Cotton Candy/The NecessiTeas- VariaTEA-

by VariaTEA

I have heard such amazing things about this tea. It seems to be loved by so many people on Instagram and it has taken years for me to get my hands on some since it always seems to be sold out. However, our sister, CuppaGeek came through for me with a sample of this tea.

I brewed the sample per the NecessiTeas recommended steeping parameters. I steeped the tea in boiling water for 5 minutes. The smell of cotton candy filled the air.

I think it is safe to say that given the hype and the smell, I had pretty high expectations going in. Unfortunately, it did fall a bit short for me. It’s top note is definitely a sugary candy. It could be cotton candy but it could also be pixie sticks. It’s a nostalgic flavor. However, it is not the only flavor. There is a lot more fruitiness here that I did not expect. Under the sugary top note, I am getting a lot of the apple flavor. That apple flavor is a touch waxy and thus distracting.

At the end of the day, this has a bunch of potential and I can definitely see why people enjoy it. However, I would want to explore some other steeping parameters and brewing techniques to coax out more of the cotton candy while toning down the fruitier notes.

Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Herbal/Fruit Tisane

Where to Buy:  The NecessiTeas

Description

Ohh Sugar Sugar

Cotton Candy reminds me of the county fair. The long strands of pink and blue spun sugar are a special treat. My kids and I have always been fans of the sugary novelty which inspired me to create a tea blend that would be just as delicious and sweet.

 

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

VariaTEA

Hey there! My name is Rachel. I’m a twenty-something from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who loves dogs and has a bit of an obsession with tea. As a child I hated the stuff since all I ever knew was Red Rose (no offense to Red Rose). However, a few years ago that all changed. I was on a diet and desperate for new flavors without adding calories and that’s when I turned to tea. I started off by going to DAVIDsTEA and Teavana for all their dessert-inspired flavors, and since I didn’t know any better, I bought 100 grams each of about twenty-something different teas. This was okay for the teas I liked but for those I didn’t I needed to find some way of getting rid of them. Enter Steepster.com. This is where I met some incredible tea friends, discovered tea swaps, and learned of so many amazing tea companies. My desire to try all the teas grew and since joining three years ago I have tried over a thousand different teas. I have learned what ingredients I love and I have learned what flavors I don’t like. I determined my go-to brewing method is Western-style with no added milk or sweeteners, though I also enjoy cold brewing, iced teas, teapops, lattes, and smoothies. I have yet to brew gong-fu style but I hope to do so just as soon as I get the proper teaware to do it. About a year ago, I actually stopped drinking tea but as my stash of over 200 teas started aging I decided I needed to respark my interest. I chose to take a 365 days of tea challenge on Instagram in which I post a new tea picture every day. So far it has been rather successful as I find myself drinking (and buying) more and more tea each day. Plus it enabled CuppaGeek to find me and invite me here to SororiTea Sisters.

This post was posted in Fruit/Herbal Tisane, The NecessiTeas

Bubblegum/The NecessiTeas – Ashmanra-

by ashmanra

It is hot and humid and hasn’t been a very fun day. Harrumph. I looked to my samples stash to find something light to cheer me up. Bubblegum sounded perfect!

This is a green tea with long, lightweight leaves and my second teaspoonful had a REAL GUMBALL in it! Be sure you scoop enough leaf for this one or go by weight instead of spoonfuls, leaving the gumball off the scale!

The instructions says to use water “just under boiling” but I went with my usual green tea temp and used 175F water for three minutes. Of course when I retrieved the infuser basket from the pot, I had to check to see what happened to the gumball! The color and hard coating were gone and a smaller sticky globe was there. Perhaps hotter water would have melted it entirely.

I drank a cup of this hot, and it was good, fruity, but not really screaming GUMBALL at me. It was just a pleasantly fruity green tea with a very light sour or brisk edge barely there. I didn’t add anything to it.

I put the rest of the tea in the fridge to chill for supper. I think I like it even better this way. The edge I tasted when it was hot is gone, and I am left with a light, refreshing, fruity green tea. I have enough leaf left for one more pot, and I will go unsweetened iced tea all the way with the balance of it.

 

Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type: Green

Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas

Description

We all remember that sweet pink bubblegum flavor as a kid. Contests with your best friend to see who could blow the biggest bubble and then having it pop and stick to your entire face. Chewing it for hours until our jaws ached or falling asleep with it in our mouth which meant waking up with a big sticky mess in our hair! This blend takes me back to all those childhood memories and will be loved by adults and children of all ages. Feel free to steep the actual gum balls or pop one in your mouth and work on your bubble blowing skills while your tea is steeping!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

*gifted in exchange for review*

ashmanra

I am a music teacher, tutor, and former homeschool mom (25 years!) who started drinking loose leaf tea about seven years ago! My daughters and I have tea every day, and we are frequently joined by my students or friends for “tea time.” Now my hubby joins us, too. His tastes have evolved from Tetley with milk and sugar to mostly unadorned greens and oolongs. We have learned so much history, geography, and culture in this journey. My avatar is a mole in a teacup! Long story…

This post was posted in Green Tea, The NecessiTeas

Carnival Candy Crackle from Tickled Tea. . . .

by VariaTEA

I discovered Tickled Tea in the summertime which meant I got to take advantage of their limited edition summertime blends. Among those was Carnival Candy Crackle, a rooibos with candy pearls AND crackling candy that had my inner child adding it to the cart before I could stop it (her? me?).

I discovered Tickled Tea in the summertime which meant I got to take advantage of their limited edition summertime blends. Among those was Carnival Candy Crackle, a rooibos with candy pearls AND crackling candy that had my inner child adding it to the cart before I could stop it (her? me?).

Due to the initial let down, I let this sample float around my tea stash as I reached for other teas to drink. It was not until a friend mentioned that she enjoyed this as a cold brew that I decided to use up the last of my sample and give this tea another taste.

After cold steeping overnight, this tea is finally ready to drink. As I sip on this cold tea, I can confidently say this is an improvement from the hot tea. The rooibos is much more subdued which allows for the sugary sweet flavor you’d expect from carnival candy crackle to take over. There is still a bit of a fruity/berry note but candy is definitely better captured in the cold brew than the hot tea.

With that said, though this is an improvement, this tea is still just a sugary water drink and thus, as an adult, not something I need to revisit. It was fun to try and the crackle candy in the leaf makes for a bit of a fun auditory experience when you brew this but that is where the fun ends.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy:  Tickled Tea
Description

This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

VariaTEA

Hey there! My name is Rachel. I’m a twenty-something from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who loves dogs and has a bit of an obsession with tea. As a child I hated the stuff since all I ever knew was Red Rose (no offense to Red Rose). However, a few years ago that all changed. I was on a diet and desperate for new flavors without adding calories and that’s when I turned to tea. I started off by going to DAVIDsTEA and Teavana for all their dessert-inspired flavors, and since I didn’t know any better, I bought 100 grams each of about twenty-something different teas. This was okay for the teas I liked but for those I didn’t I needed to find some way of getting rid of them. Enter Steepster.com. This is where I met some incredible tea friends, discovered tea swaps, and learned of so many amazing tea companies. My desire to try all the teas grew and since joining three years ago I have tried over a thousand different teas. I have learned what ingredients I love and I have learned what flavors I don’t like. I determined my go-to brewing method is Western-style with no added milk or sweeteners, though I also enjoy cold brewing, iced teas, teapops, lattes, and smoothies. I have yet to brew gong-fu style but I hope to do so just as soon as I get the proper teaware to do it. About a year ago, I actually stopped drinking tea but as my stash of over 200 teas started aging I decided I needed to respark my interest. I chose to take a 365 days of tea challenge on Instagram in which I post a new tea picture every day. So far it has been rather successful as I find myself drinking (and buying) more and more tea each day. Plus it enabled CuppaGeek to find me and invite me here to SororiTea Sisters.

This post was posted in Tickled Tea

Timid Red from Tea Taxi. . . .

by SuperStarling

Tea Taxi is one of those tea companies I hear about all the time, but I’m not sure I’ve ever tried. They have a bunch of fun looking mixes, complete with sprinkles and cute names.

Today’s pick was Timid Red, which I mostly reached for because there are little red hearts in it. Cute! In addition to the tea, this mix rocks “Candy (sugar, cornstarch, cellulose gum), natural flavors, sunflower, safflower, [and] calendula.” CANDY AS THE FIRST INGREDIENT?

The flavor itself is mostly vanilla with a kick of grenadine and a very light floral note.

It’s a savory and sweet mix that’s pretty strong, which I love. (Watery tea is the bane of my existence.) I’m not sure why it’s called “Timid Red,” since it’s fairly bold. Maybe the vanilla is supposed to be sweet (ergo timid)?

I disagree with this assessment. I think that this red is a go-getter. It’s SASSY.

The only beef I have with this tea is the company’s slightly confusing branding system. On the sample-size bag, each type of tea comes with an animal symbol instead of one universal Tea Taxi symbol. So my sample came with a stag and “Rouge Timide” on the front, and I had to Google what it was and work my way backwards. I don’t think that the full-size bags have that issue, thankfully.

If you’re reading this, Tea Taxi friends: j’adore votre thé, mais votre emballage est confusant. Merci pour votre temps.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black
Where to Buy:  Tea Taxi
Description

The delicate aromas of vanilla and pomegranate in this black tea may well remind you of your first pangs of love. Close your eyes and let yourself go…

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

SuperStarling

"Hey, everybody! I'm Leah, a graphic designer from Pennsylvania, United States. I live with my husband and rescue mutt in a house with colorful walls. I love fonts, colors, animals, flowers, novels, illustration, geeking out, and -- obviously! -- tea. I've only been heavily into tea for about a year, but I've found I tend to prefer loose blended black dessert teas. I normally drink them hot western style without anything added; if I add in some vanilla almond milk or honey, I promise I'll mention it! When I'm not blogging here, I'm blogging at leahlucci.com/starling or posting to Instagram (super_starling), so come say hi!"

This post was posted in Black Tea, Tea Taxi

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot – Hot Mama from Tea and Tins

by MrsPremise

Cinnamon comes in two common forms when it comes to tea.  There’s the natural, cinnamon-stick flavor, which is warm and spicy, and slightly floral, evoking the smell of baked-goods and breakfast.

And then there’s the cinnamon candy flavor, which is hot, hot, hot like flaming Fireball candies or like red cinnamon chewing gum.  I like both kinds of cinnamon, natural and artificial, but I always find it helpful to know which kind of cinnamon I’m getting into before I take a sip.

Expecting one and tasting the other is not always a pleasant experience.

Let it be known: Hot Mama from Tea and Tins tastes like blazing cinnamon candy!  Even double-sealed behind zip bags, I can smell the cinnamon in this tea buzzing into my nose when I walk by my tea shelf.

In the dry leaf or brewed, this tea tastes like Hot Tamale candies, warm in temperature and in sensation.  As a fan of Hot Tamale and Fireball candies, I enjoy the saturated, artificial cinnamon taste of this tea and it feels marvelous down my dry throat on a cold winter day.

This is a perfect tea when you need something fierce and fiery.  The cinnamon in this blend goes beyond the usual kick of chai spices.  It’s so hot, it might rival some of the teas out there seasoned with hot chili spices.

Ay caramba!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea & Tins
Description:

Loose leaf black tea, super hot and spicy! For cinnamon lovers!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

MrsPremise

Growing up, I drank herbal teas like fresh ginger tea during New England's harsh winters and iced blueberry tea during its humid summers. Over time, I was tempted into trying a wider variety of loose leaf teas by the fandom-themed blends available online. I have since gone on to design my own blends, and I greatly enjoy drafting up flavor ideas and drawing tea labels. When I'm not thinking about tea I can be found reading novels and comic books, playing video games, or watching movies; my favorite genres being history, humor, sci-fi, and fantasy. Generally, I prefer bold teas: spicy chais, rich black teas, even smoky lapsang souchong on occasion. But I have also dabbled in herbal rooibos, flavored oolongs, and traditional matcha. I'm glad to be expanding my palette by tasting and reviewing new teas and blends. Find me on Steepster: http://steepster.com/A2shedsjackson Fandom blends: http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/list.html?userId=292149

This post was posted in Black Tea, Tea and Tins