How does your mood affect your choice of tea?
My tea collection is a dominant force in our pantry. Off the top of my head, I’d guess I have over 50 teas to choose from. Yet every morning, I find myself gravitating towards three teas in particular:
- Yunnan Golden Monkey (Tea Leaves, an Australian tea shop)
- Keemum (McIvers Coffee and Tea, another Australian establishment)
- Kagoshima Shincha Yutaka Midori (from O-Cha)
How do I decide which one I go for? If I’m feeling particularly tired (which is a fairly common sensation these days), I tend to prefer one of the black teas. The Keemum always strikes me as a classic breakfast tea, whereas the Yunnan is a little left-of-centre, with a greater depth of character. The Shincha, on the other hand, is one of Bec’s favourites, so I tend to make that when we’re having breakfast together. (With a baby boy in the house, we often end up having breakfast separately). Shincha is also a bit more special than the Yunnan and Keemum, so I like drinking that to set the day apart.
It struck me this morning how much my tea drinking habits are affected by my mood. The first tea of the day is just one example. I also have specific teas I turn to when I want to beat the afternoon slump; I tend to prefer a cup of Rooibos tea before bed; and I often drink a cup of dandelion root tea later in the afternoon, because it’s a hardy, bold tea without caffeine.
Jason Witt wrote:
My mood changes not only with flavors of tea but with whether I want to be warmed or cooled in a Yin/Yang way. Black Tea warms while Green Tea cools. Oolong is balanced between the two and can suit more moods. This is also a general mood that changes with the seasons. Black Tea is good in the winter; Green Tea or White Tea in the summer. Right now sometimes even in the warmest month of the year (July) I want Black Tea in the morning when I’m not warmed up yet. Usually I prefer Oolong though.
Eric wrote:
Interesting you should mention oolong Jason. I’ve tried drinking oolongs with breakfast a few times but it doesn’t quite seem to fit for me. If I drink oolong, I prefer having it in the middle of the morning, or a little later in the afternoon.
Strange things, these preferences!
Jamie D. wrote:
I need caffeine in the morning to get going, so black tea is what I always start with. If it’s rainy or cold, I want something smoky like Lapsong Souchong or Bohea. If I’m feeling “out of sorts” (more than normal for a morning, anyways), I want something strong and bold, like Keemun, Irish Breakfast or Assam. If I’m feeling pretty good, sorta mellow, I go for a Yunnan black or a flavored black. On cold, snowy Fridays in winter, I’ll indulge in chai with milk & honey…cinnamon roll in a cup.
In the afternoon, if the weather is warm, I want a lighter tea – Nepal or Grapefruit oolong (a darker oolong). Sometimes even iced. Otherwise I like a good flavored blend or lighter black in the afternoon to keep me going through work.
Evenings and weekends are when I like green (Japanese greens) & whites, or a flavored rooibos. Those are “relaxing” teas for me…signaling time to rest and recuperate.
alexis wrote:
my mood definitely affects my tea choice. I tend to choose a smooth, floral (like an orchid oolong) when I am in a pleasant mood and am enjoying the sun shining through the windows. I reach for a cup of chai when I need a bit of warmth or need something spicy to invigorate my taste buds and soul. I always reach for a bit of gyokuro or formosa fancy when I want to reward myself for a job well done. Their truly is a tea for every mood!
thank you for sparking so many tea and mood related thoughts!
Eric wrote:
Alexis, I love the idea of drinking something special as a reward. I really ought to implement that in my daily life! Perhaps it’ll improve my productivity:)