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oh well. Sometimes you win some and others… you get berry syrup. More for me. :)

Yeah, Starsbuck’s sweeteners can be pretty ick IMO. Maybe try honey next time?

No more sweeteners, nope nope. I rather have it plain. I’ve failed with honey as well. I think my issue is that I put too much. Sugar might be decent, but I feel it might get iffy as well.

nods I’ve only tried this tea once so far, but I think it tasted fine without anything added to it – maybe a bit of milk might work, but that’s it.

Milk… ummmmm… might have to give it a go with milk. If there’s milk involved I can add sugar without worrying. Umm from berry syrup to berry milkshake. Sounds interesting =]

I’ve had this tea before, I liked it plain as well, don’t think sweetener or milk would have worked for me.

Sounds interesting, Ricky. I’m not a fan of vanilla but I’m okay with cream…maybe I’ll try this one before I get Marco Polo. :)

I’ll be throwing both in the TTB are you participating? =]

No, I never signed up :) I probably should have, though…I also have a bunch of teas that I’d like to share :)

Well most of us are open to trading on a one-on-one basis aswell so there’s nothing saying that you can’t still share your teas with other Steepsterites. :)

Well that’s why I’m sending you a PM now =P

Oooh, I just tried the sip method. Next time I’ll let it cool off so I can gulp the tea. :) My husband loved this one. He said it tasted like strawberry/blueberry muffins to him.

This one is so good! And I have to say, the smell… is to die for. Seriously delicious, eeee!

All it needs it a little sugar, just a tad =P

The smell is deeeelicious, but tea + strawberries / cream. Ahhhh, not what I expected. That does it! I’m remaking this tomorrow and adding some sugar!

Well… how was it with sugar? This is still in my unopened can/box yet to be tried stash.
I am only waiting for the right sort of blustery grey day to try this one out. If it brings on a Strawberry Fields forever feel I need that sort of day… or a camping trip! :)

The day just started =] Ahhhh! I was messing with the TTB, trying to get it shipped out today, so I’m in a bit of a rush! I haven’t even brewed it yet. I was dreaming about this tea this morning. I don’t even crave it, but strawberriesss, yummmmmmm.

Even though I wouldn’t like this particular tea, I’m becoming increasingly disappointed in them and I haven’t even tried anything from them yet.

I actually tried the black tea and it wasn’t bad. I’m going to give it another go before I write a tasting note for it.

I’m glad you could finish this one, I’m wondering if adding something, sugar or honey even might help to bring out the subtleness of the “banana”. In all honesty, the lack of flavor but the hint of sweetness might be a blessing, the dried banana flavor can sometimes be overwhelming.

Yeah, I’ve certainly purchased more expensive tea that wasn’t drinkable at all. This tea isn’t bad at all for $1 an ounce. I guess I’ll have to try it with some sugar next time. Never had any other banana flavored tea, this would be my first.

Yea, I tried one banana flavored tea, but in general, anything with the dried banana (the chips and snack mixes) or anything with banana flavoring added (a few ice creams I have tried) can be overpowering. It always seems like there is too much banana or not enough, the happy medium is hard to find.

@ Cinoi – Agreed. It seems banana flavored “anything” is hard to find a happy medium.

There’s a lot to respond to so I’m gonna just list my comments:
~What did they charge you for shipping?

~Mine was shipped USPS Priority Mail 5 – 7 Days

~Any surprises in the package?

~Now I need to learn how to properly prepare Chinese greens.

~I don’t like that they don’t tell you the type of tea used as the base.

~WHAT??? Sugared melon??? Were we notified of this somewhere on their website? It really hocks me off when a company commits false advertising and misrepresentation. Kinda like Adagio’s “sour apple”. I don’t want a melon tea! I don’t like melon tea. If I wanted a melon tea, I would have ordered one.

~Per the size of the fruit, I can understand why they don’t go large. Then, whether you portion your tea by weight or measurement the fruit would be in a much larger ratio to the tea. And I can’t stand a tea that is dominated by flavor to the point that you can’t tell there’s true tea in it. It’s not what I like drinking, and a waste of tea leaves IMO.

~Interesting 2nd steep… I’ve heard of increasing and not increasing the steeping time, but decreasing it?

~30 min w/ the rest of the 2nd steep? Why??

~I was really hoping that this would be my much cheaper alternative to Den’s’ Pineapple Sencha…

~I wonder what the return policy of this is?

*What did they charge you for shipping? *
3.95

Mine was shipped USPS Priority Mail 5 – 7 Days
Same, I received it in three business days

~Any surprises in the package?
Nope, unfortunately, no surprises =(

Now I need to learn how to properly prepare Chinese greens.
You mean purchase the right teaware?

I don’t like that they don’t tell you the type of tea used as the base.
Yeah, all they state is the origin, Anhui

WHAT? Sugared melon? Were we notified of this somewhere on their website? It really hocks me off when a company commits false advertising and misrepresentation. Kinda like Adagio’s “sour apple”. I don’t want a melon tea! I don’t like melon tea. If I wanted a melon tea, I would have ordered one.
Haha, well that’s what it tastes like. It’s not real pineapple pieces, more like candy pineapple pieces. I use to eat these as a kid. I’ll chew on a few more to get a better sense of it later. I ate two pieces, but they are really tiny.

Per the size of the fruit, I can understand why they don’t go large. Then, whether you portion your tea by weight or measurement the fruit would be in a much larger ratio to the tea. And I can’t stand a tea that is dominated by flavor to the point that you can’t tell there’s true tea in it. It’s not what I like drinking, and a waste of tea leaves IMO.
Tea taste is there, don’t worry. Flavors are what you should worry about =P

Interesting 2nd steep… I’ve heard of increasing and not increasing the steeping time, but decreasing it?
_The first steep had too much of a tea taste so I lowered it to see if it would help.

30 min w/ the rest of the 2nd steep? Why??
Comparison to see if it would get bitter (white monkey doesn’t get bitter). I actually do this a lot. I pour out half and let the remaining steep for a long period inside the ingenuiTea

I was really hoping that this would be my much cheaper alternative to Den’s’ Pineapple Sencha…
Haha, nope. Den’s sencha can’t be replaced

I wonder what the return policy of this is?
Shrugs, give yours a try ;)

When I meant properly prepare I meant parameters, not teaware purchases… at least for now- parameters are much more important in my book.

Ok, I’ll calm down now- I thought you meant it was melon pieces. I mean yeah they should also taste like pineapple, but as long as they actually are pineapple I won’t immediately return it unopened and accuse them of false advertising regardless of what it tastes like.

and you said in your tasting note 2-3, not 5-7.

They sent me an email saying it would arrive in 5-7, BUT it came in 2-3 which is USPS’s priority mail standard shipping times. I think the 5-7 is set for their own safety so people can’t complain. I mean hiccups happen that aren’t on their end.

There are pieces, but you really can’t distinguish what they are. I’m like 90% sure they are sugared candy melon pieces. I mean I use to eat them a lot so I know how they smell and taste like. That’s the first impression I got from those pineapple pieces.

Candied pineapple I could do. Melon is not ok.

Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, the medicine go dow-own, the medicine go down . . in a most delightful way!

Haha, of course all that’s missing is the video!

http://bit.ly/n70b

This was in my 1st loose tea order. I’m looking forward to the sample so I can try it prepared correctly.

Hey, hey! You’re making fun of me =P It’s not my fault my ingenuiTea filter popped again! I ended up catching everything in my finum basket.

Actually no I’m not. I’m making fun of myself. I steeped EVERYTHING in boiling water for 5 min.

I’ve been having a crap load of problems w/ mine as well.

Not sure why you’re thinking I’m making fun of you, there’s no way I oculd have known something went wrong… you mentioned nothing about your ingenuiTEA.

Don’t take me seriously, I was just kidding around. Thought you were making fun of me because of the italicized correctly and the fact that I prepare my tea pretty randomly =P

No, I was making fun of myself because I used to do it wrong… you choose to do it randomly, I was just stupid lol.

About the ingenuiTea teapot. I had this problem too until I took the filter and scratched up the sides with a knife (or scissors). It works! And I haven’t had the “filter floating away” problem since.

Ummm, I can see how that would work. I’ll give it a try :)

Pasta sauce? Bleah!!

Although I guess that means that Rose Hip tea might be a good base if someone wants to set about working on a savory line.

Adagio should add it to their line along with White Cucumber ;)

So. Gross. This would have to be one of my least favorite things ever if I tried it.

The O DOR has a tomato flavored tea, I believe! I bet they’d be friends. :P

Want to try some, you might like it ;) Won’t know till you try =P

Yeah okay, no. Marinara sauce makes me gag. :P

Hey Ricky,

The recommended amount of tea for 8 oz of Gyokuro is about 2-3 teaspoons, and using water 120F-150F. However, as with any tea, that’s just a guidline, feel free to experiment, as you did!

Thanks for the steeping instructions. I’ll keep it in mind when I make the remaining tea leaves.

140F is a good temperature for Gyokuro with the leaf to water ratio that Harney & Sons provided in their comment. I usually steep Gyokuro for about 30-45 seconds and get about 4 infusions out of it… depending on the quality of the leaf. Have fun experimenting and discovering what you prefer.

Interesting, I never knew that about vanilla teas. I can’t stand vanilla though, so 2x as much might just kill me! :)

I would have glady taken it! I just have no room for it lol. 6min in boiling for a Kashmiri? Wow. I’m so glad you got warm fuzzies from the raw leaf! Mayan Chocolate Chai has a similar effect on me- smelling it makes me hyper, and when I’m hyper I’m happy:) Not sure how I feel about adding milks to greens, even chais… Does anyone know if Kashmiri’s are traditionally served differently than a black based chai?

Everything I’m looking at suggests that it’s prepared the same way…the ‘prepared tea water’, or qahwa, is added to milk, along with whatever other ingredients (I’ve seen honey, almonds, and salt since I started browsing looking for the answer to that question). I think it’s really just down to preference. Myself, I don’t think that I could drink it on its own…but I prefer all of my chais to be lattes!

I’m really glad that you bit the bullet and tried it, Ricky!

Could you please add qahwa (along w/ maybe how to pronounce it) to the steepster dictionary? That’s a new one! I just call it “tea” lol or in this case maybe “tea concentrate”. Salt…??? Hmmm… I wonder how much? I don’t want to risk ruining it… I drink chai anyway depending on my mood… neat, w/ milk, w/ creamer, and any of the 3 ways both dirty and clean.

You have to love Golden Moon’s steeping instructions. It said 4-5 minutes in boiling water or 5-7 minutes if you plan on adding milk into it. They are very precise :D. Den’s Teas has precise instructions too.

I had to google up qahwa and I’m still not sur what it is. Salt? I mean I guess? If it’s too sweet? Add a pinch of salt? Then again salt is added to baking goods and those are sweet.

I took her to mean qahwa=tea

It’s green based so I’m not sure I’d go more than 3-5min… and I always go w/ the longest steeping suggestion. I’d be too afraid of getting a bitter chai. If want strong, I add more leaf. P.S. love Den’s parameters!:)

Yay for trying this one and actually really liking it! I wonder if you’d like it preparing it a traditional chai way in a saucepan? The flavor profile is definitely more similar to a latte when done up that way as well.

It’s green based? Woaps! I mean there’s nothing a bit of sugar can’t fix if it got bitter =P

The traditional way takes so much work. You have to stand over a sauce pan and constantly stir. I use to do that before I had an aerolatte frother. When I get a tin of this I might decide to do it the old fashion way, but until then, I’m going to do my quick and dirty. My list of GM teas I have to buy is constantly growing. This isn’t good!

Ricky, it’s kinda scary you looked at it. smelled it, prepared it, and drank it w/o realizing it was green…

I just dumped the whole packet into my ingenuiTea and added water. I wasn’t expecting much since I don’t like chai. I sniffed the contents from the packet =]

Maybe you don’t like it cuz you prepare it mindlessly? Mostly kidding and you know it, but I may have a point:)

Haha, oh but I did like it. But yes, I didn’t care as much with the preparation because I already had low expectations for the tea. BUT now I’m going to start diving back into chai. Starbucks here I come for your chai latte!

Ricky… pssst… 52teas’ Mayan Chocoalte Chai… hint, hint…

I’ll get around to it eventually =D

and get it by the lb from manteas.com- it’s cheaper.

Geez you’re like a drug dealer Cofftea! XD

Jillian- L-theanine is my drug of choice. I’m REALLY picky about my chais (no licorice, no fennel, no anis, chili/cayenne a must, and perfect spice/tea ratio)… so when I find the ONE… that has chocolate in it at that, I want everyone to be as giddy as I am! Seriously, the 1st time I tried it, I did get a buzz lol.