at least a couple of teabags.

[atyclb]

Rating free tea in Bangkok Airways lounge (non-premium)

I brought my own mug. I should have brought my own tea. Usually I do but I jettisoned some stuff to travel super-light.

Aroma: 1/5 nothing

Taste: 1.5/5 almost nothing

Temperature: 5/5 perfect for 'normal' Canadian tea

Strength: 1/5 Very weak

At leadt in the air decent (?) tea is served by this 'boutique' airline.

No more travelling without at least a couple of teabags.

Sri Lankan airways business class has an extensive tea selection although infused from bags. sri lanka tea is excellent especially black. green is ok but japanese, taiwanese, maybe korean(not sure) are better, anyone that like tea should visit sri lanka.

[atyclb]

Sadly, it isn't just quality teas that are difficult to find in a coffee shop. The coffee in an average coffee shop is terrible too. They usually use a very cheap "Bon Cafe" bean that tastes like a rat's ass. You would think that a "coffee" shop would be concerned with selling quality coffee but you would be wrong in Thailand. I like to ask what bean they use in their coffee before I order...usually followed by a blank look and silence. The Thais don't even like good coffee so I'm not surprised they don't sell it in their shops. At home, we have an espresso machine and a quality bean but my Thai wife prefers to drink the 3 in 1 Nescafe instant coffee that comes with the sugar and chemical cream already mixed! Oh well, TIT.

dont expect staff to know the origin of their beans when the ir job description seems to be "consuming oxygen"

at siam paragon, costa coffee (expensive and high end?????) i asked the bean origin. they replied "england" you'd think costas would teach their baristas about origin ?? maybe they did but was

another popular answer for origin is "arabica"??

at central embassy mall theres a coffee shop that actually has staff that know these things. this is the shop embedded with the clothing store. they have a synesso machine and excellent espresso.