Thank you so much, StarFevre! I had always wanted to try this blend. I’ve sipped this a few times without making a note but now is the perfect time, as I’m reading Joe Hill’s NOS4A2. So I sipped this while reading the book out in the yard. June: no better time to read a Christmas book… unless it’s July. I’m also thrilled that in Frank’s original description for this tea, he says Joe Hill is a fan of 52Teas and asked him to create a blend for the book. This blend is as unique as its inspiration: roasted yerba mate, almond, marshmallow root, licorice root and peppermint. Never seen that combo before, especially on a yerba mate base. I would imagine this pouch tasted much better originally (though this is the original pouch and StarFevre hadn’t opened it yet). Anne from 52Teas wrote a note for this one before taking over 52Teas and she noticed a TON of maple. I’m not noticing any. Visually, the blend looks like mostly yerba mate with occasional pieces of almond or marshmallow root. The flavor is mostly earthy, earthy, earthy. So I know it definitely wasn’t the same fresh…. though I keep steeping it up so there must be something about the blend that keeps calling to me… It might be a good one to reblend since Anne loved it so much AND the NOS4A2 show is finally out. I am avoiding commercials and such until I have the book finished. Yerba mate usually gives me amazing focus powers… I can’t tell if it’s the yerba mate having me speed through the book or Mr. Hill inherited this writing quality from his dad, Stephen King. They write the speediest of books, yerba mate or not. Tomorrow: Gingerbread Smoke… another tea inspired by NOS4A2… if I can find it around here….
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 18 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep
This is You :-D
Profile
Bio
Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.
Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
whisperingpinestea.com
justea.com
harney.com
Dammann Freres
fusionteas.com
Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
Mandala
verdanttea.com
Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
angrytearoom.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas
My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.
Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!
I’m always in search of: Hattialli, Qu Hao black, Jin Jun Mei, teas using marshmallow root.
My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors
My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again
I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer… I have a dumb phone so can’t access internet on that. As of 12/20/21 my wifi might start getting unreliable.)
Happy sipping!
Location
USA
Can I be real here and say that I don’t even know what NOS4A2 is so I’m going to have to google it at some point. (When it comes to books, I’m more like a JK Rowling kinda girl).