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Guayusa Tea by Runa
Runa’s signature blend combines the smooth taste and energizing power of guayusa, with a full-bodied cinnamon, and a sweetly aromatic lemongrass, in a traditional Amazonian blend. We call it “Delicioso.”
Guayusa (botanical name Ilex guayusa) is a caffeinated rainforest holly tree that grows almost exclusively in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Revered as a balanced stimulant and focal point of indigenous cultural traditions, guayusa has been consumed for thousands of years by the indigenous Kichwa, Shuar, and Achuar nationalities that inhabit the Ecuadorian Amazon.
A truly balanced stimulant with a naturally sweet taste, guayusa not only contains caffeine to awaken the mind, but also is rich in vitamins and amino acids to fortify the body. Its combined effect is one of sustained energy, mental clarity, and what the indigenous Kichwa people call “mental strength and courage.” Indigenous hunters drink guayusa to sharpen their instincts and call it the “Night Watchman” because it helps them stay alert and awake all night. With these unique properties, our Runa beverages offer the energy of coffee without the jitters or crash, and the clarity and simplicity of tea without the bitterness.
I have been biting the same darned spot in the back of my mouth for a few days and now I have a snore there…DRAT!~I thought I would try some Cinnamon on it and maybe some peppermint or spearmint later. ZAP! Make the pain go away! And the swelling come down…Grrrr!
Anyways…This is nice! It’s not a crazy strong spice but it sure does help with the stereotypical Guayusa as a nice change-up! This is find indeed!
I wasn’t too sure about this one when I first smelled it, I guess because it wasn’t as spicy as I had expected. It is cinnamon-y, yes, but that is about it. I guess I’m just used to masala chai blends that really play up the spicy aspect… and I expected this tisane to follow suit. But with this blend, less is definitely more.
The cinnamon and lemongrass are an interesting combination, especially when brought together with Guayusa. The earthy tones of the guayusa bring out the earthier notes of the cinnamon, making for a sweeter, savory-spiced cinnamon rather than a spicy-hot cinnamon. The vegetative flavor of the guayusa plays to the lemongrass, allowing it to really come forth in the finish and imparting a nice citrus tone in the aftertaste.
Despite those initial misgivings, I really am enjoying this one!
Another sample tasted during the Coffee & Tea Festival & that led to the purchase of this amazing tea.
First off, I love cinnamon. And I love when it burns your mouth & sets a fire in your throat. Oh yes….I must have that burning sensation from my cinnamon otherwise, it’s boring. The cinnamon in this tea doesn’t quite burn, but it lets you know it’s there.
I knew from the first sip I was going to end up buying it at the expo. Great stuff. Definitely another new favorite to always have on hand.
Tea of experimentation….
I picked up a box of this when I was in Baltimore early this week. (Man, I love Wegman’s.) So far, I really only get the lemongrass. Not much in the way of spice, and the base is kind of a leafy taste with a subtle edge of spearmint…like if the minty part was missing and you just got the spear-. Anyway…… We will see if it does anything for my mental clarity at this point. I sure could use some of that!
8 oz mug, 1 bag, freshly boiled water, 4 minutes.
Check out our video-review here: http://healthyprofessionals.blog.com/2011/07/07/the-tea-show-episode-19-runas-guayusa-spice/
A warm, subtle, and tasty blend. This is very tasty straight up. Very smooth and not overwhelmed by Cinnamon. My favorite part of this blend was the fact that the Cinnamon plant is the Shade cover for the Guayusa plant while in the rainforest. Gives a story to the tea, which makes tea way better. I feel a connection is made for a product be it tea, coffee, or a baseball mit. They all have reasons we love them. Sometimes taste in a hypercompetitive market is not the only reason people buy and enjoy. Some reasons we can not explain. I have been told by at least five people that I have given Guayusa that they love this blend iced. I have only brewed this tea hot, as I only review hot blends usually. Awesome Blend!
I got a sample of this tea at the Coffee and Tea Festival last weekend. I tried a little at the event, and thought it was unique and pretty tasty, I was excited to try a whole cup.
The sample didn’t come with any instructions, but I looked on their website and noticed that the instructions said to use one tea bag in 8 oz of water, steeped in boiling water for 4-6 minutes. I already started steeping the sachet I got in 12 oz of water, so I went ahead and left it in for 6 minutes.
The tea brewed up with a dark yellowish liquor, with an aroma that featured the spices with a leafy-green-grassy notes behind it. The taste… well, I wish I had brewed it in less water, or had another sachet! The flavor was overall kind of weak. I could faintly taste the spice, but not much behind it. It was mild and inoffensive, but not very exciting. My next sample will definitely get less water!
My local Fresh Market was offering samples, so I gave it a try. I wasn’t impressed. It was extremely weak, with the most prominent (but still not particularly strong) flavor being cinnamon. I’ve never tried guayusa before, so perhaps it is normally weak? Hopefully not.
Could sense the cinnamon coming thru, adding a nice warmth to the blend. Overall easy drinking, didn’t need sweetener, which is a sign of an excellent brew. I didn’t experience a jolt of any sort, but rather a gentle lift. Nice tea.
Placed 3 infusers in 2 liters of filtered water, left in the sun for a few hours. Refrigerated overnight with the infusers left in the water. Put the guayusa in my water bottle before heading out to spin class. Wow! Great high energy low calorie drink to burn the thighs and calories… :-)
