Strawberry teas are favorites with my crowd and we love how well they pair with chocolate and decadent desserts. Some of the ones we have tried have been very finicky and others forgiving. I think this one might fall in the somewhat finicky category, but I didn’t realize it at first.
This is a Ceylon base, and I usually find Ceylon tea to be still palatable at four minutes steep time, but this one says to only give it three. I do prefer low grown Ceylon to high, as the high elevation tea tends to have strong lemon notes and higher astringency.
When I first tried this tea, it was with cookies. It went very well with them and the strawberry flavor was a good strength. I was pretty shocked to see reviews ALL OVER THE PLACE. Too tart, too dry, too astringent. Not enough strawberry, not enough tea flavor. Then others said it was their perfect strawberry tea, there was plenty of tea flavor, their favorite strawberry tea, so much strawberry aroma.
So what’s up? Lots. Different people may have made it differently. People who called it too astringent may have been drinking it plain while folks saying it was perfect were adding milk and/or sugar. Some batches may have been freshly purchased and other reviews may have come from people who were sent a sample by a friend and the tea was no longer fresh. And opinions differ because people differ.
My take on it was this – it was great with food with no milk or sugar added. The strength of the base and the strawberry flavor helped it to “stand up” to the food and not disappear. When I tried it by itself, I did find it to be very drying and to have a bit of tartness. A tiny splash of milk and a sprinkle of sugar fixed that. If you don’t want to add anything, try dropping the temp just below boiling and keep your steep a little shorter. Or just do like me and eat a cookie.
While I enjoyed it with sweets very much, I would prefer to have it on a Keemun base if I were planning to drink it by itself.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Strawberry black tea combines the succulent taste of sweet strawberries with bright Ceylon black tea. Fresh sweet-floral and berry flavor, smooth and sugary texture. It’s a treat you’ll want to keep for yourself!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry from Zen Tea Life. . . .
I am always fascinated by how something so simple can impact a cup of tea. For instance, I have had this Strawberry Black Tea by Zen Tea Life before and when I initially had it, it was in a small 6 oz mug. In that mug, the flavor was like a very pleasant shot of strawberry.
Today I brewed it up in a 16 oz mug and the black tea base is far more prominent. It is smooth and almost chocolatey so the presence of the base in and of itself is not offensive. However, with the prevalence of the black tea, the strawberry flavor I enjoyed in my first cup is lacking.
The strawberry flavor has devolved into a generic fruity note. It is no longer discernible as strawberry or even berry. Instead, it now comes off like the red fruit flavor found in a lot of French teas. It is not bad but there is nothing all that interesting about it either.
With all of this said, it seems as though it is a moot point as Zen Tea Life has transitioned to a company that sells just teaware. As such, this tea is no longer available. On the off chance it becomes available again, the key is to brew it in a smaller mug it seems.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zen Tea Life
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
Strawberry? Yum. Champagne? Yum. Cupcake? YUUMM! So when A Quarter to Tea put those all together and made it basically calorie-free, you can bet your Aunt Fanny I was all over it.
The dry leaf is interesting because somehow the smell, though mostly smelling of strawberry candy, also manages to capture the sparkling effervescence of champagne. Don’t ask me how you can smell effervescence because I honestly have no idea but trust me, you can.
Because of the scent of the dry leaf, I was all the more excited to try the tea itself. At first sip, I was in love as the bright strawberry flavor burst in my mouth. However, my excitement might have led me to be a bit hasty with my affections because as I continue to drink, I have to admit that I am actually underwhelmed. Turns out the strawberry, though slightly present in the flavor of the tea, is far more noticeable in smell. The white tea is a little buttery but also floral and other than that, the only hint of “cupcake” I can detect is a fluffiness from the marshmallow root. Unfortunately, no champagne to be found.
The nice thing about this tea is that it manages to only be slightly sweet for a tea with a name like “Strawberry Champagne Cupcake”. However, that is also it’s downfall as it doesn’t exactly deliver on what’s promised.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is not currently available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Cheesecake from The NecessiTeas. . . .
If you are looking for a dessert tea to curb that sweet tooth. . .look no further The NecessiTeas and their amazingly hand blended decadent tea blends. Just check out the review below from our sister. . .
For sure a creamy cuppa.
If cheesecake is your favorite dessert you need to give this tea a try.
The black base is harmoniously complimented by flavors of strawberries and cream.
Even the wet smell is creamy and fruity.
Check out all that The NecessiTeas has to offer! You won’t be disappointed. We promise you! But hurry! A lot of these hand blended beauties are in limited supply.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
Now you can indulge in cheesecake anytime without waiting for a seat at the Cheesecake Factory. This blend is a rich, creamy, strawberry-topped showstopper and completely guilt-free!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Campfire Strawberry from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
Basically all of the A Quarter to Tea offerings sound awesome and I have yet to come across a Monthly Subscription Box that didn’t have at least one tea that got my mouth watering. However, June’s Box is a true winner. Each tea is like a dream mixture of my favorite flavors. There is Blueberry Vanilla Peach, Raspberry Coconut Cheesecake, and Hummingbird which is a black tea with banana, vanilla and pecan praline. In addition to those and the sample of Watermelon Agua Fresca, there is also this tea, Campfire Strawberry, a genmaicha and lapsang blend with strawberries, graham crackers and marshmallow. Take that in for a second. STRAWBERRIES…MARSHMALLOWS…GENMAICHA…CAMPFIRE.
Okay, now that we got that out of our system….on to the tea! The smell is a whole lotta smoke and though that definitely comes through in the flavor, the strawberry provides the perfect fruity/jammy contrast. The green tea base of the genmaicha also counters the smoke with a more vegetal note to keep things natural while contributing a roastiness that bridges the gap between the two bases. I will say, despite a slight sweetness, the marshmallow component is not as prevalent as I would hope, though with so much else going on, I suppose something’s gotta give. Also, my filter had a giant piece of graham cracker in it but I am not getting much from that either.
If you like smoke, this is a nice take on a lapsang. It has a lot going on so it is interesting and yet the flavors all compliment each other beautifully. I would never have thought to pair strawberries, lapsang and genmaicha but it works. This is a unique flavor and though it is not one I will be drinking daily, it is certainly one I am happy to have around.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
Toasty genmaicha and lapsang make the base for this tasty treat that conjures up images of campfires and s’mores.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!