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Cameron B. drank Birthday Tea by Harney & Sons

4063 tasting notes

Pass the Stash TTB 2.0

I really should have looked up this tea before I tried it, hah! It’s in sachets, so I don’t pay much attention to what the tea inside looked like. I just smelled it and thought it was kind of fruity and sweet and tart. Steeped 5 minutes like I always do for Harney & Sons teas.

Turns out, this is basically liquid hibiscus and rosehips… Of which I am not a huge fan. There’s some berry flavor in there, but it’s hard to differentiate because of how strongly tart this tea is. The addition of the mint is interesting, I can taste it just barely at the end of the sip, and it’s nice and refreshing.

Overall, I would suggest not trying this one unless you like hibiscus and rosehips. Those two combined are definitely the bulk of the flavor here, and even with sugar it’s quite a tart tea. Drinkable, but not something I would ever choose. Luckily, there are several more sachets in here, so I don’t feel too bad for trying it! :P

Flavors: Berries, Hibiscus, Mint, Rosehips, Tart, Vanilla

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 5 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

I Like This

14 likes

2 comments

TeaBrat
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Ugh… Hibiscus and Rosehips are two of my least favorite things!

Cameron B.
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Me too! I really should’ve read up on this tea before trying it, hah! I thought it was a flavored black. :P

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Comments

TeaBrat
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Ugh… Hibiscus and Rosehips are two of my least favorite things!

Cameron B.
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Me too! I really should’ve read up on this tea before trying it, hah! I thought it was a flavored black. :P

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- June Sipdowns: 13
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 62

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing