With the birds chirping, flowers blooming, and in general, the weather getting warmer, I’ve found that my hot tea drinking days are few and far between. I’ve been craving cold brew tea and when I say crave, I mean I am gulping and sipping down cold brew tea with reckless abandonment. All I do is set up either my Libre Tea Infuser with a healthy dose of ice and water with either my loose leaf/tea sachet or I set up a giant mason jar I have with ice, water, and a larger ice tea pouch/reusable muslin tea bag with lots of loose leaf. Both produce amazing results and are quick for this mom on the go.
The other day I was wanting more of a citrus tea but wasn’t finding one that really sounded like it would hit the spot. Hence where Citrus Green from Adagio Teas enters the scene. As soon as I saw this lonely tea sachet in the midst of my loose leaf tea stash, I knew this was the tea for me.
I promptly filled my Libre Tea with ice, freshly filtered water and popped the tea sachet into the infuser. Waited about 30 minutes and took my first sip. Refreshing citrus green tea happily greeted me.
Refreshing green tea with a hint of a citrus note eagerly greeted me. With only cold brewing the tea for a short span of time, the flavors were not allowed to really settle and develop. But what I had, I did like. Crisp Green tea with hints here and there of a combination of orange, lime, and lemon. I think with this being a citrus flavored tea, an addition of a dash of mint would really escalate the tea and I plan to do just that the next time I find myself with this particular tea blend. Even with the more subtle tea flavors, this tea hit the spot and I would have no problem picking some more up to properly cold brew and yield the fullest flavor I can.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Green tea from China with the delicate flavors of lemon and lime. A happy marriage of great taste and proven health benefits. Just the right touch of citrus flavors to liven up the cup. Makes a light and refreshing drink that’s popular both hot and iced. If you are new to green tea, this lightly flavored tea may be a good place to start. Full-leaf tea in portable, individually wrapped bags – superior taste and maximum convenience.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Anhui Maojian from Tea Runners. . . . .
This is a green with a bite. It has a pleasant, slightly sweet vegetal tartness that’s surprising and unexpected. The description on the tea’s site describes this exciting sensation as “a lively and vibrant piquancy,” a phrase that I am bitter about not having created myself. The person who wrote it is a scholar.
This isn’t a neutral, pleasant green that fades into the background. It has a distinct personality. It won’t take no for an answer. It’s in charge of your attention. Every time I sip it here at my desk, I glance over at my mug in surprise. Aha! Yes! THIS GUY! STILL DELIGHTING THE SENSES.
When Jewel Staite (Space Cases/Firefly actress) started up Tea Runners, I wanted to be hype about it. I loved this actress — but did I love her taste in tea? Obviously, she probably has advisors and experts that help her with the company. But still. I wasn’t sure. My brother got me a month to be nice (his personality is a good one), and I’ve loved both of the teas I’ve tried so far. (There are 4 in each subscription). GOOD ON HER. So I’m happy to endorse what I’ve tried of Tea Runners.
I’m ALSO happy to endorse Space Cases and Firefly. They are late 90s/early 2000s science fiction. If you get nothing else from this post, just know: television in the pre-HBO era was a SIMPLER TIME. A delightful, innocent time. Pure, like this tea. Get on board.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Runners
Description
This lovely green tea from the Anhui province in China is not only pleasant to look at– its young leaves are touched with mao jian or “downy tips”– but it also brews to a lively and vibrant piquancy. We love the fresh green grass scent and the slightly sweet umami finish in its taste, a welcome combination that makes this green one to savour.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Tea With Jasmine from Taylors of Harrogate. . . .
My daughter has recently gone mad for Taylor’s of Harrogate Green Tea with Jasmine. When an opportunity came up to review it, how could I pass it up? I don’t do many tea bag teas, but I love jasmine and I want to see what all the fuss is about.
These bags are individually wrapped – a MUST for freshness, in my opinion – and when I turned the wrapper over to tear it, I saw prominently printed on the back, “We are a member of Ethical Tea Partnership.” Okay, points from the start!
The instructions say that for a perfect cup I should boil fresh water and let cool for one minute, then infuse for one to two minutes. Since I have a variable temp kettle, I heated the water to 175F and infused for two minutes because I am a brave soul.
Steeped in my biggest, fanciest mug, I am not disappointed. I am being treated to an event of spa-like proportions. This is not green tea scented with artificial jasmine flavor, but rather green tea leaves that have been mixed with jasmine flowers and left to infuse with the flavor overnight.
I understand why my daughter loves this one and buys it in bulk now. It is easy to make at work, eco-friendly packaging, and it is a really decent cup of tea. It has just enough of the green tea flavor to make it a nice pairing with lunch, and enough sweetness and smoothness to make it very drinkable on its own. It lacks the sour taste that so many bagged jasmine greens have. This is a great choice for easy to make, easy to drink tea. No sweeteners needed, and doesn’t need milk to soften any astringency.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Taylors of Harrogate
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chai Houjicha from 52Teas. . . .
I like me a mellow chai. I like roasted green teas. And I often enjoy 52teas’ blends. So I was very pleased to receive a generous taster pouch sample of this blend. It has not disappointed!
The dry leaf smells of clove, cinnamon, and a hint of pepper. Brewed up, it smells of clove and cinnamon. The dominant flavor is the roastiness of the hojicha, with a hint of cinnamon and the lingering bite of clove. Adding rice milk really makes this dreamy. It adds a sweetness and touch of creaminess that just perfectly complements the mellow spices, highlights the roasted note, and smooths out the clove. I tried adding honey for the sake of being comprehensive, but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. This blend consistently delivers a solid second steep. I have also found that the caffeine kick here seems to be pretty mild, so I can have it later in the day than most other caffeinated teas. Overall, this is a mild but flavorful chai that is perfect for a chilly afternoon.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Anji Bai from Teasenz. . . .
In Texas, and the south in general, you can never count on one weather season staying around for too long. One day we’ll have highs in the 80s then we’ll be back to the 40s and 50s.
When I tried the Anji Bai blend, it was one of those weeks where the area couldn’t decide what season it wanted to be in. I was ready for warmth, but at 2:00pm I wanted something a bit lighter than my standard black tea. This brew created a mild color, closer to a true green when compared with the tan that many green teas create in your cup. There was a mild fresh aroma and it was reminiscent of a floral arrangement in the spring.
I’m very glad I selected this particular cuppa because it will be a great tea for when it is hot outside, but you still want a hot cup of tea.
The mild flavor works in this blend’s favor nicely. I was able to enjoy this both with and without a sweetener and I believe you could leave it to your personal preference on how you’d prefer to prepare your cuppa.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Teasenz
Description
Fresh and creamy soft with notes of citrus and nuts. From Anji, the town of dense bamboo forests and tea cultivation, comes this Anji Bai Cha, one of the rarest of all Chinese teas. With long, delicate, vivid green leaves, Anji white tea is beautiful in every sense of the word. A green tea connoisseur’s dream.
