What difference would using Rock Sugar make in tea?

Question

I like my tea sweet, and generally add several cubes of white sugar. Teavana sells rock sugar, which it claims is somehow "better" while being vague on what that means. Is it sweeter? Better for you? Less sweet? Somehow interacts with the tea leaves differently?

Interesting, you're meant to brew it with the leaves, presumably sweetening the whole pot rather than doing it to taste for individuals, which sounds annoying. Is that just marketing or does that have some benefit?

Answer 1

It appears to be brown sugar instead of white sugar. So there will be some flavor difference from less refining (e.g., more molasses remaining)

You could pick up turbinado sugar at the grocery store, which will probably taste just about the same, for much less money.

edit: I should also note that honey makes a good sweetener for tea as well, depending on the type of tea. You could use normal brown sugar as well. Maple sugar (or syrup) goes in some... there are a lot of sweeteners you can use, and most of them you can get fairly cheaply at the grocery store so you can experiment. (Except maple, I suppose, which is just expensive)

Answer 2

In Northern Germany, sugar crystals similar to the style depicted on the linked web page are used for "East Frisian Tea". East Frisian Tea is more a style of tea service than a specific variety of tea, but usually some blend of Indian black teas is used, often Assam and Darjeeling, but some variation from that is possible; the main thing is that it's not an aromatized or fruity tea, but a black tea blend, and tends to be infused with the intention of being slightly bitter.

When serving, rock sugar is placed at the bottom of the cup. Tea is poured over the rock sugar. Then, typically, but not always, a bit of cream is poured on top of that. You don't stir what's in your cup, so you start with a creamy flavor, progress toward a fairly bitter/astringent black tea, and have an increasingly sweet finish. You keep on repeating the process of adding sugar, tea and cream and drinking until you've run out of things to talk about with your friends.

The slow melting process is the main desirable attribute of this type of sugar, not the flavor difference. The brown crystals, with a slight molasses hint, were the most common ones I saw in Germany, but clear ones were not unheard of either. The hint of molasses is the only flavor difference from the brown crystals.

Answer 3

I received this rock sugar with a tea gift set, and to my palate it tastes no different from refined sugar. It does take longer to dissolve, so I don't see how you could brew it with the leaves and get the sweetness you desire. I just finished a cup of tea over a period of about 10 minutes, and there are still tiny rocks sitting undissolved in the base of the cup.

Answer 4

Old post, but still popping up in google. My two cents: I have used Cuban sugar, different types of honey, and rock sugar is still my favorite. While the price is steep, the flavor does make an incredible difference. I am an avid tea drinker and brew tea all day- more than a hobby, it helps me focus, enjoy, and smile more often. I often brew the tea with the rock sugar at the bottom of the infuser, so it actually dissolves as the tea is being made and not when you're about to drink it. Another way I like to use it is to fill up my 32 oz thermos with the sugar at the bottom, let it take its course for a while, then flip the thermos upside down, slowly, so it can sweeten the rest. I use about 4 teaspoons per 32oz, which makes it just right for my taste. I have never tried using the sugar at the bottom of the mug, as I drink little bits at a time (remember, all day).

Like with anything else, there are different types of sweet. Rock sugar, although I buy plenty, I only use for tea, since it's the kind of sweet I enjoy the most on teas. It is cane sugar, just processed differently. If you really want to know the difference, pass by a Teavana and ask them for a small sample (you can order cheaper sugar online). Your mouth will understand. I don't personally oppose tradition, as I enjoy it quite a bit, but I don't mind trying new things and improving older measures. This is our time for us to live, right now, not then or later, so I believe breaking tradition is as important as studying it.

A smaller note: if you use a Teavana tea maker or something to that effect and place the sugar at the bottom with the tea while it brews, and you serve it straight out of it and into the cup, the first cup will be sweet, and the second one will not even be aware there was sugar ever involved. It's only a tiny annoyance that can be quickly fixed.

Answer 5

Rock sugar is beet sugar (rather than cane sugar). It sweetens tea without overwhelming the natural flavor of the tea. Use it as you would use crystallized sugar, including that you stir the sugar into the tea (to get it to dissolve).