Steven Smith Teamaker

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Recent Tasting Notes

85

I’m still into this one, and there’s finally an ice cream taste to it from the combo of vanilla, salt, amaretto, and milky jin xuan. I wish it were a regular instead of an overpriced limited edition.

But I’m going to go on a little gleeful ramble. I finally got to see Evanescence and Halestorm live in concert, in the flesh, and was thrilled. I’ve been obsessed with them since I was nine and have had a huge crush on Amy Lee for years, and yet, I have never been to their concerts. I had an opportunity to see them at the Machine Shop up close at a bar, but the kicker was that I was 18, not 21, and therefore not old enough to be there. This particular event was special because I have not gone out to do something for myself or with friend in three years, even before the pandemic, and I finally got to and see two of my favorite bands in person. I also got to see two of Lzzy Hale’s and Amy Lee’s duets, and both gave me goosebumps.

“Yeah, it’s perfectly reckless
Damn, you leave me defenseless
So break in
Break in”

My best friend went with me, and we both belted out the Evanescence lyrics by sheer impulse and after grueling weeks of teaching in December. Of course we were off key. Of course we got some glances, but of course, we weren’t the only ones singing our hearts out. Also, so many people broke out crying when singing My Immortal. Both my mom and I cried at the exact same time of the song, and both of us recorded our voices breaking “And I held your hand through all of these years, but you’ll still have all of me” in sobs.

So yeah, I had a cathartic weekend. I actually like Evanescence’s new album a lot. I know it won’t rival Fallen for many, yet I like that the lyrics have actually matured a little bit from stereotypical angst. The lyrics are still steeped in themes of loss, but they’ve moved in a direction towards coping. I’m going to cherish this memory as one of the most emotional one’s I’ve had in a while.

Mastress Alita

I also love Evanescence! (“Breathe No More” is a deeply personal song for me that I will always love dearly)

Daylon R Thomas

SAME! Hello is another good grief one.

Crowkettle

Evanescence was my first concert as a kid – luckily at an all-ages venue (and lucky to have a cool older sister)! Glad that you were finally able to see them and make such great memories! They’ve left a everlasting impression on me too :)

Tiffany :)

Oof. $45 for 4 oz or $25 for 15 sachets (https://www.smithtea.com/products/ice-cream-royale?variant=39540805861511)? I mean I spend thousands of dollars on tea and this tea does sound good but this seems a bit steep.

Daylon R Thomas

It is. I only get it if there’s a discount of at least 20%. Even then, it’s overpriced.

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85

I’m behind on a few notes, but I wanted to go ahead and write some on the big name releases that have come out. This notes is going to be a long one because this tea has a history on the site, although it’s been obscured because it’s usually a seasonal release.

Steven Smith has reblended their Ice Cream Oolong, and it’s a tea that I wish I got the chance to try. I was a year behind their original release of the oolong, and I’ve been waiting to try something like it. I almost got the Tenessee Oolong when it was out, but I didn’t get it for the simple reason of price, though I now regret it.

So, I decided to go all out to get this tea which was a whopping $24 U.S. Dollars for 15 bags, and got two boxes. Stupid, I know, but this blend is unique and not replicated by any other tea around. I’m really curious to see how this one pans out since it mixes both amaretto and chamomile with an oolong-something I’ve not seen before. The original blend had jasmine, so I was interested to see how it works with the chamomile.

Starting off reading their notes, they sell the tea as tasting/smelling like butterscotch, pina colada, and nori, which shouldn’t be off given the Jin Xuan base and the double rolled vanilla extract that is often used in butterscotch confections. Smelling the sachets, vanilla and the chamomile pretty dominant, with some florals going on in the background.

I brewed this up western, and did the suggested 3 minutes, but I’ve brewed some cups up to four minutes and essentially grandpa’d rebrews of the same bag. Thankfully, this is not an overpowering tea and is very light and sweet. The vanilla and amaretto are strong in the smell, and while the tea hot doesn’t really taste like ice cream, it’s nailed the trademarks with the strong vanilla, buttery creamy texture, and the salt and sugar combo in the aftertaste. The amaretto is present, but blends with the vanilla to give a more 3 dimensional flavor so it’s not overwhelming. Think a vaguely almond like aftertaste.

There’s some qualities in the tea that can read vaguely pineapple from the Jin Xuan’s aftertaste, but it’s very floral overall. The vanilla combo makes it read a little like plumeria or lily, but it’s not strong and I’m making a little bit of stretch since the flavor is more prominent. If I let the tea brew a little bit longer, the jin xuan is a little bit more dominant giving off the grassy nori aftertaste, but it’s easy to avoid and the tea is not grassy if you brew it under 3-4 minutes.

The chamomile was pretty noticeable, and the sarspirilla is subtle. I was worried the chamomile was going to clash with the Jin Xuan, and sometimes it was a little herby, but it thickened the teas body. It added to the ice cream quality nicely and helped the vanilla spread out so it didn’t taste fake.

So, you can tell that I really liked this blend. It’s the kind of tea that I was looking for in my first two years of college and am happy that I got to have it now. I personally would rate it between 80-90, but my big criticism is the doubled price. I think it warrants maybe $16 for the 15, $45 for 4 oz loose and $24 for 45-50 grams is too much…nevermind I got two boxes.

I’m curious to see what other people think and how it compares to the original blend. I hesitated with the chamomile mix, but I think it was a really smart decision in the end because I see the jasmine mixed in being too cloying or potentially too astringent. This was a nice easy going luxury tea, and probably my favorite Smith Blend I’ve had. I’m on my fifth bag I’ve used, after all.

Flavors: Almond, Amaretto, Butter, Chamomile, Creamy, Floral, Milk, Pineapple, Seaweed, Sugar, Sweet, Vanilla

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 15 sec 3 g 8 OZ / 236 ML
Mastress Alita

I had the original blend, long ago, and it was already quite old by then. I didn’t even taste jasmine at all in the original, and it was very sarsaparilla heavy in flavor (which is a note I quite like). I’m very chamomile averse though, so I don’t feel I could take a chance on the reblend, especially at the higher price point.

tea-sipper

I also had the original, but was probably drinking it when it was already older (from another Steepsterer). But wow that new price! I AM glad that I don’t have to feel guilty that such an expensive tea is still floating around in the cupboards. I finished it a while ago.

Daylon R Thomas

Steven Smith has increased their prices broadly. They’ve expanded with some specialty pure teas, but they were also selling a Yushan for close to $45 for two oz. Granted, I fell victim getting the amount of the tea that I did, but I don’t think I’d do it again. They’re just banking on the “limited release” status and a more gentrified demographic.

Lexie Aleah

Ooh I remember wanting to try the old version of this one and the Tennessee oolong. The price though hmm I’m so torn.

Leafhopper

Oof! $45 is on the high side for a Lishan, let alone a Yushan. That ice cream oolong sounds like an interesting blend.

Daylon R Thomas

It really was an interesting blend that I was pretty pleased with because the chamomile really does blend really well with the oolong and vanilla, but the price is bloated.

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Geek Steep AMA Episode!

Since we first started Geek Steep we’ve had the tradition of having a “top teas” and a “top geeks” episode around this time of year, but this year we decided to add a third bonus episode into the mix with an extra long AMA-style question and answer episode!

This is what I drank while recording since, at the time, I’d just gotten this order in and I knew the episode would be coming out at a point where holiday teas would be a lot more top of mind for people. It’s not my first time trying the blend, but I actually couldn’t remember what I’d thought of it last time I had it so it did sort of feel like a fresh impression.

The cinnamon flavour was definitely a little more intense than expected – in that red hot sort of direction. Very sweet but spicy and cozy, with a gingery kick to the end. The hojicha was smooth with a darker roast than expected that really well complimented the other flavours. Arguably a little more autumnal feeling than winter, but a very nice cuppa! Perfect for this extended Q&A session!

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Sipdown (1396)!

Thank you for sharing Cameron B. – I have a deep love of hojicha so I was thrilled to get to add another to my list of blends that I’ve tried!

I enjoyed this one a lot, although I found it quite mildly flavoured. It was very thick and toasty with deep roasted notes of caramelized nuts and grains – very golden and warming. I definitely tasted a bit of the cocoa flavour from the blend additions and I thought that was a very smart and pleasant addition. I actually did not get much in the way of spices though – I thought maybe I was getting a hint of cinnamon but I couldn’t be sure if that was my mind playing tricks on me or not.

Even if those spices didn’t come through, though, it was still delicious!

Cameron B.

I found the spicing to be quite light as well, but I was happy about it heh.

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84

Steeped this one up to drink this morning, but I forgot it on my desk so by the time I got to drinking it the tea had gone cold. It was still nice though. The black base was brisk and hadn’t gone bitter/unpleasantly astringent, and I loved the jammy undertones of cassis. I think the rosemary would have shined more when hot since a lot of the aromatics were dulled, but the flavour was still there and balanced with everything else.

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84

Decided to bite the bullet and place an order with Steven Smith Teamaker after eyeing up so many of these teas for so long! I’m starting with Morning Light, which is just so fresh and forest-y. I love the subtle fruit undertones of the currant with such a smooth pine forward notes of rosemary and brisk black base. Looking forward to trying the other teas soon!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CymD_4tunZ6/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqswt9jEFSY

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84

Sipdown (1397)!

I haven’t tried a lot of blends from Steven Smith, so thank you Cameron B. for passing this along so I could try it! I saw the bits of rosemary in the in the leaf and was immediately excited and intrigued – I really hoped they would add a nice pine note to the blend. I didn’t clue in until just now, reading the Steepster page for the tea, that it’s meant to be a Christmas blend – so with that context the natural pine flavour of the rosemary makes a lot of sense!

This was absolutely delicious though – very smooth cup and while it was full bodied and thick in mouthfeel the flavour was gentle and delicate. I did get the subtle flavour of pine from the rosemary weaving throughout the sip and that made me very happy, but I also tasted a hint of vanilla, cinnamon, and a bit of a tarry fruit note in the undertone – it was super light so I wasn’t entirely sure if it was natural from the black tea used or if it was just a very gentle touch of flavouring, but I see now that it’s an added black currant flavour and that makes a lot of sense to me.

Overall, this is just well balanced and delightful! I don’t know if it’s the type of tea that I would want a full tin of, because it’s pretty soft overall and I can’t foresee it being something I would naturally gravitate towards heavily – but much respect and appreciate for the craft that went into this blend. Definitely comes across!

Mastress Alita

I love Steven Smith Teamaker!

Cameron B.

So glad you liked it! :D

Tiffany :)

Ooh I can’t wait to dig my bag of this out! :D (Sitting in a plastic bin in the basement with my “winter/holiday” teas unopened)

Daylon R Thomas

I almost got that one. I wish they sold it in samples.

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2021 sipdown no. 61

This is a bit of a sad sipdown because this tea exceeded my expectations. I really wasn’t sure how the chai spices would be against the hojicha base and never really felt in the right mood for this tea.

I was truly mistaken. This chai is really amazing. I feel the hojicha base adds so much to this blend, and I may possibly prefer it over a black base. The light yet deep roastiness of the base complements the spices so nicely. The spices have a great balance where no one spice overshadows the others. There’s also a sweetness here that isn’t cloying at all and while I’m not completely sure where it comes from, it’s welcome.

Thanks to Cameron for sharing another wonderful tea!

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 g 14 OZ / 414 ML
Cameron B.

I have plenty to share, so I’ll have to remember to send you some more in our next swap!

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76

I’m sure everyone else who reviews this tea would agree and has in previous posts, that this is a unique blend. I’ve seen genmaicha mixes. I’ve seen bergamot mixes. But never have I seen a bergamot/genmai mixed together. It is calming and smells nice. It has a bit of umami mixed with roasted notes and a bergamot citrus finish. It is good but I’m not overwhelmed with the goodness.

Daylon R Thomas

My only nitpick with that one is how oily it can get. The bergamot combo is pretty nice with the toasty rice and green tea, but it’s a little too savory for me.

Mastress Alita

I love this one!

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45

Samurai TTB #61

This was the final teabag that I had pulled from the TTB a couple of weeks ago and has been waiting for me in my desk drawer at work. Although the quality of this seems really nice for a bagged tea, the flavor combination just isn’t working for me. The base tea is quite grassy and aggressive and seems to almost be fighting the toasted rice and floral flavors that are also present in the blend. I also find that it’s drying out my throat at the end of each sip. While I’m curious to try more from this brand, this isn’t one I’ll be returning to.

Flavors: Drying, Floral, Grass, Rose, Toasted Rice

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
AJRimmer

You’re super on top of trying all the samples you grabbed! I had the box in April, and I still have a tea or two left to try – I should get on that!

Mastress Alita

I love Steven Smith Teamaker! This is one of my favs though — I normally hate bergamot paired with green tea, but this one simply works for me.

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83

I had not heard of this tea maker but a friend had commented on their Facebook page and that led to a conversation which led to her dropping off a surprise tea package for the holidays. Love my tea friends!
I really enjoyed this black tea. Generally I feel black teas need a little sweetener but I always give the tea a chance first. I added nothing to it and enjoyed this one morning before heading to work. I loved the scent of rosemary which is not a herb I would typically associate with a cup of tea.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

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88

Oh my, Smith, you’ve done it again.

This houjicha-chai tastes like gingerbread! And wood a bit, cause it’s houjicha. I can pick out notes of clove, chocolate, cinnamon, and gingerbread.

I find it resteeps pretty well. I plan to try it with almond milk too, hot and iced. I got a 2.75 oz tin, although I plan to send some to Sara soon. She’s the one who linked me to it.

Oh. I have some gingerbread. Dips gingerbread into the tea Gingerbreadception! Holiday overdose! Also tasty.

Flavors: Chocolate, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Wood

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 4 g 12 OZ / 354 ML
Mastress Alita

I really should just pick some of this up before it is gone, honestly… I just hate contributing to the shipping frenzy around this time!

Kawaii433

I love gingerbread. That sounds really good. ^^

derk

Did you see the picture of the gingerbread monolith atop Corona Heights hill in San Francisco? The angled pictures made it look gigantic until I saw one with a person for scale :/ Still, I’m happy there are weirdos out there doing things like this.

tea-sipper

2020: Creepy monoliths but also gingerbread monoliths.

Todd

derk, wow! I just looked that up, crazy gingerbread goodness.

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85

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it! And Happy Holidays to all!

This is my first tea of the day! I intended it to be this morning, but then there was an unexpected Zoom call with my husband’s family, so I had to jump in the shower and get ready for that, and then we were opening pug stockings.

So now I’m relaxing on the couch, watching Elf and drinking a pot of this tea. It’s not quite what I expected, but really good. The base tea and the cinnamon combine into a sort of creamed cinnamon honey flavor, which is reminding me of my beloved Taiwanese black teas. I start to pick up on a piney note from the rosemary about halfway through the sip, though it’s quite subtle. It’s strongest in the aftertaste, where it leaves a nice cooling sensation. As for the blackcurrant, I’m not sure I taste it specifically, but there is a sort of dark, rich, and syrupy sweetness in the background that I attribute to it. There’s also a light hay note, I wonder if there’s some Darjeeling tea in here?

Overall, it’s a rich and subtly flavored tea with a lovely sweetness to it. Looking at the description, it does have Darjeeling as well as Assam and Ceylon teas. Maybe next time I’ll try a slightly lower temperature just to see how that affects the flavor.

So far, very pleased that I bought this holiday tin set from Steven Smith!

Flavors: Berry, Bread, Cinnamon, Creamy, Honey, Jam, Malt, Pine, Raisins, Sweet, Tannic, Tobacco

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Martin Bednář

Merry Christmas!

Izzy

Merry Christmas, Cameron!

derk

Merry Christmas :)

ashmanra

Merry Christmas!

Cameron B.

Thanks everyone, I hope you had wonderful holidays!

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82

I had a very happy tea mail day today, with orders from Dessert by Deb, Adagio, and this holiday tin set from Steven Smith Teamaker. All the things! This is the one I was most excited about, so since I’ve finished all of my advent teas for today, I thought I’d steep up a mug to try. By the way, the tins are gorgeous and such nice quality!

Yum, this is very tasty. The hojicha base is, of course, cozy and comforting with a lovely soft toasty flavor and notes of nuts. The spices are light and not overpowering, and I definitely get cardamom and clove with a bit of ginger. I can actually taste the chocolate, and it’s very natural and goes well with the toastiness of the hojicha.

Tasty, I dig it. I’m very happy that the spices are light enough to let the base tea shine through!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIg9poog7aC/

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Cacao, Cardamom, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Roasted Nuts, Smooth, Sweet, Toasted

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Courtney

Yay for new teas!

Cameron B.

As if I needed more teas… ;)

Nichole/CuppaGeek

I’m so intrigued by this one. . . .. It sounds amazing!

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82

Sipdown 176-2021

This cup was packed full of rosemary flavor- which makes sense, there seemed to be lots of rosemary dust at the bottom of the bag.

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82

Still working on sipping through this. This last cup was the best yet. I steeped with a bit cooler water temp, and for only 2 minutes. No bitterness at all, and tons of beautiful rosemary flavor.

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82

So much rosemary in this cup! The fresh, herbaceous rosemary flavor is really hitting the spot. I’m really smelling the fruity blackcurrant this time around, but it’s still not reading in the flavor.

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82

This cup is much better than the last. The rosemary is really present, with just a touch of cassia peeking through at the end. Not getting any black currant flavor (which I’m happy about!).

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82

Not sure what went wrong here, but I’m not tasting much of anything apart from the black base. Drank quickly before work, though…definitely need to re-evaluate.

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90

Why are there not more flavored hojichas? This is so tasty-slightly burnt caramel and cinnamon, with a bit of cardamom and ginger in the finish.

Shae

This sounds really good! I don’t know if I like hojicha, but I think I have some blends from 52Teas that I haven’t opened yet. Might have to try one and see if it’s something I’d drink, because I would for sure buy some of this one based on your description if it was a black tea.

Dustin

I feel the same way! I need more flavored hojichas and genmaichas!

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90

New tea! A can’t resist a flavored hojicha, especially not a seasonal one. This does not disappoint. The hojicha is rich and caramelly, and the cloves/cinnamon/cardamom are present but not overwhelming. There’s perhaps a bit of a chocolatey note, but nothing distracting or artificial tasting. So cozy!

Cameron B.

Yay, I have this on the way too! :)

Dustin

That sounds wonderful!

Mastress Alita

Ooo, I love Steven Smith Teamaker and didn’t know they had a seasonal hojicha blend! Thanks!

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80

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80

A pretty good chai. I like the sachet. It is roomy enough to get a good flow. This is a bit blander than some other chai I have. I like a spicy blend and add milk and honey, so I want something that doesn’t get washed out.

Flavors: Cardamom, Ginger, Spices

Preparation
5 min, 0 sec 20 OZ / 591 ML

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85

Delicate and floral. Very nice afternoon tea without too much caffeine.

Flavors: Fruity, Grass, Melon

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 45 sec 2 tsp 20 OZ / 591 ML

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