Hide

Welcome to Steepster, an online tea community.

Write a tea journal, see what others are drinking and get recommendations from people you trust. or Learn More

11 Tasting Notes

Sleepytime from Celestial Seasonings
Gold Blend Tea Bags from Barry's Tea
100

This was the perfect pick-me-up on a chilly October afternoon! I added more milk than usual, so the tea wasn’t quite as strong as usual, but it was still delicious and robust.

Gold Blend Tea Bags from Barry's Tea
100

Again, this morning, I was very rushed; I only got out of bed about half an hour before class. Barry’s is always there for me, though! I love drinking this quite hot, even though I didn’t get to savor it for very long this morning.

Assam Breakfast from The Republic of Tea
64

This isn’t my favorite tea; I guess I prefer blends over straight Assam. It does have body, though, which I like, and it holds its own in milk. The wet leaves have a rich, earthy smell; I would describe the brewed tea’s flavor as malty.

Unfortunately, I didn’t reach the kettle in time to pour the water into the tea maker as it was boiling. I’ll try to be quicker next time so that my next cup will hopefully grow on me a bit more.

Gold Blend Tea Bags from Barry's Tea
100

I actually can’t remember how long I let the tea steep today, but it was as fantastic as ever despite me letting it cool for too long. I still have yet to taste any bitterness whatsoever.

British Blend from Tetley
89

I just tried this for the first time at a mission trip fair, so I had no control over how the tea was steeped, but I drank some with milk—of course—and was surprised by its body and flavor. From what I understand, Tetley’s British Blend is a fairly standard black tea, and I find it absolutely delicious. What surprised me the most was that despite its probably too lengthy steep time, it was not bitter. One of my fellow tea-lovers and I are even planning to see if the stand has any teabags left over after the fair!

#BelieveInSherlock from Custom-Adagio Teas
76

I meant to only let the tea steep for five minutes, but I kept fumbling with my timer.

Anyway, the wet leaves today smelled toastier than yesterday, and the tea itself seems to taste a bit grassier. I think I let it steep too long because it’s much bitterer than yesterday. Still, it is quite creamy. I just need to experiment a bit more.

#BelieveInSherlock from Custom-Adagio Teas
76

This tea is a robust cup of comfort. The smell of the dry leaves is surprisingly sweet, undoubtedly due to the honeybush hazelnut, but the wet leaves smell more like earthy black tea.

To brew a strong cuppa, I added one-and-a-half spoonfuls of tea to one cup of water that had only just stopped boiling and let it steep for five minutes. I, of course, drank this with skim milk, as I do with most of my black teas. The mouthfeel is smooth—other reviews on Adagio refer to this as “creamy,” a term with which I must agree—and the assam and Irish breakfast teas give it pleasant body.

I recommend this tea for a rather dreary afternoon, when all you really want is to climb back in bed. This tea gives you a kick in a lovely cuppa.

Samurai Chai Mate from Teavana
67

I bought a cup of this in-store, so I cannot remember how long the steep time was, nor do I know the water temperature. I tried it with a tiny scoop of German rock sugar because I like my chai sweet, although I wish that I had some milk or soy milk to go with it.

To me, the cinnamon is the most prominent flavor. I am not familiar with maté, and my knowledge of rooibos is limited, but I must say that this is a pleasant blend. I have read that maté contains carcinogens, so I probably won’t drink it again, but it is a warm, flavorful blend that reminds me of autumn.

Vanilla Almond Decaf from The Republic of Tea
67

I bought this on a whim, wanting a decaffeinated tea with flavor before bedtime. The aroma is fantastic, although the flavor isn’t incredibly strong. Nevertheless, I enjoy this tea; I just can’t drink it with milk because I think that milk overpowers the delicate tea.

Gold Blend Tea Bags from Barry's Tea
100

I should note that I am a tea lover, not a tea expert. Barry’s Gold Blend tea is what I usually drink in the morning. It is a robust black tea that holds its own, even with plenty of milk. I myself drink it with skim milk—no sugar, although I am sure that it could take quite a large amount of sugar. I actually do recommend it with milk because I think that the tea brings out a certain sweetness in the milk.

To prepare the tea, I place the bag in my mug and pour in my milk while the water is in my electric kettle. I try to pour the water as soon as it reaches its boiling point, although sometimes I scramble to do so. Usually, I let the tea steep for about five to seven minutes, but this is only a rough estimate since I make my tea while I get ready for the day. I like my tea good and strong, and this blend offers both.

Profile

Bio

I’m a long-time Anglophile and a relatively new tea drinker, slowly building up my knowledge of the deliciousness that is a cuppa.

I love robust black teas that I can drink with milk. I’m a milk-in-first kind of gal. A strong cuppa is one of my favorite ways to start the day. My absolute favorite is Barry’s Gold Blend. I am also very fond of herbal teas, especially soothing blends before bedtime. I enjoy green tea for its health benefits, although I have yet to master a proper brew for it. I especially like jasmine green tea. I am not very familiar with white, rooibos, honeybush, or pu-erh teas, although I hope to taste more of them. I am awfully fond of rooibos with milk and sugar, but it has been quite some time since I found one as good as my first cup.

I am always on the lookout for delicious, affordable teas, especially those that are fair trade and/or organic.

Website

http://unebranche.tumblr.com

Following These People

Insence&Tea
Insence&Tea

I'm new to the high ...

Angrboda
Angrboda

Angrboda felt her bi...

TeaVivre
TeaVivre

Hello, I am Angel Ch...

Michelle
Michelle

Michelle, 19. Colleg...

tunes&tea
tunes&tea

Another revision... ...