A friend sent me some samples of Ginger Lemon Zest recently, and since the bags were so huge and plump with all the goodies inside I pulled out a gallon pitcher thinking that these must make two quarts each, or at least one quart with the possibility of resteeping. Fortunately, I decided to look up the instructions online before boiling my water because each bag is good for just eight to ten ounces! I had to look twice to be sure I wasn’t misreading that!
I used two bags and twenty ounces of water. When I pulled the bags out of the steeping cup, they were limp little bundles with very little left in them! Wow! That’s because much of what had filled the bag was the granulated honey infused with the ginger flavor.
The resulting brew looks like cloudy tea because this herbal mixture has LOTS of honey granules. Have no fear, it is not overly sweet.
I drank a small cup hot before bedtime to help with the reflux and heartburn issues I have been having lately and put the rest in the fridge.
This is really ginger forward, very warm but not unpleasantly hot and spicy, and nicely sweet from the honey. So convenient for carrying with you to work where a jar of honey might make a mess! The lemon myrtle is very light and more on the back of the sip, much gentler than citrus would be, with ginger rising again and lingering after. This would be brilliant to have around for colds and sore throats, not just tender tummies.
I enjoyed this as a relaxing bedtime cuppa but as a Southern gal in the dog days of summer, I am seriously looking forward to mixing this half and half with my sweet black tea on lots of ice!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: True Honey Teas
Description
Our Ginger Lemon Zest is more than just a delicious tea – its an experience. Upon the first sip, you are hit with a bold ginger taste that fills your senses – we infuse only real ginger into the honey granules in its natural form. Real ginger is a delight, and you truly feel a healthy zest in this all natural blend. After the burst of ginger, your pallet is soothed with lemon undertones brought out by Australian Lemon Myrtle. As with all our blends, the Ginger Lemon Zest is paired with honey granules to offer sweet finishing notes
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Honey Bee Black from Pekoe Sip House. . . .
Today has been a bit of a lazy day spent inventorying my teas. I can get quite overwhelmed at times and for some reason it is calming to go through my stash, note which teas I still have in large quantities, which are almost done, which have maybe aged past their prime, and so on. It just helps me wrap my head around what’s hiding in my tea drawers and gives me a sense of control for some aspect of my life. Of course, no tea inventorying would be complete without a cup of tea to keep me company.
Honey Bee Black by Pekoe Sip House is today’s companion. It combines black tea, honey, honey bee pollen, vanilla, and caramel flavor. I brewed this per the recommended steeping parameters, letting the tea steep for 3 minutes in boiling water. I gave it a little time to cool and then got to sipping…
The scent of the steeped tea has a clear honey aroma and though that comes through in taste, it is a bit more subdued than the scent would suggest. That is probably because there is more than just honey happening in this cup. The black base comes through loud and clear with a malt that acts as the perfect foundation for the honey flavor. Together, they do bring out notes of vanilla caramel nearing the end of the sip.
What surprises me here is that this is not as sweet as you’d expect. The flavors are all there but none really jump out. On one hand that makes for a smooth tea that is easy to drink while trying to do other things and on the other hand, it can also be a bit boring.
Ultimately there is nothing wrong with this tea. In fact, it can be quite enjoyable. However, it is not something that stands out to me or something that I need to have again and again. It is a solid honey black option that I could see resteeping well but solid isn’t great and when you have the amount of teas I do, great is what you want
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Pekoe Sip House
Description
An unparalleled combination of sweet and malty black tea with honey and honeybee pollen. Sweet and satisfying on the palate for an afternoon delicate or robust enough to enjoy as a morning cup. Add a sweetener and milk of your choice to make it your own perfect cup. We recommend serving hot and tasting with multiple infusions.
Ingredients: Black tea, honey, honey
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Decaf Earl Grey from True Honey Teas
True Honey Teas blends its teas with natural honey granules to brew in added sweetness. This one is a decaf earl grey tea, black tea with bergamot citrus and vanilla. I’m glad I tried this, I would not have normally added honey to my earl grey but I like this combination.
The lemon and honey are a classic combination, bright and sweet in equal parts. The tea is rich and full of flavor despite being decaf, and the vanilla pumps up the honey smoothness.
True Honey Teas are perfect for those of you with a sweet tooth, or those who love honey in their tea. The dried honey granules give you a way to store your tea dry, pre-sweetened. Definitely worth a try if you are curious. A fun new take on earl grey.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: True Honey Teas
Description: 24 Decaf Earl Grey Tea Bags With All-Natural Honey Granules
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Honey Bear from East Indies Coffee & Tea. . . . . .
I first had this at a child’s birthday party and totally wasn’t paying attention. I was like “I’m gonna TAKE NOTES in my SKETCHBOOK and write an ELOQUENT POST UPON MY RETURN.” But then I got sucked into pizza! cake! balloons! reading children’s books aloud! putting outfits on toys! The only thing I vaguely remembered was the thought that I wanted MORE HONEY from the tea.
So this time I made it again, carefully, at home, with zero distractions* and a tiny half-spoonful of honey.
*Except for my dog trying to jump on the couch and falling off. I laughed.
This is a really tasty sweet mix. There’s the honey in the tea, plus the honey I added, plus this roasty, mellow, underlying mate.
A good mate is like hardwood floors. They’re a classy base for whatever you’re putting on top. Are you going to get some classic furniture? Some showy furniture? Everything looks good on hardwood floors.
If I were to continue this metaphor (and there’s nothing I love more), the honey in this tea is the big puffy couch with lots of pillows that rests on that floor. It’s straight-up hygge.*
* That’s the Scandanavian word for sitting around drinking tea in a blanket, enjoying the comforts of winter.
So take it easy, Internet. Drink some honey with your honey tea and just devote the afternoon to enjoyment.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: East Indies Coffee & Tea
Description
- honey taste with teddy bear sprinkles and flavoring
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Breakfast from TEABOX
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: TEABOX
Tea Description:
A harmonious blend, this is the kind of tea you turn to when you need a hearty cup before the start of a day.
Beaming with smooth, sweet flavors of dates and honey, and refreshing bite of coriander, every sip satiates you a little more than the next. It has just the right amount of astringency to toggle the smoothness of the tea without distorting the balance, rendering, thus, a gratifying experience.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
If you are looking for one of those eye opening brisk teas to drink in the morning, look no further! This tea is exactly what you are looking for!
Organic Breakfast is a really nice solid breakfast/anytime tea that gets your blood pumping. The caffeine is pretty high in this delight but wow is it ever tasty!
I brewed this tea up per the instructions on the pouch and was excited to try it out. The malty almost bread like notes were making me eager to try the first sip!
I was greeted with sweet bread like notes of honey. Almost a malted bread honey if that makes any sense. This is one of those teas that gives you that whole mouth feel. Really good and was hitting the spot this morning. Definitely perked me up!
Word to the wise tho, this tea becomes incredibly astringent when it cools. To the point where I had trouble drinking it. If I hadn’t been at work, this tea wouldn’t have even had a chance to cool. I would have gobbled it up right away!
