92 Tasting Notes

61

My desi neighbor went to India early this month and came back with a box of Newby Masala Chai (and some very Indian-style tomato pickle) for our family. …I guess we always give them tea as gifts (specifically Tazo Organic Chai), so he’s reciprocating.

The 50g box has individual foil-wrapped tea bags. Really, they’re lovely — gold and shiny with a really cute elephant/shield motif. The tea, however, is pretty weak for a desi spice tea. Even leaving the bag in for the duration of drinking doesn’t make it strong enough — neither the assam base nor the spices (cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, ginger, anise) have much taste.

So perhaps I’d suggest this for folks who aren’t used to spices, but it will be way too light for desi palates. It’s ok, just not satisfying.

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86
drank Peppermint by Carrington Tea
92 tasting notes

Summer tends to be my least favorite season because I have a tendency to sporadically get migraines starting in late May and lasting through the early part of September. I suspect a few reasons (pesticides, heat, staring at computer screens for too long, Idahoans, etc.), but it usually hits the hardest early in June and in the middle of August.

…That is, right now. This year has been really weird, too. I’ve had the normal full-on migraines, but I’ve also had random difficulty speaking, partial loss of sight (?!) that gradually went away, loss of sensation, and all sorts of symptoms that haven’t happened on their own before, including a lingering nausea.

I’m just going to blame the university students coming back to town until I can find a decent clinic (that usually requires a 2+ hour drive), but I’m drinking this tea for now. It’s pretty good for my nausea, especially at night and at work, but it’s also great as an add-in for green tea since it’s 100% peppermint. If I can survive the annual undergrad migration and make it to Walmart, I’ll probably pick up another box of this simply because it’s so easy to make on bad days.

Veronica

Oh my word, that sounds awful! I hope you’re able to find a decent doctor soon and get some relief. If it turns out your allergic to Idahoians hopefully there’s a pill for that. ;-)

Indigobloom

Fingers crossed your migraines go away!

gmathis

The good thing about peppermint tea is that it’s hard to ruin, so you can buy on the cheap end of the scale and drink it plentifully.

Calochortus

It really seems like it’s a complex of symptoms, so it may not just be migraines. I used to be relatively immune to Idahoans, but perhaps things have changed. Thank goodness for peppermint!

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61

I had a hard time finding this one because I kept thinking it was “Tower of Heaven” ….because I’m obviously a sucker for pixels and chiptune (honestly, though, I can’t get through the first panel of that game, I’m so bad at it).

I think I need to get myself used to gunpowders, because all of the ones I’ve tried haven’t been quite what I was expecting. I got this at the local Asian market (hahaha not going there anymore because the owner’s wife always pressures me to get married to my weird colleagues that she knows and now I’m scared that she’ll actually try to set me up), which has a really nice collection of East Asian teas. However, besides Numi’s gunpowder, I can’t seem to find any others in town…

Right out of the box, the dry smell reminds me of a county fair in Idaho. I mean, the whole bit — cows and hay and horses and alfalfa and goats and Idahoans. It’s a bit off-putting, I concede, but it’s also kind of nostalgic. Once brewed, it’s strong and spinachy — and while I don’t mind the spinach, I think I may be brewing it a bit too strong. It looks like the other reviews suggest fewer leaves per cup, so I’m going to try that and see how it goes.

gmathis

I’ve never smelled an Idahoan, being a Missourian and all, but the cows-hay-alfalfa scent in any tea always makes me smile!

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71

It looks like a lot of other people have the same story with this tea — bought at some kind of all-natural/local/organic/“hippie” store, smells like an Irish Breakfast, but isn’t strong enough. Huh.

I got mine at the local co-op in bulk — I was only going to get an ounce or two, but the canisters they use for bulk teas are the kind where you pull a lever and the tea spills out… so I got a lot.

This really isn’t a breakfast tea. It’s more like an after-work tea. I think this would be a good base for delicate blends with something like rose buds. I’ll probably finish what I have but not get more.

gmathis

Yup. My experience exactly.

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77

So I remembered that the folks who recommended this tea to me actually said it’s supposedly great as a sun tea. Eh. As much as I love solar power, I don’t have a vessel in which to make sun tea. I tried this tea again as a cold brew iced tea, and I like it more than as a hot tea. The citrus was really evident, and the black base was refreshing. The supermarket at which I bought this tea has Stash in bulk ($0.10/bag), so I may be getting more (it’s in the pasta/cereal aisle — it’s like the store knows my weaknesses). I wouldn’t go out of my way to always stock it, but it’s good every now and then.

gmathis

Plain old Mason jars work great for small batches of sun tea…make yourself some spaghetti, save the sauce jar.

Calochortus

Mason jars are my water vessels — and also my tea vessels… I’ll try out making sun tea in them, though. Thanks!

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77

I’ve been told by multiple people that this tea makes a good iced tea. I tried it hot today and it wasn’t incredibly memorable. I mean, it’s good, but the taste of the orange/spice was pretty light for me. I’m going to cold brew it and see if it’s better iced.

Preparation
Boiling

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95

This tea is wonderful for mornings when you’re cranky and haven’t gotten enough sleep and happen to be behind on your wordcount for Camp NaNoWriMo.

To be honest, I’m a bit biased, since I love Choice and black teas, but this tea does have a strong, rich flavor that’s really great for when you’re on your feet but not awake. I like to drink my blacks with milk, and this pairs wonderfully with a bit of milkfat (I do 2%, but whole would be even better).

And, you know, Choice’s bags are 100% compostable and the covers are 100% recyclable. …I know, I’m sounding like a hippie, but sometimes you have to celebrate the little things. Good tea + good packaging = love.

Preparation
Boiling
JustJames

i think a store right nearby carries this brand… i have had perilously little sleep lately…. you should see how happy my garden is with all the steepings turned into the soil, lol.

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86

I got this tea on sale a while ago. I had tried one bag the way it was instructed on the box — brew hot, then chill — but didn’t really catch on due to the overpowering flavor of the citrus. I picked this up yesterday and decided to do a cold brew.

To be honest, I learned how to cold brew coffee and have just kind of moved on to tea in the same way, so I’m not really sure if I’m doing it correctly. I guess it doesn’t matter, because I’m kind of fond of the outcome. The cold brew version of this tea is actually really nice. The tea base is surprisingly warm for an iced tea, and the citrus is bright and engaging. I think the best part is how it looks when the bag is opened up — the mix is really eye-catching (partly because the citrus ‘zest’ is more like ‘rind’, but that’s ok — I like it like that).

Preparation
Iced

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53
drank Orange Pekoe by Great Value
92 tasting notes

For some reason, my whole town ran out of tea — Tetley, Lipton, Red Rose, Twinings, Tazo, and even the ever-present Stash. With our tea stash withered down to herbals and greens, my family got desperate and decided to get a box of Great Value from Walmart.

To be honest, it’s not that bad. Good for mornings when you don’t have time for loose-leaf, and ok for iced tea. Lots of tea dust, though, and my mother didn’t like the aftertaste. If there’s ever another tea shortage in my area, I wouldn’t mind picking up another box — but only if it’s the last choice.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C
Veronica

A town that runs out of tea… shudder

Calochortus

…It was eerie, like the Twilight Zone.

gmathis

We are discovering that most Great Value stuff is decent and comparable to brand names. Haven’t tried the tea, but when it’s time to stock up on cheapies for sun tea and eye compresses, I’ll remember your thumbs up.

Calochortus

gmathis, I’d consider it pretty comparable to Lipton or Red Rose — I haven’t tried it as iced tea, but I would think it would be ok. Just be careful about tea dust…

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Bio

Calochortus likes plants and knitting and bacteria. She doesn’t have a very large tea allowance, so expect a lot of grocery store/local/home-grown/bagged teas. She’s grown up with tea, as it is part of (half of) her culture.

Her favorite teas are black and usually fruity or vanilla-y. She likes to put milk in her tea, too, but she’s trying to widen her palette with green teas and rooibos. She finds that tea leaves are great for composting, too.

Location

The fictional state of Washidamont (Eastern WA, Northern ID, and Western MT)

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https://www.bentewee.com/prof...

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