SimplyJenW

Second tea of the morning……….

I have not had this one in a while. It combines so many of my favorite scents into one lovely tea. There is rose, Early Grey, and jasmine, and I think the tea base is a black tea. I do try to remember to brew at a slightly lower temp due to the jasmine. I am guessing it is probably best for an afternoon tea, but this sounded good now.

I did have a sample of this come in my foodzie box from LiberTEAS. Surprisingly, it was the only sample from the box of a tea I have tried, and I feel like I have been around the block a few times when it comes to ordering tea. It really is a fabulous tea.

Usual teapot method with a 195 temp.

Backlog from the weekend…… (SRP #17, a sipdown)

It was a very busy weekend. I kind of felt like we were running in all directions. Saturday was Solo & Ensemble contest for both of my kids (a flutist and a violist), and Sunday we had a short program with the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW for a writing contest in which my son participated. I know I did not get my usual amount of tea in (and my headaches proved it!)

This, however, was memorable. It is the end of my tin. So sad. I will miss Mr. Dark & Mysterious (and currently irreplaceable) . Perhaps Harney & Sons will find some to offer again.

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the afternoon……. (SRP #16)

Tasting note #700. Wow. I can’t believe it. Which leads me to how this tea came to reside in my cupboard. If you hang around Steepster long enough, you start to get to know other members and their tea loves. I believe this is Angrboda’s all time favorite. It is a Fujian black, which are my favorite black teas. This tea has been on my list for ages, so I splurged on 50g. It arrived today in the mail, just in time for my 700th note. Perfect timing!

Oh. Yeah. (I keep hearing that song from ‘Ferris Beuller’s Day Off’ now…) This tea is fabulous. Notes of chocolate, not cocoa-chocolate!, a slightly heavier mouthfeel than others like it (my gong fu blacks), and really tea perfection. I think I want to keep this one around for a while. I stuck with the smaller amount for my first order with TeaSpring since I have a tea inventory problem at home. Once I get a handle on the inventory, I will order more.

Usual mug method. (Want more NOW!)

Tea of the morning….. (SRP #15)

And one from LiberTEAS. Wow. The way I brewed this tea this morning would put hair on your chest. Of course, me being female, that is not really a very attractive thought. Since I am not one to add milk, and the stronger teas take some adjustments on the brewing parameters for me, I must try again. But whoa, this was strong. Stay tuned for another attempt at a later date. So far, I got malty, earthy with a bit of astringency, and a whole lotta briskness. I need to go lighter on the leaf and shorter on the brew time for my next attempt.

Sample Sipdown! (SRP #14)

Special thanks to Scott for the tea, and the fact that he sent enough so that I could try it a few times. I really like this one, and will likely buy some once I get a handle on the inventory.

Complex and well rounded. Very satisfying. This is my hard core black tea of the day! And I made a whole pot this time!

Second tea of the morning…… (SRP #13)

Another Teavana sample courtesy of Fairyfli. (Thank you!)

I brewed up a pot of this not really knowing what to expect, but with a word like Assam in the name, I was thinking more along the lines of hard core black tea. There are lots of things in there….some black tea, some fruit pieces, some spice pods, lots of lemongrass. Really, I think I probably should have used more leaf (but I ran out….I still used over 3 perfect tsp for my pot…). The other thing I probably should have done is not paid attention that this was Assam. I was kind of looking for a good black tea to keep the morning moving. This is not that tea. It needs to be reclassified in my mind as a black, fruit, and herbal blend. And by using a similar amount of tea blend as I do to black tea, I am left with not much black tea flavor, but a whole lot of other going on. Notes of tropical flavors for sure, but the lemongrass is probably the foremost taste.

Usual teapot method, but with much less sweetening. It is a Teavana fruit blend, afterall.

Tea of the morning……

Usually, I don’t drink green tea in the morning. However, the aroma of this one just kept calling to me. It smells just like a milk oolong. The leaves kind of look oolongish, but still somewhat like a large leaf green when they are brewed up.

First steep. I have to admit that I was not at all blown away by the first few sips, but I totally agree with Indigobloom on this one, that it draws you in more with each sip. By the end of the cup, you are so taken, that you immediately resteep it, and the process starts all over. Second steep is not quite as rich, but it is still very good. First sips are lightly vegetal, and then the butteriness kicks in. I do agree with TeaEqualsBliss that it tastes like buttered popcorn. Definitely a keeper!

Mug method, about 180 degree water, 3 minutes first steep, 4 minutes second steep.

Tea of the afternoon……

Yes, I know. All the complaining about the amount of tea I own and here is a new one. I had a friend who needed a pound of tea, and I have had my eye on this one ever since Harney announced it. So, we ordered together. This was all I ordered.

The whole Titanic story has a place in my heart because my Grandmother was born on that night. I can remember her talking about it, and how she felt like she had some kind of connection to that tragic night. I did not even realize she would have been 100 this year had she still been alive. When I saw this tea announced, I knew I would be buying some. It kind of represents a moment in time of beginnings for our family amidst the tragedy for others.

My tin of tea says it is a blend of Keemun, Assam, Ceylon, and Oolong. I think the description is kind of vague regarding the middle two teas in that list. Maybe I read it wrong. Anyway, it is good, smooth, and rich tasting. It makes a very well rounded cup of tea. No real earthiness, or maltiness, maybe a hint of cocoa, just very rich. There is not a break in the flavor from the front of the taste to the end. You know how there are some things that are almost all aftertaste (I kind of feel that licorice root is all sweet aftertaste) and others are all in the front notes (I have had some Keemuns like that). This one is good all the way through. I will definitely enjoy this tin of sachets.

Second tea of the morning….. (SRP#12)

After seeing Amanda’s tasting note on this that it reminded her of Cadbury Mini-Eggs (my all time favorite chocolate…so thankful it is seasonal!) I had to pull out my sample and give it a try. Anything close to my favorite chocolate in tea form has to be in my possession at some point!

She is right. I get notes of chocolate and the floral of the jasmine just comes across as sweetness. I have to say that I really like this. It was on my shopping list before writing the tasting note. (Usually, I do the tasting note and then put it on my list, but if you can’t catch the subtlety in the order of events from someone who is usually pretty methodical about things……) Love this. Want. (But need to wait a bit. I may make this a reward tea of some kind. Now to work out the details of my quest/task!)

Usual teapot method. 5 minute steep.

Tea of the morning…….

This is one that got stuck in the back of my tea cupboard. Ack. Once I get a handle on the samples in my stash, I need to get a handle on the larger amounts of tea, too. Maybe if I stopped buying tea for a year…..(who am I kidding?!)

I used my ForLife mug and 5 pearls. I am thinking it should have been 6, and I think I will add one for the resteep. Very good, but weak this time. Definitely a preparation error.

Off to prepare more!

Mmm. Yes. The 6 pearl resteep was perfect!

Tea of the afternoon…. (SRP #11)

My cello lesson was cancelled for today, so I had an extra half hour to burn! I really wanted Earl Grey Supreme from Harney, but I remembered that I have a few Earl Greys in my sample stash. I still have a few from LiberTEAS, but I settled on this one since it has been in my stash since last September. I think what happened is that I love Earl Grey in warmer months and can’t get enough of it then. In the colder months, I am more of a chai and spicey flavored tea drinker.

Well, I wish I could say I was taken by this tea. It is good enough. Just not something that will work for me. This is a very sweet version of bergamot, but it lacks the brightness of Lord Bergamot from Steven Smith or Earl Grey from Lupicia. And it does not have the fabulous tea base to carry it with a lighter bergamot taste like my beloved Earl Grey Supreme. It finally came to me that it is more like a candy version of what I would expect Earl Grey to taste like. I did experience that with Upton’s Earl Grey Creme when I tasted it relative to others…..Upton’s Earl Grey Creme is kind of more like Creamsicle tea to me. Ah. Definitely not a wasted taste test, but I think I am going to brew up something better. Time for sachet 2 of 15 from my Lord Bergamot box…..

Usual teapot method.

PS. The cello lessons are going well. My greatest piece of advice, you are never too old to do something big.

Tried an experiment today.

Apologies before you read further, because in some places what I did might cause a pretty good uproar.

I made this iced. I thought it would be fabulous. Not so much. All of the things I love about this tea are enhanced with the warmth.

Note to self: Reserve the pricey Premium Dragon Well for hot tea in the future. It tastes so much better that way.
Thank you for remembering!

Also, this makes me think that I will only like herbals or black teas iced. I might try a flavored green at some point.

Tea of the morning…… (SRP #10)

This is pretty much just a basic longer leaf Assam. There are definitely some golden tips, and it brews up very smooth with really no astringency or bitterness. It makes a good strong cuppa, which is greatly appreciated in the morning. (It is the second morning of waking up early to get to school after being on our own schedule last week for Spring Break…the bus comes at 6:30am….. Needless to say, my drama club teen was in rare form this morning!) The tea is dark and malty, strong and fortifying. Perfect for a morning like this one. A pulling up by the boot straps kind of tea.

Usual mug method for 3 minutes.

Second tea of the morning…. (SRP #9)

(Loose leaf version) From my foodzie box from LiberTEAS. I still have a ton of samples in that box. At least another 12, and I am sure I have tried close to 10. It has been very fun!

This is definitely Springtime in a cup. It is light, floral, and slightly sweet all on its own. I have to admit that the few things I have tried from this company have been stellar. The jasmine does not overpower the green tea base, and it is just relaxing.

It has been great to get kind of a feel for the quality before diving into a purchase because there are no samples available except for a variety pack of bagged teas, and the shipping is a little steep. I do feel his prices on loose leaf are pretty good, especially for the quality. I know there will be an order to this company in my future. I do have access to a few bagged teas locally, but I am pretty fond of loose leaf, and it just seems like a better value.

Mug method at about 175 for 2 minutes. No additions.

Tea of the morning…. (SRP#8)

I have had this one for a while. I think it appealed to me because it was likened to coffee, and I used to be a pretty hefty coffee drinker. Also, in looking at my big pile of samples, I can see that I am going to get through the black teas in my SRP-Sample Reduction Plan, well ahead of all the others. I NEED a black tea in the morning. I guess it will be a great time to use up some Franken Breakfast once I tackle those sample blacks and try the few new ones in transit (yes, I fail at ‘no buys’ for tea)….

This tea is interesting. The first thing it reminded me of is Javavana Mate from Teavana. Maybe it is not as sweet, but there is a definite note of chocolate, and the tea base is earthy and mellow. It is also a strong tea base. I do see why this tea is suggested to coffee drinkers. It could stand up to any kind of additions well. If I had gotten around to trying this in my coffee drinking days, I am pretty sure I would have purchased this. But now, I only have an occasional cup of coffee (and the occasional coffee flavored ice cream is even better!) Tea has won me over.

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the morning…. (SRP#7)

This one is from my foodzie box from LiberTEAS.

Oh man. This is fantastic. The leaves are a little shiny, twisted, and thicker than most black teas, but when they brew up, they are huge. My infuser basket is almost overflowing! The resulting tea is a dark, thick, reddish brown. It has a heavy mouthfeel. It is malty, roasty, woodsy and complex. There is a slight bit of astringency at the end, and a very slight hint of briskness. Really, a fabulous breakfast tea. (Fabulous even for the serious tea drinker in me! :D)

I did take some time to check out this company online. It looks as though they offer some very unique things (I am eyeing those Hawaiian teas…..) I am putting this on the shopping list.

Usual teapot method. I think I am going to try a resteep, too.

Thank you, LiberTEAS!

Tea/tisane of the evening…. (SRP #6)

This one comes to me from FairyFli. (Thank you so much!) She sent me such a generous bunch of samples of herbals and others from Teavana. Actually, I am excited to try them. I have not yet been to a Teavana, but I have placed a few small online orders with them for sale items or when they had free shipping. I do window shop for the teaware on occasion. We have a few stores locally, so if I find something really good and unique (and am lucky enough that it is in their current offerings), I can pick a little up for a special treat. I don’t think any of them will make my daily cuppa lists, but they are fun. And I am usually looking for a dessert replacement. This one is not bad at all.

I am going to be honest in that I went a little heavy on the leaf. I used 4 perfect teaspoons (which translates to 6 actual tsp) for my 24 oz pot. I also caved and sweetened this with Splenda. It is definitely sending me vibes of dessert. It is chocolatey, a little fruity, and there is a hint of spice. Really, it almost seems more like a hot chocolate than a tisane. Pretty tasty, and I might consider it if I need serious dessert tea without caffeine. Is this in any way a serious tea? No way! It is pure fluff and not for those who take their tea seriously all the time.

Thank you, Fairyfli! This is going to be fun!

Tea of the afternoon……

After reading JacquelineM’s review of the Lemon Tea from Mountain Rose Herbs, I remembered that I had purchased some licorice root from there a while back to make an herbal blend like an herbal blend of a similar name that is very expensive from this one spa type salon. (Sorry I am being vague, but if you know of this tea, you know…)

I am also trying to drink more blends that don’t require sweetening. This one does not due to the licorice root. I find it pretty relaxing, so I think it will be a staple in the cupboard since it is so easy to mix up, and really pretty inexpensive, too. (Recipe plus my ammendments is on the tea’s main page….) I was planning to add some tulsi to my blend all along, and was out of basil in my spice cabinet. But then I remembered that tulsi is a kind of basil, and I almost wonder if that is what they really use in the original…..

Sweet and minty. And there is a hint of anise flavor. Yum.

Teapot method for 5 minutes. No additions. (Not rating this one as I blended it up in my kitchen!)

Tea of the morning….. (SRP #5)

I can’t believe I have an untried Keemun in my possession. It has been in my sample bin since last November. See, it is a good thing to check what you have every so often.

This is very good. The leaves are not long, but they are fine (narrow) like the higher grades of Keemun. There are light notes of smoke, and cocoa, just like you would find in a good Keemun. A great breakfast tea on its own for sure. It is currently (as of April 14, 2012) $8.40 for 125 grams, so roughly $2 an ounce. I do think it is slightly richer tasting than the Organic Heng Ru Keemun which is a little less expensive. Not sure I would need the more expensive one, though, but I might spring for this at some point as my stores of Keemun are down to only the Heng Ru and my precious Harney Keemun Mao Feng. And, I must try ALL the Keemuns at Upton, just because they make it so reasonable to do so!

Usual teapot method.

Another tea of the afternoon….. (SRP #4)

This is a sample from a swap with Mercuryhime. I know you suggested cold brewing this, but I have need of warm tea…..

The tea base looks very much like a normal Bai Mu Dan. The strawberry flavoring is light. I am not sure I read much more than strawberry flavored white tea. The overall taste is refreshing. And with a little sweetener, the strawberry really shines. Definitely a good, light tasting cuppa. Perfect for late afternoon.

Tea of the afternoon….. (SRP #3……..Sample Reduction Plan)

This one was included in my foodzie box from LiberTEAS. This sample box that she sells on teatra.de.com was a great way to try several kinds of tea from a multitude of vendors for one low price (yes, I am sounding like a commercial, but actually, I am just very happy with the contents!) I have been contemplating an order at Simpson & Vail for some time, but it is always nice to try a few things just to have an idea of the quality offered by a new-to-you vendor.

This is a good one. Light cinnamon, then the notes of chocolate hint, and then a cakey note. I do think the chocolate and cakey notes are somewhat from the flavorings as well as the tea base. The cinnamon still seems very much a part of the tea. It is strong and thick enough that it kind of reminds me of coffee. I do know that if I am ever in the market for flavored tea, I will place an order at Simpson & Vail. Right now, I think I am maxed out for cupboard space until I finish a few things, or several ;).

Usual mug method.

Tea of the morning…… (SRP #2…Sample Reduction Plan )

And this is I think the last tea from my Lucky Bag from Lupicia from New Years. I do have to say that the Lucky Bag (actually called a Fukubukro Bag) was a fun introduction to Lupicia, but I am not sure I would do it again. The fact that it is a good introduction kind of defeats the marketing of this bag….You have to be intending to purchase it in order to get one before they sell out. It takes a little planning ahead on a holiday, but then some of us, like me, are tea obsessed. As a result, it did work for me.

This is a very fluffy black. The leaves are pretty big (hence the FOP designation without a B in there!) It kind of reminds me of a ceylon, but not as bready. Kind of like a Chinese congou, but not as chocolatey. There are no hints of smoke, and I would probably just call it a simple black tea. The front does have a slight hint of malt, and the end is very smooth. Yes, simple. I do have just under 50 grams of this, and it might be sorted into the Franken Breakfast Blending Lab (really, just a plastic shoe box sized bin.) It will make a great base tea.

Usual teapot method.

New tea of the day…… (AKA SRP #1 in Sample Reduction Plan 2012)

I got this one in my foodzie box from LiberTEAS. I missed out on this when Culinary Teas had it available for a short time in February. I was so glad that Ann was able to include this one in my box.

I get mostly rose tea with a hint of chocolate. It is really very good. I do think I could do with a bit less rose and a bit more chocolate flavor. It is amazing how much this reminds me of Upton’s Rose Congou but with a slightly bigger hint of chocolate. From the description on Steepster, it is a blend of rose tea and chocolate tea. I have Harney’s Valentine blend which is chocolate tea with a hint of rose. Really, I think I would like something in between the two, but I will happily drink this one until it is gone.

Usual teapot method.

You give some away, you get much more in return……

This is the end of my sample of this tea from Batrachoid. I found it in the bottom of my sample bin (which is really three shoebox sized plastic bins) while doing some kind of Spring cleaning (really, let’s be honest that it is more of a Spring ‘shuffling things around’ than actual cleaning!) Some of these samples were purchased, and some were from swaps. If I tried one every day from now until the end of the year, I am not sure I could get through all of them. I think we might call my next sample-palooza A Sample (or three…) A Day Keeps the Stash at Bay, unless you out there can think of something better. How about Climb Sample Mountain……

The mixture of the generosity of my Steepster friends and my obsession with trying just a few more teas has me buried in samples and a few new ones to try. I think I even have a few more samples and certainly some new teas in transit as I type this. Really, it is getting out of hand. I did finally start purchasing most teas in smaller amounts which seems to help a little. I really have to get a handle on my tea. I am to the point where I have to categorize….ones I will finish as iced tea, ones that will be replaced when gone, ones that will be good blenders for my Franken-Breakfast tin, ones that are packaged for travel, etc……. and then the mountain of samples.

Here I sit with this awesome cuppa. I do so appreciate the sharing of this particular tea as it is not available any longer. One day I will probably buy something from this company due to their meticulous attention to detail and awesome packaging. But, it is not this day…… I must press on to be a more efficient and responsible tea drinker and purchaser. It is hard to think of it going to waste, and if I give it away, I end up with more than I started. (You guys are wonderfully generous. Our community here always restores my faith in humanity. I raise this awesome cuppa to you!) :D

Usual mug method.