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Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – August Tea #7 -A melon tea

So I have THREE teas for this prompt, as this puerh is not really a MELON flavored tea, it’s only in the name.  To make up for that, I also steeped up some of 52Teas Cantaloupe Watermelon white tea which still tastes divine a couple days ago.  Today, Bird & Blend’s One in A Melon which I must have at least once a year on the hottest of days.  But I didn’t want to count either one of those for this challenge, as they’re not a sipdown.  Melon teas are HARD for me to sipdown as the melon teas are some of my most cherished teas.  The flavors are usually so amazing for melon teas, so I’m grateful that this prompt had me thinking of all those tasty melon teas. :D   This melon puerh:  it’s fine.  A little fishy on the first steep.  I’d rather it taste like melon!  Shu + melon = yum.
2022 sipdowns:   95

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – August Tea # 6 -A cheap tea

sigh.  It is very hard to plan teas for a trip.  I’m literally calculating how many teaspoons I will need for the trip, caffeine and non.  But then the problem is choices from my vast collection of teas.  Good problems, I guess. 
For this prompt, CHEAP to me means a CTC black tea, even if maybe I have no idea what the price on this tea is (it was from a teabox).  But it’s a solid black tea option.  I like it’s considered a breakfast tea.  This hot weather had me drained today, falling asleep while reading a book, so I needed a strong black tea.  Not a sipdown yet, but almost.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – August Tea #5 – A tea chosen at random

A “random” tea means asking google for two random numbers:  A Steepster cupboard page number and another number 1-18 for the specific tea.  I gave myself three chances and the third landed on this tea.  So time for a sipdown.  I do enjoy this light tea.  It’s a bit like Taiwanese Assam, though not as nuanced.  The old Butiki tea has more nuance than this fresher tea.  Therefore, I’m happy it’s a sipdown.
2022 sipdowns: 94

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – August Tea #4-A tea the flavor of a trail mix ingredient

So the last episode I watched of the sadly cancelled funny show ‘Mr. Mayor’ had a joke about how many cashews were acceptable in a trail mix (the answer was nine) and I’m like “WHAT who doesn’t like cashews, unless you’re allergic?!?!  Cashews are the best nut.” If a trail mix has any nuts in it, I prefer cashews.  So in protest of no one liking cashews apparently, I had to go with a cashew tea for this trail mix prompt.  I have two cashew teas.  Both from 52Teas (Frank’s blends).  This is NOT a sipdown.  Though this is older, I will be hoarding the last teaspoon, even if it is now mostly muted chocolate flavor.  So it’s ALMOST a sipdown.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – August Tea #3 -A banana tea

I’m trying to rush through the prompts for this month as I’m going back up to Maine to help my grandma for a bit in a week.   So I won’t be posting many notes again, which I’m there.  I’ll still be drinking teas from my gallon zipbag variety that I bring with me though!  I will also try to READ tasting notes more than I did last time… just won’t be posting them.  I’m 40+ pages behind in reading notes.  Yikes.   
This beloved tea is NOT a sipdown… and I’m not rushing to finish it.  But it’s one of my favorite banana teas (that isn’t from 52Teas).  Even the blackberry leaf in it is tolerable.  Plus, I will never get over how adorable the tin for it is.

Michelle sent me some teas recently!  Mostly puerh from Rich’s puerh stash, which I specifically wanted to help Michelle out with. :D Thank you so much for the lovely package!  I just HAD to steep this one up first as I love trying any Yunnan in my path.  On first sip: “AH, now THAT is Yunnan tea”.  Every flavor note you expect to find from a good Yunnan is here.  It’s hard to describe other than it’s just the general flavor of Yunnan.  When I think of Yunnan, this is exactly the nuanced flavor I think of (which sounds weird, but sometimes Yunnan teas do taste completely different than what I think Yunnan should be.)  The second steep was a bit harsh, but I have a little bit of this one to get that correct tasting second steep.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 30 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep

I nabbed a couple of these teabags from an ancient teabox… so really this is not a fair note for a tea that is YEARS old. Also, their teabag packaging is simply a paper that is folded over with an open flap so there is NO WAY this can stay fresh. But I liked this! A decent green tea that sometimes tasted like there was matcha in the teabag and also still a remainder of sweet pineapple flavoring. I wouldn’t mind having this around but their packaging needs improvement.
Steep #1 // 40 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – August Tea #2-A raspberry tea

VERY old from a Steepster group order but whoa, it’s still so good, even with the coconut. I love the raspberry. Just a great combination… though I suppose it isn’t QUITE like cake.. if I’m ignoring what this should taste like, it’s great. I’m glad B&B keeps this one in stock.   It was definitely time to finish this for the prompt and I’m glad I did!  I have a bit more around here anyway…
2022 sipdowns:  92

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – August Tea #1 -A tea you’ve never tried before

Looking at the fresh challenge list, this tea that I have been drinking for days just happens to fit for this prompt. From derk a LOOONNGG time ago, thank you derk!  I debated about putting the entire BIG piece of this in the infuser, figured this poor tea has waited long enough, and I’m glad I used the entire piece.  It was a slow unraveler.  I may have steeped this the most of any tea, over three days, six big mugs making sure to put the steeped leaves into the fridge for that third day, as I don’t usually steep the same leaves for THREE days. I think it could have kept giving. The flavor was definitely shifting and changing, but it was also difficult for me to tell what those flavors were.  It was also never too strong in flavor.  I steeped delicately at first, then really going for boiling water and long steeps towards the end. The last steep brewed for ten minutes. At first tasting like minerals. Towards the end, the color and flavor of autumn leaves.  I’m not doing this fantastic white tea justice.  But I sure enjoyed it!
After I wrote the above, I read derk’s note on this tea and was pleased to see derk also mentioned it tasted like “minerals” and “autumn leaf”. I feel like derk has the superior tasting ability, so there you go. :D
2022 sipdowns: 91

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – July Tea #10 -A tea from a US company

Last prompt for July!  So judging by the couldn’t-be-more-obvious name, I guess this is a US company…  and a prime time to finish this tea.  The flavor is faded at this point.  It’s an interesting tea when it’s fresh.    This sample was mostly green tea with a muddled fruit flavor.  It’s not aging well, so I’m glad it’s gone.  I wouldn’t mind having more in the cupboard when it’s tamer though.
2022 sipdowns:  90