This is intriguing! Bancha usually refers to Japanese tea, specifically the second harvest from the same tea bushes that produce sencha. Bancha is considered to be an every day tea grade rather than something to reserve for special occasions, so I am drinking this as my after brunch cup.
This tea is harvested in China but is processed like Japanese bancha. The leaves are not terribly long – not like Hou Kui – but they are similar in that they are pressed flat. They are quite dark green in color.
The steeped tea is a rich gold color, not pale at all. It looks a lot like apple juice! My first sip gave the impression of mint, but the more I drink, the more I realize it is a very light briskness that builds over time. It is not creamy, buttery, or very vegetal. It is not sour when sipping. There is a bit of mineral flavor. By halfway through the cup, my tongue is feeling rather dry. And dry makes you want to drink more.
As is so often true of brisk tea, the follow up to the sip is a slight rising sweetness. There is only a hint of that here and it seems to come and go, being the most noticeable in the very back of the throat. Once the aftertaste establishes itself, though, it does linger well.
With its palate cleansing tendencies, I think this is a tea I would serve with or immediately after a meal. It is not a favorite for me, as I tend to like highly vegetal or buttery green tea, but is the sort of thing my daughter loves.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Herbie Organic
Description
Green tea produced by combining the best Chinese and Japanese tea making traditions. Grown on the northern side of the River Yangtze at altitudes of up to 250 meters, pressed and long leaves give this green tea light and gentle taste and a mild character.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Matcha from Kiss Me Organics. . .
I’ve always had an affinity for matcha, but in recent months, I’ve become a bit obsessed. Like many of my tea-loving sisters, I stash the hot brews away for the summer as soon as it starts to warm up, but there’s still a part of me that longs for a tasty, un-iced cuppa from time to time. Black teas seem too heavy for this distinction in the summer, but fresh and vegetal matcha hits the perfect notes.
I’m not enough of a matcha expert to really be able to tell the finest distinctions between brands, but I can vouch that this one is right up there with some of my favorites: finely milled, fresh, bright and vegetal taste, and blends beautifully into my drink of choice (either straight in water, as a latte, or if I’m feeling really fun– iced!). A bonus– it’s organic! If this is something that’s important to you like it is to me, this is a great choice. If you’re looking for a matcha powder that hits all the right notes and won’t let you (erm– or your cup) down, this is a solid choice.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Kiss Me Organics
Description
Our Japanese-grown, 100% certified organic, Culinary Grade Matcha powder contains 137x the antioxidants of brewed green tea. Matcha is a potent antioxidant and consuming it can increase thermogenesis (the rate at which our body burns calories) by 30 to 50%. Our green tea powder contains a potent amino acid, L-Theanine, that helps reduce stress while providing a steady energy boost (for up to 6 hours), without the caffeine crash. KissMeOrganics Culinary grade matcha is made from 100% certified organic ingredients and comes in a BPA-FREE Packaging with resealable zipper pouch. Ideal for blending, baking and cooking.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lime Jello from 52Teas. . . .
A friend of mine won a giveaway hosted by 52 Teas awhile ago. The perk of my friend winning the giveaway is that I still got to try the teas she won without adding too much to my ever growing stash of teas. Among her winnings was this Lime Jello Green Tea.
Lime Jello Green Tea is made up of a blend of green teas, lime leaves, limes, pineapples, marshmallow root and natural flavors. It smells like…well, lime jello. Now I have never been the biggest jello fan but the smell of jello powder, with its artificial and candy-like fruit scents, has always appealed to me so this tea captured my nose and with that, my attention.
As I drink the tea, I definitely get lime candy though it is not as in-your-face pungent as the smell of the dry leaf would suggest. Then again, the taste of jello is never as strong as the smell of the powder so I can’t be too upset about that. In addition to the lime, I get a touch of bitterness from the green tea base that I feel keeps this grounded while the marshmallow root makes this come off light, like any jello-inspired tea should be.
One thing that surprised me about this blend is that there is a creaminess here that I wasn’t expecting. Even more surprising is how this tea manages to stay light even with the creamy element, which is much more commonly found in heavier/richer dessert teas.
Lime Jello is not something I would have ever thought I wanted made into a tea but now that I have had it, I will say that I approve. It is bright and fun and a great treat for warmer days.
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!
Mint Lemonade Organic Green Tea from Fraser Tea. . . .
Fraser Tea was one of my favorite “new to me” tea companies from 2017. I instantly fell in love with their teas and loved the selection they have to pick from. A few orders later, I’m still enjoying their teas almost on a daily basis.
Mint Lemonade Organic Green Tea is a unique blend of green tea, spearmint, turmeric, and other organic ingredients. I can’t say I’ve seen another offering like this one for a green flavored mint lemonade tea. So this pretty much was a “I have to have this now” sort of tea.
Brewed up with water around 190F and allowed to steep for 4 minutes, this tea definitely strives to be a mint green tea with a lemon and herbal twist. Smooth, refreshing, and completely addictive. The green tea, lemon, and mint flavors come across in this wonderful melody. As much as I enjoyed the tea, with the long list of ingredients this tea blend contains, I had this feeling that cold brewing this bad boy would be the way to go.
Cold brewed over night, this tea is sensational! Fresh pops of lemon really come across with this minty green tea base. You get this almost herbaceous and spicy hint here and there that really elevated this tea. Sunshine in a glass for sure!
If you haven’t taken a look at all that Fraser Tea has to offer, take a moment and check them out. So far I have been super impressed with the teas I’ve picked up. I have to drink down my tea stash a bit but as soon as I do, Fraser Tea will be getting another order from me.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Fraser Tea
Description
Enjoy a glass of invigorating Mint Lemonade Organic Green Tea for a pleasing summer refresher any time of year. Green tea unites with spearmint, peppermint, turmeric, and lemongrass to create a citrus explosion. Relax with a glass of iced Mint Lemonade Organic Green Tea for its health benefits and refreshing flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sun & Cloud Mist from 52Teas. . . .
I’ve had about three travel containers of this iced by the time I got around to writing this. One arts festival, one movie, and one lunch. And I’ve enjoyed all three!
This tea, though not currently available, is one to keep an eye out for, since it appears to come and go from 52Teas’ site occasionally. It’s a green tea that tastes like sugary lemon.
You know how you go to arts festivals or carnivals and get thirsty? So you pay $6 for a big plastic cup of handmade lemonade? They grind up the lemons in front of you then unapologetically throw huge spoonfuls of sugar in there before handing it to you? And you’re like “HERE COMES THE DIABETES AND I DON’T EVEN CARE”?
This tastes just like that! Minus the health consequences.
In fact, this might even be a little bit GOOD for you, since it contains green tea. I could go on at length about the alleged benefits of green tea, but you’ve probably already seen Dr Oz (or perhaps even reputable medical professionals) talk about it.
Green tea is ESPECIALLY healthy when juxtaposed against soda, the vice I am continually trying to quit. (Fun activity suggestion: go back through my posts and try to figure out the percentage of them that I mention soda.)
So thanks, 52Teas, for giving me this sample! It’s saved my teeth and innards from at least three bouts with the fizzy stuff. And I have enough left in the bag for a few more rounds! Time to take this tea on more travels!
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.
