Help me avoid social suicide - which brand of tea should I buy?

[MrsFogi]

I don't drink tea, so can't judge which are decent/not - which brand(s) should I have in the house for when tea-drinkers pop over (I wouldn't want to be the person known for her terrible tea)? + is there anything I need to know about any brands, is there a "News of the World" equivalent of the tea brands I need to avoid?

ooh do you know... sainsburys gold label is really nice
so is fairtrade tea... that's lovely

or i don;'t think you can go wrong with a nice assam

i drink earl grey myself... but not to everyone's liking!

I drink Asdas own tea, and it tastes...like tea

i think most people like whatever brand they usually drink so i'd go for a best seller like pg tips in the hope that it was statistically likely to be a hit.

I was a PG tips fan for many yrs, but have switched to TeaDirect -- its Fairtrade

I drink Twinings, either Earl Grey of English Breakfast, and it's tea leaves, not bags

We buy Tea Direct too, b/c it's Fairtrade

It's russian rouletts MrsF.

Most tea drinkers I know (me included), don't like their tea messed with.
Like only their brand and their way of making it in a cup vs teapot, milk or water in first, to warm the pot or not warm the pot)

Do you have a cosy? No? Instant ostracision in some company.

It's a jungle out there.

See? different answers.

I rest my case.

Me? must be PG, must be made in a pot, must have milk in the cup first.

PG Tips

Earl Grey? bleurggh - if you like your tea to taste like cardboard!

Tea is very important to me.

Can you tell?

we have a lovely bodum teapot here

oops

This is a minefield! Maybe I should just offer double espressos or nothing.

I am a Clipper Organic Fairtrade tea gal but my (Irish) mother tells me that this is not nearly strong enough even when stewed for hours. She thinks there is something wrong with it.
We also drink Redbush after 7pm in our house due to being complete caffeine wusses...

I buy Clipper because its fair trade. Have no idea what it tastes like because I can't stand the stuff.

I think tea's less of a problem than coffee...anyone use instant?

It is a very mild and gently flavoured trad tea blend. Love it. Cannot stand orangey-brown strong Tetleys etc

Do indeed have Clipper Instant bundle It's quite OK actually, although dsis has a reflex sneer every time she visits. We have real as well but dh and I got fed up brewing it and then seeing it get cold while we broke up fights, sorted out Tweenie DVDs, applauded potty usage, bla de bla.

on our summer hols in Italy I bought a Bialetti stove-top espresso maker and tbh I find it just as easy as instant...except it then gives me the urge to froth milk....

Traidcraft do a lovely tea, just ordered a box of 6. AND it's guilt free, the farmers aren't slaves.

I drink Tesco own premium tea and it's lovely. HATE PG tips - bleurgh!

I like Quick Brew ones as well.

Oh no ss - jools buys PG tips and it's too strong for me! Maybe cos she uses skimmed milk (aka water in my house!) so her tea is rank!