Peet's Coffee & Tea

I got this today on my way to the dentist this morning. I did like it at first, seemed smooth and rich with a slightly floral and piney flavor. As the cup cooled off, all the bitter and tobacco type notes came out… then it was definitely less enjoyable. At one point I accidentally choked on it and spit it out all over my raincoat. I’ll need to try this again someday.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I don’t really like chai. I bought an entire tin of this to try it out, and I don’t think I’ll finish this even if I had 2 years. It’s the peppercorn and ginger, I’m not used to having that in drinks at all. The tea itself isn’t that bad, but the flavorings just make it seem like something I’d cook with, not drink. I’m not going to give this too low of a rating though, since it’s certainly not that bad for most people if you add warm milk in a 1:1 ratio to tea and dump at least two teaspoons of sugar (the directions actually say to do this, except 1 tsp sugar). But if you think pepper and ginger is weird in a drink, then you might want to stay away from this.

The first time I had this, I just couldn’t stand it. The lavender was too overpowering, and I actually don’t like Earl Grey blends to begin with (and I’m kind of a newbie to blacks), so I’m surprised I actually bought a tin of this. Now, I find that it’s alright, but there are far tastier teas out there. Doesn’t really taste that strong to me (maybe it’s the overpowering lavender?) and a spoonful of honey really covers up most of the flavors, so try not to use honey.

One note: I think I brewed this for too short of a time, because my cup didn’t come out nearly as dark and red as the picture shown. I used a French press, and I noticed most of the tea just sat around in the bottom without moving around. The liquid ended up being a dirty blonde-ish color. You might have better luck with a brewing device that has more surface area.

I picked this up this morning at Peet’s on the way to work, ew this is not a very good gunpowder. The color is dark but it is lacking in flavor and reminds me of dishwater. Of course I think someone should tell their staff that brewing a green tea in scalding hot water is not the way to go. I couldn’t finish this… blech

Tea of the morning here. I don’t drink this that often due to the smoky element, which I really have to be in the mood for. This morning the weather is cold and foggy and this tea is going well with my breakfast (Irish oats + chia + strawberries).

Since the time change I notice I have been sleeping longer hours. I feel like I am hibernating! This is also the time of year when we tend to have lots of fog. It’s a good thing I have a lot of tea :)

Somehow I really need this robust and smoky cuppa this morning. So very tasty and comforting!

I haven’t had this tea in a while but I was somehow in the mood for it when I woke up this morning. It’s got the perfect amount of smoke if you’re not in the mood for anything too strong!

Backlogging – it’s been a while since I’ve had this tea but yesterday I was just in the mood for it somehow. I was really into lapsang blends for a while but I got out of the habit of drinking them. This is nice in that it’s not a straight lapsang but you definitely get a lot of smoke. Smoky teas are nice for the foggy summer weather we’ve been having so much of lately in SF.

If they really drink lapsang in Scotland maybe it’s to keep the cold weather away, or maybe it’s because of the similarities to whiskey…

When I was at Peet’s yesterday I finally broke down and just got a tin of this for home. Very strong with a touch of lapsang. Nice for those mornings when you need a little bit of ooompf. :)

I love visiting the Monterey and Moss Landing area but their tea shop selection leaves something to be desired for a tea fiend like myself!

So a Peet’s was my saving grace this morning before we trotted off to the aquarium to see fish, penguins, jellyfish, birds and all manner of aquatic life.

I was a little bit scared of trying this from the description. Most lapsangs can be WAY too strong for me and the Russian Caravan from Peet’s is very smoky. Fortunately I rather enjoyed this a lot, not exacly sure what the Indian teas were, I think perhaps a mix of assam and ceylon. The lapsang note was very light and provided a hearty and rich flavor to this dark tea. Just what I needed to get going today… BF says it is slightly reminiscent of hu kwa. I might have to get a tin of this, at the very least I will get some more when I find myself near a Peet’s!

Pleasant aroma and taste.

Flat taste, a bit bitter, and it’s empty of additional flavors, despite advertised. Not terrible, but nothing you want to buy.

Black Currant – a good friend after a lil too much Friday night fun.

picked up a tin at the nearby Peet’s. took it home, heated water to 185 & steeped 90 seconds. results scored a high decent. it’s made with middle-grade sencha, the bummer properties of which were masked by nutty riceyness. i prefer genmai cha from our local tea dealer (Halcyon Tea’s has less rice, better leaves), but Peet’s still hit the spot.

*btw – wasn’t sure whether it’s OK to talk up Businesses that sell tea. sorry if i broke any rules.

I tried this again today at Peet’s thinking I might like it better this time… I was wrong.

As anyone who follows my tea log knows I like some smoky teas but this just seems to have no subtleness at all, it’s harsh and nasty in my opinion. I imagine whatever this is blended with is just too strong for the lapsang. Eccch.

I like the Russian Country from Harney and Sons which is a lot nicer, IMO

I don’t know why I decided to get this at Peet’s today – it is a lot smokier than I thought it would be, to me it was like a lapsang souchong and I don’t normally like smoky teas that much anyway but I’m trying to expand my horizons, I managed to choke it down.

Brewed as per directions on container.

This is a very flavorful and interesting tea; “holiday spices meet black tea blend” would be a good description, and I find the “cheering-effect” very pleasing when served hot. I find it is also somewhat helpful in relieving minor headaches, perhaps because of the relaxing aromatic nature of the brew combined with the caffeine content in the black tea.

The leaves are mostly whole, in long, twisted strands, and in my sample there were not many stems, except for an occasional small piece. The leaf color ranges from deep, ebony brown to an much-less-represented mix of dusty yellow or faded spring green with deep brown stripes of color. The average color is between ebony and mahogany, when the spice-pieces are considered. As for the spices, most are chopped, except for the cloves which are left whole. There are also pieces of dehydrated orange-rind that range in size, but are on average the largest pieces in the tea (besides the cloves) and generously scattered throughout. Leaf feel is firm and silky, and is matte in terms of gloss or shine.

The blend is very aromatic; the dry leaves smell sweet and fruity, with strong citrus and cinnamon, clove, and vanilla—like holiday or Easter baking. Very nostalgic. The brew has a stronger smell of black tea, and the aroma of the orange and clove mellow—but are still present—as cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg-like aromas begin to present more strongly than in the dried leaves.

My palette is nowhere near trained enough yet to discern all the components of the tea blend, or to make guesses as to which teas from which regions were included, but I can say that the black tea blend shares a basic flavor profile common to other back tea blends from Peet’s—so far as I can tell. (Strong & clean, a hint of vegetal, and floral at the end.) As for the spices, they are listed in the product description, and are in balance with the tea. I think Orange, clove and cinnamon stand out to me the most, although the aftertaste is floral, vegetal and complex—there are a lot of things going on in this cup. In my opinion, the spices are most present in the aftertaste, and the tea and orange and clove tend to dominate the beginning. The middle flavors to me are the vegetal flavors of the tea blend and the cinnamon. I have to comment though, except for the aftertaste, the black tea blend is the chief flavor throughout, which is as I feel it should be.

I feel this is a great afternoon (or even dessert) tea. I think this tea is well suited to sweets, but would caution against pairing it with heavily spiced foods that might compete, contradict, or upstage the tea. (Although I could see following a lamb curry dish with this tea perhaps, and a palette cleanser.) For my taste and stomach, I think it would be a little much first thing in the morning, although I suppose that also depends on the breakfast served and the occasion. All in all, I think of this blend as being in the soothing, relaxing, reassuring category, and would pair it accordingly. (Although not with heavily savory or rich comfort-foods. Barbecue might be okay though, depending on the seasonings used.) Those are my thoughts on pairing.

Peet’s is my only experience with Genmai Cha. I love it. It’s toasty, smooth and not bitter at all. I can’t rate it perfect as I have nothing to compare it too, but for now, I thinks it’s a great addition to my tea stash.

This is a great strong tea that will wake you up in the morning. It smells very smoky, but is very balanced when brewed. Great for people who are looking to replace their morning cup of coffee.

I switch back and forth between this and Barry’s Tea depending on my mood. This is a nice Scottish blend, but I’m not sure it’s so much better than Barry’s that it’s worth paying the extra money for it. Strong, but less of a crisp bite than some others.

This is my favorite afternoon tea. It’s comforting without being too sweet or smoky, and tastes great solo or with milk and sugar (or agave). It also does well on the second steeping.

I got this tea in a tea swap recently, and I love it – it’s now one of my winter “go to” teas. It’s a very smooth black tea with hints of almond and spice in it, but it’s not overpowering at all. It’s hard to explain, but with a little sugar and cream, it’s like a spa moment in a cup. I ordered more since it is only offered around the holidays…