Lavenderose Chamomint from Old Barrel Tea Co. . . . .

by Mary

You know that saying– too much of a good thing is a good thing? It applies here.

I was a little worried when I cracked this tea bag open that it would be TOO MUCH. Allll the herbs, am I right? But upon first sniff, I was intrigued. As with others I’ve tried form Old Barrel, this tea was a perfect, equal blend– all flavors present and accounted for, with nothing overpowering or shying away in the flavor. My first sip confirmed what I sniffed to be true– this tea is GOOD, you guys. Really, really good.

It’s light and a little sweet, herbal and flowery but also grounded and earthy. It’s got a little tingle from the mint, and a little almost-vanilla from who-knows-where. Each flavor is represented (just like that egalitarian name might imply), but they all play together quite nicely in the pot. I have to say– something about

Old Barrel’s teas get me every time– the flavors are simple enough that I always underestimate how they might brew up, but once in my cup, I’m always so pleasantly shocked by how fresh, strong, and unusual-but-lovely they are. Another winner from OBTC– and never enough of a good thing!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Herbal
Where to Buy:  Old Barrel Tea Co
Description

A blend of lavender, rose petals, chamomile, peppermint, vanilla rooibos.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Mary

Hi there! I'm Mary, a 27-year-old mental health professional living with my fiancé and our quirky kitten in the Midwest! I've loved tea for as long as I can remember-- in fact, I have vivid memory of being four or five in a tea shop and being mesmerized by all the tea flavors and proclaiming that I "was going to be kind of adult who drank tea, not coffee." A stint living (and tea-drinking my way through) London and twenty-some years later, I'm still channeling that sassy four-year-old and loving my tea habit. When I'm not sipping a cuppa, you'll find me reading, doing yoga, traveling, exploring my own city, planning our wedding and experimenting with different healthful and healing foods in my kitchen.

This post was posted in Fruit/Herbal Tisane, Old Barrel Tea and Spice

Horchata Rooibos from Old Barrel Tea Co. . . . .

by Mary

IBack in my single girl days, three important facts prevailed: I lived with one of my bffs (thus, hijinks often ensued), we ate a lot of Mexican food, and we watched a lot– A LOT of Downton Abbey. For the purposes of this story, only the first two are applicable. But still. One night, we were craving tostadas something fierce, so we ordered dinner from our favorite local taqueria. On a whim, we added a to-go order of Horchata to our meal, thinking we’d just get a few cups’ full.

Upon picking up, we were greeted with our brown bag of food… and a literal giant Sno-Cone jug filled with horchata. Well then. Apparently if this was the best way to transport our creamy, spiced beverage home with our tostadas, who were we to say no?

As soon as I sniffed the loose leaf in my bag of Old Barrel’s horchata rooibos, I was immediately transported back to that delicious (and slightly confusing) memory. The dry scent is spot-on creamy vanilla and warm cinnamon. Brewed, it’s even better– absolutely none of the medicinal bitterness that can sometimes accompany a rooibos, and it’s made even more delicious and authentic by the addition of some cream and a touch of honey.

Would I drink a Sno-Cone jug sized cup of this tea? Probably definitely yes. Although I think I’ll just stick to a tea cup for now– but it would taste great with tostadas.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Old Barrel Tea and Spice
Description

Vanilla rooibos with cinnamon.  Delicious with a splash of cream and sugar.  Rooibos is caffeine free but you can try Horchata Oolong if you prefer something caffeinated!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Mary

Hi there! I'm Mary, a 27-year-old mental health professional living with my fiancé and our quirky kitten in the Midwest! I've loved tea for as long as I can remember-- in fact, I have vivid memory of being four or five in a tea shop and being mesmerized by all the tea flavors and proclaiming that I "was going to be kind of adult who drank tea, not coffee." A stint living (and tea-drinking my way through) London and twenty-some years later, I'm still channeling that sassy four-year-old and loving my tea habit. When I'm not sipping a cuppa, you'll find me reading, doing yoga, traveling, exploring my own city, planning our wedding and experimenting with different healthful and healing foods in my kitchen.

This post was posted in Old Barrel Tea and Spice, Rooibos