Yogini Undefined

Still on my chai kick lol. Ok, so I tried this one again, except I added another spoonful of tea (I used 4 scoops for 2 cups of water) and I also brewed it for only 3mins 45seconds. One of the things I noticed and forgot to mention in the last brew was that I think I might have over brewed it a tiny bit. It was just slightly bitter tasting.

This next brew was even better. I tasted the brew prior to adding anything to it, and found it to be quite nice. I only added a tiny bit of honey to compliment it, and of course lots of milk – so it’s similar to a latte. Really good! In fact, I’m raising my rating of it too. My partner tried a sip of it and he thought it was good too (he’s not really into flavoured teas, so I guess this is a good sign) The only kicker in all of this? When I bought this, I only went with a small bag of it. Whoops. Anyone have any other good chai recommendations for me? ;)

More Olympics watching, and apparently I’m really craving chai at the moment lol. So I went for Teaopia’s (RIP) Masala Chai. I like my tea pretty strong, and so I added extra tea as I’m making a pail of this stuff again in my big pottery tea/beer stein. I brewed it for 4mins, and the result is a sweet spicy brew. I wish now I had tried a sip prior to drenching it all in milk, but I can do that next time. Anyway, it was a nice balance of spices I thought – cloves and cinnamon really came up for me, which is quite nice. I think next time I will add a bit more tea, as it was a bit on the mild side for my taste, once I added a wee bit of honey and a healthy splash of milk to it. Regardless, it’s still sweet and yummy and I think a bit of adjustment will make it even that much more enjoyable.

Tea backlog from last night: I was watching the Olympics late last night and wanted something spicy. I was feeling lazy and just wanted to use a bagged version of anything I had in my cupboard. So I grabbed one of these and then decided that 2 teabags would really spice things up. It was pretty peppery. I should add that I was using a pottery mug that was intended as a beer stein, so I suppose 2 teabags wasn’t that over the top. I added a big clump of honey and a whole lot of milk, and it was good enough. It’s not the best, but not the worst either.

I have been woefully absent from Steepster (and Twitter) as of late. Goodness, I can’t even think about how long it’s been since I’ve updated my blog. My tea drinking has suffered tremendously too – which we all know is a VERY. BAD. THING. ;) I hadn’t abandoned my tea entirely, it’s just that with all the stress and whatnot, I was reaching for some old favourites, and more recently, a new favourite as well. While my all time favourite has been Yorkshire Gold, a tea that I reach for during times of illness, stress, heartache, or (dare I say it?) sheer laziness – ok, is laziness really the right word? Maybe yes, maybe no. It isn’t wrong to want a tea that is no fuss, no muss, and will bring you the happy, soothing feelings, right?

Anyway, a couple of months ago, (perhaps less than that – my concept of time tends to vary wildly lol) I discovered Glengettie tea from Wales. I purchased it at the time because I love all things Welsh, (and I was absolutely charmed by the fact that the writing on the box is in both English and Welsh – yay!) but after the first cup, I was sold! Pretty much every cup that I’ve ingested since my absence from Steepster has been Glengettie. I’ve been brewing it strong, and adding massive wallops of honey in it (see my Yorkshire Gold brewing scale based on emotional/physical need review) and it has been just what I have needed.

I confess that over the past months, I haven’t been paying too close attention to the notes of it, other than it’s got a nice kick when you brew it for a long time, and is on the malty side – similar to Irish breakfast, which I love. Honestly, with the amount of honey that I’ve been adding to the brew, it’s a wonder I can taste anything at all – but I can, and the overall effect is hearty, and comforting – just what I need. I can see why it has been a favourite of the Welsh for so long – it brews up dark, rich and hale.

This tea is evoking some lovely memories – I just love when that happens. There used to be these amazing cookies called Coconut Cream Cookies by McCormicks – sadly, the brand was bought out by Dare, and they discontinued this amazing cookie, because, they felt their own version was better (they are sadly mistaken. I have never forgiven Dare for this or for what they did to our Girl Guide cookies, but that is a rant for another day)
Well, I never thought I would smell that cookie again. This evening, I did smell it and when I closed my eyes, I really thought I was going to chomp into that crunchy biscuit once more.

I am even more thrilled to report that the tea brews up to smell very nearly the same as it does when dry – another pleasant surprise. The liquor is very light, the colour of a fair, white wine.

First taste – oh, the raptures. Tastes just as it smells, light and dancing on my tongue. Has a sweet coconut finish, and really reminds of me of how my beloved cookie would taste after I nibbled on it. I think I’m in love.

I believe this lovely tea will be happily ensconced in my cupboard for some time. And I guess one small comfort is that, unlike the cookies, this will be one treat I can indulge in without worrying about the calorie content.

Damn, I am sure missing those cookies right now. ;)

I’ve tried this a couple of times now. Sorry, forgot to log it ;)
Dry, this smells AMAZING! Super buttery and softly sweet, very similar to caramel popcorn.
I was pretty excited to try this. I don’t normally drink my black teas straight up, but I thought I would try it this way first and see if I liked it. I wasn’t thrilled with the first batch, which I think I oversteeped (4.5mins) as I found it quite bitter. That being said, my friend quite liked his cup, (his was steeped 4mins) and said it was only slightly bitter. He doesn’t normally drink tea, and he quite liked it, so go figure ;)

I made us both a second brew, at only 3minutes and it tasted somewhat better. I still wasn’t entirely sold on it though. Didn’t taste too much caramel and I was hoping it would be a bit sweeter.

Today, I decided to brew it for 3minutes, and add a few pieces of rock sugar to see if that would help bring out the caramel. Huge improvement. Only very slightly bitter,yet has a mildly sweet, caramel finish.

I’m enjoying it enough on it’s own now, so I think I’ll hold off on adding milk until another time and see how that tastes.

I received my order from Tealish today – quick shipping and packaged great! Really pleased with the customer service. Needless to say, having a bunch of new teas to try has brightened my day considerably! :)

So, onto the tea experience. It’s quite late. I’m soaking wet from a long walk in the rain, so I grabbed this to try, as it sounded like a lovely, warming treat before bed. It’s herbal, so I’m assuming there wouldn’t be any caffeine in this (do correct me if I’m mistaken) I like the packaging on these Tealish teas – shiny silver bags, and they’re sealed up until you crack them open, with little ziplock closures on them. The labels are nice too – bright and cheery – includes a description of the tea, as well as brewing instructions.

With a name like Toasty Almond, I’m expecting it to be quite nutty. Dry, I do smell sweet almond, but also a cinnamon-baked apple pie-brown sugar mix. Definitely smells delish from Tealish (I know, I know, I’m brutal with the lame puns lol) It’s pretty “chunky” as I watch it brew. Lots of big stuff bobbing around. Not sure what they are but they smell good. Maybe beetroot? I have no idea really LOL. Lots of almond pieces too which pleased me. It really looks like some sort of cool trail-mix.

Brewed, it is a rich reddish-orangey colour. At first sniff, I am totally getting baked apple pie. Lots of cinnamon and brown sugar. Just the way I like it. I can smell a slight nutty smell, but it really is second to the baked apple pie aroma.

Wow! Took a sip, and it was a quick tartness on my tongue, with an even quicker finish to pure sweetness. What a pleasant surprise! Definitely tasting the apple and cinnamon with a light brown sugar finish. I have to reach for an almond taste to be honest. It’s just not as nutty as I was expecting it to be. Maybe it’s just me, but I would have called this Toasty Apple Pie Yummy Happy Times (or perhaps something more eloquent) instead of Toasty Almond. Either way, it’s definitely toasty, and quite yummy.

ETA: Just not getting any nut flavour out of this brew. A bit of a bummer as I was expecting more nutty goodness. Dropped my rating a bit because although it is quite good as an apple pie alternative, I’m still expecting more almond/nutty taste and it’s just not delivering. That being said, I will keep trying and see where it takes me. After reading other reviews, I’m concluding that it must just be me, as other reviewers are noting the nutty flavour in this tea.

Super stressed with buckets of tears requires a jug of this tea and a pound of honey. Pile on the milk and chug it back. Old reliable. Haven’t been tea drinking the last couple of days – shocking, right? Ah well, thank you Yorkshire for being there for me.
I also placed a big tea order today, so I’m looking forward to receiving some new things to try.

No notes yet.

Funny how I love drinking this in the afternoon. Goes really well with the last of the buttertarts. I think I may cry when I finish this last tart ;)

Grabbed this for a morning cup in the hopes that it would wake me up a little, as well as warm me up. It’s an ok chai, not too exciting to be honest. I added a generous amount of rock sugar and quite a bit of milk to make it more latte like (I love Starbucks chai lattes LOL) but it really is kind of bland. It’s passable, but I wish it had more spice to it to make it more exciting. If you’re looking for a milder indian chai, then this would probably do for you :)

Sweet happy yum yum tea. Added rock sugar quite generously and with abandon, as well as a big splash of milk. Enjoying this before bed :)

I’ve dug this one out as it has been awhile since I’ve had it. When I smell it, it smells off, so I’m wondering if it’s old and lost some of its lustre. Therefore, I’m going to hold off giving it a rating until I get my hands on a fresher batch. That being said, it still tastes nice, just a little different from what I can remember. Enjoying it with a splash of milk and a touch of sugar :)

No notes yet.

I am being naughty this morning. In bed, with a pot of this tea, 2 big homemade buttertarts, the electric blanket on, and watching the telly. Kind of like trashy decadence ;)

Bagged version. Easy to throw in a cup, and fine for grabbing quickly, it tastes decent enough. Not the best, and not the worst I’ve had.

Malty, kick-you-in-the-teeth goodness. Another staple in my cupboard. I always love this one in my china teacup, with a spoonful of sugar and a dash of milk. I love the paradox of this manly-flex-your-muscles kind of tea served in a feminine-delicate-and dainty teacup.

No notes yet.

Had this today at a restaurant. It was pretty decent, especially because I was cold and just so grateful to have something warm to hand on to. The bergamot was quite strong. I added one sugar and a dash of milk, and that barely touched the bergamot. The brew was strong, but not bitter tasting or astringent. I would have this again.

I love the smell of this stuff dry. It smells (to me anyway) like fresh, green hay. Takes me back to happy memories on the farm. I could detect something else, but couldn’t put my finger on it. Either way, I’m happy to sniff and let myself be taken back to the days of fresh hay, sunny days and blue skies.

1st Infusion:
I went with a 3 minute brew for this one and it no longer smells like fresh, green hay, but it still feels green, and has a soft hint of wildflowers or something, with a faint sweetness. I feel like I’ve smelled a particular flower that has that smell – I just can’t put my finger on it. Either way, it really brings me outside, and is evoking a lot of memories that I had forgotten about. It’s quite a pleasant experience, and I haven’t even taken a sip yet. ;)

The colour of this could best be described as a pale, yellow diamond colour. It is beautiful.

Oddly enough, upon drinking it, I’m tasting the hay again (yes, I have chewed on hay before) and it has a sweet note to it. I’m having difficulty describing the finish of it – it’s still sweet, but something else is going on too lol. I’m really enjoying it!

2nd Infusion:
Brewed for 3min 30 secs just under 90°C
Very similar to first brew, a touch stronger tasting perhaps. Colour is still lovely diamond yellow, with a hint of green to it. I’m impressed with how good this 2nd infusion is. Smells greener, more floral. Tastes a bit greener too, with semi-sweet finish. Excellent brew!

3rd Infusion:
3mins 45 sec, just under 90°C
Only slightly milder smelling/tasting, very similar to #2. Enjoying carrying this around with me while I’m outside, planning my garden.

4th Infusion:
4mins, just under 90°C
Probably should have infused this a tad longer, because it was on the weaker side, but still really lovely. I ended up leaving this one to get cold, and quite enjoyed drinking it even after it had cooled. I could note the sweetness especially when it was room temperature.

5th Infusion:
8mins, just under 90°C
I actually only meant to brew this for 5-6 mins but got distracted and forgot about it. Probably just as well, as it is getting weak now, although the colour is still quite a lovely yellow colour. Mellow smelling, yet still some flavour. I could try for another infusion, but it`s getting late and I need some sleep.

All in all, I enjoyed this tea all day long and look forward to having more of it! Cooled, I thought it was rather refreshing, softly sweet and smooth.

No notes yet.

Thought I’d have some more of this delightful tea. The aroma alone is just what the doctor ordered on this cold, wet and dreary day. I’m wanting to try multiple infusions with this one today, although I brewed the first infusion a bit longer, at 1min, 45seconds. My fault, I realized after I set it to brew that I had forgotten the suggested time that was listed on this page, which was under a minute. Oh well, I’ll just see how many I can squeeze out of it. :)

The colour is pure amber and the smell of caramel and nuts is so dreamy. I haven’t even taken a sip yet, and I can feel myself becoming more mellow. ;) I don`t know what it is about this tea, but I am becoming quite enamoured of it. First sip is just wonderful and I love the sweet nutty taste that is left on my tongue. I think I will move this up on my happy rating :)

ETA: 2nd infusion – I guess maybe my expectations are too high for a second infusion? Also, I overbrewed the first infusion so that might have something to do with it. I brewed the second one for well over 3 minutes just to be able to smell something when I stuck my nose in my Tea Master. I still smell the sweet nuts, just not as strong. The taste is weaker too, but still very yummy.

I will endeavour to make this correct at some point in hopes of being able to appreciate multiple infusions of it. At this point, I can’t imagine I will get much more out of the leaves.

I bought a box of this on a whim from a nifty British shop, and happy that I did. I’ve got the bagged, tagless version. This is my standby tea, when I just need something quick, easy, simple, and above all comforting. I use a basic black tea when I make my own version of Cambric tea – loads of milk, a pound of honey, and a dash (or more) of tea. A sure-fire fix for upset tummy. Plus, I don’t feel as badly pitching a cheaper tea bag that I’ve only basically dunked for colour purposes in my cup. I sometimes brew it longer, if I want a kick – it depends on what I’m trying to cure: tummy ache: dunked for 30 seconds or less, basically for a very mild taste, and a bit of colour; heart ache/stress: brewed a bit longer, around a minute; and finally hangover: brew that bag out for what it’s worth, throw in the honey and toss it back. ;) *N.B. These are only recommended brew times based on my scale of need, and even that scale changes based on my whims, which is frighteningly frequent ;)

So, it’s 3am, I can’t sleep, and it was definitely time for a tea & honey. A big one. And at this point, I don’t even care about using a caffeine free tea, like my go-to Rooibos. I just want a warm cuppa-hug, on a rainy night, when I’m lonely and anxious. So, I reached for a bag of Yorkshire Gold. I brewed it for about a minute – I really like the colour of this tea. I added two massive spoonfuls of my favourite honey, and admired how the honey really makes the tea turn a rich, reddish gold colour. Yum. Added a whole pile of milk (just skim, but it always goes creamier in the presence of all that honey and in this tea) and the result is a creamy beige that just looks divine and smells even better. I hold my extra large mug in my hand and just breathe in the goodness.

As you can imagine, with all that honey, you can’t really do too much note-tasting, but that’s not what I’m really after when I drink this stuff. I’m really just looking for something that will not affect the notes in the honey that I am experiencing (I love me some honey! lol ;) So the tea needs to complement, not compete with whichever honey I’m using. And let’s face it, if I’m sick, or feeling crappy, I’m not always looking for bunch of complicated notes partying in my mouth – simple is the order of the day in this case.

I used to just use Red Rose for this purpose, or Tetley (this is what my mum drinks when she visits, so I keep the Red Rose on hand in the house) but this tea has surpassed them both on my happy scale. I’m nearly finished this box, and I am definitely going to pick up another one.

Ok, so I go through a lot of this stuff. It’s my quick grab comfort tea, for two reasons: I can drink it at night, before bed and 2) it’s an easy pleaser (for me anyway)
I rarely drink it without additives though, and I realized that I love to load this one up with milk and rock sugar, or honey. I guess that’s part of the comfort part. Tonight I am feeling kinda blah, so I went for the full Monte and added milk, and a few chunks of rock sugar. Mmmm, yummy, soothing, happy time.