Backlogging. Last Wednesday morning. (Will I ever get through my tealog backlog? It just keeps growing!)
A generous sample of Dark Roast Mate was the second of two surprise inclusions in my tea swap with LiberTeas. I have never had mate before and the dry mate did not look or smell at all like I expected. It looks like dark dark brown chippies, much like rooibos or honeybush, and smells roasty, toasty, and slightly molasses-y. More reminiscent of coffee than I thought, given that some people on here had mentioned that it doesn’t taste like coffee.
I steep my husband up a mug the previous evening before he went on night shift. Steeped for five minutes, I thought it was a bit weak and could benefit from more steep time. I resteeped a second mug for him which was weak but still had plenty of drinkable flavor.
So, when I steeped mine that morning, I steeped it for two minutes longer. The mate was a dark dark brown and smelled similar to the dry mate but fainter. I enjoyed the first third of the mug but then the flavor turned overpowering to me and I gulped down the rest cause I needed the caffeine. I was put off by it and didn’t resteep. I haven’t had any since since I think I need to get the memory of the taste out of my head before I try it again. I did like the mug I made my husband so I know it was likely steeping it too long.
I’m rating this mate a 60, which is the beginning of my nice range (60-70), cause I liked it initially then messed up the steeping. I suspect it will change with further drinking and better steeping.
