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Babble

194 Followers / 218 Following

Okay, take two before I throw this tea bag out. This time I used “green tea” temperature water and steeped it for about 2 minutes or so. I’m hoping to bring these green tea notes out that I supposedly missed the first time around.

And…. no. It still tastes like black tea to me. And it’s still too astrigent for me to enjoy. Maybe even more so the second time. Not enjoyable at all.

Good try, Starbucks, but this random blend brings me no joy. I gave it a shot.

2012-12-03 11:29:14 -0500

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Whispering Pines Tea Company 2012-12-03 12:22:28 -0500

Is this what happens when Starbucks buys a tea company? And to think…Teavana already couldn’t make a good tea blend!

Babble 2012-12-03 12:27:02 -0500

LOL. Well to be fair, I don’t know how good Tazo was before this.

To Starbucks credit, they did used to use typical tea bags and switched to full-leaf pyramid bags, so.. it’s a start. But they’re still a coffee company first and foremost (and from what I understand from my coffee snob friends, they’re not even a GOOD coffee company).

Whispering Pines Tea Company 2012-12-03 12:39:56 -0500

Yes, their coffee is mediocre from what I’ve heard. I personally used to enjoy tazo teas – but that might have been before I discovered “real” tea. Maybe. :P

Babble 2012-12-03 13:04:29 -0500

Aww, no judgement here. We all have to start somewhere. I started on Tazo too, since they had a bunch of it in the office breakroom.

momo 2012-12-03 13:26:57 -0500

They’ve had this for a couple years. I can’t remember if I had it last year or two years ago but it was pretty meh.

LiberTEAS 2012-12-03 14:13:46 -0500

Steven Smith started Tazo which was acquired by starbucks in 1999, so, I’m going to state emphatically that Tazo WAS a good tea company at one time. But in the 13 years since Steven Smith was at the helm it has managed to lose its way.

Whispering Pines Tea Company 2012-12-03 16:36:41 -0500

Why do large corporations always throw acquired companies to the dumpster? Large corporations seem to have no care in the world for quality :/

Babble 2012-12-03 16:39:50 -0500

Because it’s all about the money, money, money.

One thing I’ve learned as I get older – especially regarding politics – when I ask, “Why does this happen? It makes no sense” it’s usually because of money.

Whispering Pines Tea Company 2012-12-03 17:32:44 -0500

Bleh. haha

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So the short story is, a few years ago I was VERY MUCH into tea. And then a lot of things happened, and I got out of tea for a while. And now, I’m back.

To me, tea is the missing puzzle piece for my healthy lifestyle. When I drink tea I am encouraged to eat healthy and be active. I drink tea because I simply enjoy the taste, but the health aspects are just an added bonus.

I love all types of teas, although greens and oolongs tend to be my favorite. I also love a good herbal.

Unless otherwise stated, I drink my teas straight. To brew I either use my ingenuiTEA or T-Sac (for teas that don’t expand much). One of these days I might break down and buy a Breville, but I’m trying to resist..

I’m kinda strict when rating my teas. I rarely give a tea above a 95. Teas that I really like I keep in the 95-85 category. I’ve yet to give a tea 100 yet. So, if you see a tea about 95, that means I thought it was an amazing tea!