Justea, Kenyan Black Tea

Justea Description:
Our whole leaf Kenyan black tea is malty, fresh, clean and full bodied.

“The fresh factor makes it explode on the palate! It cups out as being very very good tea… I think we got a winner here.”
~Brendan Waye, Tea Sommelier

Sample provided by JusTea

My Review:
This tea is about more than just tea. This is about giving the little guy an opportunity to succeed. I did not realize Kenya was the major supplier of black tea found in most tea bags. The majority of that tea is grown on small farms. It is then sold to the factories for processing. The farmer ends up making approximately 1% of the final selling price. Even with the bonus system in place in Kenya most farmers live in poverty.

JusTea is a non-profit organization hoping to change this cycle for as many farmers as they can. Their dream is to teach the farmers to hand process the leaf themselves in the orthodox method. This will allow the farmers to increase profits and provide a better future for their families.

So how is the tea? I opened the sample bag and set the leaf free. This is definitely not standard CTC dust found in your average grocery store bag. This is broken pieces of pekoe. Think about the size of Twinings loose leaf. The scent is nicely malt and seems very fresh.

I used 2 tsp and water heated to 190F, steeping for 3 minutes. The resulting brew was much deeper towards the red end of the orange scale than it appears in this picture. It is really pretty.

The taste is very surprising. I was expecting tea - you know, Lipton or some other common tasting brew. Nope, not even close. This is wonderfully malty. It is slightly sweet and not at all bitter. This has no rough edges. It is silky smooth and very full flavored. The way I prepared it, this is slightly drying but does not seem astringent.

I am very surprised and impressed by this tea. Why on earth have the factories been grinding this up into powder and hiding it in a bag? Ordering from the JusTea partnership allows you to support the farmers directly. It is a good cause and an excellent tea.

Visit the JusTea website.

Blue Raven Tea Company, Maiden's Mead

Blue Raven Description:
A pleasing taste of honey and ginger. Ingredients: green tea, ginger bits, flavoring.

My Review:
I got this one in a mystery box. It was unopened, and I have no idea how old the package. I also could not find this one on the Blue Raven website. Oh well, that has never stopped me before.

This is an obvious green tea. If you notice in the picture, there are some twigs. They are not the color of the leaf so I am not sure if they are part of the tea or were added later. The aroma of the dry leaf is lightly licorice but that is not listed as an ingredient. I used a healthy scoop of leaf and water heated to 190F for a three minute steep. The result is a cloudy honey colored steaming cup. The nose is pleasantly floral with hints of licorice.

The sip is interesting. It is a lightly bitter green tea (I may have over heated the water) with a primary note of ginger and a lighter sweet note of honey. Late in the sip the licorice reemerges.

I am not sure what I think of this one. It is different and interesting. The flavors are well balanced. Despite the presence of the twigs this seems to be a quality offering. I just don't think it appeals to my tastes. I really can't say why. I like all the elements present, apparently just not combined together.

Visit the Blue Raven Tea Company site.

Lipton, Blueberry Pomegranate White Tea

Lipton Description:
Savor every sip of this delectable taste treat of luscious blueberry and succulent pomegranate. White tea is an ancient blend created from the tips of tea buds before the tea leaf blossoms, and perfect with these fresh fruit flavors.

Ingredients:
White tea, green tea, dried apples, rosehip peel, chicory root, cinnamon bark, licorice root, ginger root, orange peel, modified cornstarch, natural flavors, dried blackberry fruit pieces, dried black currant fruit pieces, pomegranate juice solids, dried blueberry fruit pieces, dried raspberry fruit pieces.

My Review:
My son popped in today with a box of this to share an afternoon cup of tea. He even got out the cups and steeped the pyramid bags. All I had to do was enjoy. Yep, pretty awesome!

Dry this smells very nice. Not overly strong but quite fruity. You can see the leaf through the bag. As you can read in the ingredient list, there is a lot of different things in the bag. Once steeped, it does not plump as much as I expected but I believe that is due to the large amount of fruit pieces.

The taste is mainly blueberry. I really don't taste the white (or green) tea, but I can't say I am really disappointed. This is very lovely fruit flavored. I wish I had looked up the ingredients before the cup was gone. Maybe I could have separated some other flavors out. Everything melds so wonderfully together. Sometimes a tea with a lot going on can taste muddy. That is not my impression here.

Noted for the record, we used well below boiling water. I left the sachet in the mug just to see what would happen. This never became bitter but did manage to develop a mild bite on the sides of the tongue. If you are getting a bitter cup, try using cooler water.

If you like a sweet fruity no fuss sip, this is well done.    

Back To School

Last week I walked into a college classroom for the first time in 30 years. I was nervous and thrilled at the same time. The two hour lecture left my head spinning and for a moment I doubted whether I should be there. Then I looked around the room and saw the same panicked look on at least half the class. The two hour lab time that followed was filled with inquiring minds trying to make sense of all the information.

I am a drafter. I knew this was my career from 7th grade. For the last 25 years I have been a 2-D AutoCAD user. Upon being 'downsized' earlier this year, I learned the world had changed and I had been left behind. Every interview I managed to arrange ended once it was discovered I did not know how to draw in 3-D. So now I find myself in the confusing but fun world of Solid Works 3-D modeling.

What does this have to do with this blog and tea?

First, I find myself a bit frantic at the moment and the blog is being a little neglected. I will get back to regular updates soon - I hope.

As for tea, after the class it became clear I needed to find a laptop that was new and powerful enough to handle the software I was to download for homework. My Internet speed and WiFi usage limits are too restrictive to allow me to use my desktop computer. I got a 17" HP Pavilion and took it to Starbucks, where I sat for five hours downloading the program. Why Starbucks? My wife insisted they had the fastest public WiFi in town. I doubt it but they did have the coffee she really wanted. I ordered an iced Tazo Earl Grey.

I have never really been that impressed with Tazo. This day was a completely different experience. This may have been one of the best Earl Grey's I have ever tasted. Apparently I have never had a fresh enough tea from the purchased boxes. This tea was solid and not overdone but strong just as I like it. The bergamot was equally strong and quite fruity with a hefty floral note late in the sip. It ended with a nice astringent bite that wrapped the sides of the tongue. I still can't believe this was Tazo. I left very tired from the download but majorly impressed with the tea.

Now I am off to do more homework.

Shanghai Tiantan International Trading Co, Temple of Heaven Special Gunpowder

Product Description:
The best Gunpowder Green Tea is Temple of Heaven Brand. It's not only famous in China but also all over the world.Gunpowder Green Tea derives its name from the shape of its finished tea. The very dark green tea leaves have been rolled into little pellets which look like gunpowder to some connoisseurs.Meanwhile people call it Gunpowder Because: The tea is so well curled and tightened which looks like a small ball or pearl; when you put the tea into your hands, you feel it is heavy; when you pour boiling water into the tea, you can see all large tea leaves spreading out immediately just like explosion. Good Gunpowder Tea uses older tea leaves unlike other varieties of green tea. Tea steeped from Gunpowder has a dark golden color, roasted or toasted taste with a strong aftertaste lingering in the front palette, and a strong roasted or toasted aroma. You can also judge the quality of Gunpowder Green by its appearance. The well tightened and curled tea looks like tiny pearl with dark-green shining color.

My Review:
This is a staple on the shelves in Asian and international food marts. At least it is around here. Registered as Temple of Heaven brand, this tea is distributed by Shanghai Tiantan International Trading Co. It is very inexpensive and deceptively packaged. The little cardboard cube holds 125g (1.41oz) of tea leaf. It is about 1/3 the size of a Twinings tin holding the same weight and 1/3 the price.

Removing the plastic outer wrap and opening the box reveals a paper sack holding the shiny tightly curled leaf. I have had this tea years ago, before I understood what it was. I recall thinking it was strongly smoky like a Lapsang Souchong. Today this has little aroma.

I checked the expiration date on the bottom of the box. This is well within the best by date. It has probably been exposed to too much heat and light. Or my memory is just wrong. My intention is to use this by adding herbs I have grown and just experimenting. Still, it is disappointing knowing my review of it straight may already be tainted.

This is a danger of buying from a food market that does not specialize in tea. Things aren't always properly cared for and can sit too long. Since this is the real world conditions you may encounter, I press on.

Because this leaf is so tightly compressed, I used less than I would normally think necessary. I did not have the product description above when steeping this, so I was unaware they recommend boiling water. I used 190F water in my press and steeped for about 3 minutes. The result is a golden orange brew that is slightly cloudy. It reminds me of apple cider that is nearly clear. The pellets expanded in to large pieces of leaf.

The taste is lightly roasted or toasted, just as claimed. It is similar to a very mild genmaicha. Slightly sweet. Not really astringent but there is a hint of a bite. There is no bitterness. Halfway through the cup I decided to throw in some ice cubes. This made a very refreshing and inexpensive iced tea! Next, I decided to see if the leaves would stand up to a second steep. The wet leaf instead of a toasty aroma is more seaweed. The brew is lighter, more orange. Instead of cider it looks like a glass of Lipton when all the ice has melted. The taste is more earthy than before, not toasted. It is a different cup. A little weak but drinkable.

This tea won't knock your socks off but for what I paid, it is better than it has to be. I am looking forward to adding mints, verbena, and who knows what else in some mad scientist experiments.

Empire Tea Services, De-caffeinated Dakota Sunset

Empire Tea Services Description:
Chocolate Hazelnut flavored black tea with chocolate bits.

Price: $10.00/3.5oz (100g) or $0.20/serving @ 2g

I took the photo myself. Any advice on how to get a clearer image with a pocket digital is much appreciated.

My Review:
This comes from one of only two tea shops within driving distance of my home (The other is a Teavana). My wife and I recently visited their warehouse and she picked up this tea. It is not on their website, so I don't know if they blended this on the spot especially for my wife or just don't have it listed. They do sell a Dakota Sunset, but this is a decaffeinated version. It is black decaf Ceylon tea, chocolate nibs, and hazelnut.

I  prepared this in a mug using microwaved water - never my favorite way of brewing. A Finum basket was used to hold the leaf. The leaf is finely cut and dark. You can spot either the chocolate or hazelnut in the mix - or maybe it's both.

I can't recall if I have had a hazelnut tea before. I imagine I would not forget as this loose tea has a very unusual aroma. The best description I can think of makes it sound just wrong - the tea smells kind of like gym socks. See, I told you. My wife agrees but she loves the taste. She finds it a very relaxing late evening sip. I have to agree.

My wife is the experienced one with this tea. Her advice is don't over steep it or it will get bitter. She routinely steeps this 6 times! I like my tea more stout and manly, so I don't know if I could get that many cups out of it. Usually three is about my limit with Ceylons.

The taste is lovely, smooth, and relaxing. It is mostly a light hazelnut flavor. The chocolate is a quiet background note. The tea base I find difficult to single out. It is really like the three ingredients meld together into one. Steeped correctly there is no bitterness. It is a bit drying but honestly, I kind of like that in a tea. This is a nice simple tea for our quiet evenings. Just what we wanted.

Visit Empire Tea Services on the web.

52Teas, Mango Flavored Black Tea (Iced Tea Series)

52Teas Description:
Approximately 1.2oz. (Yields one gallon)

Ingredients: Premium Indian CTC tea, natural flavors.

My Review:
This tea is not listed on the 52teas website or in their archives, at least I did not see it there. I have no idea how old it is. (I believe it may be three years old) I got this in a mystery box of teas sent by someone reducing their stash.

I like to keep a record of everything I try. You never know if this will show up again. I also wanted an excuse to use my new dorm fridge I put in my den. If I had a microwave and a day bed, I'm not sure I would ever have to leave, except to get more tea.

I was under the mistaken belief that the sealed pouch contained a giant tea bag. So I rather carelessly started to tear it open, when to my surprise CTC started spilling out everywhere. It was really only a tiny amount but it made me stop and pay attention.

The leaf is a very fine powder. It is so fine in fact it looks like the dust used in many tea bags. Not all dust is created equal. This is unadulterated premium Indian tea. I used half the envelop in my press. Man that looks like a lot of tea. I steeped the leaf four times using 16oz of boiling water each time - the limit of my press. As a batch would finish steeping, I poured it into a half gallon container until with the fourth it was filled.

The result was a half gallon of beautifully ruby red tea. I should have tried some hot but instead I poured the brew into four 16oz glass bottles, sealed, let it cool a bit, then placed in the fridge. Its aroma was lightly mango.

The next day I removed one of the bottles to sip/chug as needed. Maybe this sample is just to old. The result is definitely mango but weak. Now that may be all most people want from an iced tea. My heritage thinks iced tea should be made strong enough to walk off on its own. I almost never add sweetener to iced tea, though I almost always do add it to hot tea - probably quite the opposite of most people. After tasting, I did go ahead and add some to this.

With sweetener this is more lively though still not my style. If I take a big chug it does fight back a little. The mango lingers pleasantly in the aftertaste. Assuming this tea is not so old as to have lost its flavor, then I would say this is a mild and enjoyable iced tea. Not my style as I want big flavor in an iced tea. However, it could be this is just too old and nothing I said represents how this tea tasted new.