A review of Ruby Red Chai (Organic Spiced Rooibos) by Trader Joe’s
This is a tea that I can return to when wanting something with a good kick to it. Using 1 tea bag with 8 ounces of hot water, I bring water to full boil, and then I take one tea bag and place this in my cup and pour the water over tea bag and steep for about five minutes.
Tea has a very lively fragrance of ginger, cloves, allspice, cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon and all of this makes this a lovely bouquet with a very pleasant aroma. It is a good tea for the nose.
Tea’s color is that of a golden sunset; a ruby glowing chai and when tasted it is filled with the spices from around the globe…ginger is present as well as the cloves and cinnamon with the allspice reigning in after ginger. It is a cloying of the spices with not just one winner but all…like a chamber quarter perfectly in –tune and timing.
That being said, you know you are drinking a cup of chai tea, it is very rich with many spices.
A review: Ruby Red Chai (Spiced Rooibos) by Trader Joe’s
I am having this tea since it has been a long while, as well as I was reminded of this tea because of the way it is packaged (individual teabags are wrapped in clear plastic bags) and another tea (Kukicha) by Haiku has similar packaging; clear and individually wrapped tea bags. It is a nice effect, you open the box and the spices rise up in the air filling your nostrils and lungs with such sweetness and delights and you can view the teabags without really trying to since it is clear.
I use one tea bag and poured hot water into the cup and left to steep for few minutes. I am trying shorter steep time; since last time I had this tea, it cooked for five minutes, and I will not be adding anything else to it.
I find with shorter steep time the spices are more potent/pungent even. It is a full-bodied tea all on its own. It is a warming tea because of the spices; cloves, allspice and cardamom all vying for attention it seems with the nutmeg and cinnamon not too far behind.
I am looking for warmth and comfort when selecting the teas I chose to drink. This indeed did provide the warmth and soothing mind, but my soul is still in turmoil. And cannot be helped. Not the teas’ fault, but of mine own.
This is good chai; an allspice cup of chai!
A review of Ruby Red Chai (Organic Spiced Rooibos) by Trader Joe’s
Date: 11/15/ 2012
Company: Trader Joe’s
Tea Name: Ruby Red Chai
Tea Type/Varietal: Chai
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup / tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: Sienna red
Leaf Characteristics: Tea bag smells strongly of cardamom, ginger, cloves and cinnamon
- Steepings
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes
I take one of tea bags which are individually seal in a clear plastic bag, remove the bag and put this in my cup and pour the boiled water into my cup and covering with a saucer to steep for five minutes.
The tea’s aroma is heady from once water is poured over it and becomes nicer with longer steeps. When I remove the lid, tea’s color is a lovely red glow, Sienna like…it is early morning and who can say. Anyhow, I like the mixture of the cloves, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg as I take sip after sip of this tea.
I can tell you the difference of this tea with the hibiscus and Rosehip tea that I had day before as this tea is spice tea, it is piquant and hot; no acidity or fruity/citrusy blend as contained in the Rosehip/hibiscus tea.
I was wrong in thinking they were similar since they are not. They are two distinct teas with their own character and base.
Ruby Red Chai (Spiced Rooibos) by Trader Joe’s
I decided to try this Spiced Rooibos as a true Chai recipe. I mean to have it with non-dairy product like milk. I had purchased some Rice Dream, a Trader Joe’s brand to practice making different Chai recipes. Today, I used two tea bags, a small cup of the Rice Dream and a ½ of small cup of water. I pour the water in small pan and placed the two tea bags into the pan, waited for it to come to boil, I added the non-dairy Rice Dream and stirred mixing the flavors and soy together. It smelled wonderfully sweet. I smell more of the cinnamon and cardamom; it seems adding the Rice Dream brings out the other flavors more than without it. Since I can now discern the ginger and the cloves—making it somewhat licorice in taste.
I think just one tea bag and a small cup of Rice Dream cooked for 3 minutes or until slightly boiling would have sufficed and adding the water is for more tea or to not have it be too thick.
I cannot drink too much of this since my stomach is so sensitive; but I truly believe that Chais are meant to be drunk hot and with milk or soy or some similar non-dairy drink; it needs some thick cream; for the texturing and to make the tea’s liquor to have a character that is a fuller brew and quality.
A review Ruby Red Chai (Spiced Rooibos) by Trader Joe’s
I wanted to try and have this tea as iced tea and so I have placed four tea bags into a pan and filled with water and put to boil for five minutes.
I like how the Rooibos mixture of the cloves, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon lingers after rising in the air and making the room come alive. It is a wonderful medley. The aroma is lovely.
Tea brews a very dark red, very intense. I am thinking it would make for a good dye, well (mildly). I left it to cool and retrieve the sugar and put in several spoonful of sugar as it is still boiling and stirring the sugar into the tea makes it heady all the more. I put in more of the sugar and continue to stir it until it dissolves into the tea.
I want this tea to be very sweet since I will be adding plenty of ice when having it. I am leaving it to cool completely for an hour or so; then I can pour it in the jug for future use.
I know it will make for a nice cup of iced tea with lots of antioxidants, which will warm the body, soothing the mind, and heals the soul. I am placing great emphasis on all the aspect of this tea and remembering that it is a full-bodied tea with nothing hidden, it remains a steady character in the cup.
