Hi, y'all. So I've recently started drinking hot tea (American southerner here, I've been doing sweet iced tea since I was young enough to also be breastfeeding). I'm loving it, but it took me a long time to get it to a point where I liked it.

I typically use 24ish ounces (±700ml) of boiling water (got me an electric kettle, like civilized folk), and 2 twinings brand Irish Breakfast Tea tea bags, and I steep it for 20 minutes.

I am aware this is significantly longer than is generally done. But it always tastes "thin" or watery if I do less than that. I'm doing college classes at home, and will make this in a big metal travel mug that keeps it hot for hours, and drink it all day. Normally 3ish cups a day or more.

I'm also using powdered coffee creamer in it, which I'm pretty sure just made everyone in this sub go "oof." (If it helps, I make my own using freeze dried milk and spices)

I'd like to know if I need to steep it like this because I'm buying some really crap American weak tea, or if it's because I just have a taste for.much stronger tea than normal? I'd like to try some other brands, but don't know where to start. Could anybody help?