teabird

teabird drank Breakfast Blend by Samovar

This time I noticed the chocolatly coffee smell as soon as it was done steeping! Very, very tasty. Even better with milk; I think I hit a sweet spot on the leaf/water/temp/time scale today: 1 rounded tsp/8 oz/ boiling water into steam-heated mug. Must go play with the ratings now to bump this one a little

2010-04-07 13:50:55 -0400

205 °F / 96 °C

4 min 15 sec

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__Morgana__ 2010-04-07 13:56:21 -0400

Still not back in stock on their web site. Sigh. [Tapping foot.]

teabird 2010-04-07 14:01:11 -0400

Oh, sad! I was lucky and got a sample from Ricky. I’m sure it’ll come back soon?

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Some notes on ratings:

I’d have separate rating scales for tea types if that were possible (probably Black, Flavored Black, Darjeeling/Dark Oolong, White/Green/Light Oolong, and Herbal) because the flavors and quality markers are just too different. A flavored black rated 100 isn’t better than every oolong I’ve ever drunk, just delicious for a flavored black.

Ratings are a combination of my enjoyment and the perceived quality – I do often demote teas a few points for artificial flavorings, small quantity of steeps supported, or weakness of flavor (requiring extra leaf).

I pay less attention to the number than the order of my ratings; I don’t necessarily keep a stock of everything rated 80+, but if two breakfast blends are rated 82 and 84 I consistently enjoy the 84 more.

And in case it’s not obvious? I am not an expert. I don’t even know what I like until I taste it sometimes, but I’m ok with that :) I like learning to like new teas, as well as enjoying the comfort of familiar ones.