Butterbeer

I was asked to try this tea (since it is one that I tossed the idea out there for, I figured I should), and it is AWESOME. This is exactly what butterbeer should taste like … or at least what I’d imagine it to taste like.

I’ve only tasted one other “butterbeer” inspired tea, and that was an adagio custom blend, and it was alright… I think I liked it more because it was called “butterbeer” and not so much because it was a great tea.

This, on the other hand, I love because it is a great tea, and I’d love it even if it wasn’t called butterbeer, but it should be called butterbeer because that is what it is.

Oh sheesh… I’m rambling.

I’ll talk more on this one later, when I’m up for writing a proper review.

I love this!

Welps, I was right. This… is not a tea I can handle. Looking at the description, my instincts told me so and after brewing up a cuppa… I had a few sips but poured the rest down the drain. Something about the chicory root? makes my mouth go a bit numb. Coffee does the same, and I know they share many similarities. Bah. What I did get out of it, besides the nauseating effect, was really quite nice. Shame, I was so hoping to be wrong here!
Anyhow, I’m done whining, for now. This was my first sample from the traveling tea box! Hopefully my next one will be better.
And now.. I am off to bed. I know I have a bunch of unanswered emails but it has been a looooong day/week for me and I need my zzzzs.
(I’m now an official board member of my university alumni assoc. volunteer, but I’m mighty excited! sorry, I say things like mighty and golly gee when I’m zombified. ha.)

ohmahgrerd, this tea is sooo good!

The scent is so strong – buttery rootbeer all the way! And the taste is simply out of this world. The rootbeer element is quite strong, but there is a buttery note (and a super buttery smooth texture). The chicory & licorice root are masterfully blended – they add depth without adding a cloying, throat clogging yuck that many licorice hating people fear! Well fear not!

All this tea does is transport you to Hogsmeade on a wintery day while you chum up with your fellow Slytherins. For me anyways ;)

For the resteep I added some heavy cream – and in the future I will add some butter ripple schnapps, because that’s a key ingredient in my homemade butterbeer recipe. Maybe as well go all out!

And Frank, this new black tea blend is perfection! For reals. So smooth!

I ordered this because my eldest daughter is a Harry Potter fan and threw a fit when she heard about the blend! She is not, however, a black tea fan. In fact, she practically hates the stuff! She began drinking green tea for health less than a year ago but still had not made friends with black. Nevertheless, the Butterbeer we must have!

I made a pot after lunch today when daughter came to visit. The dry leaf has quite a unique aroma. There is a sharp high scent that at first reminded me – not unpleasantly – of camphor. But really, it was overwhelmingly a root beer aroma, and it had the strong, natural scent of the many, many sassafras roots I tugged out of the ground in my mother’s yard.

There is such a great, pure, natural root beer flavor to this. Don’t think of cheap soda, think artisan, old fashioned, natural flavors root beer. My daughter said if we added milk and vanilla we would probably be convinced we were having a root beer float.

One cool thing was that my daughter really liked it! The next cool thing was that my iPad dinged a notification just as we finished our pot of tea and it was a message from her boyfriend in N. Ireland saying that the box of tea I mailed him had arrived today and he had just had a cup of Butterbeer and loved it! He loved it so much that he said if all the teas in the box we’re as good as this one, then he would count himself very fortunate. To quote him, “I am hugely impressed.”

So, Frank, can we start begging, wheedling, pleading, for this one to come back somehow?

Ok so I’m not the biggest Harry Potter fan in the world…this just made me think, have I ever even read the last book even? Oh well. And I wasn’t a fan of the movies, after two I was done. (I was in eighth grade when the first one came out omg feels like forever ago!) But the food and things like that in book series that create their own amazing worlds will always draw me in. There is an entire site dedicated to making these food items a reality!

Butterbeer has to be the frontrunner out of anything I can think of for tea, and it’s awesome. I’m drinking it ice after brewing it hot, with just a little cream and sweetener. I liked it without the additions, but it was freaking me out how much it tasted like buttery root beer. With additions, it’s more like root beer butter. The flavors taste much more rounded out. The root beer seems to pop and the butter seems more creamy.

Adding sweetener/cream also brought out the chicory and licorice just ever so slightly, along with some of the spices in the root beer and it makes it even better. It’s so unique and ridiculously awesome.

Wah if only I drank this a day earlier so I could have gotten my mom to raid my brother’s room and bring me that last book! It’s all his fault I never finished it since he took FOREVER.

I’m enjoying a cup of this “iced” in my office today. That is to say steeped in a small amount of hot water, allowed to cool, then topped off with cool water from my water cooler. It’s a complex flavor. Rootbeer kind of hits your nose first, the first taste is all black tea, made a little stouter with the addition of chicory, but then you get the buttery-root beer on the back of your tongue and a hint of sweet licorice on the tip of your tongue. I did have a sip of it while it was still hot, with similar results, but the flavors are more pronounced when it’s chilled. I think as a hot tea it would be really awesome with some cream and sugar. As an iced tea, it’s quite an adventure just the way it is. I’m thinking I will have to make another cup. Oh, and the leaf smells amazing, like something from a dream: root-beery, buttery, licoricey—very exotic scent when they are all combined. I could just leave my nose in the package and smell it all day. I steeped it using hot water from my water cooler. Not sure how hot it is, probably at least 190.

This is turning into an old song, but here’s another one that I was highly sceptical of. Yes, I’m a Harry Potter fan too, but even while reading the books no amount of mentions of butterbeer made me want to try it. I don’t like beer at all (foul stuff) and I don’t like things that aren’t butter to have a strong butter-y flavour. I couldn’t even seek refuge in the Danish translation of the books because a) the translation is rather shaky in places and b) the Danish translator has chosen to translate it as ginger beer, which… ew, I don’t like that either. So no, I can’t claim that I’m in any way looking forward to drinking something that I imagine will taste like a combination of beer and liquid butter.

The dry leaf smells sort of like rubber. It’s that rootbeer-y smell that does it. I’ve only had rootbeer once in my life and at that time I wasn’t really certain whether I liked it or not, but was leaning in the direction of ‘acquired taste’. It was that rubbery note that broke it for me, as I recall. Well. It’s better than my initial thought of what it might be, I suppose.

After steeping the rubbery smell is still there, but it’s changed in character to something that smells a bit like Jenka chewing gum. (Has that ever even been available outside of Scandinavia at all?)

Flavourwise, yeah, I’m getting a lot of what I recall of the root beer, and also a certain degree of butter. The whole thing has a brownish, sort of murky flavour and it’s really kind of indescribable apart from that.

At least it doesn’t taste like beer. That would have been right horrid.

As it is though, it’s definitely not something for me. Sorry, I can’t drink this. It’s not working for me at all.

Side note: I have reached 100 followers!

Many many thanks to Amanda for this sample

I wanted to save this for a day when I had time to myself to sit and enjoy this tea. Finally, that day is here! I am a big Harry Potter fan, and this is definitely how I would think Butterbeer would taste! Great job Frank. This tea is a smooth black base, with definite buttery rootbeer notes.

Halfway through my cup, as I was reading other reviews, I added milk, and it added a little more smoothness. Either way, with milk or not, it is really good!

All my fears about this tea have been squashed thanks to Amanda for sending me this sample!
I was so afraid of a licorice / anise taste but nooooo its not like that at all!
I taste creamy milky butter and sarsaparilla root be it in there or not, it tastes like root beer and is yummy as the cup cools.
Will I run out and buy it – not that i need to go OUT lol but I doubt this will live in my perma stash but I surely would never refuse a cup offered!
We will see if I have any cravings for it sneak up but I still have enough for another cup for another day.
Thank you Amanda I was so curious about this one – curiosity cured and happiness that it was an enjoyable cup!

Drumroll…….

Another highly anticipated tea of today, courtesy of CHAroma!

The aroma is all buttery root beery goodness. Smells better than DT’s Root Beer Float, IMO. And butterier. The taste also seems better to me. Probably the excellent base tea blend. I think I’m a bit disappointed because the flavour isn’t sweet like the aroma, but a bit of sweetener would fix that up in a hurry. I’ll be buying a pouch of this when Frank re-blends it. And I need to pick up some stevia or truvia or something so I can enjoy some guilt-free sweetness. (Also, additional-flavour-free sweetness. Agave is all well and good, but it really wrecks flavours. Likewise honey. And the others require dissolving, but I’m drinking this cooled off.)

Also, for anyone worried about licorice or anything here, it’s completely a non-issue. I’m not picking up any of the things I dislike about such flavours (anise/licorice/fennel), so it’s doing its job very well.

I have seen people giving rave reviews to 52teas.com all over Steepster, so I knew that the tea would be good, but I’ve been holding off because I have so much tea. But then Butterbeer.

I don’t think I can possibly explain how much of a Harry Potter fan I am. I started reading right before the Goblet of Fire came out and was addicted every since. I went to midnight release parties, I read every book with my two best friends and then we talked and laughed and cried over them together. I’ve written fanfiction (yes, I am admitting that). I got in on the Pottermore beta just to find out my house (Ravenclaw represent!). I don’t think I will ever outgrow these books, and I don’t even care.

So when I checked 52teas.com and found out that Butterbeer was an option, of course I had to order some.

This is how good it is. I got the package today, brewed it, took one sip and then immediately went and ordered another pouch. Now I’m sitting here sipping a second cup and munching on a pumpkin cookie (because Harry Potter!) and debating ordering a third pouch just in case I can’t live without it. Why didn’t I order two more?

Anyway, I guess I should actually get around to talking about the tea. It smells amazing, like a root beer float with some licorice aromas. And in fact, I can taste the root beery flavors when I drink it — along with very nice black tea, a hint of licorice and a smooth butteriness and that might not even be a word but it fits perfectly — and it FANTASTIC. Seriously, if every one of the teas from 52teas is even half this good, I can see why they are so popular.

I’m seriously considering never drinking any other tea ever again. No, really.

OMG! Why did I even hesitate to buy two pouches of this?! It smells like Harry Potter magic! In Muggle terms, I mean it smells like root beer and butter. Mmmmm! Now one might think that’s an odd combination, but that person just hasn’t been enlightened with a trip to The Three Broomsticks. So, we’ll let it slide. This time.

The brewed aroma is root beer, butter, and black tea. My mouth is watering!!!! Well, my table had the first sip since I bumped it with my knee in my excitement to sit down and sloshed tea everywhere. *Sigh. But the second sip is all mine!!

Wow, root beer butter tea is weird. Hahaha, but weird in a good way. I’m loving this! And of course I would, it’s a magical 52teas creation!!! I’m going to slowly add additions and see what happens. First, a splash of skim milk…smoother, more well-rounded, and a tad bit cooler now so I can drink it faster! Milk is a success! Now a little Truvia…mmm, the flavors really seem to POP now! Just a little sweetener, mind you. Otherwise, you might ruin a truly magical thing.

Oh, Frank! OH! This is just so delightful! Half the fun is drinking it, and the other half is imagining I’m a witch enjoying a hot mug of butterbeer with my classmates on a trip to Hogsmeade. Who doesn’t love this stuff?? ‘Cause I’ll buy every pouch you’ve got!! My pointed witch hat goes off to you, Frank! You’re a tea genius!

Other people have said that this one is better than DT’s Root Beer Float. And it is. Root Beer Float is damn good, in my opinion, but this one tops it just that little bit in basically every way.

The dry smell is amazing – like root beer, but with something else almost spicy underneath, and the wet smell has the same promise of deliciousness. The tea itself has a strong flavour which is predominantly root beer with something deeper and richer underneath…possibly that’s the chicory? I really wouldn’t know. It’s very smooth, and basically just has a richness and complexity that DT’s Root Beer Float lacks.

Which means I’d like to order more now that it’s available. Which brings me to the fact that I have a little problem.

Well, actually, it’s rather a large problem, which is this – I am a hoarder. Ever seen TLC’s mental illness porn, Buried Alive? (As opposed to, you know, their obesity porn like I Eat 33, 000 Calories A Day, or their child abuse porn like Toddlers & Tiaras, or… TLC is the king of exploitation programming, people.)

Well, it’s basically like that. Although not as bad. (This is an ugly thing to tell people, usually because they picture people who hoard jars of their own urine and sleep in piles of roach-infested baby blankets they won’t use because they don’t have an infant.) Possibly because I have the advantage of complete self-awareness that I have the disorder (at least for the past 5 years or so), I actually try to clean a bit at least weekly.

I was actually pleased when most of my hoarding tendencies got fixated on tea about a year ago. I may have trouble getting rid of stuff, but what can you really do with tea except get rid of it by drinking it? I was absolutely thrilled that I’d found something to hoard which was consumable and thus wouldn’t permanently take up space. Way better than years ago when I was hoarding newspapers and magazines, and they formed dangerous, chest-high teetering piles of solid, yellowing objects that just sat and grew.

But I know I’ve hit the point where I truly need to admit I have a lot of tea. I stood in my room today and just held my head looking – really looking – at the tea. I ran out of the shelf room that I had in front of some of my books, so now I just have bags lined up on the floor. Ack, stop! At least nearly all the newer stuff is 10g samples. I can drink that up in no time. (See? So good at the excuses.) I need to consider: I’m getting to the point where drinking my tea up will become a chore. I don’t want that, right? I want to enjoy it.

So I went downstairs and nixed most of the order I was composing from 52teas. Cherry Almond Gunpowder? What was I thinking? I hate gunpowder green. Gone. Anything from the permanent collection? Maybe another day, but not until I’ve drank a lot. Gone. Cotton Candy SBT? I have a half-pound of the bags of Cotton Candy, I don’t need another cotton candy tea. Gone.

I’m down to another bag of this one, Earl Grey Cheesecake (pass up cheesecake? inconceivable!) and a couple of SBT bags. Should I take this one off, too…?

WHAT TO DO, GUYS. Advice is welcome.

I was very excited to get my box from Azzrian, and I’m pretty adventurous, so I’ll try any kind of loose tea. However I confess I was skeptical on this one-that is, I prepared myself not to like it. I like rootbeer, but licorice and chicory? Not too sure about that. Even the name butterbeer (and I know it’s from Harry Potter and all that), but butterbeer doesn’t sound appetizing to me. So with my sights set pretty low, I brewed this up (steeped 3 minutes), took a sip, and then as always, added some sweetener-wow, how about that! Pretty good stuff. Then a little milk, since others suggested that. Well, I like it both ways, and once it got to room temp I saw it’s potential as a cold tea too. It was fine unsweetened, but you don’t get the full rootbeer effect without sweetening it. I could see ordering it if it were available again, because it’s quite a novelty. It tastes just like rootbeer to me, and I think the college kids in my family and their friends would get a kick out of it too. As long as you like rootbeer, I think you’ll like this. Oh, and I got 2 steepings. So once again, thanks to Azzrian. Without that box she sent, I would never have tried this, and I have some more left to share with my kids when they are home.

I got this in my 52teas calendar and I’m sooo happy as I’ve been dying to try it :D It was so yummy I bought 3 packages :D that used up all my tea money for awhile :)

Frank had me at Butterbeer. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, and have been curious about what it might taste like. There are a multitude of different recipes for Butterbeer, but add in the tea and I’m there. I didn’t even flinch when I saw licorice (well, maybe just a nanosecond), and the ingredients quite possibly could have included dirt and I think I still would have tried it. In the end, it’s here, it’s ready and I’m drinking it.

The dry scent is interesting. It has a sharp feel to it that is rounded out by the sweetness of the root beer scent. It reminds me of a spicy rootbeer, with something… foresty.

I went a bit light on the steep time and I can taste it. Next time, I’ll make it stronger. It has an interesting flavor. Hearty, but something else, too. It’s almost slightly acidic, but not tart. I definitely taste the chicory, which I love and think is perfect for this hearty cup. Licorice is there, too, but it’s not offensive. More like anise-laced and very light. It’s not sweet at all, which I thought it would be with all of the root beer scent in the packet.

A bit of the way through my cup, I added German rock sugar to it. Now, it’s sweet. And buttery. I can smell the butter just before I sip it. It’s also cooling and I can taste the chicory a bit less. This tea is quite complex and, dare I say, magical? Yes, magical. It’s hard to pinpoint the different flavors as they blend so well together. All in all, it’s a very different cup of tea.

Merry Christmas Steepsterites!

Sort of a Backlog: Day eleven (you mean this is almost over!?)

I can’t put into words how delighted I was to open my package and discover this tea. Butterbeer has always sounded amazing to me. The expectations are high because of the name.

Dry leaves have a rootbeer smell from them. Apparently, licorice is present here but it manifests in a way similar to that particular soft drink. I steeped it in hot milk the first time, expecting something astringent. Even though I had the leaves in there for over five minutes the latte was surprisingly mellow and creamy.

My second try at this I had plain and in a pot. I steeped it for 2 minutes and 30 seconds with water well under boiling. The result is this soft buttery beverage that rolls of my tongue. It’s amazing. This tastes like a pound of melted butter that’s had a cup of something malty poured over top- it even has the salty sweetness of butter. How are my lips not greasy? There’s no milk or cream in my cup which is unbelievably deceptive! When I focus on the malty sweet licorice streak it reminds me somewhat of a rootbeer float.

Did I mention this was amazing and divine?

Another one I think I may have to order more of that I’m now fully stocked up on.

So somehow I managed to forget to log this a few days ago when I finally sat down to try it. I haven’t actually tried the butter beer at Harry potter land at universal – the day we went it was waaaaaay too long a line. BUT this tea is quite delicious….as long as you like root beer :) I cold brewed this as I wanted to see if this could be a refreshing après workout tea and it certainly is. It’s uncanny how much this tastes like a cold flat soda. :) Im looking forward to trying this warm, with maybe a dash of cream to really bring out the buttery flavours.

I’ve been eyeing this for a looong time now, I love Harry Potter and I also love root beer, it’s easily my favorite soda of all time (the real stuff that is, along with Pennsylvania Dutch birch beer). As other people have said, the smell of the dry leaf is incredible. I mean really, it shocked me with how amazing it smelled. Pure root beer.

But… I think the sheer greatness of the smell of the dry leaf set me up to be a little disappointed with the taste of the tea itself. But I can’t deny that it’s tasty, it just didn’t wow me like strawberry zabaglione (I’m still very limited in my experience with 52teas).

All in all, it’s tasty stuff and it’s worth having around if only to stick my nose in the pouch and repeatedly inhale its intoxicating aroma. :)

Backlogging. 10 days ago. Wednesday afternoon.

The February Backlog: From the 1st to today.

My second time having this, my first time logging this. First time I had it I liked it so much. I got root beer, cream soda, and buttery. This time I got more black tea taste with those flavors. This tea is sooo good.