SimplyJenW

206 Followers / 174 Following

Naturally Flavored Cinnamon Chai Tea - TE36 from Upton Tea Imports

SimplyJenW drank Naturally Flavored Cinnamon Chai Tea - TE36 by Upton Tea Imports

My tea of the morning…. Happy Friday! :D
Edit to add: Wow! This is my 400th tasting note! (I wish I could show such dedication to other things in my life. Ha!)

This is a good cinnamon tea. I am not sure I would classify it as a chai, but it fits the flavor profile without the ginger and cardamom. I guess I am missing the bits…..or the spices that you can see in a chai mix. If I think of it as a cinnamon tea, it works better. This is not red hots in a cup, so for those of you who prefer a more subtle cinnamon tea, this is for you. I think if you wanted to blend this up into a traditional chai by adding some whole cloves, cardamom pods, and ginger, it would be fabulous.

Steeped by the usual parameters.

2011-09-16 06:22:00 -0400

Boiling

4 min 0 sec

I Like This

10 likes

5 comments

People who liked this

Comments

Uniquity 2011-09-16 06:59:52 -0400

Congratulations on 400! I had mine the other day but only noticed afterward. It’s a lot of cups of tea : )

TeaEqualsBliss 2011-09-16 08:55:29 -0400

Congrats on your 400th!

SimplyJenW 2011-09-16 09:14:26 -0400

Thank you!
And congrats to you, too, Uniquity! So much tea, and still so many wonderful samples in my cupboard! How about you?

Uniquity 2011-09-16 09:19:59 -0400

Oy. I’ve so much tea that I’ve realized I need to be more generous with the amount I use. For the longest time I’ve used the bare minimum amount of tea to make each kind last longer but it’s no longer feasible. It’s a whole new world! : )

Dinosara 2011-09-16 22:34:21 -0400

Congrats! I’m approaching 300 myself… it’s amazing how fast it goes!

Profile

Bio

Tea enthusiast, trying to keep up my cardio for the zombie apocalypse. I have come to accept that I am a western brewing black tea drinker as that is where my ‘tea heart’ lies. I started on loose leaf as a way to have my dessert and not suffer the caloric issues. Once I tried it, I was hooked.

I drink what I like, which is mostly China blacks, traditionally scented blacks and Earl Greys, plus a few other flavored teas. I don’t mind spending a bit on premium varieties on occasion, but an expensive tea has to deliver. My favorite places to order are Harney & Sons and Upton Tea Imports. TeaVivre is great for Chinese tea.

My ratings are pretty subjective. If it falls under 70, I may not take the time to post about it unless I had something specific to say. If it is 70-80 I like it, but I will probably not rebuy. Favorites are over 80 and up, but sometimes the less expensive or more easily obtainable version of a similar taste will win out for my cupboard space.

Usual teapot steeping method: 24 oz teapot, 3 perfect scoops of tea (4 1/2 actual tsp), freshly boiled water, 4 minutes. Lightly sweetened.

Usual mug steeping method: 15 oz mug, 1.5 perfect scoops of tea (just over 2 actual tsp), freshly boiled water, 4 minutes. Lightly sweetened.

Usual pan method: 1 1/2 cups water, 2 perfect tsp chai (3 actual tsp). Simmer for 3 minutes. Add 2/3 cup skim milk. Simmer for 2 more minutes. Strain and sweeten.

Usual pitcher method:
5 or 6 Perfect Spoons of tea (this means about 7-9 actual tsp), freshly boiled water, brewed essentially double-strong in my 24 oz teapot for 4 minutes. Fill my Fiestaware Disc pitcher (about 60 oz.) halfway with ice. Add brewed double-strong tea to the pitcher. Stir it a little and enjoy. No additions.

(*SRP is my Sample/Stash Reduction Plan starting on April 12, 2012. I got so far, but just decided it was too fussy to keep track.)