So a little while back a couple of us sisters received a gift from the wonderful CuppaGeek. Super Starling said she received hers for her general awesomeness so if I got one too, does that mean I am awesome as she is? That’s quite the accomplishment I think because she is one awesome lady. So that means that this gift was not only a great present that made sure to tell me I was loved, but also an ego boost. Plus, as part of the Tea It Forward program, this also helped support a good cause since $1 from each box sold goes to The Flagg Foundation for Mental Wellness.
Today’s tea pick of the three options in the box is Strawberry Rush, a fruity green tea which I found quite surprising. The first surprise was the steeping temperature. 3 minutes at 195F seemed quite high for a green base to me. Nonetheless, I followed these recommended steeping parameters only to be surprised again when I removed the filter basket and found a deep fuchsia colored tea as opposed to the usual light yellow shade of a green tea. My guess is the hibiscus is the cause of this color so I was interested to see if that meant it would take over the flavor as well.
Well, hibiscus is definitely in the mug but far more tame than what I expected. There is a distant memory of strawberry here but if I am being honest, the base is extremely bitter and I am finding that to be incredibly distracting. My hope is that the high temperature water burnt the leaf since I don’t imagine this is its intended taste.
In order to give this a fair try, I actually dumped my first brew and steeped this up the way I would normally steep a green tea, using 75C water and steeping for a quick two minutes. The new mug is far less bitter which means I can actually enjoy this one. The hibiscus is imparting the same level of tartness as before but without all the burnt to cloud the mug, the memory of strawberry here is not so distant. However, even though I can taste a slightly underripe strawberry flavor, it is also muddled among the various other flavor components. In fact, the citrus of the orange is one of the more prominent flavors and to me it feels out of place. The papaya mellows things out but there is a divide between the sweet and sour and it creates a confused tea. If I didn’t know this was called Strawberry Rush, I would suspect this was a fruit punch tea more than anything else as at the end of the day this tastes like fruit. Not one specific fruit. Just fruit.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: The Love Tea Company
Description
It’s hard to keep this one in stock, teens and tweens love it, and it’s so much better than soda. It’s a Brilliant Blend of herbal and fruit that evokes strawberry fields. It is an organic green tea that is a simple pleasure with complex ingredients – green tea, with papaya, apple, orange and strawberry pieces, rosehip, calendula petals and natural strawberry flavors. This blend is great hot or cold, but our preference is cold. Blend several pots, keep it refrigerated and serve over ice with a fresh strawberry on the side. The kids can take part in the mission on this one. Make sure they #sharethelove with their friends.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
