2021: Sipdown Progress Thread

January Sipdowns: 34
February Sipdowns: 30
March Sipdowns: 22
April Sipdowns: 29
May Sipdowns: 17

Yearly Total: 132

New Sipdowns:

Amacha by Kunohe Village Revitalization Project c/o Yunomi (20g sampler)
C’est Sympathique by THEODOR (sampler from Dustin)
Cours Mirabeau by THEODOR (sampler from Dustin)
Culinary Organic Matcha by Mizuba Tea Co. (100g package)
Eclair au Chocolat by Fauchon (sampler from Dustin)
Lady Londonderry (sampler)
Melange O by THEODOR (sampler from Dustin)
Metropolitan by August Uncommon Tea (15g sampler x 2)
Minnesota N’Ice by TeaSource (50g package)
Moon Over Madagascar by TeaSource (50g package)
Peppermint Cream by Bird & Blend Tea Co. (50g package)
Provence by American Tea Room (40g package)
Ramune (Japanese Soda) by Lupicia (50g package)
Sakura by Lupicia (50g package)
The du Hammam by Palais des Thes (sampler from Dustin)
Tourbillon by Damann Freres (sampler from Cameron)
Vie en Rose, La by Aesthete Tea (30g package)

Total: Approx. 600g cleared out during May!

January Sipdowns: 33
February Sipdowns: 51
March Sipdowns: 45
April Sipdowns: 47 (ended with 176)
May Sipdowns: 6 as of 5/3

Yearly Total (different packages/tins) as of 5/3: 182
Total Amount (weight): ..good question!!

New Sipdowns (May):
…hmm.

Currently Working On:
—original (OG!) opened tin of DT Fantasy Island — inspired by Rachel aka VariaTEA
—#drinkwhatyouown (aka my DIY advent calendar) from Jan/Feb/March, taking April off.
—a zillion million teas always.

—March Sipdown Tea Madness — Still Round 3 (aka Semifinals) and Round 4 (aka Finals) to go!

—An Ode to Tea – April’s #2021steepstersipdown challenge..13/23 as of 4/29/21 (missing 3 letters)
STILL for May: A, F, G, J, L, Q, R, S, T, U // MISSING: D, O, X
+A – Amber (Houjicha) by Kyoto Tea Farms (gifted by Cameron aka @teas.n.pugs)
+D – MISSING
+F – Frosted Fruitcake by T2 (gifted by AJRimmer)
+G – Garden Tea by Palais des Thes (gifted by Cameron aka @tea.n.pugs)
+J – Jardin Saurage by Lupicia (gifted by Cameron aka @tea.n.pugs)
+L – Lemsugar Pancakes or Lemon Sherbet by Bird and Blend
*N – New England Breakfast by Harney & Sons (gifted by Tiana aka @its.a.tea.adventure) #10 4/27/21
+O – MISSING
*R – Rose All Day by DavidsTea (gifted by Tori aka @siply_tealicious) #15 5/3/21
+S – South Cloud Chai by Tielka Tea (gifted by Brianna aka @briannadrinkstea)
+IN PROGRESS T – Tropical Green by Gloria Jeans (gifted by Brianna aka @briannadrinkstea)
+U – Unicorn Fluff by Necessiteas (gifted by Brianna aka @briannadrinkstea)
+X – MISSING

done in May:
Q – Queen’s Blend by T2 (gifted by Brianna aka @briannadrinkstea) #14 5/2/21
*R – Rose All Day by DavidsTea (gifted by Tori aka @siply_tealicious) #15 5/3/21
+ to do / * not a sipdown

Here are the upcoming June prompts:

June Theme: A June Wedding – Nicknamed the “wedding month,” this month drink a tea that is old, a tea that is new, a tea that is “borrowed” (came to you from someone else through gifting, swapping, or a traveling teabox), and a tea that is “blue” (perhaps it has the word “Blue” in the title, a blue ingredient like cornflower petals or blueberries, steeps up blue from butterfly pea flowers, or maybe is just a tea you enjoy when you are feeling blue!)

Tuesday, June 1st: World Milk Day – Add milk (non-dairy is fine!) to a tea!
Saturday, June 12th: National Red Rose Day – Drink a rose tea or a tea with rose flavor notes!
Thursday, June 17th: National Eat Your Vegetables Day – Drink a tea with vegetal flavor notes!
Sunday, June 20th: Father’s Day – Drink a tea that reminds you of your father!
Tuesday, June 29th: National Waffle Iron Day – Drink a tea with the flavor notes of a favorite waffle topping!

January Sipdowns: 34
February Sipdowns: 30
March Sipdowns: 22
April Sipdowns: 29
May Sipdowns: 17
June Sipdowns: 21

Yearly Total: 153

New Sipdowns:

American Beauty by American Tea Room (50g package)
Berry Pink Rosé by Bird & Blend Tea Co. (20g sampler)
Bi Luo Chun by Teavivre (c/o Path of Cha) (10g sampler)
Black Orchid by Mariage Freres (sampler from Dustin)
Blueberry White by Capital Teas (50g package)
Calming GABA by Esteemed Tea Collective (single-serve sampler)
Coconut Cream Pie Honeybush by 52Teas (15g sampler)
Coconut Isle by 52Teas (15g sampler)
Lavender Honey Matcha by DAVIDsTEA (50g package)
Lychee Barley Tea by Lupicia (50g package)
Mango Sticky Rice Genmaicha by 52Teas (15g sampler)
Margaret’s Hope Estate 2nd Flush FTGFOP1 by Upton Tea Imports (sampler from Meowster)
Melange de Galice by THEODOR (sampler from Dustin)
Peche Mignon by THEODOR (sampler from Dustin)
Rose Matcha by DAVIDsTEA (45g package)
Saigon by THEODOR (sampler from Dustin)
Sakura and Berry by Lupicia (50g package)
Sangria by Bird & Blend Tea Co. (20g sampler)
Sans Complexe by THEODOR (sampler from Dustin)
The Melange Angelina by Angelina (sampler from Dustin)
Voodoo Cashew Mate by 52Teas (15g sampler)

Total: Approx. 525g cleared out during June!

Once in a while when I check new offerings of anhua I input more generic Hunan term. There is always a brick with yellow tea that comes up. I am always reluctant. I don’t think I will ever purchase it after the lowest low I went with bits of shaanxi Fucha and qinming yellow. I boiled both together. My body was offended by it. I know gotu kola is safe to mix with teas I don’t like. But that was good yellow tea. Maybe white tea has potential of being boiled with other poisons. Or maybe I should stop gamble with my purchases. But I love those wrappers/ boxes/ tins. My excuse I will use them for better teas. But I end up giving those away to new tea addicts. Which is very confusing when months later when they ran out of tea that I placed in totally random package, and they start describing the package and the taste, I literally have to go to my gmail confirmations to see what I might have been tempted to give away at the time. In that sense steepster is brilliant as it is a witness to my chaotic taste bouncing.

January Sipdowns: 34
February Sipdowns: 30
March Sipdowns: 22
April Sipdowns: 29
May Sipdowns: 17
June Sipdowns: 21
July Sipdowns: 10

Yearly Total: 163

New Sipdowns:

Alloy Goddess by Boon Tea (15g sampler from Todd)
Blueberry Key Lime by Bird & Blend Tea Co. (20g sampler)
Cassis and Blueberry by Lupicia (50g package)
Hunan Silk by TeaSource (50g package)
Lavender Sencha by American Tea Room (65g package)
Matcha Black Soybean Rice Tea by Lupicia (50g package)
Raspberry Almond Cookie Honeybush by 52Teas (15g sampler)
Raspberry Herbal by Harney & Sons (sampler)
Spiced Vanilla Chai by Tea Chai Te (30g package)
Ti Kwan Yin Imperial by TeaSource (50g package)

Total: Approx. 350g cleared out during July!

The first post has been updated with the July prompts!

July Theme: A Berry Fruity July – July is National Month of Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Peaches, Nectarines, Melons, and Mango! This month focus on fruity-flavored tea blends, single-origin teas with fruity flavor notes, and fruit tisanes! Since it is also the Dog Days of Summer, consider working towards your sipdowns with large pitchers of iced or cold brew tea to beat the summer heat!

And a few funsy days! Feel free to scavenger hunt through your cupboard and find a cuppa to drink that fits the theme for each of these days!

Monday, July 5th: National Apple Turnover Day – Drink an apple tea!
Sunday, July 11th: National Mojito Day – Drink a mint flavored tea or a lime flavored tea!
Saturday, July 17th: National Lottery Day – Drink a tea selected completely at random!
Wednesday, July 21st: National Junk Food Day – Drink a tea with the flavor notes of a favorite junk food!
Saturday, July 31st: National Raspberry Cake Day – Drink a raspberry tea!

It’s taken me forever to circle around to make tea a priority again. I’ve sipped here and there but not consistently. Thankfully, I’m feeling drawn to tea again! The ritual, the abundance of flavors, the comfort. It feels like all my teas will be sipdowns. 90% of them are over a year old. I plan on making a spreadsheet to begin the process of better inventory and tracking. Thank you for starting this thread! The themed months will keep it fun and me interested. Thanks again! <3

Update 1: Went through everything. First Goal is samples and the tins with under 5 cups worth of leaves in them. I had participated in a couple group buys years ago. It feels like a crime that most of those have sat this long. Most of these samples have gone through two moves with me and were never touched – yikes! This gave me a total of 50 teas to sipdown and 52 left in cupboard (for now).

Starting Total Teas: 102

Looking forward to August prompts. :)

January Sipdowns: 34
February Sipdowns: 30
March Sipdowns: 22
April Sipdowns: 29
May Sipdowns: 17
June Sipdowns: 21
July Sipdowns: 10
August Sipdowns: 25

Yearly Total: 188

New Sipdowns:

Blue Beauty by TeaSource (50g package)
Buddha’s Blend by Nepal Tea (single-serve sampler)
Culinary Organic Matcha by Mizuba Tea Co. (100g package)
Dots and Loops by August Uncommon Tea (35g package)
Ganesha Green by Nepal Tea (10g sampler)
Jun Chiyabari Estate Nepal Tea by Upton Tea Imports (10g sampler)
Kanchanjangha Noir by Nepal Tea (10g sampler)
Kanchanjangha Verde by Nepal Tea (10g sampler)
Kathmandu Cosmos by Nepal Tea (single-serve sampler)
Khima Full Moon Delight by Upton Tea Imports (10g sampler)
Kumari Gold by Nepal Tea (10g sampler)
Mystique Melange by Nepal Tea (single-serve sampler)
Napa Blanc by Lupicia (50g package)
Nepalese Silver Tips by Nepali Tea Traders (sampler)
Nepali Breakfast (10g sampler)
Nepali Green Pearl by Young Mountain Tea (sampler)
Passion Plum by Harney & Sons (sampler)
Peach Paradise by TeaSource (50g package)
Plum Barley Tea by Lupicia (50g package)
Shangri-La Oolong by Nepal Tea (10g sampler)
Strawberry and Nutella Pancakes by Bird & Blend Tea Co. (10g sampler)
Superior Uji Gyokuro Gokoma by Nishide Tea Factory c/o Yunomi (20g sampler)
Vanilla Orange Cola by 52Teas (15g sampler)
White Prakash by Nepal Tea (10g sampler)
White Prakash (First Flush) by Nepal Tea (single-serve sampler)

Total: Approx. 470g cleared out during August!