SimplyJenW

Post-workout tea……

This one is interesting. They describe it as a “rock” tea in that it really does kind of look like little rocks instead of little balled up green leaves. I am no expert on green tea, but I thought this one was interesting (and I had two small samples that thepuriTea sent with my last order so I made a whole pot). I find it slightly vegetal and there is a hint of something minty, and even a hint of ginger at the end of the sip. It is really settling my stomach (you know that pit in the stomach you sometimes get at the end of a workout? Although you can’t really call what I do vigorous by any stretch…..) The stranger thing, on the first steep, I really did not notice the leaves opening much. We will have to see what happens on the second steep. All in all, a fun and different experience…… More later….

Tea of the afternoon…..

And tea #4 from my 2012 $30 Lupicia Happy Bag.

I am very pleased with this one. While the grapefruit is kind of strong, and adds a slight edge to the green tea (just like a real grapefruit would!), I really like this barely sweetened to take the edge off. Very refreshing. Going on my Lupicia list!

Tea of the morning……

Hello, Old Friend. This is one of my ‘savor it’ teas. It seems like it was only available for a short time, and the tins were only two ounces. I am not even sure the last time I had this one! I think I made a mistake by trying to go a little lighter on the leaf. It is not quite as dark and mysterious as the last few pots that I remember. Oh, well. It will still be loved.

Tea of the afternoon……

I decided to have this today while Lupicia’s Earl Grey was fresh in my mind. This one is bright, too, but more because the base is a Darjeeling blend rather than the bergamot notes being bright. I think I favor Lupicia’s Earl Grey a little over this one. This one is certainly priced a little better……

Second tea of the morning……

And tea #3 from my Fukubukuro bag from Lupicia. This one is in sachets in a pack of 10. Overall, I am pleased with my bag. I am not completely sure I will buy one again as I am not a huge fan of certain kinds of tea, but it has been a great introduction to Lupicia! I guess I would rather spend a little more and be sure to get things I know I will love.

Finally, a cherry flavored tea that is not reminiscent of cherry cough drops! I did have my reservations upon smelling it, but it is rather good. I will thoroughly enjoy this while I have it on hand, and it may even make it onto a shopping list. I think I need at least a few more cups of it before I can totally decide. Light cherry flavor, a decently well matched tea base. Enjoyable.

One sachet, roughly 12 oz freshly boiled water, 3minutes. Lightly sweetened.

Tea of the afternoon……

I have been wanting to try this tea for quite some time. It kind of reminded me of the Golden Snail from Harney & Son’s that I love and is currently out of stock. I picked this up when thepuriTea was having a great sale around Black Friday…I kind of went nuts and ordered a sample just about everything I have been wanting to try.

I have to agree with others that the sample packaging is kind of annoying. There is not much else to do with an open pouch but to find something else to put it in as the pouches are too small to even fold them over. My other issue is that there is nowhere near enough tea for the number of cups they say you will get out of a sample. They say 10-12 cups, I say 4 or maybe 5 if you are lucky. It is enough to get a good idea of the tea, but just barely. If I had paid full price for the sample, I would have been disappointed.

This one is very similar to Golden Snail for those of you out there waiting for its return. Malty, cocoa-noted, slightly roasty. If I were out of Golden Snail, I would certainly consider picking some of this up! Very satisfying!

After workout tea……

It is time to get back to my healthier ways. I always feel so much better when I am making an effort to exercise, but it is usually the getting started that is the problem. I think I am going to set up a jar with tokens….one token for a workout (I might even include a rigorous round of shoveling snow if we get any more, LOL!). One token for a dollar, and work up to buying a tetsubin. I know I can get by without one, but I am kind of wanting one for my oolongs. Anyway this is my post-workout cuppa today.

One more thing about Lupicia that I like…..by placing an online order for $30 or more, I have now been subscribed to their “Fresh Tea” Magazine for a year which supposedly comes every month and includes a free tea sample. I can always get behind a free sample. For December, which they included in my order, it was Earl Grey. The one I have is a wrapped sachet, but I think this will be a fun thing for the upcoming year.

This is a really good Earl! (Dinosara, I am talking to you!) It is maybe a little brighter and less musty than the ones I usually drink (even though I still love me a slightly mustyish Earl!) If I ever pare down my cache of Earl Grey varieties, this will be on my list….but since I can get it in 50 g, I might go for it anyway the next time I order at Lupicia. Also, I have not had Earl Grey in a while, and I think my taste for it is cycling back around, but I am thinking it was jut one particular Earl variety, recently rehomed, that squashed my cravings for it. I am so glad to be on friendly terms with the Earl again!

My afternoon 5 minute resteep was good, too!

Tea of the afternoon…..

I am trying to switch out some of the black tea I drink for green and oolong these days. I have yet to try a roasted green, but I figure it is probably best to stick with the greener greens for the added health benefits. Is greener really better?

(O-kay…..I have to share a little first world funny here…..every time I type oolong, it gets flagged for misspelling. It list my choices as oblong, Woolongong (what is THIS, LOL…oh, it is a town in Australia! To those not in the know, like me 5 seconds ago, it sounds kind of humorous when you let your own mind decide what it might mean), overlong, longer, and long’s…time to add this one to my dictionary. Done!)

I really like this one. I think the pineapple flavor really complements green tea. I can drink it without adding anything, but I added the slightest bit of sweet just to see what it would do, and it did bring out the pineapple even more. Yum.

24oz. teapot, just over 4 tsp tea, about 180 water, 3 minutes.

Tea of the morning…..

This was not part of my 2012 Lucky bag, but I have been eyeing this tea ever since I heard of Lupicia. It is a rich black tea base with cookie flavor that is lightly almond and lightly caramel. What I do like about it, is that the flavor is subtle without being too overly sweet. It just makes the rich tea base more fun. In comparison with the flavored teas from Harney that I usually drink, this one actually has something bready flavored going on. I am sure it is a completely different tea base for a flavored tea than what I have previously tried. I am very pleased with this! It is strong enough for a morning tea.

Usual mug method….

Tea of the eveing…….

And tea #2 from my $30 Lupicia Fukubukuro bag. (There are five loose teas, two bags of 10 teabags, one bag of extra long tea clips, a good sized tea ball, and a small but nice canvas bag.) This one came as a loose tea. One thing I am really liking about Lupicia is the amounts they sell. I love teas in 50g amounts. It is just enough to try and be sure about a repurchase…..and the repurchase is still small so that you don’t feel badly if your tastes wander to a different type of tea. I think one of my big mistakes in my tea journey has been stocking up on something I might not like so much in 6 months….. Also, since I have quite a bit of tea on the premises, it makes sense to buy small amounts for freshness optimization before using it up.

While rooibos is not my favorite kind of tea, this one is pretty good. I do require this one to be sweetened. It brings out the berry and honey flavors even more…..kind of like Tower of London in rooibos form.

Mug method for 5 minutes.

Tea of the afternoon……

I have been waiting almost a year to order one of Lupicia’s famous Fukubukuro bags that they offer annually at 12:01 on New Year’s Day. It is a Japanese tradition, a lucky bag, or mystery bag that offers items usually at a 50% discount. I missed out on the $50 bags, but was able to snag the $30 version. I was definitely pleased overall with my January tea purchase, and I got a few things that will be interesting to try. This was one of the teas in that bag….. I got a bag of 10 teabags.

I am not usually a fan of genmaichas, but I do appreciate them from time to time. This one has a grassy, bready, roasty flavor that you would expect from this type of tea. I am sure I can drink it 9 more times! I do like that it is such a unique flavor profile from the teas I usually drink. This one is certainly fresh and tasty. I do not require additions on this one.

I followed the steeping parameters on the bag…..1 minute with about 12 oz. boiling water (which I thought the water temp recommendation seemed a little high for a green…might try lower next time.)

Tea of the afternoon……

I have a ton of purchased and “gift with purchase” samples. I really think I could go for a few months trying something new every day, so I am going to try and knock my sample stash down a few notches. I also have to curtail my tea buying a bit, so I think my shopping list will be getting longer for a while, and I am going to try and order only once a month (you cannot imagine how hard this will be! :D I have a serious tea buying problem…….and have bought for January and February-this one comes for overseas so it will be here close to Feb…or at least that is my story for now……)

This is very good. It has a bright, kind of orangey note. The leaves are huge! I am not usually a drinker of Ceylon tea, but this one tastes very good to me. It is very smooth with no bitterness or aftertaste. Lovely…..and on the list it goes.

Tea of the morning…….

I have some new tea from friends who were recently on a trip to India. Thank you Kanuk and Neha! They brought back three varieties for me to try, and I am very excited to try them. This is a bagged variety (the others are loose). I can tell the leaves are of the granular type that I have seen in some authentic Indian chais. I am guessing it is a blend of many teas, and is more of an every day tea.

The brew is very dark and rich in color, almost nearing the color of coffee. The aroma is malty and warm (I know this is kind of a blah word since the tea is hot, but I am more referring to the fact that the smell just makes you feel relaxed and cozy, if that makes sense.) I was expecting the bite you get from an Assam tea, but this is very smooth. It is a little stronger than the English Breakfasts I usually drink in the morning, but I really like it. I am sure the entire pot will be gone in no time. I wonder if those not in India could find this in their local Asian market. I would consider buying it again as I am always looking for good bagged tea for travel, or when I am out.

I did a short 1 minute brew because the box showed brew times of 30 seconds to 90 seconds and the actually recommended dunking the teabags to get it to the strength you preferred! I used three tea bags in my 24 oz pot, and think I could probably get by with two next time. It is really good!

Tea of the late afternoon……

The last of my samples from TeaVivre. I did end up placing an order, so it will be interesting to try the new samples they send along with my order.

We had an odd break in the cold weather today, so it was a great day for lighter teas than I normally drink. This was my first Tie Guan Yin. I really liked it. It was buttery like the milk oolongs I have tried, and lightly floral. One thing I find very interesting about the greener oolong varieties is how the liquor almost feels heavy in the mouth. I am sure it is part of the magic of tea, and it something that draws me to oolongs, or maybe more vegetal teas in that you feel you are drinking much more than water. The other thing I really like about greener oolongs and the jasmine green I had earlier today is that I really enjoy them without additions. This one was not an exception. The leaves brewed up huge and bright green. The liquor was pale yellow with a hint of green. Really a great tea. It is going on the shopping list!

Tea of the afternoon…..

The sample was sent for review by TeaVivre. Thank you so much, Angel, for arranging this tea tasting with Steepster members. It has been wonderful to see how others experienced the tea you are currently drinking.

I have about four versions of this tea in my house. I do have to say, that I do enjoy a good jasmine green. In looking at the price points of the versions I have on hand, it runs all across the board from just over $5per ounce when purchased in around a 4 oz amount to this one which is just over $3.50. One of the close to $5 versions is organic, but the other is not. The one that I have that is close in price to this one, I have relatively zero information on it as I purchased it from a glass jar at my local Asian Market. I think the offering from TeaVivre is the one I will stick with…I have much more information on it, and it definitely smells fresher than the one I bought locally. I know green teas have a shorter shelf life than black, so it being very fresh is important. (I wish I had known that about my local purchase….while it is good, it is not nearly as bright tasting as some of the others I have tried, and who knows how long it was sitting in that glass jar?!) They all look very similar, but the two that are closest in smell are this one and the version from Harney & Son’s. My local one, and the organic one from the Summer Steepster box both smell kind of flat, although the local one is slightly floral, while being flat, and closer to what would be expected in a jasmine tea. (I am not even sure I want to try the organic one. It just doesn’t smell right, and I just opened the package…)

Onto the tea. It makes a pale, golden-green liquor and has such a lovely, relaxing, light floral scent. More of a refreshing scent than you would find in rose scented teas. The flavor has a slight butteryness and I definitely taste a light floral note as well as smelling it. I find this very good and I think jasmine tea would be more of a Spring/Summer choice for myself, but I am trying to push myself to drink more green tea. I always forget jasmine pearls are green, though! This is a very good and reasonably priced version of this tea in my opinion, especially since it is a good resteeper.

Tea of the morning……right after a cup of Gong Fu Black from Zhi Tea.

I decided that these two teas were incredibly similar, and needed to check them out together. They have an incredibly similar look as dry leaf. Some golden leaves among long, twisted darker leaves with a bit of a sheen. The color is pretty much the same, if not exact. I did not brew them up in a side by side comparison, but I did brew one cup right after the other. They taste incredibly similar, again, if not the same. As far as my senses can tell, the only differences are vendor, price, and packaging _(and one is the organic version…). I know the tea from Zhi is not a great resteeper as I usually add just a little more leaf to sweeten the pot, and I will try resteeping this one to see if the results are similar. (Resteep info is in the comments section….)

Edit to add: I am not really comparing apple to apples, here….it is more like apples to organic apples, so if the product being organic is of importance to you, Zhi Gong Fu Black would be a similar priced option with the Organic Bailin Gongfu from TeaVivre. The Zhi is a better price in amounts around 1 lb, but similar in amounts of around 100 grams. I am not really concerned with the tea being organic, though.

This makes me wonder if Zhi might source from a similar place as TeaVivre for their Gong Fu Black. I am not that concerned about it, but will probably purchase mine from TeaVivre in the future as it is closer to the source, they offer more information on origins, and the price is considerably less. Other things that weigh in, I prefer the packaging from TeaVivre as I feel the tins from Zhi, while pretty, are not very functional. I would rather spend my money on tea than fancy packaging. It might be possible to get the prices similar if there is a sale at Zhi, but I know I can order this tea (as well as a few others that pique my interest!) for a good price any day at TeaVivre. I know it is always good to support your local tea vendor, so those in the Austin, TX area might want to consider shopping at Zhi.

EDIT TO ADD (March 30, 2012): Zhi’s price has gone up considerably since I reviewed this….

Tea of the afternoon…..

And it was a resteep of the pot I had this morning….. Still fabulous! I love a black that resteeps well! It has become just a matter of when I am ordering……. ;)

Tea of the morning…….

This is the last black in the teas sent for review by TeaVivre. Thank you so much for the opportunity to try your teas. (A green and an oolong to go!)

This is a beautiful tea. It has long golden fingers with a bit of a sheen and downy fuzz. It appears to be the very tenderest part of the plant. The smell is rich and slightly earthy. I do think Yunnans are a coffee drinker’s tea in that the flavor is full, slightly malty, and roasty. This one is a very smooth example. I did initially think I might have gone a little light on the leaf in my teapot, but the richness of this tea easily overcame that. This is definitely going on my shopping list. It is probably the best Yunnan I have had to date.

I did follow the steeping recommendations on the package.

I was contacted by the company to offer free samples and since others had been reviewing free samples from them, I decided it would be a good way to see what the company was about. Part of what made me pause in thinking of placing an order is that there really is no option on their website to purchase samples, so you really cannot know what you are getting, and then there is the meeting of the free shipping…(which I now know they ship to the US for around $6 for orders below$30). I have to be quite frank in that I do prefer to purchase my samples rather than getting them free as I think it lends more credibility to my review. I do think samples along with an order is another great inroad for reviews, but I know it is hard to break through for that first sale. I have tried to be as unbaised as possible in my reviews of the teas sent, but it is really hard to know for sure. I do feel a need to make sure I try all of them sent in a timely manner, which is not how I usually approach tea. I usually let my mood guide me rather than I ‘have to try these first’ as a courtesy for TeaVivre’s sending them to me. All I can say is that I will defintely be ordering in the near future if that is any indication. The sample offering worked to make me want to be a customer, because the tea does speak for itself.

Tea of the afternoon……

This was a sample sent courtesy of TeaVivre. Thank you! This is a really good one! I am pretty much in love with Keemun tea of all varieties, and this one is very satisfying. There is a little bit of smoke, a little bit of maltiness, a little bit of a cocoa note, and lots of satisfying flavor. It is probably the quickest I have sipped down a pot of tea in some time. I find it similar to the Hao Ya A from Harney, although the leaves on that one are a little finer. I also find it similar to Keemun Heng Ru from Upton, but this one is a little more complex. This is definitely something I would consider purchasing in the future and am grateful to TeaVivre for the chance to sample it.

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the afternoon……

First of all,
Happy New Year to all my Steepster Peeps! I hope you have a lovely time with your nearest and dearest, and please, be safe tonight!

I have been rushing around my kitchen getting a few things ready for our festivities this evening, and I needed a tea that was more like an old friend than one I would have to pay close attention to looking for nuances and intricacies. This one fit the bill since I love a good basic Keemun. I am actually low on my tin and am working to make some space in my cupboard, but I know this will be purchased again at some point. Then, in my haste and the preoccupation of my timer for baking (yes, the travesty!) I steeped this one for about 7 minutes. I was certain it would be a bitter cuppa, but man was I wrong. It was as good and reliable as ever.

I think once my basic Keemun is gone from Fortnum & Mason (and if my refill order ever arrives…..need to make a review on F&M under Steepster’s places tab because I have never experienced such a horrid, appaling online shopping experience, but, alas, my experience is not yet over….) I will definitely be returning to this one. Good tea can easily be great from a reliable source.

Usual teapot method with a ‘mistakenly’ long 7 minute steep. Still delicious!

Tea of the evening……

First, I must thank TeaVivre for their generosity in sending samples, very generous samples. I love the way they are double packaged so there is a heat sealed package inside a resealable pouch, and then sent in a box. Very impressive. There is also more information about the origins and production on this tea than I have seen from any other vendor.

(Yes, I know I usually don’t drink tea in the evening, but we are headed out for some pre-New Year’s festivities that involve bowling and loud rock music. It is not scheduled to end until 1am, so I needed a serious evening pick me up!)

Onto the tea…I guess the way I brewed this cup is more what is called western style. I did want to try it out brewing according to the usual way I brew a black tea just so that I would have a good frame of reference for the taste. One thing I did completely differently…..I drank this one straight up. I usually have to add a little sweet in order to bring out the flavors in a tea, but not so with this one. It is perfect on its own. It has flavors similar to a high quality dark chocolate or a really good porter (Yes, I do usually prefer my beer as a porter and my wine as a dry red.) Plus there is a hint of molasses in there. I do think the next time I try it, I will add just a hit of sweet just to see what other flavors it has to show me. However, this one is remarkable for me in that it is wonderful on its own.

Brewed by my usual mug method…..15 oz. mug, 2 tsp tea, freshly boiled filtered water, 4 minutes.

Tea of the morning……

And tea 24 of 24! This one is from Dinosara, and I am in love. I don’t know what it is about this one. Usually I am not a fan when there are many flavors going on, but I am thoroughly impressed with the way Dammann Freres blends their tea into such a perfect cup. There are not ever any standouts…they are are blended together seamlessly. I can’t really say what exactly it is I am tasting, but it is delish! This company is definitely on my future order wish list!

Usual Mug method.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever brings your family and loved ones together this season, even if it is only to spend time with each other. May your travels be safe and uneventful, and your time blessed. And Happy New Year, too!

Tea of the afternoon…..

And tea 23 of 24. First of all, I have to say this has been a great way to encourage me to really tackle my sample stash. I also love that these samples were all basically gifted/swapped to me. It really makes me so thankful for this community where we all understand each other’s tea obsession. And that however you choose to drink it, it should make you happy. I have to admit in real life, there are only a few who get it. So, I would like to thank you all for sharing your tea, as well as your impressions of the tea you are drinking. The reviews have been invaluable in my tea journey. And this community has helped it along so much. Thank you!

This sample comes to me from ashmanra. She was generous enough to share her Harney greens with me. I really appreciate that, because it is a place I order often, and I am trying to drink more green tea. This particular tea is a lovely green with a light citrus and a light floral taste. It makes me think of Spring, even though there is a light dusting of snow on the ground today. I am enjoying this, but I think floral and green tea is not a combo that I would drink regularly. I still prefer the Tropical Green from Harney. (I have a sample of Bankok to try in the new year! I am so excited!)

Mug method, about 185 water, about 2 tsp tea, 3 minutes. Tasted without additions, then added a super light amount of sweetener just to bring out the flavors a little.

Tea of the afternoon…..

And tea 22 of 24. This one was sent by QuiltGuppy. Of course it has taken me way too long to try it.

It is my first darker oolong in a while. I am not sure I got enough leaf in my mug. I did get out the scale for prep and did 1 gram per cup, but I think I could have done iwth double the leaf for a stronger flavor. I did get fruity and nutty notes, but will have to try again to look for more nuances of this tea. It is definitely complex.

Mug method, about 190 water, 2 grams leaf, 3 minutes.