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“Thanks, Frank & 52teas for shipping so quickly. I received this tea two days after I ordered it! Amazing! I just haven’t been able to review it until today. The dry leaves are quite large...” Read full tasting note
“Last night, as I was sorting through some of my stash (it seems a never ending process!) I came across the last little bit that I had of this. It seemed like it was just enough to brew up a...” Read full tasting note
“At first sniff this reminded me of when I was little…in Buffalo…my mom would always buy “Loganberry Soda” (Loganberry Pop). I haven’t had it in YEARS and don’t even think they sell it...” Read full tasting note
“Meghann sent me a sample of this. We can totally blame her for my 52teas addiction. Or should we blame Frank for making these teas? ;-) I love the sencha base in these green teas. It’s perfect. ...” Read full tasting note
“Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of Elderberry Green Tea from 52teas!”
As I write this, I am sitting here sipping on a delicious, icy cold stein of this tea. It is fruity without being hyper sweet, a bit tart but not puckering-tart, and marries well with our buttery-sweet Chinese sencha. Honestly, I can’t recall ever tasting elderberries before except from a local winery that makes some delicious elderberry wine (You should totally check them out if you like wine: Wyldewood Cellars). To me, it kind of tastes like something between a sour grape and a blueberry. However you describe it, it is delicious. (My 24-ounce stein has gone empty while trying to describe it to you, and it’s begging for a refill, so without further ado…)
At 52teas.com, you will find unique, hand-blended artisan loose leaf teas: a new limited edition creation every week of the year. We pride ourselves on offering truly unique, one-of-a-kind tea blends that you won’t find anywhere else.
Thanks, Frank & 52teas for shipping so quickly. I received this tea two days after I ordered it! Amazing! I just haven’t been able to review it until today.
The dry leaves are quite large and long sencha leaves. The scent of the dry leaves is a bit tart and quite blueberry like. Once brewed the aroma is more mellow, berry and almost a little floral with a light tartness. The liquor is quite darker than I imagined. It’s almost as if a blue/purple food coloring was added lightly to the green tea. I haven’t brewed a sencha before, so I’m not sure if this is the leaves or something to do with the flavoring. I’m loving the smell of this!
I have no words to describe elderberry with, but the flavor reminds me a bit of the brightness of fresh, ripe blueberries. The elderberries really compliment the flavor of the sencha. The sencha is very strong, but the flavors blend, the mesh so well, it is a wonderful dance on my tongue. I’m really enjoying this.
I did brew it on the higher end of the temperature range, 180F, for 2:30 minutes. I think I will try this at 170F and 160F to see how it compares. I think the length of the steep is just right, as I’m not tasting any astringency.
Nice work 52teas! I’m loving this blend.
Last night, as I was sorting through some of my stash (it seems a never ending process!) I came across the last little bit that I had of this. It seemed like it was just enough to brew up a pitcher of iced tea, so that is just what I did.
This is delicious iced. The green tea is prominent, but the berry notes give this an almost-wine-like quality to the background. Sweet and delicious, with hints of tart to keep things interesting. I’m glad I found this… but sad now that the pitcher is empty! This tea will be missed.
At first sniff this reminded me of when I was little…in Buffalo…my mom would always buy “Loganberry Soda” (Loganberry Pop). I haven’t had it in YEARS and don’t even think they sell it anymore…maybe in rare places in Western NY, not sure!
After infusion I smell the green tea accompanying the berries – ready to drink!
It tastes a lot like a green tea would…but more of a celery tasting green than a grassy green and the elderberries buddy-up nicely! Looking forward to trying this iced but hot is good for now!
It was Aunt Rosie’s Loganberry…here’s some info…more coming soon!
The most popular commercial version is ‘Aunt Rosie’s’, which is commonly enjoyed in Western New York. ‘Aunt Rosie’s’ is distributed by the local Pepsi-Cola bottling operation out of Buffalo and is found in local restaurants and establishments.2 A smaller, more local version of Loganberry juice is available to locals in New York’s Capital District and Buffalo, NY, under the name of PJ’s Crystal Beach Loganberry Juice, available in Sparkling and Diet. According to the Crystal Beach loganberry can, loganberry juice originated at PJ’s barbecue in Saratoga Springs, NY. Loganberries may also be purchased in their syrup form in local supermarkets for use at home.23
Loganberry is now offered at Mighty Taco fast food restaurants in Western New York by Johnnie Ryan Beverages 1, a local soft drink manufacturer from Niagara Falls, NY. It was previously available at Tim Hortons locations in Fort Erie, ON. Loganberry has also made its way to Indiana, where it is served at Avers Pizza in Bloomington.
http://buffalochow.com/2009/03/goodbye_aunt_rosie_a_loganberr.html
Another update!!!
OH! And…incase you are interested in LOGANBERRIES…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loganberry
So…FRANK…how about creating a Loganberry Tea for me!?
Rather than thoughts of loganberries, this review made me start humming Elton John’s silly Elderberry Wine song.
Meghann sent me a sample of this. We can totally blame her for my 52teas addiction. Or should we blame Frank for making these teas? ;-)
I love the sencha base in these green teas. It’s perfect. The slight tartness of the elderberries is very nice against it. It’s balanced perfectly: not too fruity, not too tart, not too sweet. Light, refreshing, yummy.
Blame Frank! Not little ole me:) I’m glad you’re finding teas you enjoy. Frank has made so many amazing blends. I don’t think I’ve disliked any, although I certainly am more saddened by some running out than others. I love that there is a new flavor each week. Awesome way to keep bringing in the customers!
Oh, yeah, we’re totally blaming Frank on this one!! Definitely love the new flavor of the week. I’m going to ask for one of his tea plans for Christmas. I’m hoping to convince my (semi-large) family to “combine” presents and just get me that, instead of a bunch of little things. So far, the only one that I haven’t fallen head over heels for is the Mayan Chocolate Chai. And that’s more me than the tea.
That’s a great idea for a christmas present. I should just get one of the plans as well as I don’t think there have been any of franks teas I didn’t want. I just haven’t been able to purchase all of them…yet.
Thank you Meghann for sending me this tea, I am very glad to have tried this.
I am not sure if I really like this as much as I hoped. I feel like I was reaching to taste the elderberry and I did, or at least I think I did but only a little. I plan on trying this again and playing with the leaf and steep times. I bet I can get to like it better.
Stay tuned…
Steep Information:
Amount: 2 plastic lunch spoons
Water: 12oz ~150°F hot spigot water
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: 2-3 minutes (started Steep.it timer late, didn’t pull mesh basket when it completed)
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: mildly sweet unidentifiable fruit
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal with an after sweet hint
Flavor: smooth veegtal with hints of fruit and bitterness
Body: Light
Aftertaste: bitter, astringent
Liquor: dark translucent green-brown
I really am enjoying this tea, I think under better conditions it would do better. I also think it will be fabulous iced!
Post-Steep Additives: honey, brings out the fruity sweetness
After adding sweetener I highly recommend you do the same. This is a very soothing cup.
Notes: Since writing this review, and before posting this, we’ve made this tea many times at home in the Breville One Touch. I have reduced the bitterness and astringency, but not gotten rid of them. It really is a delicious tea.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/09/52teas-loose-leaf-green-tea-elderberry.html
In my experience, flavoured greens tend to use a heavy dose of flavouring to hide the fact you are drinking a green tea, making for a rather pointless cup. In this blend the elderberries are more complimentary, letting the sencha base skip along beside it hand in hand.
I can definitely see how fantastic this would be iced, but I think I will save that for a day that doesn’t require one to be wrapped head-to-toe in wool…
It just dawned on me that it is winter there. (DOH!)
Here I am grumbling to myself about how the spring and summer are miserable for business and there’s a whole southern hemisphere bracing for winter. I need some more customers from New Zealand, Chile? Peru?
BTW, didn’t respond yet, but I did get your email. Will be taking corrective action ASAP.
Haha it really is prime tea-selling time! Bring on all those warming, creamy, spicy teas… which usually don’t get blended until Christmas (and who wants to drink that kinda tea in the middle of summer??).
& thank you! Thought it was a bit weird, especially as I got the Butter Pecan tonight as well :)
I think the butter pecan will make a nice hot tea too. Though it is thoroughly enjoyable (and IMO,quite ice-cream-like) iced.
I’m becoming more and more tempted to try this!
you make this tempting, but i think there will be much >.< faces if more tea arrives before i drink some space in