Since I have gotten my iced tea press it has been strictly used for fruit teas. Personally, I think those make the best iced teas and the lack of caffeine means I can have iced tea after iced tea without getting the jitters from caffeine overload. However, as I browsed my tea cupboard for the perfect tea, this caught my eye. A tea called Plum Berry is just begging to be iced and since the sample I had was the perfect serving size for the press, it felt right.
Alas, sipping on this now, it doesn’t taste right. My concern brewing a white tea in this manner is that, in theory, the french press nature of the iced tea press would squeeze out bitterness from the leaf and that also the bit of leaf left in the liquid would oversteep and add to the bitterness. In practice, this is more astringent than it is bitter. It starts off as a slight berry flavor but that devolves into an almost fermented flavor atop the astringent base. It is sweet but off.
The sample that came to me was stored in a ziploc bag and it may have been crushed a little. Hopefully that is the cause of the flavor profile this tea had, since this really did not work for me. I could taste potential but that was quickly covered up by all the nope that is present in this blend.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White Tea
Where to Buy: Sencha Tea Bar
Description
A blend of white teas combined with succulent plum and wild forest berries, Plum Berry is juicy with a deep ruby infusion that is tart, fruity, and naturally refreshing. In this complex cup, you’ll find notes of rosehips, blueberries, raspberries, schizandra, strawberries, lychee, plum, hibiscus, and jasmine.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Enjoying A Quite Moment with Chai Kai Tea. . . . #jasmingreentea
Being a mom to four boys, two dogs, and a hectic schedule to boot. . . .the quiet relaxing moments for me are sometimes few and far between. I try to make sure that I get a little “me” time every day which typically involves a few pots of tea. The other day it involved insane amounts of Jasmine Green from Chai Kai Tea.
Prepped with 190F water and allowed to brew for 3 minutes and cooled for an additional two minutes, this tea begs you to take a moment and really enjoy the tea leaves. This is one of those brews that you just wrap your hands around the mug and take in the wafting aromas of gorgeous jasmine green tea that remind one of freshness and spring.
After just one sip, I was hooked. Fresh green slightly vegetal notes with a sweet subtle background and a helping of floral notes. This tea does not disappoint and delivers a spot on high quality flavor. I drink a lot of jasmine green teas and sometimes the jasmine is just too overpowering or there just isn’t enough jasmine to really enjoy. Sometimes even the green tea just isn’t on par with what I would like to enjoy. Jasmine Green from Chai Kai Tea provides a romantic flavor that is so incredibly alluring yet delivers a flavor that is robust in its very own way.
With the fresh sights and sounds of spring all around us, this tea has found its just home. Perfectly balanced and one that I would happily keep in my own personal tea stash all year around.
Chai Kai Tea Company has offered a 10% discount to our readers. Use SISTERS10 when checking out.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Chai Kai Tea Company
Description
Freshly picked Jasmine Blossoms are placed in layers amidst the leaves of this beautifully made Chinese Green Tea, imparting their sweet, perfumed aroma as they dry.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Creamsicle Tea Anyway? #plumdeluxe
This tea (available again in May!) is an orange creamsicle confection! It has orange peel bits floating right in the mix, boasting of their bold flavor. The black tea isn’t hiding, though, it’s a nice, slightly tart black with plum* notes. * (Appropriate to Plum Deluxe!)
This blend is recommended as frozen into a popsicle form as a treat. I wish it weren’t 40 degrees out; I’m always into trying out oddball suggestions like that. I’d totally lap at it in a friend’s hammock.
Because, alas, this tea has reminded me of a thing I’ve always wanted, but never had: a hammock to call my own. It’s a first-world problem, I know. But it’s my burden to bear.
If you have a hammock (or convenient access to one), take a moment and think about how lucky you are. Revel in your blessings.
And then revel in this tea. Which is a very nice little blend. It’s not an aggressive blend, it’s just a tart-and-sweet buddy that would keep you company. ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL HAMMOCK. You glorious, bourgeoisie monsters.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
When we set out to make the perfect loose leaf iced tea blend, we knew one of our favorite flavors was orange. With a hint of “creme” vanilla flavor, it makes the most delicious iced tea, the perfect thirst quencher on a sunny day. As the name implies, grab a cool glass of this tea and relax. Reminds you of an orangesicle without all the calories!
All Plum Deluxe teas are hand-blended and infused with love in Portland, Oregon. Each 1 oz tea packet makes 15-20 cups. All organic ingredients — no sulfites, no artificial chemicals, non-GMO.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
An Apple Cider Green Rooibos Delight from Design A Tea
You know that episode of Friends where Rachel accidentally combines two recipes and makes a trifle with ladyfingers, jam, and beef sautéed with peas and onions? My favorite part comes shortly thereafter when Joey takes a bite and loves it. With his mouth full, he proclaims “Custard: good. Jam: goooood. Meat: good!”
I promise you, this tea tastes nothing like a custard-y jam trifle with a layer of beef and peas. HOWEVER. I was totally inspired by Joey when coming up with my review. Apple cider? Good. Tea? Goood. Green Rooibos? Good!
This one is a delightful apple cider tea– all that you’d expect to be there is present: cinnamon-y spices, apple, light green rooibos notes. There’s not too much unexpected about this tea, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s a solid herbal with great flavors that are exactly what you’d expect from a tea named as such. Or as Joey would say? It’s goooood.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Design A Tea
Description
This tea was created on the Design A Tea site.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Fresh Baked Sugar Cookies Tea #SimpsonandVail
I have never done a tea swap, until now. I am so glad I found out about the world of tea swapping. It is so awesome! I just got a bunch of tea while clearing out my own cabinet a little bit. How can you go wrong with free tea?
The first I decided to try was my tea swap buddy’s favorite, and it is called Almond Sugar Cookie. It is a black tea blend by Simpson and Vail. I have never had a tea from Simpson and Vail before and was excited to try it out. I love cookies and I love almond! I was hoping for genuine flavor here and boy did I get that, and more.
This tea smells exactly like fresh baked sugar cookies. Seriously it does! And it does it without tasting artificial. I steeped this blend with near-boiling water for about 5 minutes. The black tea was smooth and mellow, not astringent or bitter. The smooth, malty flavor of the black tea accented the cookie flavor very well. The almond here was not overpowering and it was not overly sweet, artificial, or cherry-like. We have all had that almond flavored tea that tastes like cherries because of how sweet the almond flavoring the company used was. I don’t like teas like that. Rest assured, Simpson and Vail really hit the nail on the head here. I am absolutely in love!
I really cant say enough about this tea. It was so realistic to fresh baked sugar cookies speckled with crunchy almonds. I will definitely be ordering from this company and am excited to try out their other teas. I was perusing their website a bit and saw that their prices are very reasonable, too. I would recommend you check them out.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Heavenly! That’s the best word to describe this black tea blend. You’ll think you’re in a bakery when you open the bag and the aroma of nutty goodness wafts out. The brewed tea is divine – with no calories!
Ingredients: Black teas, almonds, flavoring and safflower blossoms. Contains Tree Nuts.
Brew tea at 212º – steep for 3 minutes.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
