For Tea's Sake

Cold Brew Sipdown (122)!

Made a pitcher of this one, and I’m sure glad I decided to take a thermos of it with me to work the morning after I strained it because I came home from work and both roommate had already polished it off!

I didn’t mind this one; the blueberry came through quite clearly and strongly for me. I didn’t taste the other two berries so much, though. What was really missing for me was just a bit of sweetness. Instead this had a little bit of a drier, flatter taste that left me wanting more out of each sip. Not as good as DT’s Blueberry Jam, imo.

Sipdown (181)!

I love, love, love the packaging for this one. It was pretty well enough on its own to make me want to try this one, despite the cheesy as all hell name.

Mint and lemon sounds like it should make for a really refreshing iced/cold brew; sort of lemonade-y I’d guess? So I cold brewed this one! I was really excited about it too.

It’s not bad, I guess. I definitely thought there would be more balance between the mint and the lemon notes but this is very much a ‘mint with lemon’ tisane and not ‘mint and lemon’ and there IS a big difference between those two things. I want to like it really badly, but it’s just strong and a little odd.

Also, if I’m being perfectly honest the intensity of the mint is giving me flashbacks of DAVIDsTEA’s Peppermint Amour and that time I found a maggot in the tea leaf. I still gag every time I have to open the tin of Peppermint Amour for a customer, by the way. Like, every damn time. While I was quickly able to shake the feeling of maggot tea whilst drinking this, the fact is brought up that unpleasant memory in the first place is just… ugh!

I think I’m content with just this one tasting, on this one. Again, it’s not the worst but I think I may just have more cons than pros this time around.

Sipdown (227)!

Day two of it being so hot in the house that you could melt off a nutsack.

So, I’m starting the day with a cold brew! This one has been going in my fridge for days now because I’m forgetful – so it’s very strong/potent. Mostly, it tastes like sweet candied strawberries with melon and plum undertones. However, that extended brew time has really drawn out a lot of grassyness from the base teas and it’s a little bit harsh. I mean, for something like a 40 hour steep time it’s pretty amazing it’s not bitter though; just strong and astringent. Kind of a chlorine taste too, if I’m being honest.

Despite that it’s still not an awful brew, though I have a few regrets about going hard with this 25 oz cold brew on an empty stomach…

Iced!

So, I saw the other day that the Sears in my mall was selling these little sample packets of For Tea’s Sake’s iced tea line up on clearance for a dollar, and I remember REALLY enjoying this one so I bought the last sample packet. I mean, for a dollar what do you have to lose!?

- Oolong base was stronger this time around than I remember it being
- Quite grassy/‘lawn clipping’ like
- The strawberry & melon notes are every bit as smooth, sweet, and lush
- Really refreshing!
- In a way, it’s a TOUCH candy like: the melon isn’t convincingly natural/realistic
- Still really good though! Very happy I got to revisit!

Tried this one earlier in the day at work as part of my oolong themed weekend!

I wasn’t totally sure what I’d think of this one given that it’s a mix of oolong and green teas but honestly as soon as I cracked open the package I was pretty won over. The aroma the dry leaf gives off is really fruity and sweet, with very plump strawberry notes. Like a strawberry shortcake kind of strawberry?

The brewed up drink is very good too. The strawberry really is the star here, and it comes off very fresh and well rounded/plump in flavour. In a way, it’s both candy like and like strawberries right out of the garden. The candy element is still that of a higher end strawberry candy though, or even candied strawberries themselves. The plum is light, and at first taste I didn’t notice it but the more you sip the more aware of its background presence you become. It compliments the strawberry well though, and I like the depth that it provides. I was thrown off, and had to check the ingredients like like three times though because I kept tasting watermelon notes alongside the strawberry. I still don’t entirely know where those are coming from, but I swear this is really melon-y in a very lovely, spring-like way.

The oolong is playfully floral and a hint grassy, and both of those elements go really well with the strawberry. I feel like I could be sitting in the middle of a park during summer and having the most lovely picnic, munching on fresh strawberries and sliced watermelon. It’s a very immersive flavour once you combine the added flavours and the natural notes of the base teas.

This was honestly stellar and something I would be interested in getting more of if I hadn’t just ordered like ten oolong teas/blends in the last week from two different companies. That’s going to keep me preoccupied for a while. I’m keeping this in mind for when I inevitably finish those though…

This is a typical red rooibos base with the usual rooibosy notes (minerals, wood, rooibos. honey) and something I would describe as cinnamon apple. It is a basic blend, but it makes a fine caffeine free latte for my lazy evening. I always like a good rooibos in the evenings. The cinnamon has started to fade a little bit, however it has aged pretty well since it was opened a few years ago.

Standard woody/twiggy rooibos base with dried apple and hints of spice (cinnamon). This particular rooibos isn’t the best I’ve had, it was very average. Notes of dry wood, minerals, dry savannah plants, and woodchips. The blend didn’t taste bad, but it wasn’t something I would keep in stock or want to drink regularity.

One of my favourite lavender blends!

Excellent lavender/chamomile/almond flavour.

Notes of sweet, dried herbs, lemon, and fragrant flower petals. A little bit of almond, but it is more of honey and almond milk than amaretto or cyanide flavour. Very tasty and quite calming!

It tastes like a dried bouquet of flowers harvested from a hidden meadow in spring. :)

Standard pure peppermint. I thought this was a blend. Oh well, I like pure peppermint too. A bit too fresh, though. Too much menthol.

I got this tea free as a courtesy apology in that the previous first two teas I bought from this company were godawful. I received this in an attempt to give For Tea’s Sake another chance.

The strawberry flavor and hibiscus are a very zesty and flavorful blend. The kiwi is very subtle but it adds a really interesting depth to it. It has just a touch of a floral tone to it which is very sweet and really balances the whole thing out.

Were I to compare it to Wild Strawberry Tea by Adagio, I would honestly say these are two different beasts. This particular tea has floral depth to it so if that’s your thing, this is the fruity-floral tea, while Wild Strawberry is only slightly tangier and fruitier, without the floral touch that the kiwi and hibiscus petals lend. That makes this tea stand out in my mind. I’ll keep drinking it until I can form a more definitive preference.

Trash-worthy. Pellets of tea, almost no spices- complete dregs. I’ve made negative reviews a few times on their website and they don’t post them. Flavorless chai. Going back to Adagio’s Masala Chai… who know how to do it properly.

Chocolate Milk Latte Sipdown

I didn’t have enough of this to make a latte on its own so I mixed it 50/50 with Pumpkin Chai by DAVIDsTEA. It’s a little watery if I’m being honest but that’s on me and my measurements. Aside from that, this tastes like chocolate, caramel and spice (well…cinnamon). It’s not too bad and i am glad to have gotten this Sipdown in.

I’m trying to sip this down and what better way to do so than as a latte. The flavors go nicely with this prep style and it eats up a huge amount of leaf so the way I see it, this was the best way to go about things. And since I had chocolate milk I brewed this as a chocolate milk latte and am actually getting to drink it this time.

It actually has a sort of chocolate covered ginger vibe to it at times and a Mexican Hot Chocolate vibe at other times. It’s not bad. Not amazing either, but not bad and I think this is a good way to go to drink it up.

Chocolate milk latte that I got a few sips of before people rushed in for the Jewish holiday. Annoying people who gathered in the kitchen where my latte was and so I sacrificed it to avoid them. Luckily I have a lot more chocolate milk to experiment with. I also have coconut milk so I’m trying to decide which teas I have in my cupboard to have with what type of milk. Suggestions?

Made this as a latte today and I have to say, it is pretty disappointing. There’s a slight eggyness to it but the black tea base is fighting to be the center of attention and it’s just not very good. Even worse, the whole drink just tastes watered down. Tbh, I dumped the mug after trying to drink it and realizing I have so much tea that I don’t need to waste my time with subpar lattes.

Apparently I am in a holiday mood between this tea, Sugar Plum Waltz, and a Candy Cane Crush eggnog latte. I am also in a cleaning mood since my mother and I have been trying out cleaning hacks throughout the day. Fun fact, ketchup cleans brass. Personally I find this a little unsettling though our candle sticks have never been shinier.

Anyways, the tea certainly has a eggnog like flavor. Smooth and sweet and slightly eggy. There is a generous amount of vanilla and also a dash of nutmeg at the tail end of the sip to round things out. It is accurate albeit slightly weak. I don’t know if this flavor would stand up in a latte or smoothie or anything like that but as a plain tea, it is a flavored yet simple choice and lighter than some of the other options I have, which can be a good thing at times.

Well, the holiday season might be over but I am still enjoying my festive teas: http://sororiteasisters.com/2017/01/02/sugar-plum-waltz-from-for-teas-sake/

I have no idea what a sugar plum is but this tea is sweet and fruity and captures what I imagine one would taste like. It is flavorful though a touch thin. Still a nice tea though and I am glad I have more to play with.

ETA: well this can get a little bitter and artificial as it cools so best to drink it quick :P

Nichole with her FULL REVIEW:
http://sororiteasisters.com/2016/08/24/mint-to-be-together-from-for-teas-sake/

First to log on Steepster!

I was very dissapointed with For Tea’s Sake Chai tea so I was was a little reluctant about this breakfast tea. This is actually very good. It has a nice full body to it. I would not say it is much different that the many other breakfast blends I have tried, however, this one is not bad at all. It is listed on the label as an orange pekoe. I will finish the tin but don’t know if I will repurchase as I have so many other breakfast teas but this one is very good. I had it with a bit of rock sugar and a splash of soy milk as I think the heavy body of this tea needs the milk and sugar to balance it.

Prepared this tea and drank it hot. I actually prepared this two different times and each time was so let down. I expected a vibrant chai based on the description and the ingredient listing, however, this is the weakest chai I have ever had. The tea was steeped long enough and the black tea was there but no spice. I could see spice in the tea but it didn’t transmit to the cup. Also, the tea is not loose leaf full leaves, rather small tea bits that look to have been crushed and torn, similiar to the tea you would find in a tea bag. This resulted in the black tea flavor being very generic. I hate to say this, but, this is the worst Chai tea I have ever had, and I have had a lot of chai teas (that is my favorite tea!!!!)