Bruu Tea

Gongfu Sipdown (890)!

Got up early enough this morning to sneak in a short tea session and sipdown of some Mao Jian. It was nice to clear some green tea out of my tea stash (as that’s my least consumed catagory of tea), but it steeped up pretty nice too. Vegetal/grassy in a way I don’t always love, but upfront sweetness too that makes a world of difference…

This (the pandemic) is also probably the first time I have ever been able to maintain getting up early in the morning (usually between 7AM and 7:30AM) for an extended period of time without feeling shitty every morning. What’s even crazier about that, to me, is that I don’t actually have to get up in the morning right now until maybe 8:30AM and past me would have milked that FULLY and slept in as long as possible every day. In fact even when I was working 9 to 5 daily (pre-pandemic) instead of 10 to 3 like I am right now, I still only got up at about 7:45 each morning – so I’m getting up EARLIER now!?

It doesn’t make sense to me, but it’s actually been incredibly nice…

Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/B_5i-OpgvN2/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nuab8Z5iwg

I was certainly a little surprised to see a Mao Jian included with my Bruu subscription selections given that I specified that I’m generally deeply not a fan of green tea – but I also said I would try anything at least once with as open a mind as possible, so that’s what I did here…

Honestly, if I’m going to have a straight green tea (as rare as that it) then it’s a Chinese green that I’m going to opt for. So I’ve at least got that going in my favour. I felt like this tea really pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I didn’t hate it for that. There was this note in the cup that I really felt a sense of deja vu with, and it took me a long time to place it but I eventually nailed it down as this buttery lettuce type note that I also experienced in DT’s Green Spiral. I enjoyed that note a lot!

Additionally, the cup had green bean notes and a heavy dose of minerality.

Overall, it’s not my thing – but I definitely appreciated elements of it a lot and I appreciate the push outside of the types of tea I find more safe.

Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6_Kj_uAleq/

Currently sipping on this one…

My teeth aren’t hurting as badly today, but I still feel like someone drove into me with a truck. I think part of it is just the whiplash from being so busy at work and in a very high stress/high functioning environment to 180-ing in the evenings to calm and quiet. It’s too much packed into too short of a time period, and I feel really drained afterwards even though I’m so into what I’m working on in the moment.

This is nice though. Reliable.

Yeah, reliable is really good word to describe how it steeps up. That’s what I need in the evenings right now, I think – predictable teas where the flavours will make me feel comforted. Like the loose leaf tea equivalent of an infant’s pacifier, in a way. It’s smooth and full bodied, and I’m getting nice clean notes of malted grains and walnut. Milk would be great, but I only have coconut milk at the moment and I don’t want the taste of the coconut milk to mix with what’s happening in this cup…

Anyway. Internally screaming tonight… Sigh.

The next tea from the Bruu Subscription Box that I tried out…

This was also a surprise for me; I expected it to taste good but kind of average in terms of Orange Pekoe. It was actually much more interesting in terms of its flavour notes than I would have predicted, and the infusion was really nice too. The cup steeps up smooth and malty; with sweet & bright notes of almond, freshly baked bread, and red fruit!! It’s a very muggable black tea, perfect for sipping on while reading a good book! I’m sure it would be excellent with a little milk and sugar, but today I’m enjoying it straight!

I think I will try my next mug with a bit of milk though, just to see how that plays with the flavours.

Had a mug of this earlier in the afternoon. The fact my teeth were sore again was certainly not an aid in my enjoyment of the tea, but even still I found that this was pretty astringent. Not a bad taste, but just not a “wow” cup in this circumstance.

Had this one Grandpa style at work today – we’re experiencing some plumbing issues in the lab right now with our filtered water system and with the current world situation it hasn’t been easy getting someone to come out and check everything out, so I only had the one tea at work today and I nursed it pretty badly…

But it was good – a mix of lime zest, florals, and a little bit creamy. Astringent at the end, but because I was leaving this to steep in the mug with less frequent than normal top ups for a Grandpa style method. Not really the fault of the tea at all.

Gongfu!

This is the first in a series of four teas that came in a Bruu Subscription box that the company was generous enough to send to me in exchange for instagram reviews of the teas. It’s a tailored sub box, and the company did ask me to describe the types of teas that I generally go for – I can sort of see that reflected in the teas that they chose; though in general the box appears to be themed this month around China/Chinese Tea so most of the picks lean heavily towards that theme…

Earlier in the week I asked my instagram followers to vote on which of the four teas they wanted to see me try first, and this tea won! I was secretly hoping it would be this tea; it’s been a while since I had a greener TKY (I’ve been drinking so much yancha lately) and I was intrigued! It was a very close race between the Mao Jian in the box and this tea, though. I know I’ll have to drink the Mao Jian eventually, but my green tea hating self definitely wants to put that one off for a little while…

I sipped on it this morning, with some passion fruit in between infusions. I know I said it’s been a while since I had a TKY, but even thinking on the last few I’ve had they have definitely NOT been as creamy and buttery as this one!! It started off modestly; a little buttery and a little floral, sort of teasing what it might become. However, over the course of the morning, this TKY really opened up into an aromatic, and enveloping medley of creamy/buttery notes, heady florals like jasmine, fresh grassy notes, and a hint of a nuttier taste in the finish! Plus, the fully unfurled leaves were just stunning!

I didn’t mention this on instagram, but a really nice element of the tea was that the aroma of the leaves after steeping gave off a bit of a “fresh linens” aroma that was so cozy and comforting.

I’m now more excited that I was before to get into the rest of this sub box!

Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/B63YlWUgvvC/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jO15x1_Sp0

I remember buying apple tea when I went for a long weekend (coinciding with the European Championships basketball, in September 2001 : because Turkey ended up playing the final, it was almost impossible to get tickets, but I managed to get one for the second semi final Yugoslavia-Spain because many Turkish fans left after the first semi-final) to Istanbul. I was offered apple tea whenever I visited a market, and ended up buying a huge sample to take home. It was a type of soluble tea, which I admit tasted much better in Turkey than it did when I prepared it at home ;-) … but here Bruu has sent me a tea called “Turkish apple” and I was kind of expecting what I first discovered in 2001. Nothing further from the truth, I think…this is primarily a real dried fruit based infusion, and it needs more than 10´of steeping, but it then is possibly the best fruit infusion I ever had! Fruity, but nothing overly sweet, elegant both in nose and mouth, a bit tending towards a sparkling wine sort of experience, without the alcohol, and with a balanced little acidic touch to it…great!

Bruu says : The finest West Indian lemon grass, sweet apple pieces grown and dried in the hot Turkish sun with succulent latin American pineapple. It is a soothing hot beverage during cold winter months and a refreshing thirst quencher in the summer when served over ice.

I´m not sure whether there will still be sample left to get to summer and try the iced version ;-)

I´ve been away for more than a month and had two Bruu monthly tea club boxes waiting for me when I returned. So, plenty of new teas to try.
This half-fermented oolong shows very green, grassy aroma´s but once steeped all the grass seems to be gone. A balanced tea, which can be appreciated by black tea lovers as well.

From Bruu´s website :
An absolute Oolong classic from the Chinese school. Unlike many white or green Chinese teas, whose production peak takes place in spring, the Ti Kuan Yin Oolong qualities tend to be produced in the autumn. These teas captivate the senses with their ripeness and highly aromatic full body. Ti Kuan Yin (also spelled Tieguanyin) is a legendary oolong tea from Jiangxi, Fujian province in China. It is one of China’s most beloved oolongs and is extremely time-consuming to produce. Jiangxi, located on the Eastern side of China, is surrounded by mountains on three sides and sits comfortably in a subtropical climate, making it an excellent place for growing tea.
How our drink hits the senses : Notes of toasted walnut and tender collard greens. Intriguing lingering floral aroma, lightly orchid and gentle astringency.
The taste journey : Deliciously floral and creamy with subtle hints of peach, it is also rumoured to be great for the waistline! The taste builds with each Mouthful. No fuss, no frills classic Oolong.

Another monthly selection by BRUU for me…from a few months ago!
I thought it would ressemble the mango oolong tea I received in another selection, but this one is way more subtle, even when only considering the aroma´s. In mouth I get the feeling I simply don´t get the subtleties of this fruity oolong. …or it might just be I like my oolongs strong! I´ll drink it, but this isn´t one of those “wow” oolongs for me!

From BRUU´s website :
What it is? Using a sophisticated method of half-fermentation, this Oolong is only fermented on the edges of the tea leaves. Resulting in a delicate, full and floral tea with hints of orange.
Why we love it : Lightly toasted, Orange hints. . . like marmalade on toast.
Where it’s from? Wuyi is one of the two regions of Fujian in China, together with Anxi county, which are most well-known for producing oolong teas. Wuyi teas are often grown on exposed, rocky areas where the poor soil and exposure to weather create a unique flavor of the finished tea.
How our drink hits the senses? An enchanting, soft, flowery aroma, which brings ripe peaches to mind.
The taste journey : A soft, orange flavour travels around your mouth, a sip at a time whilst the fresh tea comes through and then that delicate familiar Oolong taste.

Bruu´s tea subscription service has changed! It now features “Discovery” where they introduce the subscribers to a tea region. Not only do you offer the subscriber a chance to taste a specific – special – tea, they also add a card with interesting information about the tea and the tea estate.

This month, this visit concerns the Rutsiro Tea Plantation in Rwanda. I copy the available information on Bruu´s website about this tea :
Whilst sitting dry in its container waiting to become your BRUU; An earthy and gentle fragrance
As the drink is BRUUing; Two legendary tea cultures begin to entwine. The colour looks so pure. The trapped evergreen leafy goodness is escaping into the waters.
The taste journey; Our Rutsiro Organic FOP has a beautiful delicate thickness, with a bright, brisk, and biscuity flavour profile. Long on the finish, its golden hues are a treat for the eyes too. Try it on its own, with a dash of honey, or with milk.
About the tea region: The Rutsiro Tea Factory is located 124 km from Kigali city. It sits overlooking the stunning Lake Kivu. The factory employs 1000 workers and plays an active role in the local community. It has helped to build schools, health care centres, feeder roads, houses for the poor and even contribute to the national program of one cow per poor family, by annually giving livestock to the needy families. Recently the plantation built two hydro-power plants along Giciye River that supply 8 MW to the national grid.
Why we love Rutsiro? The elevation moderates the effects of the equatorial temperatures. The mountains mean what little rainfall there is, is captured, and the cold nights place the tea bush under stress, creating more distinctive flavours.
Location: Rutsiro Tea Plantation
Country: Rwanda
Capital City: Kigali
Elevation : 2340m above sea level
Coordinates : 1°56’37.6_S 30°04’20.4_E
Soil type : Volcanic
Manufacture : Black Orthodox & CTC
Season : Year-round, peaks Jul-Sept
Av temp : High 26°C/Low 16°C

First of all, I like this type of “learning about tea”. Then, I must say I had a quite faulty view of African teas, as being strong, malty and almost coffee-like…faulty, as it might correspond to a Kenian tea I sometimes have, it doesn´t in this case. Even after 5 minutes of steeping, the tea is rather delicate, subtle in taste (I forgot about the steeping time earlier today, and indeed, when oversteeping, bitterness will show). I think it can and will charm a lot of tea drinkers.

I had to wait an extra long time to get this month´s tea subscription, but it was well worth the wait (soon another review of the surprise tea).
Although one of the teas I received was the same as one I had just ordered out of the subscription scheme (I thought it might have been slightly different, because of a slightly different name, but it seems only a change of name for the same tea), and I normally don´t fancy fruit (aromatised) teas too much, this “Cherry Bliss” is quite alright for a change. Very aromatic nose, which continues in mouth, like eating a “Mon Chéri” without the kirsch alcohol. Aroma´s are rather strong, so it should have put me off having this tea, but it´s quite nice. Must be the kirsch liquor I object to ;-) Also, I would have thought by the strong aroma´s the tea would taste not very natural…wrong again!

From Bruu´s website :
Whilst sitting dry in its container waiting to become your BRUU; A fragrant and pleasing scent of cherry mingled within the scent of fresh black tea…it’s in the name, bliss!
As the drink is BRUUing; The freeze-dried, dark red sour cherry pieces not only serve as
delicate decoration, but also give off their fresh fruity taste when the tea is
steeping.
The taste journey; The black tea blend, flavoured with the intensely fruity and sour, wild cherry flavour provides a very authentic taste experience.

Another tea I bought from BRUU (to find it included in this month´s subscription as well…although the subscription hasn´t arrived yet, so maybe someone else has got hold of it!) last month.

It´s an oolong tea which is brewed at 90ºC (cf. black tea), but rather smells and tastes like a green tea, only more full-bodied. The other day, Iforgot I had it steeping, and went off doing something else…bad move! If steeped too long, this tea definitely gets harsh in mouth. The liquor doesn´t turn red, as mentioned in BRUU´s notes (copied below) though. Steeped for 3 minutes it´s a very enjoyable tea, light and delicate in taste with a solid oolong backbone.

From BRUU´s website :
Whilst sitting dry in its container waiting to become your BRUU; These stunning looking leaves give off an almost dried corn scent. Suspended in time, sat waiting to become your BRUU.
As the drink is BRUUing; “Oh the water has turned green” then the oxidised leaves seep out their red liquor. Smells so familiar.
The taste journey; A smooth, delicate aroma with tropical notes. Paradise!
Best enjoyed; 1tsp // 90°C // 1-3 mins

Pear seems to give something mild and fruity without the sticky sweetness to a tea blend, and this blend is another example of that! Furthermore, there is white, green and black tea in the blend, which makes a complex and very solid backbone.

I remember the first (black) tea blend with pear I tried. It was a present from a colleague and the blend´s name was “romantic garden” or something similar. Already very enjoyable, especially in nose. Here, the presence of white and green tea makes it much more “delicate” and so, far more appropriate to call it something “romantic”, as far as can tell ;-)

From Bruu´s website :
Whilst sitting dry in its container waiting to become your BRUU; Go to the sweet shop, ask for a quarter of Pear Drops, open the bag and take a deep sniff. That’s our White Pear scent right there.
As the drink is BRUUing; Light and sweet
The taste journey; The tea leaves dominate the overall taste with their typically delicate notes, however, a touch of juicy pear and the creamy sweet exotic envelop the characteristic of the tea blend.

After 2 months enjoying Bruu´s tea subscription, and finishing some of the selected teas quite quickly, I thought I would order some stock… but I ended up buying blends I hadn´t tried yet!

This Biscottea tea blend is presented on Bruu´s website as follows :
Whilst sitting dry in its container waiting to become your BRUU; A pleasant, sweet, fruityfied, cinnamonatic whiff that resembles a mulled wine.
As the drink is BRUUing; Oh that is good!! The fruit fragrances (orange and apple) arrive at the nose all rounded, creamy and soft in scent then gradually the drink develops and the scent grows in intensity. The black camellia leaf is yet to make an impact. Hence this being a gentle black tea.
The taste journey; This is a great BRUU. Almost a chai. A fresh taste with that subtle black leaf bitterness surrounded gently with spices and fruit. A taste marvel reminiscent of those famous Italian biscuits.

Although I´m not a huge fan of those Christmassy tea blends with loads of cloves and cinnamon (which all smell and taste the same, as far as I am concerned), the reference to the Italian biscuits really tempted me! So glad I ordered this one…in Belgium we have a cookie-cake sort of snack called “peperkoek” (pepper cookie), we not only have in December or for Saint Nicholas´day (6th December), and it´s one of those things I like once in a while, but I can only buy in Belgium. And this blend just smells like peperkoek! Cinnamon doesn´t overwhelm, and neither do the cloves…which makes this a brilliant afternoon tea : you think you´re having it with some pastry, but as a matter of fact you´re only having tea!

When it comes to fruity teas, I´m always quite worried about it being very aromatic but then taste weak, or artifical… this oolong blend, however, is a solid oolong in the first place, and the added mango gives a natural fruitiness which I can really appreciate.
In nose I get a lot of spicey notes, and I understand why Bruu describes it as “toasty, baked” (not only in taste, also in nose according to me) : it ´s as if you´ve baked a fruit pie, switched off the oven, went off doing other things, and then, some time afterwards, you open the oven!
A perfect summer afternoon tea.

From Bruu :
As the drink is BRUUing; The Oolong leaves unravel and let off an earthy aroma; paired with the tropical notes make this blend feel like it should be sipped in the Caribbean!
The taste journey; A fruity heaven – refreshing!

This white tea blend was part of the August tea subscription pack.

It´s a wonderfully elegant tea, tastier than most white teas IMHO, and perfect for afternoons during Summer. It´s quite herby (for not being a green tea) and very floral, both in nose and mouth. From my – limited – experience, it´s quite strange to brew this tea at 100ºC, but it works!

The description on Bruu´s website is really very truthful to my personal experience :
As the drink is BRUUing;
The wiry, larger leaves bloom as they steep in the water, the slight floral scent circulates around the room and the tea infuses in the water creating a wonderful amber shade.
The taste journey;
This tea travels you down a tender yet flavourful path, with a slight perfumed floral aftertaste and subtle herby hints, the balance of flavours work in unison together.

This is the oolong tea from my second month of Bruu tea subscription.

Information from Bruu´s website :
Whilst sitting dry in its container waiting to become your BRUU;
These broken black leaves of the world famous Nuwara Eliya region hit your senses hard, it is hard to explain, but it smells like tea that has already been brewed!
As the drink is BRUUing;
The freshness really starts to kick through and travel on the steam straight to the back of your nostrils. The smell is so comforting.
The taste journey;
It doesn’t get better than this, the Somerset BOP really has an amazing balance. It would work perfectly with milk or without, it carries so much presence. Offer a cup of this up to any well-respected tea drinker and they are surely going to commend you with making them a fantastic cup of tea. Don’t give too much away though, it tastes too good to share!
About the tea region;
Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC produces the best of high-quality Ceylon Teas in 17 of the most enviable tea gardens, duly situated in the panoramic tea country in Sri Lanka. 12 of these tea gardens, situated in the sublimely cool environs of Nuwara Eliya, manufacture high grown teas in their mountain based factories, whilst the rest, situated in the verdant south, produce equally admirable quality teas, to satisfy the discerning traits of even the most ardent connoisseurs of tea worldwide.

Very similar to Pedro BUP from the first subscription box, although this Somerset BOP is slightly more what I associate with oolongs, i.e. this fermented note in taste. Another perfect breakfast tea.

A few years ago, I looked through the different tea subscription services available then, and I decided to go for the one …that decided to stop a month afterwards! (no kidding) Needless to say, this kind of demotivated me from getting another subscription…until now. As I´m on the mailing list of Bruu, an interesting offer came along and I decided to give it a go.
I opted out of green, herbal and fruit teas, so the first selections should be black, white and oolong. And oolong I got in the two selections I received so far.

This broken orange pekoe comes from the Pedro estate in Sri Lanka.
Information about the region (from Bruu website) :
Lovers Leap teas are high-grown at 5,700 feet above sea level. The plantation has an interesting history, dating back to the very early days when tea was first introduced as a commercial crop in Ceylon. Lover’s Leap was the only tea plantation owned by the Ceylon tea pioneer, Scotsman James Taylor. Today we offer you this exquisite tea, made in the same plantation where the story of Ceylon tea began all those years ago.
Lover’s Leap is named after the tragic legend of two young lovers who leapt from the top of a picturesque waterfall on the estate. The garden is located in an area of outstanding beauty, where the crisp mountain air carries the fragrance of abundant cypress groves, eucalyptus and wild mint.

I followed the brewing instructions and according to me, this is a perfect morning tea, quite strong and even malty; it reminds me of African teas, and can compete with the best English Breakfast blends.
On Bruu´s website, it says :
The colour is so gentle as it comes through, yet you know it will pack a punch. This loose leaf tea has been manufactured using the traditional orthodox technique practiced in Sri Lanka for 150 years. The method calls for a short fermentation that preserves the quality and delicate flavours of the tea.
Taste like nothing you have tried before, so fresh, so versatile. Drink it with or without milk, it isn’t going matter, this tea can take it all. It’s slightly stronger than our Pedro OP, so great for those that like a stronger tea.

Great, although it kind of surprised me in taste, for an oolong tea it is, as I associate oolong with the definite fermented tea taste.

This sounds inventive! A digestive biscuit flavoured tisane. Perhaps a good invention for those prone to the odd biscuit or two, especially since with a new year usually comes a new weight loss plan for many people (myself included).

It’s a large leaf blend on the whole with a lot of bits and pieces. I can’t identify it all but can note some nuts and various leaves at a quick glance.

Smell wise it’s interesting….my husband said it smells like Weetabix and he has a point. I can smell some sort of cake or baked product, not unlike biscuit but perhaps too strong for one.

Once steeped it bares a baked bread and herbal scent, I can note some resemblance to biscuits but still not perfect.

Flavour is herbal, SO very herbal. Like licorice…actually it does taste like it. It’s refreshing and dry, slightly sweet with dark baked attributes and a dry after taste. Like dipping a mild biscuit into licorice tea.

It’s not biscuity enough in comparison to the herbiness. Honestly this blend is not for me and I can’t drink it. I HATE licorice and that is all I can taste. I feel the mix of hazelnuts and herbs has made a complex licorice type flavour and it’s making me pull faces. It’s good if you’re a licorice fan or really into hazelnuts, but alas I am not.

To be fair I am not rating this tea as it’s not their fault I dislike it.

https://kittylovestea.com/2017/01/07/bruu-tea-december-2016-tea-club/

The blend looks nice; some very small green tea parts of leaves that have broken and almost become a dust, aside from that it’s as you expect. I can see the peppercorns and lots of chopped safflower, also at quick glance the almonds too. No orange that I notice though.

In smell this is divine. Sweet almond with a touch of refreshing orange in the background. I gave this to my husband to sniff without saying which tea it was and he picked out the almond. I had to wrestle it back off him because it smells that nice. He said it’s like almond cake. The orange behind adds a refreshing tone, similar to that of mint, it lifts the almond and adds depth. I could sniff it all day!

Once steeped a golden liquid is produced that bares a sweet almond, somewhat marzipan like scent.

The first few sips reveal orange and almond with a sweet yet slightly sour after taste with some dryness. Reminds me a little of pine flavoured tea, it bares the same refreshing quality. The orange is also slightly wax like, but there is a creamy quality to help it stay smooth and sweet.

It’s so easy to drink, I devoured my cup of this in very short time. It leaves a beautiful after taste that lingers for a while.

Personally I don’t think you can go very wrong with chocolate and coconut, bounty was always one of my favourite chocolate bars growing up. The blend looks nice, lots of assorted chunks and pieces, plus it bares a dark chocolate scent with a touch of coconut. Like a dark Bounty bar but with added wood from the tea base.

Once steeped the resulting tea carries the same chocolate and coconut scent as it’s raw state.

The blend is sweet and creamy with chocolate, nut, wood and coconut tones. The base is not too rich nor the chocolate sour, which aids the blend. Instead the chocolate is a right level against the wooden base and the naturally sweet coconut lightens it into a pleasant cup of tea. I imagine the drop of milk also helps keep this non bitter and creamy, plus it helps with the dry nut like after taste.

A nice blend, not too strong or sweet and flavours taste natural. I feel it’s probably better with milk and sugar which I don’t mind as it’s to taste. Like a chocolate tea, it’s not chocolatey enough to be hot chocolate but the combination of two means you get both chocolate and tea for the price of one. What’s not to like?

https://kittylovestea.com/2017/01/07/bruu-tea-december-2016-tea-club/

This is a fantastic tea. The dry leaf smells nutty and creamy, like a sort of chocolate liquor. There are also some vanilla and hazelnut notes.

As it’s brewing, it’s amazing. It smells JUST like baking chocolate cake.

When I first started sipping on it, it tasted odd, like the base had an earthy plastic taste that lingered on the palate. But after it cooled a bit, this flavor disappeared, leaving a lovely, bready chocolate cake flavor.

Tea number 3 from my Bruu Tea Club package.

This tea us dark brown and loosely chopped, leaving a mixture of small and medium sized pieces with some sticks/stems. In raw form it bares a smokey, dry wood scent.

Once steeped an orange liquid is produced with a malt, sour wood scent.

Flavour is medium strength with sour wood and light malt tones. There is also a soft smoky element towards a dry after taste. A few more sips increase the richness from the malt but it’s still only a medium strength, I imagine this might be forgiving if you steep it too long.

It’s very easy to drink, only a touch of sourness but in a nice way. No need for sugar or milk and would be a nice afternoon brew.