pink smog

this is definitely an experience. there’s no getting around it: kombucha tastes like vinegar. period. it doesn’t “hint” at vinegar or “taste slightly” of vinegar, it’s just straight up vinegar. at first, it’s definitely a turn off, not because it tastes bad, but more because vinegar is not something we taste so concentrated. once the initial shock of vinegar is gone, it’s actually not too bad. it is very refreshing and not like anything you’ve ever tasted. the vinegar is in the aftertaste, but the first taste is very delicious. i found for me it was easier to gulp it straight down so i could still enjoy the refreshing taste while minimizing the vinegar :)

so i’m not too big into green tea. for the most part, i find green tea a little too leafy and grassy tasting. the exception would be jasmine pearls, which i recently found out i’m kinda in love with…but i digress.

this tastes like the epitome of green tea to me. vegetal and slightly bitter with a fair amount of astringency. refreshing and clean, but overall a bit boring. it seems decent quality, but i’m no green tea connoisseur. i don’t mind drinking it, but it’s not like i’ll be buying it again.

if i could imagine my dream soulmate, and my soulmate was a liquid, this would be it.

a delicious blend of spicy chai and creamy expresso. granted, this drink is not really a testament to the tea that’s in it, but still something great in it’s own right. only downside is a) price, and 2) it’s the type of drink that needs the magic of a barista to make it. i can’t really see me waking up all groggy, dragging myself outta bed and stumble to the kitchen to brew some chai, then some expresso, THEN take a boatload of ice and blend it all up – only to get a inevitable watered-down mess. eww.

this is my new go-to at the bucks. much cheaper than my dream lover: venti double dirty chai frap. mmmm… still a lovely runner up, tho. it’s a beautiful red color with a strong, fruity, peppery taste. pretty refreshing :)

i’m super surprised with how much i dig this tea!!

let me begin with saying i’m not much into green tea. i’m almost certain i bought this in one of my teavana BUY-EVERYTHING manias to mix with something else they had on display. god, they’re crafty. buuuut it was getting late, so i didn’t want to do chai, and i was over my white-green rose mix, so i scrounged around and found this. what the hell, eh?

omg, so good! love the floral notes. the green tea is very palatable, it’s soft while retaining the “pepperiness” of tea. i will say that i made a colossal mistake by adding honey to it. i generally love sweeteners in my tea, but was on the fence about adding anything to this stuff. it doesn’t need any, but i thought what was great could be better! it was not >:O the honey overpowered the tea and the lovely vegetal taste that comes with floral tea.

just got this in the mail today…
i’m in love.

brewed a white with rose and jasmine and it came out perfect. it screams quality in the design! love it love it love it!

bye bye, tea bags, hello tastier way of life <3
thanks tax return!

this tea was fairly good at getting me relaxed. the taste is much more mild and has less of the medicinal taste than that of sleepytime extra. the blend actually works well with each other. as usual with valerian, i don’t think it’ll knock me out, but thus far, def. my preferred blend for “sleeping”.

if you’re looking for other teas with sedating effects, consider tulsi or kava. i’ve had much higher success with those than valerian.

i don’t know what it is with this tea, it never does anything for me, but i still keep drinking it!

i believe this tea has potential for some people! i believe for some the valerian (the “extra” in sleepy time extra) works and it’s enough to help lull them in to sleep. i am not one of those people >:( i have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and usually average about 2-5 hours a night. so yeah, basically insomniac – which is why i had such high hopes for this tea! it does, only on occasion, help calm my nerves if they’re feeling particularly restless. i do however drink this fairly frequently, and always have a box in my cupboard, if only as a last resort.

the taste…well, when i first started drinking it i found it absolutely offensive. the closest thing i can describe it to would be a foot. i REALLY did not like the taste or smell, but over time have gotten used to it and now the scent is synonymous with bedtime. if you’re looking for something to help you sleep, i think this would be the tea to try, but if you’re like me and the regular chamomile or valerian don’t seem to help, try something with kava or tulsi in them. i’ve had really positive experiences with both :D

this tea turns a beautiful ruby red almost instantly!

i like this tea, it’s very enjoyable, but that’s about it. while i’ll probably continue to carry some blend of hibiscus in my home, it won’t necessarily be from republic of tea. it’s very tasty, but nothing extraordinary to keep me loyal and coming back for more.

overall, a very good, very forgettable herbal. it is yummy with lots of sugar :D

this flavor is really intoxicating. the green tea just goes so well with the toasted rice, it makes for a delicious combination. it tasted almost like popcorn, but not in a bad movie theater popcorn way. it wasn’t as bitter as some green tea, but by no means was it sweet. its going to take a while for me to get used to the taste, but its such an interesting taste i see a lot of potential in it.

with that being said, even though this was my first try at green tea with rice, i could tell it was not quality, and could only imagine what having a freshly steeped loose leaf would be like. so while celestial seasoning is not a great representation of this tea, i strongly recommend trying the flavor! very unique!

there’s really two ways to rate this tea:

1. how it tastes.
2. how it works.

personally, i think this tea should be rated for how it works. it’s not a tea you buy for the taste, it’s a tea you get to help with cramps and other lady problems when you’re on your period. and if i’m to rate on its medicinal value, i rate this tea really high! it’s fast acting, effective, and good at getting rid of and keeping rid of cramps. it doesn’t even need to be that strong. really, what else could you ask for??

well, i guess we could ask for it to be a little bit better tasting, but i’m not complaining! the taste isn’t really bad, it’s almost like a soup broth with a celery taste. but definitely worth swallowing considering the benefits that come with it.

i’ll probably be buying this on the regular from now on. i like the idea of not having to take painkillers for my more mild cramps with this around! definitely worth a try!

this tea was womp-womp :(

i’d been eyeing the ginger peach for some time. i’m a big fan of peach tea and really like the taste of ginger. i prefer a spicier tea, so i thought this’d be a good match. to be honest, it was actually kind of nasty. i probably steeped it a little too long, but i’m not sure it would have been much better with less time. the ginger was too strong and the peach almost nonexistent. it was almost undrinkable. it became tolerable after i added a ridiculous amount of sugar.

overall, i was really disappointed with this tea. i plan on giving it another try with less steep time. i’m thinking the white version might be a better blend than the black.

this tea has now become a must in my house.
and i’ve just run out cause i kept giving it out! and now whole foods stopped carrying it!! AHHHHHHHH!!

it’s a nightly ritual – 2 bags in a tumbler for about 6-7 minutes and i’m in heaven.

it’s definitely got a rose taste, stronger than some of the other rose teas i’ve tried in the past, but i believe the tulsi is the main flavor. expect a very earthy, herbal taste. while not particularly sweet, it is very well balanced and has a lovely taste. i usually mix something sweet in my tea, but didn’t need to with this one.

the reason i love this tea is the sedating effect it has. one of the main reasons i got into tea was to find a more holistic approach to deal with stress, anxiety, and insomnia. i’ve tried many teas in hope of getting some kind of relief, without any luck. this tea puts me completely at ease, with almost an euphoric feeling. i recommend it to everybody, but especially to someone who looking for something to help them relax. i finally feel like i’ve found the tea i’ve been searching for.

something to keep in mind, i usually make my tea fairly strong with two teabags, so i imagine that helps with the potency.

i was really intrigued by tazo rest, as it combines rose, one of my favs, and valerian, a sleep aid. i’m always on the look out for something to help me unwind.

this tisane fell a little short. i think the smell is its biggest asset, which was a lovely, clean rose aroma. the taste left something to be desired, however. i prefer a thicker, full-bodied taste, and this was very bland, no matter how long i steeped it. i felt like i was drinking floral water. it’s not bad, but definitely not something i’d reach for if something else was available.

as far as it’s calming effects, eh, not really. the smell does make you feel a little more comfy, but nothing a good chamomile can’t provide.

this being said, i believe the main calming component is the valerian, which has never worked very well for me. from reading other reviews valerian seems to work like a dream for some people, so if you have no experience with it, you might want to give it a try (although, if you’re looking for something with valerian, i’d probably try something like sleepytime extra first). but if you’re like me and valerian and chamomile don’t seem to cut it, try something with kava or tulsi in it.

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