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Steep Information:
Prepared after the official tasting, during the Steepster meetup and tea tasting

Tasting Notes:
Smell: Sweet pineapple, apricot
Medium body
Taste: Smooth, fruit juice
After taste: mint/menthol

Sorry my notes are so short and cryptic but we were having fun chatting it up. (Thanks again to everyone from Steepster for hosting this.)

Rating: I am intentionally not rating these teas as I didn’t really have a chance to sit there and sip on them and think whether I would by them again, like to play with them more, although none were awful (1 leaf) or fabulous (4 leaves)

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/radiance-tea-house-and-books-loose-leaf_22.html

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet raspberry iced tea (smells like a nestea type mix)
Flavor: sweet (almost sickeningly), raspberry, tea
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: chemical, powder, salt
Liquor: translucent orange brown

I strongly suggest never getting this, ICK. We got this as free samples at work, and so far everyone agreed they were glad they got it for free as now they know, for free, never to buy it.

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/lipton-bottled-black-tea-pureleaf-iced.html

bumping up a little as i tweak with it more
fast note at work, no real time for a blog
kati loose tea system (http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/04/kati-review.html)
12 oz hot spigot water
3 tsp (heaping) leaf
5 min steep (http://steep.it/5 minutes)
delicious red color
smells like orange hibiscus
tastes like hibiscus, orange, pineapple
coconut is a hint at 5 min
yum yum

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 packet
Water: hot spigot water, 16 ounces
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: forgot to check!
Steeped Tea Smell: spicy ginger!
Flavor: sweet honey then ginger burn!
Body: Full
Aftertaste: ginger burn
Liquor: cloudy yellow and slightly brown

I had to toss the cup, it was TOO spicy / burn. Now I have to see if MilitiaJim likes it.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/assi-brand-instant-powder-instant.html

No notes yet.

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 packet
Water: hot spigot water, 16 ounces
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: not much
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet honey, plum
Flavor: sweet honey and some plum, like a sweet kids fruit cocktail juice
Body: Full
Aftertaste: sweet, slightly plum skin tangy
Liquor: dark brown

I very much enjoy this tea, not quite as much as the date, but it is a nice at work tea with little fuss, lots of flavor, and VERY sweet.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/assi-brand-instant-powder-instant-plum.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 3 tsp
Water: 500ml filtered water at 212°
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL (Herbal, Strong)
Steep Time: 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: rooibos woody, chocolate, banana
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet chocolate, hints of banana, hints of woody rooibos
Flavor: banana, rooibos
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: sweet woody
Liquor: dark orange-brown

MilitiaJim hates banana that isn’t a plain real fresh banana. It didn’t find this offensive.

I on the other hand love it as a sweet dessert treat late night tea!

Post-Steep Additives: a bit of German rock sugar, really makes it a nice treat!

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/52teas-loose-leaf-rooibos-tea-chelseas.html

2 bags, 12 ounce mug, 5 minutes filtered boiling water
same as before: delicious sweet pineapple and lychee followed by tart hibiscus, which i like
strong full flavor

pairs well with my bacon chocolate chop cookies

made in my breville with auto start, green, medium
drinking now on train in
still reminds me of spring cherry from republic of tea
needs sugar
next time mild
(like 4 tsp to 750ml)

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 teabags
Water: filtered, boiling, ~12 ounces
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: sweet berry
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet berry
Flavor: tart berry, then sweet
Body: Full
Aftertaste: apple, berry
Liquor: deep dark red

I am a hibiscus and strong flavor fan, and this fits the bill. I enjoy it for a delicious nighttime tea.

MilitiaJim has decided he is not all that fond of hibiscus.

Post-Steep Additives: honey, tempers the hibiscus tart

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/republic-of-tea-teabag-herbal-tea.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 4 tsp
Water: a bit over 750ml filtered water brought up to 212°
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL (Black, i forget)
Steep Time: a little over 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: more like a Cracker Barrel cinnamon broom than red hots (not a bad thing)
Steeped Tea Smell: black tea, cinnamon stick
Flavor: black tea, cinnamon stick
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: slightly astringent, bitter
Liquor: translucent orange-red-brown

The name makes me expect Harney & Sons hot cinnamon spice, instead I get a nice black tea with a very natural and not candy like cinnamon flavor.

Next time I think it needs sugar.

If your not looking for candy, but a natural flavor this is what you want.

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/52teas-loose-leaf-black-tea-red-hot.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 3 tsp
Water: 750ml filtered water brought to 195°
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL (Oolong, Medium, Auto start)
Steep Time: a little over 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: vegetal, floral
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal, floral
Flavor: floral, slightly (but pleasantly) bitter, vegetal
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: vegetal
Liquor: translucent honey yellow-brown

Purchased at Mitsuwa for $7.50

A good cup of tea, but not amazing. I’ll gladly enjoy the rest of this tea, but I can’t see myself craving it. I am also not a rose fan.

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/ito-en-loose-leaf-oolong-tea-rose.html

Steep Information: Prepared after the official tasting, during the Steepster meetup and tea tasting

Tasting Notes: From Japan, medium body, taste-vegetal, rough (gritty?), slightly astringent and bitter

Sorry my notes are so short and cryptic but we were having fun chatting it up. (Thanks again to everyone from Steepster for hosting this.)

Rating: I am intentionally not rating these teas as I didn’t really have a chance to sit there and sip on them and think whether I would by them again, like to play with them more, although none were awful (1 leaf) or fabulous (4 leaves)

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/radiance-tea-house-and-books-loose-leaf_6294.html

Steep Information: Prepared after the official tasting, during the Steepster meetup and tea tasting

Tasting Notes: From China, medium body, flavor-nutty, woody, maybe a little smoky?

Sorry my notes are so short and cryptic but we were having fun chatting it up. (Thanks again to everyone from Steepster for hosting this.)

Rating: I am intentionally not rating these teas as I didn’t really have a chance to sit there and sip on them and think whether I would by them again, like to play with them more, although none were awful (1 leaf) or fabulous (4 leaves)

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/radiance-tea-house-and-books-loose-leaf_11.html

Steep Information: Prepared as part of the Steepster meetup and tea tasting

Tasting Notes:
From China

If the origin is Fujin it’s great, it has the most sweet flavor, use only local pine wood

Second brew is known for a dragonfruit or lychee flavor

The tea was prepared in a purple clay Yixing teapot seasoned for Lapsang Souchong – and so was sweeter for it

Smell: Campfire
Liquor: Translucent brown
Taste: smooth black tea, smoky, sweet
After-taste: smoky

Sorry my notes are so short and cryptic but it was a whirlwind tasting of so much information and flavor!

Rating: I am intentionally not rating these teas as I didn’t really have a chance to sit there and sip on them and think whether I would by them again, like to play with them more, although none were awful (1 leaf) or fabulous (4 leaves)

http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/radiance-tea-house-and-books-loose-leaf_3715.html

Steep Information: Prepared as part of the Steepster meetup and tea tasting

Tasting Notes:
From China, Guangzhou, Phoenix mountain
Told to expect roasty, passion fruit flavor and sweetness
A fussy tea

Smell: Sweet
Liquor: Golden yellow-brown
Taste: Fruity, citrus
After-taste: astringent, bitter

Second Steep: slightly roasty, sweet

Sorry my notes are so short and cryptic but it was a whirlwind tasting of so much information and flavor!

Rating: I am intentionally not rating these teas as I didn’t really have a chance to sit there and sip on them and think whether I would by them again, like to play with them more, although none were awful (1 leaf) or fabulous (4 leaves)

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/radiance-tea-house-and-books-loose-leaf_07.html

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: jasmine, vegetal green tea
Flavor: astringent, bitter, jasmine, vegetal
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: bitter, astringent
Liquor: honey yellow-brown

Served iced from the bottle, I think it’s a good prepared, store bought, iced tea.

I would buy it again as a pre-made, but not as a preferential to loose leaf.

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/ito-en-company-bottled-green-tea.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 4 heaping teaspoons
Water: 750 milliters filtered 212°
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL (Herbal, Strong, Auto start)
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Chocolate, nuts, spices, wood
Steeped Tea Smell: Chocolate, nuts, spice
Flavor: spice, hints of chocolate
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: cinnamon
Liquor: translucent orange-brown

Gift from SoccerMom!

This is a delicious combination, if you enjoy Teavana’s Mates I highly suggest this.

Post-Steep Additives: German rock sugar, sweeter and more / stronger flavors overall

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/teavana-loose-leaf-rooibos-and-mate-tea.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 teabag
Water: 8 ounces hot spigot water
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Wood, paper, green tea
Steeped Tea Smell: woody green tea
Flavor: woody green tea, a bit bitter and a bit astringent
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: bitter
Liquor: translucent yellow-brown honey colored

Gift from a co-worker who tried the Yerba Mate and found it to have too much caffeine. I enjoy being the crazy tea lady of the office.

So far I find mate to taste very much like a green tea.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/guayaki-teabag-mate-tea-yerba-mate.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 packet
Water: hot spigot water, 16 ounces
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: very sweet!
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, fruity, black tea, honey
Flavor: very sweet black tea, fruity, honey, hint of fruit
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: sweet, honey
Liquor: translucent orange-brown

A co-worker let me have one of hers. It is delicious! I am not exactly sure what kind of tea it is trying to be but I suspect black. I need t find where to get more of this.

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/assi-brand-instant-powder-instant-date.html

Steep Information: Prepared as part of the Steepster meetup and tea tasting

Tasting Notes:
Medium Roast from Taiwan
Huge full leaves
Oolongs should always be full leaves with twigs and chunks as they are harvested in chunks (grab the steam and leaves and bud)

Milky smell
Nutty, not floral, sweet
Light body
Slightly vegetal
The tea is smooth, then rough

Fake milkyness could come from soaking in milk or adding milk powder but this is natural flavor – part of the leaf

There are machines that roll the tea inside canvas bags into the tight balls in Taiwan, people need to swap out the bags but they can do more at a time. Some are still done by hand, specifically China, and can take many tying, ballings, twists and turns and much time. This is where cost comes in.

Sorry my notes are so short and cryptic but it was a whirlwind tasting of so much information and flavor!

Rating: I am intentionally not rating these teas as I didn’t really have a chance to sit there and sip on them and think whether I would by them again, like to play with them more, although none were awful (1 leaf) or fabulous (4 leaves)

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/radiance-tea-house-and-books-loose-leaf_06.html

aha! on a real laptop now
images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/republic-of-tea-teabag-herbal-tea-key.html

stupid silders don’t really work on the ipad

Typing this on my work iPad so you’ll have to check my blog later for full detail and pictures

1 teabag
6 ounces filtered boiling water
5 minutes

Dry leaf smell – berry tart lime
Tea smell – tart, berry, lime, sweet
Tea – tart berry (hibiscus) lime
Full body
After taste is sweet

Good enough I’ll enjoy the rest, but it seems like it would be better as not a tea, perhaps a pie or jello?

Served hot

Thanks for the sample Meghann M

Steep Information:
Amount: 3 heaping teaspoons
Water: 750 milliliters filtered, 212°
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL (Black, Strong, Auto start)
Steep Time: a little over 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Strong vanilla, hints sweet cherry not fake but real fruity scent
Steeped Tea Smell: Sweet vanilla black tea
Flavor: Astringent, slightly bitter black tea a hint of vanilla
Body: Full
Aftertaste: Astringent, slightly bitter
Liquor: Mostly opaque dark brown with slight reddish orange hints

Post-Steep Additives:
+German Rock Sugar – no more bitterness, brings out the vanilla, still not getting the cherry
+Lactose-free milk – less astringency much better

This is from LENA in the wonderful little Tupperware containers! Yes another one I have been hiding away and am finally getting to.

This tea is a good strong wake you up black with a bad astringency problem. I am very glad I didn’t order a whole tin! Thank you again LENA for helping me satisfy my curiosity and not end up drowning in ‘Meh’ tea.

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/05/republic-of-tea-loose-leaf-black-tea.html