ms.aineecbeland Send Message

I continue to enjoy this Herbal tea which is:
Red in color
Characteristics: flowery aroma with a sweet, floral liquor.

I like that no matter how long the water was boiling when I pour the hot water unto the cup with one tea bag, it infuses right away, leaving the air filled with floral (a bouquet like) notes of citrus and sweetness scents found in berries. I am reminded of a blueberry muffins when first baked and removed from the oven. That warm, yummy feeling and to be fortunate enough to have slow time to enjoy a cup of tea with a muffin perhaps.

This is what tea is all about; taking that much needed time to recoup, re-examine or to just sit and stare…awe even with all but nothing in particular. All of this from this liquor like wine cooler.

This tea is liked by me quite a lot. Teaman, keep blending and thank you.

This is a lovely tea and I am fortunate to have purchased several varieties (all of which are Genmai-cha) but different from each other. (roasted as opposed to steamed is an example)

Color: light brown
Tasting notes: Green tea with roasted brown rice
Characteristic: nutty, grainy, and roasted

This tea is a nutty brown rice flavor which combines well with the green tea. It is a distinctive mix of flavors and aroma, which makes the tea a soothing choice for after meals and throughout the day.

I find I prefer this tea served hot with the suggested steeping of 2-3 minutes. The almost sweet, roasted flavor of the rice contributes nicely to making one feel full, as if having consumed a meal. Or if hungry to go and have dinner while continuing to enjoy the tea.

Tea was purchased at Miso Market; visit them at (www.misomarketasian.com) or visit Yamamotoyama directly at http://www.yamamotoyama.com.

This is an herbal tea sampler that I received from The American Tea room; a specially holiday blend of tea contriving of cranberries, pomegranate arils, cinnamon sticks, star anise, linden blossoms, orange peel and peony petals.

I brewed this tea as instructed; 200 degrees Fahrenheit and left to steep for five minutes. The aromas from when I opened the bag are a true delight to the nose and palette.

Teas’ color: when steeped for the assigned minutes are a vibrant pink; favoring the color of a pomegranate. I take pleasure in smelling the orange peels and how that matches and stands up to the cinnamon sticks, anise and linden blossoms.

This tea is naturally sweet and does not need anything else mixing with it. It is sweet as it is tart with hints of spice through and through.

I was able to get three infusions per one teaspoon in the cup. I like this herbal tea; it is sweetly contrived to infuse the crushed petals.

This tea was given to me from a former college professor. I was very surprised to receive a full tin of tea. The tin is very lovely, I plan to keep it once finished, but not for a long while since I cannot drink the tea as fast.

Having placed 1 tsp of tea leaves for every 8oz (1 cup) of water
Bringing the water to full boil and left to steep for the first steep for 3 minutes.

I note the color of the liquor in the cup is a reddish brown
The leaves prior to boiling were black and finely curled, are now full leaves and still retaining their color black. I was able to get three steeps out the leaves and they still remain black.

In tasting this tea, it is not bitter but more sugary and round. I want to say almost malt like even with a slight floral undertone.

Overall: this is a very smooth tasting tea; reminds me of The London Cuppa tea I continue to enjoy in between tea samplings; thus making this tea like a Darjeeling perhaps.

It is nice knowing that there is plenty more of this tea for me to enjoy and experience; many thanks to my former college professor.

I have been purchasing the Teaman’s teas for as long as I have been on this tea jaunt experience. His pricing is very good for a person like me with little to no income.

For inexpensive teas on the high end and gourmet variety you can visit his websites at:
www.teaman.etsy.com
www.teaman.artfire.com
www.bonanza.com/booths/teaman

Enough on his virtual locales.

I decided to brew one teabag for 3 minutes steeping time. I could smell the blueberries and blackberries right away once I opened the packaging. I noted that the tea bags seems thinner and perhaps this explained why I could smell the herbs at once. And this intensified when brewed as the lid was removed from the cup.

Truly delighted day to be consuming this tea. Since it had been a long while, time past since I had Teaman’s tea.

I must say that I do not or have not eaten berries (blue or black) but familiar with the smell of them. The note conjured is floral, with a slight bitter sweetness that can only be found in berries. I want to go so far as to say that this cup of tea; this herbal tea’s liquor does make me think of drinking a wine cooler; berry blist perhaps.

Overall tasting notes observed:
Herbal tea color: Red
Characteristics: Flowery aroma with a sweet, floral liquor brew.

This tea would do quite well as Iced tea. Similarly to the Frozen Berry Rooibos teas I have enjoyed of recent past from Tea Luxe in Cambridge.

I have been privileged to sample many of the Teaman’s Herbal teas and this surpasses them all. Truly a yummy tea in that not a thing is needed to add to it; it stands on its own as excelsior.

I am sorry to say that I have not enjoyed this Touchas (small Pu-erh) tea rolls. Because when growing Diyi Cornfields, farmers plant rows of corn between the tea to protect it, as this imparts flavors of corn and butter that new to pu-erh tea drinkers are supposed to enjoy.

I find I prefer no butter with my pu-erh. Nor the smelling of corn; tasting nachos, or tortilla chips both of which I do not like.

I am sorry, this could be an enjoyable tea if one could hold their nostrils or clip it so as not to smell the butter or corn smelling to be found in the cup. I do like corn chowder but this is not it. I tend to dislike all things smelling like butter; a touch is nice but not runny or swimming in it.

I am at a loss for the spearmint to be found in the cup as well (but not) which would make it even worse. I mean I could not discern any spearmint, just corn and butter…yellow imagery but not in color since it is a dark amber.

I always turn to this tea when needing to be a bit firmer in the spirit. Mine is so low. unfortunately this cup did not do it.

Nothing wrong with the cuppa but the tea drinker. It is all that it claims to be:
robust, deep, rich flavor which is ideal to enjoy all day, everyday. Once blended, it’s packed to maintain freshness.

I am just giving up; no need to other wise.

I have been playing with the flavors found in this Kukicha. Since it is my last infusion, I wanted to stretch it further. I brew half of teaspoon with full cup of water; not boiled but mild. While it was a lightly steamed cup of tea I found it to be a richer brew with sweet mellow notes.

I took the remainder of what was left and decided to brew it fully and just let the steam rise from the pot-filled water. With more water and less tea, it is milder in taste and at the same time richer in the scented steam rising upward out of the cup.

I am trying to say with what was left for me to brew and play with I ended with a lightly steamed fine cup of tea.

Thank you Steepster for allowing to become familiar with this tea. I am saddened that I have finished it. I have added it to my wish list.

I am learning as I go, finding that there are some very good teas out there.

Review of Roasted Kukicha (2nd steep)

I have decided to make this Roasted Kukicha my day drink in order to better appreciates its nuances and because I like the taste.

Kukicha is described as twig tea, which is a Japanese blend of green tea, made of stems, stalks, and twigs and has a nutty, slightly creamy flavor.

I boiled the water much hotter, closer to full boiled. I place one heaping teaspoon of the twigs in the strainer and poured the water over the leaves into the cup. I left it to steep for five minutes. I am thinking longer steeping time will result with more aroma and nuttier in flavor.

When I removed the saucer, used as lid, from teacup I find that the tea color is a dark red and the twigs are fuller with a greenish color. The stalks/twigs were darker prior to brewing.

The longer infusion make the tea nuttier when tasting it and the air smells of the roasted aroma that I have come to associate with this Kukicha. I am thinking of a large oven baked cookie slightly on the burnt side; the longer steeps made the tea in fact sweeter and nuttier. It seems nicer somehow with the longer brew; the smokiness is not so contained in the cup or the pot of tea.

This is another tea that I received from the November Steepster Sampler pack.
My review of the Roasted Kukicha:

Brewing Instruction:
Bring spring or filtered drinking water to 160 Fahrenheit. Add 1 tsp of tea leafs to a cup. Always pour boiling water over tea leafs and let steep 2 minutes.

Kukicha is described as twig tea, which is a Japanese blend of green tea, made of stems, stalks, and twigs and has a nutty, slightly creamy flavor.

What I noticed right away from opening the package of tea is the smokiness likened to burnt wood out doors; that expression wait until the smokes clear come to mind. It is a lovely scent for those who smoke or savor the smell of smoke. I am saying that at times the smell is like cigarettes piled in an ashtray. This is not as bad; I am just saying it smells of smoke.

Tea color: dark reddish-brown
Tea is full in body, malty, with a dry palette feel to it and full of smoky aroma. The nose can fully appreciate this tea.

I find that I have enjoyed this tea. It is rich and conveys a presence not to be discerning from first sip to last. I have been able to get three infusions and each time they are the same with the third infusion not as smoky in the flavoring.

I am thinking this would be a good tea to put next to China’s Dà Hóng Páo (Big Red Robe) and that Vintage Oolong tea I so enjoyed, which is similar in aroma and character.

I was asked to describe what I liked about tea and I said its warmth and this tea is certainly that; like chestnuts roasting on an open fire.