Zen Tea

Oh, this is good cold brewed. 3 tbsp overnight in my “two quart” Takeya pitcher (that’s almost 3, really).

Nice and delicate fruit flavours. There’s no hibiscus, so it’s a little thin, and there’s a lot of fruit with sugar on it so it’s a little sweet, but yummers. Strawberry and tropical fruits. :) This is a good one to hydrate with today, for sure.

I tried a cup of this tea tonight. A fruit tea with no hibiscus?! Rad!! Still, it’s very sweet-tart. I didn’t use boiling water and it’s a bit thin and watery. I guess hibiscus feels thick?

I do like this and think it’ll be better with boiling water. It’s also nice as it cools, and I look forward to trying it as a cold steep.

Thanks for the sample Zen tea!
This was a pretty standard earl, very much overshadowed by their wonderful cream earl grey version. I very much enjoyed it though, as I would probably never turn down any earl!

This is SO vanilla-strawberry. I cold steeped in a mason jar (I found one of my handle-less tea strainers fits and I can put the lid on! It’s not perfect, but it’s WAY better than an open container) for 24 hours or so.

So strong.

So tonight I’ve cut it with some club soda.

So good. Too bad I don’t have any vanilla vodka or something. But then again, I do have to work tomorrow.

:)

I should have known better, but I didn’t. Although this smells like a strawberry shortcake doll, it tastes like sour.

Maybe a cold steep will be better.

So, I’m finally winding down and think I can write a couple reviews. I have a loaf of banana bread in the oven and a cup of tea, and it’s the first time I felt remotely calm in five days. I’m one of those people who would love to plan their week out the week prior and this week has been nothing of that sort. It’s mostly me running around like a headless chicken and wishing I could plan, well, anything.

The whole halves of cranberries are really nice in this blend. Not in the eat them out of the infuser kind of way, but in the ‘I know exactly what I’m drinking!’ kind of way. I love the tingly feeling this cup leaves in my mouth, and the cranberries and lemons pair really well to make a cup that’s tart, but sweet and fresh tasting. I’m really glad I was introduced to this one, as it’s definitely an herbal I can get behind.

My brain totally registered this as a white tea for some reason, so my steeping parameters for the first cup were all wrong and then some. And while the cup still tasted pretty decent (phew), it’s definitely better when done right.

Once I did this right, it’s a very nice tea. Lemony with earthy pine-like notes from the stinging nettle (which is an ingredient that is totally growing on me). I was fearing (and expecting) something more tart, and was pleased it was a more subtle cranberry tartness that didn’t make me pucker up. There’s a salty savoriness to the cup that works well, too.

Thank you so much KallieBoo!

MissB must have a JustJames algorithm predictor! this herbal was bang on for me! i’m not a big fan of herbals that pussy foot, i prefer ones with intrigue!

the carrot and apple are beautiful baselines for the blend, sweet, but not imposing, adding depth but no tang…. which is ideal! the rest of the components hold all the kick: the lime, the ginger, even the bamboo holds a bit of an edge.

charming! habit forming.

i think i read that it carries a fairly significant whallop per 100g— honestly i say it’s worth it.

This tea order was not eco friendly…The boxes reserved for parcels at the stand where I get my mail delivered are always full (welcome holiday season!!!)

So I end up getting a notice card, drive 30 min. to go pick it up and therefore ditch I don’t know how much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Not proud of myself.

To my small town, I say this: please invest in more mailboxes, I want «greener» tea supplies!!!! (end of rant)

Zen Tea is not very present here on Steepster but it’s a company I like more and more. They don’t carry the biggest variety, but what they have is good at a very decent price. Plus they send 3 generous samples. I could have asked for my own sample choice, but decided, hey surprise me! I appreciate the fact that they have chosen samples according to the tastes expressed by my orders with them. I got some breakfast blend, earl grey and oolong. Now that shows attention to details, thank you very much for that!

I love Oolongs and I lost count of how many I have tried…It never cease to amaze me, how different they are from one another, in taste and in shape.

Tie guan yin will transport you to a rich and luxuriant garden, invading your senses with the mysterious and attractive floral scent of orchid, coating your mouth with silk and butter. She’s a Seductress.

Roasted aged oolong will take charge of your taste buds in a more assertive fashion, almost assaulting your ability to identify its notes. It’s a chameleon, transforming even before you can grasp its true essence. It’s roasty, it’s nutty, its sweet yet slightly bitter, it feels simultaneously cool and warm. He’s a Player.

There’s Baozhong Pouchong , looking so much different from the previous mentioned. Instead of little rolled nuggets, this beautiful tea is crafted in long twisted strands. Almost considered a green tea, the taste is very delicate, floral and sophisticated, and it’s one the most elegant looking of them all… He’s a polished Dandy.

So where I am going with all this you ask? Wiki-oolong or something?

I think, hey, I have seen oolong in any way, shape or form.

And then there’s this fragrant branch thing and I’m baffled. What is this?

I admit, I don’t know what to do with it, I’m intimidated… No one else has reviewed it, so I have to be the first to experiment here. How do I brew this, heck, how do I measure it? I decide I’m going to spend a lot of time with it cause it deserves a traditional Gongfu brew and I opt for the scale, 5g. For a 8oz Gaiwan. I have a feeling it will expend quite a lot.

First and foremost, it visually is stunning, looks like one of those intricate asian artsy tree paintings. It is obvious that the leaf is rolled while still attached to the little branch and I can’t help thinking how tedious this job must be…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/11376311323/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/11376225854/lightbox/

I did not research it, so I have no clue what kind a benefit the branch portion will add to the brew.

First steep and the leaves are already unfurling. It’s light and fresh, the smell is a lot stronger than the taste, floral and woodsy bark aroma.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/11376190936/in/photostream/lightbox/

I get floral sweet notes, but in a lot more subtle way than with a tie guan yin.

I feel there’s a light citrus astringency in the background that is waiting to emerge in the later steeps, and that’s exactly how this tea evolves. At the fifth infusion, the floral notes are almost gone and I get that fresh citrus along with musky and more earthy bark vibe. That’s where the branch portion becomes game changer. They have tripled in size and the gaiwan feels overwhelmed now, not much room to breathe! The twigs are no longer wrinkled, having soaked all the water they needed. The leaves are perfectly shaped, not damaged at all, really a beautifully crafted tea

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/11376176985/in/photostream/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/11376310813/in/photostream/lightbox/

I will be able to sip on this for at least 4 or 5 more infusions I think.

This oolong is a showstopper and it knows it. It enjoys spreading its splendour before your eyes in all its glory. He’s a Peacock.

Writing about tea is an inexhaustible source of inspiration, isn’t is? Sorry for this way too long review!!!! My curiosity and amazement got carried away…

P.S. I wonder if these guys are on Steepster…I think they are the cutest, I love the way they review together :-)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XsEpTHF-mUw

this was a lovely surprise from one MissB.

okay…. i may have cheated a tad while i was opening the package. it referred to a ‘cake coconut’ flavour. really. honestly, i’ve heard claims like that before but i’ve never found one. i wouldn’t say that the vendor is necessarily trying to be deceitful… but everyone has a different palate and if you’re selling something then hope can get mixed in with flavouring.

truly that was NOT the case this time! it was a light, sweet, very mildly floral coconut cake flavour! the only better i’ve tasted is the blend stacy at butiki made for me personally!

another remarkable element of the tea is that it steeps up to such a brilliantly light colour….. many shades lighter than apple juice. lovely, light, pale, sweet yet somehow complicated cake coconut!

This was actually pretty good for a green tea, which isn’t usually my favourite. It was nice and fruity and the base wasn’t too vegetal. I would like to try it cold as well, but I was too cold for cold drinks.

Maybe it’s me. I’m confused. Most of my teas tonight (save one or two) have been… off to me. I mean, they’re good, just missing something über yummy that I normally really enjoy. This was one of those teas. Normally, I really enjoy this. Tonight? Just meh.

Interestingly, the bag says steep this at 203F, and when I did, this is SO good! I mean, it’s good at boiling, but it’s infinitely better at a slightly lower temperature. Holy moly! Increasing rating.

While I do really, really enjoy this, I feel like I’m underleafing somehow. 3 tsp for 12 oz. seems right as per the instructions, and yet… I’m missing something. Still delicious. Maybe it’s just late.

Hm. Everything I’ve tried from Zen I’ve really enjoyed (some have become my favorite teas, where I’m ordering large quantities to always have on hand). This tea? I’ll probably finish and/or share with others, and then that’s it.

I should note that I love all of the ingredients in this, and I’m wondering if maybe I should make it with curry – as the flavoring for the coconut milk, for example. The lemongrass/lemon verbena is the dominant note, and I’m missing almost everything else. Good, however I was hoping for something as amazing as the other bamboo tea I’ve tried – Bamboo Pomelo from Tea Gschwendner – and this fall short.

Sweetening it with Truvia brings out some ginger (is there any in here?) and apple. This makes it much more enjoyable and nuanced. This, I could have more often. Like this, I might even consider re-ordering.

Thank you Zen tea for this sample.
This is a pretty standard English breakfast, gives ya a kick in the butt to start the day. Notes of malt and a touch of astringency. I didn’t add anything, but I will next time out of curiosity, because it says to on the package…teehee.

I am the first person to review this?
This is a backlog and unfortunately I didn’t write down notes when I drank it. I didn’t really enjoy it hot that much, but it was very refreshing cold. It was sweet and tart. I enjoyed the goji berries.
Sorry, that’s all I remember at the moment. I will have to drink it again sometime and write a better note.

I always love a good vanilla tea, so I like to try as many as I can! This tea is just ok for me at this point. The black tea base is a little bit astringent so maybe I will try a 2 minute steep next time. The vanilla is ok, slightly sweet.

I couldn’t pass up the sale that they had awhile ago. In the cart this went!
The leaf is not quite “pearl like”, but more like “snails” IMO.
The taste is slightly sweet with lots of malty, cocoa notes. Delicious.

I only steeped once because after my morning tea, I ate a whole bunch of Easter chocolate (I bought a bunch on sale on Monday….bad girl, I didn’t NEED that chocolate). Too much caffeine today to have another cuppa. But next time, I will definitely resteep.

These “pearls” are really good. They are smooth and sweet with those cocoa notes that I have grown to love in Yunnan black teas, and a hint of earthiness. The price is fairly good as well, especially because I bought them in sale!
I will have to compare them to my beloved Teavivre black pearls

My last tea was far too weak for my liking. This one goes the other way — good if weak, but at proper strength a little too strong on its own. I think it’s the cornflower petals. It seems a common problem I find — a kind of bitter plenty taste that doesn’t quite sit well on my palate. It did, however, have a nice creaminess as promised, even when drinking it clear.
I added some milk and honey and that did help somewhat.

In short, this is not a tea for me, but worth a try nonetheless.