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Plain, Iced and Cold Brew Sipdown (262)

J is for… Jane Austen’s Tea Party…again

I opened this sample package from Nichole this “morning” (I wake up late so it was my morning but not technically morning hours) and made a hot cup and set up a cold brew. When I filtered the cold brew, I decided to make an iced cup to compare the two at the same time. Then I realized there was one serving left and just decided to go for the Sipdown and make another hot cup.

This tea isn’t exciting to me because of the lavender. It stands out and makes things soapy when it’s in tea so I don’t think I’m the target audience for this one. That said, I’ll work my way through the different prep methods and share my thoughts anyways.

Cold brew: lavender comes through at the end of the sip and leaves a soapiness on the tongue. Until then it’s a subtle mix of berry and lemongrass. That berry acts as a bridge between the lemon and lavender which could be good but also highlights the various flavors, even the ones I enjoy less.

Iced: This is so much lemongrass. I don’t know what happened but I feel like I’m drinking a cold cup of straight lemongrass. I get pops of berry as I keep drinking, and the lingering soap of lavender, though less noticeable here than in the cold brew.

Hot: I think I prefer this tea hot the most. Lavender is least noticeable and I think the berry comes out the most this way.

Thank you for the sample, Nichole!

ashmanra

And here I sit drinking a glass of lavender syrup and water…I like lavender! Ha ha!

Mastress Alita

Heh, I was drinking plain lavender tea… just buds steeped in water!

VariaTEA

You know how they say there is a gene that makes people hate cilantro because it makes it soapy? I think that is me with lavender :P

Mastress Alita

My best friend is one of those people with cilantro, heh.

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ashmanra

And here I sit drinking a glass of lavender syrup and water…I like lavender! Ha ha!

Mastress Alita

Heh, I was drinking plain lavender tea… just buds steeped in water!

VariaTEA

You know how they say there is a gene that makes people hate cilantro because it makes it soapy? I think that is me with lavender :P

Mastress Alita

My best friend is one of those people with cilantro, heh.

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My cupboard has grown exponentially since joining this site and I have a lot to share. Feel free to snoop through my cupboard and message me if anything interests you – I am always happy to swap!

For me, flavored teas are definitely my sweet spot. I will most often reach for black teas and rooibos or honeybush blends but I do keep some flavored whites and greens around for when the mood strikes. I have a few herbals/tisanes but most of the time I find myself disappointed by them as they often smell deliciously sweet and then end up tasting tart/sour. I have a little bit of an aversion to pu’erh and oolong teas. I am also wary of florals, earl greys, and chai teas. I do not like overpowering citrus flavors nor do I usually like hibiscus, licorice or chamomile. I love dessert teas – caramel, vanilla, toffee, cookie, cream, and other sweet flavors make me smile. Fruits like strawberry, peach, mango, and pineapples will often catch my attention as well.

I have also realized that although I really enjoy adding frothed milk to some of my teas, if I do not like the tea with zero additives (just in plain water without milk or sugar), I probably won’t drink it. The one exception is flavored matchas which I will happily drink in cold milk if I do not like it mixed with hot water. My theory is if the tea can’t stand on its own then it is not for me and I will more than likely try to swap it out for something else.

Tea Ratings Guide (as of December 10, 2017)
90-100 Teas I NEED on hand at all times
80-89 Teas I want to keep around for a cup every now and then
70-79 Teas I am glad I have around and can experiment with but probably don’t need more than what’s in my cupboard
60-69 Teas I would not turn down a cup of from a friend but that would probably be enough
50-59 Teas I can see why someone would enjoy but are not for me
Under 50 Teas I really did not like and most likely got dumped

Location

Waterdown, Ontario

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