I was never an herbal tisane person…until I realized that my trouble sleeping might be coming from the copious amounts of late night tea. I need something nice and cozy with good flavor that won’t keep me up, so I am enjoying checking out some caffeine free options.
There are a lot of herbal blends that are not just free from caffeine, they actually help promote relaxation.
I turned on a playlist of spa/sleep music and made a small pot of this tisane. A couple of cups later, here is my impression. Use a strainer meant for very fine particles if you mind bits in your cup. I don’t mind them at all. The chamomile is a good one, either lacking the tongue twister some can have or being smoothed by the other ingredients, and the peppermint is very relaxing. It leaves a tingle long after the sip and I do find it refreshing without being stimulating. Peppermint by itself doesn’t thrill me, but in blends I like it. In fact, I am finding it a little difficult to stay up long enough to finish this review.
This was out of stock on the etsy shop at the time of this writing, but may be back in time for publication! May you have Sereni-tea as you sip today! (Or tonight!)
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless
Description:
Take a few moments to sit quietly and enjoy the ultra-soothing taste of SERENI-TEA.
Go ahead, the world won’t end if you take a break. (Unless of course, you are guarding zombies. In that case, please wait for your replacement first.)
Release the tension and bring on the calm.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Summer Lovin from becauseURpriceless
With a name like Summer Lovin, this has got to be brewed as an iced tea. I brewed this tea with hot water at double strength, and poured it over ice. I took a sip while brewing the tea hot, and was surprised to get hit with a wave of out-of-season nostalgia. Cinnamon and citrus always remind me of wintertime spices, and brewed warm, this tea almost seems like an orange chai.
On paper, hibiscus and cinnamon sound like weird bedfellows, but the combination turns out to be well-balanced, both hot and iced. While hibiscus is an overbearing herb, there are undertones of lemon and rose, to give some variety to the taste. Sweet licorice root and earthy cinnamon tame the hibiscus, and keep it from getting too tart.
This would be a great tea for showing off in a sangria or summertime fruit punch. It brews up a luscious ruby color, and looks amazing in any glass pitcher: vibrant red against snowy, white ice cubes and contrasting fruit slices.
Pick up a bag of this blend before the heat of summer takes you by surprise!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: becauseURpriceless Etsy Shop
Description:
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sweet Cinnamon Mate from Because UR Priceless. . . . .
I have never actually had a mate blend. Which is interesting because I have drank a lot of teas, but just never had an interest in mate I guess. Although mate is considered an herbal blend, it still contains a pretty high amount of caffeine. I really needed a caffeine boost today so I decided to brew up a cup of Sweet Cinnamon Mate. I like sweet cinnamon, not hot cinnamon, so I hoped that this tea would live up to its name.
Now, I don’t have any other mate blends to compare this to, but I noticed a pretty distinct vegetal/herbal flavor right off the bat. I also noticed a slight bitterness, and whether that was from the cacao or the mate, I am not sure but there was a definite bite to this blend. The cinnamon added some nice warmth, but it wasn’t overly hot or spicy, it was definitely sweet as promised. I almost want to use the word smokey to describe this. It definitely brought on feelings of comfort and warmth and would be a great blend on a cold fall morning.
This has definitely peaked my curiosity for mate blends and I will be trying more in the future, so stay tuned!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless
Description
SWEET CINNAMON MATÉ (pronounced mah-tay) brings you a satisfying beverage that’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and a whole lot energizing! The delicate balance of yerba matế, cinnamon, and sweet cacao nibs creates a tea drinking experience you will enjoy again and again.
(Note: This blend has a light, mellow cinnamon flavor rather than a strong, hot cinnamon flavor.)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Power Up! from Because UR Priceless. . . .
I put off trying this tea. Most of the time I don’t NEED to power up. When I wake up in the mornings I am ready to roll, no caffeine required. Sometimes I could use a lift during the day, though. But this has maté! This has hibiscus! Two things that I have occasionally had bad experiences with. Hibiscus is usually Iced and sweet around here.
I decided to give it a go today because it was either take a nap or do something to get the wheels spinning again. I went for it as a hot unsweetened cuppa instead of resorting to iced tea with it because I need to wake up NOW.
The nice surprise is that when the tea is really hot, it is smooth and minty! The green base is good, the maté isn’t a deeply roasted flavor like what I had before, and the hibiscus isn’t very strong…YET. I prefer spearmint to peppermint in most teas and the spearmint dominates the hibiscus until it cools. It is a super refreshing tea.
As the tea cooled, hibiscus came out more and more. That’s okay! I can reheat! And next time I will make it by the cup instead of by the pot so that I can enjoy its minty goodness.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberry Lemonade from Because UR Priceless
This is the second tea I’ve tried from Because UR Priceless and I have to say I’m impressed. I loved their take on an earl grey and vanilla blend so I was quite excited to steep up some of this Raspberry Lemonade.
Raspberry Lemonade is a blend of organic ingredients: green tea, huge chunks of raspberries, hibiscus, lemon peel, spearmint, and licorice root. The idea of a raspberry lemonade green tea blend just makes me happy. First note impression of this tea was that the blend lends itself to a cheery note. Bright pops of red on a bed of green and peach toned ingredients. Quite striking actually.
I set about steeping the tea and loved watching the brew turn to a gorgeous pink color. Allowed the tea to steep for about 3 minutes and then cool for another minute or two. Took my first sip and was greeted with sunshine!
Bright vibrant and slightly tart notes of raspberries with a hint of lemon and mint followed up with a smooth buttery green tea love. This is one of those teas that you just want to indulge in all afternoon! I love the combination of fresh raspberries and green tea. This smooth slightly tart duo really works well with the mint allowing a refreshing tone.
Very well done and all of the flavors are balanced perfectly. Couldn’t really ask for more from a flavored green tea blend! This one shines happiness!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless
Description:
RASPBERRY LEMONADE brings together the wonderful antioxidant properties* of green tea with the tart sweetness of raspberries. Add in a touch of sour lemon and the unmistakable sweetness of licorice, and you have the perfect amount of tang without making your mouth get stuck in a pucker.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
