Trader Joe's

This tea is simply Christmas in a cup. Amazing.

I love this tea. This is definitely my go to for any event or for when I just want something simple. Best tea in the world!

Brewed hot, this is a pretty run-of-the-mill fruit-flavored black tea (you don’t even get the overwhelming sense of mango right from the off, but rather a generic sweet tropical). However, brew it for icing, add some goldenrod honey, and you’re in for a treat!

Put not one but TWO bags in my travel mug and let them steep forever. Can you tell I’m determined to like this tea? This time the Pomegranate was more apparent, but still not super flavorful like I envisioned.

I still think this would go good with agave, or honey. I just don’t have any at work to try it with.

Why yes, I did brew this twice in one day. This time I put one bag in my 16oz travel mug and just left it in there forever (it’s still in there now, 30 minutes later). Don’t know if this really made a difference in the taste though. I guess this just isn’t a very flavorful tea. The pomegranate still isn’t super prominent like I thought it would be, unfortunately. I still like it though! I’ll finish this box gladly!

Wonder what would happen if I added some agave to it…

Not super flavorful. Maybe next time I should steep it longer. It has a hint of pomegranate in it. I like it overall though! Starberry sent me some of this to try, but I caved and got some before it came in the mail.

In any case, it looks like I have a tea to drink at work that I don’t detest (finally).

I just looove this chamomile, it has such great organic flowery flavor. Super basic but super smooth and calming. I ran out of this and need to get more!

This was actually my first white tea (awww) so it holds a special place in my heart. Probably the best pom tea I’ve tasted, and since I steep it forever the flavor is strong and spot on!

You know what makes this tea awesome? The fact that there’s a picture of an over-caffeinated lemur on the package. That in itself is almost worth the purchase. As far as tea goes, this falls along the same vein as Celestial Seasonings. Not the best quality but it has its place. This is especially good if you doctor it up with milk and sugar. I have also used it to make vanilla tea-infused granola multiple times, so it gets extra points for that. It’s finely milled, so you don’t have to put it through the spice grinder.

Also recently discontinued, not the best Jasmine I’ve had, but for the price and the convenience of very generously stuffed bags, it is hard to beat for an afternoon pick-me-up.

My 2nd favorite Ice Tea after ShangriLa Tropical, and much less expensive. The $2.00 box has 20 bags. I cut 8 open and empty them into 2 coffee (yuck) filters, and put a third filter on top. I load this into my Mr. Coffee (yuck) Ice Tea Maker TM70 on the 3 Quart Setting. That means it costs about $0.25 a Quart, which is a great deal for a nice fruity Ice Tea that needs no sweetener. (The ShangriLa runs about $0.80-$1.00 a Quart)

What an amazing tea, really my favorite everyday morning tea. It has been discontinued by TJ’s, anyone have any sourcing information on it?

This tastes wonderful. Simple as that.

This was the tea that first got me into tea, but as time goes on I seem to find it a bit bitter, but maybe I’m steeping for to long?

It’s not a tea that I savor or drink often, but surprisingly I crave it once in a while. Cream, sugar and some comfy pants.

Love it. The taste is not too strong or “perfume-y”. I drank it without any milk or sweetener and it tastes very good. I suppose adding some milk and a little sweetener would make it even more delicious!

Love this tea!! I love the minty taste.

A review of Specialty Teas Green Tea by Trader’s Joe

Date: 09/30/2012
Company: Trader Joe’s
Tea Name: Specialty Teas Green Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: Green
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup/ tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: light brownish color
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes

Note: Instructed is to let the water cool 5 to 7 minutes after boiling. I take one tea bag and put in my clean cup and add the water over the tea bag and let it steep for 2 minutes. I dunk the tea bag a few times after desired steep time and remove the tea bag.

Tea’s color is lightest brown, and smells of leaves in the tea cup. Tea smells very grassy like when wet after rain has fallen. I missed that smell somehow, since I have not has Trader Joe’s tea is a long while. When I take a sip of tea, I am met with something that is astringent in taste, that drying sensation on the tongue.

Overall, this tea is clean with a refreshing and mouth-drying effect, but not bitter; more like the taste of a full plate of greens veggies.

Title for this review: Green Tea Specialty Teas by Trader Joe’s

As much as I like to sample different teas, it is always a nice welcome of sort to return to just plain green tea.
I let the water boil fully and took one tea bag and placed in the cup and poured the boiling water over it and left to steep for three minutes.
I am drinking this tea as simply and quietly as possible in that not to have to think about flavor or taste bud and teas color and teas character. It is brown in color and somewhat astringent but likable by me. It is what I need in a cup of green tea. There is the store brand green tea and that of Trader Joe’s. I have convinced myself that I can tell the difference.

All that is meant: one if of higher quality; tasting a bit richer more like tea. Tea aficionados would disagree since they know only the finest of teas and dismiss all else perhaps; I don’t know this for sure.

Green Tea (Specialty Teas) by Trader Joe’s

I have not had this brand of green tea in over a year. I am so happy to have it again. It is such a simple cup of tea that brews a golden color and smells very vegetal and has a fresh grassy scent. Tea is not bitter but medicinal in quality since this is what I am craving at this time; my morning ritual is to have a simple cup of green tea and nothing else matters. It must be very hot and steeped longer than recommended during 2nd and 3rd steep.

Overall this is my favorite store brand green tea because it seems to please me just rightly so.

A review of Ruby Red Chai (Organic Spiced Rooibos) by Trader Joe’s

Date: 11/15/ 2012
Company: Trader Joe’s
Tea Name: Ruby Red Chai
Tea Type/Varietal: Chai
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup / tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: Sienna red
Leaf Characteristics: Tea bag smells strongly of cardamom, ginger, cloves and cinnamon

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes

I take one of tea bags which are individually seal in a clear plastic bag, remove the bag and put this in my cup and pour the boiled water into my cup and covering with a saucer to steep for five minutes.

The tea’s aroma is heady from once water is poured over it and becomes nicer with longer steeps. When I remove the lid, tea’s color is a lovely red glow, Sienna like…it is early morning and who can say. Anyhow, I like the mixture of the cloves, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg as I take sip after sip of this tea.

I can tell you the difference of this tea with the hibiscus and Rosehip tea that I had day before as this tea is spice tea, it is piquant and hot; no acidity or fruity/citrusy blend as contained in the Rosehip/hibiscus tea.

I was wrong in thinking they were similar since they are not. They are two distinct teas with their own character and base.