We at SororiTea Sisters love all things fall! So today we are fanatic about fall!!
I’m not sure why I jumped into a Chai phase abruptly – perhaps it’s because Fall is finally here – whatever the reasoning I recently busted open a bag of Lapsang Chai from Bluebird Tea Co.
I’m always interested in teas that have that ‘little extra something’ so when I saw that Lapsang Chai from Bluebird Tea Co contained India Assam Tea, Lapsang Souchong Black Tea, and Chai Spice I knew I had to try it! Indian Black Assam AND Lapsang Souchong? Yes, please!
Dry – I could smell the Lapsang right away and then the chai spices. Wet – I could smell less of both but they seemed more even and equal to each other after infusing. Lapsang Chai from Bluebird Tea Co brews to a dark brown – just as I assumed it would.
Lapsang Chai from Bluebird Tea Co is a really nice cuppa! It’s spicy but not overly-so. It oddly has a smoothness it to that I wasn’t expecting but found comforting along side the spices. Pine, smoke, ginger, and clove join hands with the blended black tea base. I really like Bluebird’s twist on this chai! VERY Well Done!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Description
We like to do things a bit differently at Bluebird. Our latest infusion is a thoughtful blend of Lapsang Souchong, malty Assam + aromatic masala chai spices. A BREWtiful blend of tea + culture alike!
Indian Assam tea, lapsang souchong black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, red peppercorns.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Masala Chai from Hope and Glory
We’ve been having some tropical weather lately, so today was much cooler and rainier than usual for this time of year. I do appreciate cool weather when I can get it, especially because after a few days/weeks/months of summer I get tired of not being able to have any hot tea after 8AM without overheating and getting a migraine. So to celebrate the great rainy weather, I decided to have a big mug of milky chai right in the middle of the day; and fortunately for me, I was lucky enough to have a sample of Hope & Glory’s organic masala chai on hand!
The back of the sample packet said to simmer the tea with milk and water for 5-10 minutes, so that’s what I did. (I know this means my review won’t be much use to people who can’t drink milk, and I apologize. I once tried to make my lactose-intolerant brother a chai latte but I was unprepared to adapt to using soymilk and to make a long story short, he probably still dislikes spiced chai. But I digress.) I then strained it into my tall latte mug and added a few teaspoons of sugar and a little cream.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Hope and Glory
Description
A full-bodied blend of organic Ceylon black tea and spices, Masala Chai derives from the Hindi literally meaning ‘mixed-spice tea’. Spices such as cardamom and cinnamon have been expertly blended to give a warming, rich blend of flavours and a sweet aroma.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tupelo Honey Chai from Tupelo Honey Tea
One of my coworkers (a true blessed angel upon this earth) brought in doughnuts this morning, so I decided I’d round out the experience with a Brand New Tea! Heck yes. Good day.
Today’s breakfast pastry accompaniment comes from Tupelo Honey Teas. This company is in the same area as my in-laws — a little village you might have heard of — Pittsburgh, PA. They’ve got a football team. I hear it’s pretty good.
You’d think that football people and tea people are different, but apparently not, because Tupelo has a Yinzer Line that includes a Steelers tea . I might have to pick some of this up for my mother-in-law.
The tea I’m specifically trying today is the Honey Chai.
This one’s calibrated to be less aggressive than normal chai, so it can be steeped without the aid of milk. I have, accordingly, not added any milk.
Conclusion: it’s great! I usually think chai tries too hard, but this one’s definitely a milder version, as promised. It’s sweet and tasty without grabbing the back of my throat and throttling it. It tastes like a gingerbread cookie! I could definitely see this one making its way into my regular rotation.
Yinz will probably like it, too. You’ll wave your Terrible Towels in happiness.
(Original Artwork by our own Super Starling!)
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tupelo Honey Teas
Description
Each 1oz bag makes approximately 16 cups of tea at a cost of $0.56 per cup.
Chai Tea is all the rage and this tea is no exception. Blended for the owner’s mom, it has quickly become one of Tupelo Honey Teas’ biggest sellers. This Chai is simple yet flavorful. It can be steeped traditionally with milk or just in water.
A Tupelo Honey Teas Blend.
This tea has also been used to make Chai Tea Cookies. Check out our blog for the recipe!
Steep Temperature: 212 Degrees
Steep Time: 4-5 minutes
Ingredients: Organic Ceylon Black Tea, Organic Cardamom, Organic Clove, Organic Ginger, Organic Cinnamon
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
December Chai By Tea Of Fortunata (Etsy Shop)
Hello Tea Friends!
It is with thanks to CuppaGeek that I am able to try this tea. An exciting winter Chai blend all the way from Canada. Living in Leicester, United Kingdom I do consider myself somewhat of a Chai expert. We boast a large multi-cultural society here and we have the largest Diwali celebrations outside of India. As such with a large Asian community you can find unique family recipe Chai in many restaurants and shops. Since I was young Masala Chai has been a favourite of mine and I have tried hundreds of blends over the years. It is with happiness and joy that I get to try another Chai blend.
This particular Chai blend called December Chai aims to “bring warmth to the tea drinker, no matter what time of year it happens to be” and that is a very sweet sentiment which makes me even happier to drink it.
Opening the sealed sample packet my nose positively tingles at the spiciness. A strong concoction of: clove, cinnamon and licorice with a peppery finish strike the nostrils with their presence. I have no idea of what spices are present though I can definitely see pieces of cinnamon bark in the blend. The black leaves are loosely chopped and thinly rolled.
There are many ways to brew Chai but I will go with a good Western method. Approx 5g of tea blend into 320ml cup using boiling water for 3 minutes. Served with a splash of vegan rice milk. Sweetener is a usual addition but when reviewing I leave it out.
Once steeped the tea bares a strong cinnamon spiciness that matches the raw scent.
The first few sips offer a dry, spicy punch that trickles down my throat with a little cough. Very strong and spicy! The cinnamon and clove like refreshing note are dominant on a medium strength black base that adds depth to the blend. It leaves a fragrant aftertaste. It’s strength is very appealing and is a nice everyday Chai. In fact I think this would be a nice morning Chai because it has that kick to wake you up. It was stated to be a warming blend and I can agree with that, it’s warming and cuts through the crisp, cold air with a glow.
Overall: I am nothing if not honest. This was a nice Chai but lacked a few things for my personal taste. Some cardamom pods would have been a nice touch to lift the dry, cinnamon note that pretty much dominated the blend. While I adore cinnamon it was rather dry which was mostly noticeable in the after taste. Despite that it held it’s own compared to the many Chai blends I have tasted and is similar to some I have had the privilege of trying. While it didn’t get top marks it got better than average and I know I will be enjoying the rest of this in my mug.
Until next time, Happy Steeping!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Leaf with Spices
Where to Buy: Tea Of Fortunata
Description:
Bring the enchantment of December’s twilight into every month of the year. Rejuvenate yourself with this exotic mix of high-grown tea and spices. The fair trade black tea comes from Sri Lanka, while the mix of spices and seeds come from all over the world, mostly from Kerala, India’s spice coast.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Masala Chai from Hope & Glory
I readily admit that I’m not a huge fan of straight chai tea but I do love my chai lattes. I call them a hug in a cup. A couple years ago my hubby bought me a Breville Frother for Christmas. At first I didn’t think I would use it very often, but I have found I use it all the time. I love making my stepsons chai lattes at night while we have our family time. So when Hope & Glory’s Masala Chai showed up at my door, I couldn’t wait to make the kids lattes.
I prepped my milk up and water and set about steeping the tea and frothing the milk. In just a few minutes I had amazing looking lattes that looked like they were from a coffee house. I even sprinkled nutmeg on the top to give the lattes that added flair.
We all eagerly awaited a few moments to let the tea cool and took our first sip. These lattes were amazing! The chai was a subtle yet flavorful blend that gave you all those warming and familiar chai notes. There was a distinct cardamom and clove note in every sip that was sweetened and heightened by the frothed milk and cinnamon flavors. I also added in a quick swirl of honey that helped bring in a sweeter note to combat the spicy tones of the chai blend.
Even tho this tea tasted amazing, what I loved even more was the convenience factor of this blend. Each serving is individually wrapped so that all you have to do is prep your water and pour the tea in. No measuring, no worrying about overleafing the tea pot. Just gorgeous chai tea to enjoy. Doesn’t get easier or tastier than this!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Hope & Glory
Description:
A full-bodied blend of organic Ceylon black tea and spices, Masala Chai derives from the Hindi literally meaning ‘mixed-spice tea’. Spices such as cardamom and cinnamon have been expertly blended to give a warming, rich blend of flavours and a sweet aroma.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
