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Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – May 2024 Tea #6 – A floral green

Another jasmine tea, this time GREEN.  Got to love these little pearls, even though I oversteeped both times.  Still quite good.   Ancient, yet very fragrant.  I would say 90% of my teas probably have 2-3 teaspoons left… but this isn’t a sipdown quite yet… happy weekend everyone!

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – May 2024 Tea #5 – A floral black

This’ll do for this prompt.  I LOVED this one when I originally received it… it was probably already old, so now it has just faded so much.  Such a shame.   Looks like the shop has forever closed.  Double shame.  A perfectly done jasmine/vanilla tea would be a cupboard essential.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – May 2024 Tea #4 – May 20 – Pick Strawberries Day

Forgot to post a note for this prompt yesterday!   I didn’t have a strawberry tea, but I went with a cherry one!  From Frank’s era of 52teas, so this mostly just tastes like plain marshmallow treat at this point.  But that’s always a good thing!

This was definitely one of my oldest teas. It was time to sip it down. I swear this had hibiscus in it. I was going to say: It wasn’t my least favorite hibiscus riddled blend, but it was drowning in it by the end. Which the ingredients aren’t even listing hibiscus, so it must be the beetroot. But in my experience, the beetroot doesn’t get this tart. hmm. I mean, I gave this herbal a rating of 94! Wow! And that was even 12 years ago, before I had my basket infusers and was only using tiny infusers. Possibly overleafing the last of it transformed it into a hibiscus blend….or just keeping a tea around for 12 years…. hilarious, but I WOULD stock up on this blend again.
2024 sipdowns: 40

This single teabag was from Cameron B – thanks very much! Since it is in a teabag, I don’t think it has the “full rose buds” that the loose leaf description claims, but the cup was tasty anyway. Hints of rose, hints of fruit, but I really can’t tell what type. I would guess raspberry. It’s decent for a teabag, but I bet the loose leaf is much better.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – May 2024 Tea #2 – Your tea closest to sipdown

This one was closest to a sipdown… because I just sipped it down. :D What looks like a small amount of leaves sure unravels A LOT.  This was an okay tea, but I expected more aromatic, if it’s in the name.  And the flavor really wasn’t very strong for the infuser basket being half full of leaves.  I have liked other snails more than this one.  But this certainly has the characteristics and flavor of keemun…. but very very light keemun. 
2024 sipdowns: 38

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – May 2024 Tea #1 – Your tea farthest from sipdown

With eight ounces that I bought last year, I’m pretty sure this is the tea I have the most of. It better retain its flavor!  It will take me a minute to drink it all!  I don’t think I even have two ounces of 96% of the teas I have in stock — they are mostly hesitant sipdowns at this point.  It is certainly one of my favorite raspberry teas.  However, the black tea brewed a little light for my liking today… Needless to say, this is definitely not an actual sipdown….  Hope all the mothers out there had a fantastic day on their day!

I’m not sure if I have ever had huckleberry anything, but this tea is actually quite fruitful and flavorful.  It’s a Ceylon but I think it pairs well with this fruit flavoring.  It most reminds me of black currant?  I liked it using two teabags for a full mug, which is telling me is 4 grams total.  But it’s a perfect cup this way, with a quick steep time the first steep, so as not to let the Ceylon take over the mug and showcase the fruit. But then I overbrewed the second steep, but I was fine with the strength. This tea is better than I expected.  Great with blueberry pancakes.
I haven’t written a tasting note in a while, but this is the perfect tea to restart with.  It’s in Grandma’s tea drawer, as it was gifted to her from my aunt after her travels in Montana last summer, road trippin.  And coincidentally, my aunt is back visiting Montana now! (But only for a week this time.) It’s been a tough couple of weeks.  I came up to Grandma’s again intending to help her for a couple months, and a few days after arriving, she decided it was time to pass on.  Possibly she was waiting for a few in her family to be with her.  It was great to be here to share two last meals with her, in hindsight.   She hadn’t been eating much, but her last meal was her very favorites: tomato soup, ice cream, and coffee.  She had been doing spectacular for her age, but these last couple of years have not been great for her. I partially blame the Covid she had a couple years ago.  She was a strong lady.  Thanks for everything, Grandma!

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – April 2024 Tea #6 – April 22 – Earth Day 

Had this yesterday!  I only forgot about an Earth day tea until after I steeped up some tea for the day.  However, I’d like to count this anyway, as I think green teas make me feel most connected to the earth.  Both in how fresh they taste, and in their appearance.  This one especially — it looks like the finest of mowed grass clippings.   Yum.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – April 2024 Tea #5 – A tea with a special meaning to you 

I tend to only drink this one if I feel the need to alleviate extra, more than usual anxiety.  So I guess it’s a specially helpful tea?  Still one of my very favorites.  Still surprised it is so good, every time I have it, as one of my oldest teas.  Luckily, not a sipdown yet.  I am still searching for an Earl that can match it… don’t believe it’s possible.