Next up on my evening of trying out new teas! This one was purchased from Janelle in a sample size to give me a taste before deciding whether or not to include it in my Black Friday order. I also recieved Butiki’s Root Beer Float tea today as well, so I’m thinking I might have to drink that one directly after this so I can get a comparison of the tastes and determine which I like better. I don’t think there’s any reason for me to keep two Root Beer teas stocked which seem to be so similar in base and ingredients.
Dry, this one smells slightly “medicinal root beer” like – kind of like when you get those old fashioned root beers that are in the glass bottle with the kind of bottle cap that doesn’t just twist off. That makes sense considering this utilises a rooibos base and that often tastes a little medicinal to people. I love those old fashioned type of root beers: I think a lightly medicinal sort of tasting root beer seems more natural and “real” rootbeer tasting. I also get some creaminess and vanilla notes in the dry leaf that do work with the “float” aspect of the tea as well.
For steeping, I used 1 tsp. level in 8 oz. boiling water steeped for about 3 min. 30 seconds. The liquor is a really rich brown colour: actually sort of the colour of an old fashioned root beer. I say old fashioned, because I find non old fashioned root beers, like Barq’s is a much darker (almost black) colour. Even though I used a fine mesh strainer I did still wind up with a bunch of floaty bits in my mug, though.
The smell is distinctly rooibos, with a light rootbeer smell that follow the rooibos in a less noticeable way. I feel like in the smell I lose the creaminess associated with the “float”.
For taste, the rooibos is definitely strong and very present. I often get the woodiness associated with rooibos and NOT the medicinal taste, but in this blend I am very much getting medical notes and finding an absence of woodiness. Like previously stated, though, I think that medicinal taste works in this blend because it’s strengthening the comparison of an old fashioned root beer drink. I do wish the root beer taste was just a bit more present. I’ve lost a lot of the creaminess, but what is still here manages to linger in the aftertaste for a pretty long time.
I don’t think I’d call this Root Beer Float, but instead Old Fashioned Root Beer (the “Dad’s Rootbeer” brand comes to mind). It’s still a really good tea though, and I’m very much enjoying the cup. I’m excited to try Butiki’s version immediately following and do a comparison.
