As some of you may know, I’ve taken a step back from my tea shop to get myself back on track health wise. What some of you might not know- I literally stopped drinking tea all together. I think between being such a huge tea fan and blending my own blends- my taste buds just weren’t feeling tea anymore. So I sadly packed up what tea I had (which was a lot), knowing that one day I would be back at it. . . and I’m happy to say after taking a couple months off- my taste buds are back where they should be.
I wanted to greet my tastebuds with something amazing right from the start and knowing that I had a lot of 52Teas in my stash, I knew Anne’s blends would be exactly where I needed to start my journey back into tea with.
If you aren’t familiar with Anne/52Teas, I implore to check her site out. She literally makes some of the most amazing blends that I’ve ever had and beyond that, she is just an amazing person. I’m quite honored to call her a personal friend as well, tho I never let that cloud my reviews of her blends and she knows that as well :).
Anyway, back to the tea goodness. . .
So over the last few days, I have enjoyed a TON of 52 Teas blends and was able to sipdown a few. Below are my thoughts on these blends that are sipdowns. . .
Blood Orange Butterscotch Black Tea– A blend with Black Tea, Blood Oranges, Calendula Petals & Natural Flavors- This blend, I have to say, was amazing however, I didn’t really pick up on the blood orange or the butterscotch. What I loved was the black tea that Anne used in this blend. The flavor was rich and smooth and even tho I didn’t really pick up any of the flavors, the black tea notes were more than enough for me to call this blend a winner.
Boy! Oh! Boy! Black Tea– A blend with Black Teas, Watermelon and Natural Flavors- To me, watermelon is a flavor best enjoyed cold so I cold brewed this one. That may have been a mistake. I didn’t love the blend and now I’m wondering if I would have enjoyed this one hot- would some of the flavors popped a bit more. . All I really could pick up was watermelon and being not one of my favorite flavors. . this one wasn’t my favorite. Still good.
Michola Chai Black Tea w/Honeybush– I would list the ingredients for this one but there is a laundry list of delights used to make this blend so I will some this one up with saying the normal chai ingredients with marshmallow root, vanilla bean, and honeybush. Let’s just start this note by saying sorry, not sorry. I literally gobbled up all the remaining inventory for this blend earlier this week (I believe and if there is more- I call dibs). This blend is one if not the BEST chai blend I have ever had, and I am not a fan of chais. Brewed up with hot- this blend had notes of chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg. . but want I literally searched for in each and every sip was the awesome ginger notes that stole the show. Not being a huge ginger fan- the amount of love I have for this blend is really interesting. So many flavors that normally I am not all about. I greedily drank/gulped this tea down in no time flat and have to say it is simply amazing. All the ingredients mingle so well. If you have this one in your stash, check it out. You won’t be sorry.
Gooey Butter Cake Black Tea– Black teas, lemon myrtle, calendula petals & natural flavors- Brewed up hot, this tea is literally like sipping on a cake. The cake notes are perfect in the spotlight with the tail end of the sip reminding you this is a black tea. Really delightful and one that I was happy to enjoy. Where I went wrong with this blend was brewing this one cold. Sadly the lemon myrtle took over and I didn’t enjoy the cold brew as much as the hot. Was still good, just not as good as the hot brew.
Walking on Sunshine White Tea– White Tea, lemons, marshmallow root & natural flavor- This white tea blend calls my name over and over. Marshmallow Root, white tea, and lemon are one of my favorite combinations and this tea was no exception. I truly enjoyed this blend hot as well as cold. This blend is currently available on the site and if I was enjoying white teas more, I would have gobbled up all of this blend too.
Ginger Lime Butterfly Tea– Butterfly Pea Flower, Lemongrass, ginger root, limes & natural flavors- Oh this blend. I truly truly love this blend. This blend has been my companion for a while since I cold brewed this delight and just keep adding water. The blend reminds me of a slightly floral, slightly spiced, limeade with chunks of lemon. I don’t really know how else to describe this one. I still have to hot brew the remaining bit I have left over, but cold brewed, this one is a winner.
Grapefruit Creme Brulee Green Tea– Green tea grapefruit, calendula petals, vanilla bean & natural flavors- This one is another sorry not sorry. I also nabbed the remaining inventory of this blend earlier this week because this is the blend that truly sang my name and prompted me to even buy a new tea kettle. This blend has it all- the lovely sweet notes of the vanilla bean, the semi tartness of the grapefruit with the vegetal background of the green tea. I can’t express how much I love this one and I have a feeling this one might be one I beg Anne to reblend for me as a custom order. It truly is that good.
Sipdowns are amazing but can also be sad. It is always nice to make room for new blends but sometimes it is sad to say goodbye. . .especially to blends from 52Teas because once some of these teas are gone. . .they are gone for good. Lucky for me, I have myself a pretty good sized 52Teas order on its way to me.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Herbal/Chai/Black/Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Notes on Beyond Blueberry/Akova -skysamurai-
I’m taking a leap out of my purist comfort zone to taste some cuppas by a new tea company.
The smell immediately pulsates up your nose when you open the bag. The blueberry aroma is like a club playing EDM.
Makes me wonder if we’ll ever see clubbing again…
This wonderful smell prepares you for something amazing in the flavor. Which unfortunately isn’t there.
It is tepid blueberry in flavor. To be honest, the flavor is very bland. Even the black leaf uninspiring.
My suggestion would be to add real blueberries to the blend (freeze dried if possible). Out of curiosity I’ve also steeped it cold to see if that would reveal better flavors. At five minutes it is still bland but something seems to be trying to peek out.
After 10 minutes there is a bit of cream and a bit more fruity. Which makes me wonder if this would be a good overnight iced tea. .
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Akova Teas
Description
Intoxicating black tea with the aroma of wild blueberries.
Ingredients: Black tea*, Elderberry* + Currant pieces*, Hibiscus petals*, Natural flavors (organic compliant)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Easy Cold Brew with Hario Cold Brew Bottles. . .
It’s summer in Ontario, Canada and the days are long, hot and often disgustingly humid. That means cool tea is all the rage. However, iced isn’t the only way to cool your tea down. Cold brewing is a great way to infuse tea into everything from water to milk to lemonade to wine. The sky is the limit and with these cold brew bottles from Amazon, cold brewing is SO EASY!
Prior to owning this kind of bottle, I used to add tea to water bottles and when I was ready to drink them, I’d have to get a filter or gravity steeper to strain out the blend. That meant getting multiple things dirty and often creating a lot more waste than necessary. Then one glorious day Bird and Blend Tea Co had a great sale and a free shipping deal which made this type of bottle from them affordable for a Canadian. It arrived and I was in love because the filter in the lid made enjoying my cold brew so simple. No additional pieces to get dirty, just pour and go. Plus, the wine bottle-like lid shape made pouring a breeze.
Unfortunately, I’m a bit of a butterfingers and the bottle from Bird and Blend met a sad end when I dropped it and it shattered. I was spoiled though and couldn’t be without my cold brew bottles. Ordering from Bird and Blend wasn’t an option between exchange rates, shipping, and the price. That is why I was so happy when I found the same bottle on amazon.ca! And not just the same bottle, but I also found it in a smaller size and a larger size (which was plastic!). I bought all three sizes and have been cold brewing up a storm ever since.
Like I said, the bottles make cold brewing so easy. Just drop in the tea, top it with a liquid and wait for it to infuse. When you’re ready to drink, just pour it out and you’re ready to drink. The filter also separates from the lid making for easy cleaning of each piece.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I do have two minor complaints. Complaint #1 is that depending on the size, these only come as glass bottles and if you’re anything like me, you could end up breaking them. And complaint #2 is that the filter is not as fine as the filters I’m used to so some tea particles might sneak through and end up in your glass. With that said, these cons don’t even come close to the pros of these bottles. Plus, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, getting your hands on these is just a few clicks away!
Want to Know More About This Bottle?
Leaf Type: Teaware
Where to Buy: Amazon
**please note, by purchasing this item through the above picture- you will be participating in the SororiTea Sisters Amazon Affiliate program and help support SororiTea Sisters’ mission to support tea companies**
Sweet Peaches from Blooming With Joy. . . .
We drink a lot of water, but when we are craving flavor we turn to iced tea. Soda bubbles don’t offer the thirst quenching, deep draws from a glass.
The first cold brew iced tea I ever tried tasted as a friend put it like “restaurant tea”. I grew up on sweet tea but have since given up sugar in my hot tea and greatly reduced it in iced tea, with some blends getting no sugar at all.
Making iced tea couldn’t be easier than with these pre-measured pouches. I filled a half gallon (two quart) mason jar with water, threw in a pouch, and put it in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning I had a beautifully clear, deep amber tea that smelled like ripe, juicy peaches. The flavor is light and refreshing. I love the Taiwanese oolong base. I find it “wetter” and smooth going down when you want to guzzle a glass. This is my batch.
Hubby wants his tea sweet and we all know that sugar never dissolves quite right in tea that is already cold. For his batch, I put a little sugar in a jar and added an equal amount of nearly boiling water and stirred like mad. You can as easily add simple syrup, which we generally keep on hand. Then I topped up the jar with cold water and popped in a large sachet. The next day he had his beloved sweet tea on ice. The kids helped him drink it up.
So many flavors to choose from, I don’t know where to start!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Blooming With Joy
Description
Cold Brew Iced Tea is the perfect way to enjoy a cool, refreshing beverage on a warm day. Available in many of your favorite varieties. Cold Brew Iced Tea is easy to make simply pop one pouch in your pitcher, and it will brews cold in your fridge! All it takes is 4-6 hours. Pop in in before bed and awake to find a tea rich in flavor and aroma. You can leave the pouches in for up to 24 hours. Additionally, you can make sun tea by placing the Cold Brew Iced Tea pouch in your sun tea container, it will brew on your porch.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Close Encounters of the Tea Kind from The Goat Tea. . .
We now have that summer time weather in the Midwest and right now it is time to break out all of those teas I’ve been storing away to make cold brew tea. Today, I could think of no better way to end my work week than to enjoy huge mason jar glasses full of The Goat Tea cold brew styled.
Today’s tea of choice came down to literally one word in the ingredient list- rhubarb. I had never had rhubarb until a few weeks ago and I may be slightly obsessed. I have made several rhubarb crisps and bread puddings since. When I saw rhubarb was part of the Close Encounters of the Tea Kind tea blend, I knew that this was the tea for me today.
Today I went a different way with my cold brew today. I filled a mason jar with ice, a few scoops of loose leaf, and then filled with water. I broke out my bombilla filter straw and happily waited a bit until I could see the water was starting to turn a fun purple color. Took my first sip and seriously was this ever a tasty simple no fuss way to brew up some tea!
Pops of brilliant tart, marvelous berry, and sweet citrus notes fill each and every sip. You can tell there is hibiscus in this blend but the hibiscus mingles so well with the berry and citrus inclusions-not to mention the light notes of the honey added. This tea is literally this amazing burst of flavor each and every time you take a sip. I really don’t pick up the green tea or the black tea in the tea I’m currently drinking but I also didn’t leave the tea to really steep and develop how it properly should.
Regardless, I’m insanely in love with the results of this tea and this will be a tea that I’ll be ordering more of in the future. You can’t go wrong with having this delight in your tea stash for some amazing cold brew with the warmer months ahead. This tea was literally made for summer months with the bright flavors. Maybe one day I’ll try the tea hot, but for now. . .excuse me while I add more water to my glass to enjoy more tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green/Black
Where to Buy: The Goat Tea
Description
Encounter this delicious blend of green and black teas, capturing the tastes of rhubarb, raspberry and honey. Great hot or cold!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!