Tea for coffee drinkers: find a flavor you enjoy

Start with the part of coffee you enjoy

Choose by roasted aroma, malt or a full cup, rather than dark leaves or price. Tea will not taste exactly like coffee. Lighter and floral teas are still worth trying if those flavors appeal to you.

Malt and a rounded cup: Dian Hong

This Yunnan black tea is a starting point for malt and cocoa-like notes. Individual lots vary. Try a small unflavored sample if you enjoy a rounded cup but do not want earthy aromas.

Toasted aromas: roasted Tieguanyin

A roasted oolong can offer toasted nuts or grain alongside floral notes. Ask for the roast level; roasted does not necessarily mean smoky. Lightly processed Tieguanyin is a different starting point.

Body and earthiness: ripe pu-erh

Ripe pu-erh can offer earth, wood and a substantial cup. Raw pu-erh is a different style. If earthiness is unfamiliar, try a loose sample or a small portion before buying a whole cake.

Make a first cup in your usual mug

Use a heat-safe mug and roomy basket strainer. Measure the water, follow the sample’s instructions and remove the leaves when ready. The 250 ml recipes below are starting points; adjust the leaf amount for a larger mug.

Compare two small samples

Try one malty tea and one roasted tea; add ripe pu-erh if earthiness appeals. Compare aroma, body and the drying feeling after a sip. If a cup is thin, check the leaf-to-water ratio; if bitter, shorten the steep. Change one thing at a time. Include shipping when comparing sample prices.

What about caffeine?

All three teas contain caffeine. Roast, dark color and tea type do not establish the caffeine content of a cup. If you are switching for a specific caffeine limit, use measured serving information for the product rather than choosing by flavor alone.