Varieties of teas Edit
A tea shop in Covington, Kentucky selling and serving whole leaf bulk teas and teaware, 2007
Further information: Tea culture
Currently, there is a revival of interest in the many varieties of black teas throughout the United States.[16] Additionally, other exotic teas (such as the vast variety of African, Asian and South American teas) and different brewing styles are becoming more commonplace. Teas from all origins and elevations, made in all methods of manufacture, are popular in the USA, a tea market which has traditionally been more flexible and willing to try new types of drinks than tea markets throughout the old world.
In the USA, there has been a marked shift back to selling teas by single origins, under the name of the actual tea factory's registered export trademark(s) at the tea-producing origins - more and more, the consumer is fascinated by the exotic-sounding garden and factory trademarks and their frequently colorful histories at the tea-producing origins.
Decaffeinated tea is widely available in the United States, for those who wish to reduce the physiological effects of caffeine. There are many who are aware that the sales trend for decaf teas in the USA has shown a decreasing curve in demand at retail over the past 20 years, yet the high price of decaf remains unchanged. The reasons are twofold.
Not only is decaf tea more expensive than non-decaf tea, the processes of decaffeinating that is commonly used depletes a great deal of the flavor out of the tea.[17] The teas with the highest caffeine content fall far below the coffees with the lowest caffeine content. In this light, and considering that most people would prefer to buy better quality teas rather than the less flavorful decaf teas, the American consumer has been buying decaf tea slightly less in recent years. For those who are caffeine intolerant, however, the invention of decaffeinated tea has been welcomed as a refreshing and tasty alternative to caffeinated beverages.