Townshend's Tea Company, #76 Superberry

Townshend's Description:
Wild herbal infusion containing copious amounts of vitamin C. Blend of elderberries, currants, rose hips and hibiscus. A flavor-bonanza. Also highly recommended as an iced tea.

My Review:
I had not heard of this company previously. I looked them up on Steepster. Many of their teas have received pretty good ratings. So I feel pretty good trying this herbal blend. The scent of the dry mix is highly aromatic. Flowery, fruity, but dark. I find it appealing. It reminds me of black raspberries or black cherries.

I used a full scoop, about 5g, in my Finum basket. Normally I reserve the Finum for fine herbal blends. This is made of large pieces so it isn't necessary. I just felt like a quick to mug brew this evening. The water was heated to highly steaming but not boiling. The steep time was about 4 minutes. The instructions call for 6+ but I am being cautious.

The brew is very dark and purple tinted around the rim. It smells really good. The taste is... tart. I am glad I did not go 6 minutes. Very tart black raspberry. OK, its really currant and hibiscus. The quality of the ingredients seems high and the blend is nicely balanced. It is just as a hot beverage, it is not grabbing me. As it reaches room temperature I am starting to warm up to it. I think I need to try this cold. It might be refreshing that way.

My wife decided she wanted to try this as it is caffeine free. As she downed her second cup, I lost possession of the bag. While this wasn't my thing, she really likes it. I would not hesitate to try other teas by Townshend's Tea Company.

Visit the Townshend's Tea Company site.

Celestial Seasonings, Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride

Celestial Seasonings Description:
"This cheerful holiday blend will warm your heart with the inviting aroma and delightfully simple taste of freshly baked sugar cookies straight from the oven. Like all of our teas, Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride has no refined sweeteners or added sugars — giving you a guilt-free way to partake freely in the pleasures of the season."

Ingredients:
Milk thistle, roasted barley, orange peel, natural sugar cookie flavor with other natural flavors and vanilla bean.

My Review:
After being blown away by Candy Cane Lane I commented that I would have to find this one, so my tea friend gmathis sent some Sleigh Ride bags my way. Her preference with this one is to use two bags in each cup. Instead I am going to try it in my tiny 6oz cup with one bag. If I mess it up, I get a few more tries at getting it right.

I can’t imagine anyone (at least in the western sugar addicted world) not smiling when they smell this stuff in the bag or brewing. Almost makes you want to check to see if the oven is on. They absolutely nail the aroma of sugar cookies.

The taste of my first attempt didn't make me think sugar cookie as much as butterscotch. I looked up recipes for both and they seem to use the same basic ingredients in differing amounts. Well, I recall sugar cookies used white sugar and butterscotch uses brown. Anyway, I think this has too much buttery flavor for sugar cookies. It is really good, just different than the aroma suggests. My granddad always had butterscotch disc candy around when we would visit. So bonus points for memories.

On my second attempt I used one bag and a 12 oz mug. Of course it turned out much weaker (a little too weak) but I thought overall it had a truer sugar cookie taste. I did add a packet of Splenda. I am glad I have multiple bags of this. I am still looking for that sweet spot of water to bag.

Next, I tried this in an 8 oz cup. I heated the water to heavily steaming, but not boiling. The steep time was about 3 minutes. I must say this tastes magically like sugar cookies. I have definitely found the method that works for me and I will definitely own a box of this the moment I find it on the local shelves.

I admit having avoided Celestial Seasonings for years. I thought the boxes were too cutesy to be taken seriously. I believe I am going to have to reconsider. Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride makes for a fun cup and I can definitely see why it is a holiday favorite. Me, I just happen to like cookies any time of year.

According to Bonnie, also from Steepster (and an awesome story teller), you can buy this year round directly from Celestial Seasonings. I also found it on Amazon available in a six pack. Christmas year round. Woot!

Starbucks, Tazo Shaken Iced Green Tea Lemonade

Starbucks Description:
Remember that lemonade stand the kids down the block used to run? No? Well, had they offered this exotic blend of full-bodied green tea, luxurious lemon and mellow mint, we’re pretty sure you’d remember. In fact, you’d probably still be there. But no worries. We have plenty in here.

My Review:
I think my wife is addicted to Starbucks. I often joke that I think they put crack in their drinks. When my wife says, "I need coffee" what she really means is, "I NEED Starbucks!" When she drags me in with her, I normally order a green tea frappuccino. This day I thought I would try something new.

This was cold. It was wet. It was 90 degrees outside. So, it wasn't bad. It just didn't really grab me. The lemonade is the main flavor. I could not single out the green tea. The lemonade tastes kind of like lemongrass to me. Actually, it reminds me more of pink lemonade. There is a kind of fruity berry or spicy taste late in the sip.

As I said, it isn't bad. I just prefer the green tea frap.

Bigelow, Green Tea Decaffeinated

Bigelow Description:
Decaffeinated Green Tea offers the same delicious flavor of regular Green Tea in a naturally decaffeinated form. Our natural decaffeination process removes 99.6% of the caffeine without sacrificing flavor or the benefits of green tea.

My Review:
I have enjoyed Bigelow teas for decades. Bigelow was the very first brand of tea that I bought on my own as a teenager. In all those years I have never tried their Green tea. In fact, I don't even recall seeing it until recently.

This is a bagged tea and is decaffeinated. I took a deep whiff of the bag as I removed it from the mylar envelope. I was surprised that it had a nice leafy green aroma. Most unflavored bagged teas have very little scent. Nice start.

I placed the bag in my mug and added steaming but far below boiling water. The steep time was a little over three minutes. The brew was a dark green with golden tint.

The flavor reminded me of Tazo Green Tips but this is more subdued. The decaffeination process takes some of the depth out of this tea. That is going to be true of any decaf tea, so it is not surprising here. Other reviews I have seen claimed some astringency. I did not notice any. I am wondering if they used too hot of a water temperature, or possibly over-steeped. My cup is very smooth.

This is certainly not a bad cup. If you are looking for an inexpensive decaf green tea, this could be it. The closest to a negative I can find is the decaf process, though it has its benefits for late night sipping, does make this a fairly forgettable cup - solid, basic, but kind of beige.

Making A Good Cup Using A Tea Bag

Tea bags often get a bad reputation for making a poor quality cup. Yet, most of us began our tea obsession with a grocery store bought box of bags and all but the most persnickety of loose leaf users still use them, at least occasionally. It is my view that too often the problem is with the preparation more than with the bag. With beginners the problem is inexperience. With the experienced, it is often a lack of attention to detail they would give to their loose leaf.

So what can you do to improve your brewing success? These tips are based on a western mug brewing technique of one bag for one cup.

1.) Size your cup appropriately.
A lot of people grab a 12-ounce mug or worse a 16-ounce tumbler and then blame the tea for being weak and flavorless. If that is your experience, your cup is too big. Most tea bags will work with an 8-ounce cup but some need a 5 or 6-ounce cup. If the company does not list the cup size in the instructions, you will have to figure it out yourself. Determining what size cup should be used depends mostly on how much tea the vendor put in the bag.

Sorry but math is required until you get a feel for this.

Look on the box for a Net Wt in grams. Divide the number by the number of bags in the box. The result will tell you how much tea is in each bag. As an example, if the Net Wt is 40g and there are 20 bags in the box, then there is 2g of tea in each bag. (40g/20 = 2g) This is a common amount of tea in many US tea bags. It will generally work fine with an 8-ounce cup.

If the box is 30g and contains 18 bags, then there is only 1.67g of leaf in the bag and you should try a 6-ounce cup. Some bags have as little as 1.33g. Try using a 5-ounce cup here.

2.) Use good tasting water.
This may seem overly obvious but if the water doesn’t taste good it won’t make good tea. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, use bottled spring water. Do not use distilled water, as it will produce a flat cup.

3.) Heat your water to the proper temperature.
Read the brewing instructions on the box. A novel idea I know, but I am amazed how many people never bother looking. As a starting point most black and herbal teas will steep well using at or just below boiling water. Do not over boil or it will lower the oxygen level in the water. Do not use boiling water for green or white tea. Bring the water to heavy steaming and turn it off. Some people bring the water to a boil and then let it sit for one minute. I am too impatient to wait.

I personally do not like heating the water in the microwave. I think it makes for flat tea. I prefer a stove top or electric kettle. Feel free to disagree on this point.

Do Not heat the water with the bag in it. I repeat, Do Not heat the water with the bag in it.

4.) Steep for the appropriate time – remove the bag.
Once again check the box for the recommended brewing time. Just because the water quickly changes color does not mean the flavor has reached its full potential. That takes time. Usually the time will be listed as a range, like 3-5 minutes or 2-4 minutes. If you have no instructions, 3 minutes is a good average time. If you like a weaker cup, check it earlier. When the time is up remove the bag. Leaving it in can result in bitterness. It can also cause a burning sensation in your stomach if you are sensitive to it like me. The exception is herbal tea, which may require a much longer steep time – read the box.

5.) Experiment
I hope these tips help improve your cup. Remember they are just a starting point. If you aren’t completely satisfied with the results, change one of the steps at a time and try again. Use a different cup, or different temperature. Change the steep time. Note the difference. Next time change something else. Soon you will find your sweet spot.

A final comment: Proper technique will bring out the very best possible cup from your tea but technique has its limits. If you start with bad tea the best you can hope for is a bad cup. Using better quality leaf to start with offers more room for error and will deliver a more complex cup.

Give Me A Reason?

Today's post is not about tea. It is about you the reader of The Everyday Tea Blog. It is also about me as a reader of other tea blogs, and about freedom of choice.

I regularly read several different blogs that interest me. Working on my own blog, I know how much work it is to organize and (hopefully) proof what appears on each post. One of the rewards for that hard work comes from occasionally hearing from readers. As a reader myself, I am sometimes inspired, moved, and even angered, enough to want to comment on a post. Lately I am finding this more and more difficult to accomplish.

Why? Because of that little 'g+' button that appears on many blogs. When a blog becomes assimilated into the Google+ collective, it is required of those wishing to comment on a post to also set up an account. I refuse. Despite popular opinion resistance is NOT futile! I am not going to sign up just so I can comment. Instead I will just move on.

No one has yet given me a real world reason to join the Google+ realm. The best reason I found researching the matter was, "Google wants us to." There is a lot about that reason that leaves me feeling uneasy. Just plain old Google already knows too much about each of us for my comfort. Type your address into Google someday and see if the ability to zoom in on a satellite image of your house doesn't make you feel uncomfortable. I did this with a friend's address and was horrified to find a street view of his front door available to the world.

Beyond the Big Brother aspect, I do have one very good reason for avoiding Google+ like the plague. I refuse to exclude readers without a Google+ account the freedom to comment on the posts they read on The Everyday Tea Blog. Why would I want to trade the world wide web for a tiny circle?

Maybe I am missing something. Can anyone offer a worthwhile reason to change my mind?  

Bigelow, Lemon Lift Decaf Tea

Bigelow Description:
Sipped throughout the day, tea quenches, soothes, satifies... and delivers healthful antioxidants. We have blended this tea with just the right amount of lemon and a dash of spice. It is deliciously refreshing hot or iced.

Ingredients:
Decaffeinated black tea, natural lemon flavor (soy lecithin), spice

My Review:
Actually, the picture I selected for this one isn't what I bought. I got this in a variety pack containing 3 bags each of 6 decaffeinated teas - a total of 18 bags. According to the label for Lemon Lift each bag contains 1.9 g of tea. The variety pack, however, contains only 1.67 g per bag. At 1.9 g, most people can use a 10-12 ounce cup and get a decently strong cup. At 1.67 g, I highly recommend using a smaller 6-8 ounce cup.

I did not realize there was a difference in the bag sizes. Always check the net weight and divide by the number of bags to see what you are getting, then size your cup accordingly. I did not do this when I grabbed the box. Upon opening the lid, I knew something was up, as it was only 2/3 full. So I grabbed my 6 ounce Corelle cup for this session.

This smells lemony and spicy. Not as spicy as Constant Comment, but spicy. I never add fresh lemon to hot tea, but this does not really smell like a slice of lemon to me. Its aroma, to me, is more lemon grass. It is a pleasant scent.

In the taste, I catch light cinnamon and something else. I cannot single out the taste of the black tea. It is just part of the mix. As in the scent, this does not taste like a fresh slice of lemon in the tea. It is more like a gooey lemon snack crumb cake or something similar. I liked it for that reason. It is more of a dessert treat without the guilt.

When I first began to buy tea, this is one of the four (all Bigelow) that I would grab. It is still an enjoyable cup.