Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Free The Tea, Organic Mint Bliss

Picture Credit: freethetea.com
Free The Tea Description:
A refreshing take on a classic green tea.  Made with only highly selective organic ingredients, this tea is as pure as it tastes.

Ingredients:
Premium organic green tea is blended with organic peppermint and dashed with organic spearmint leaves.

Sample provided by Free The Leaf

My Review:
Warm weather has at least briefly appeared, making me even more ready for spring. Of course with the warmth comes lots of rain and budding plants releasing their early pollen. So my head is a little stuffy and I am surrounded my people coughing. I need tea.

Today I look at Organic Mint Bliss. It is included in the Revitalize Teaser Box along with samples of three other teas. I have previously reviewed Sweet Matcha Vitality here. The Revitalize Teaser Box also includes an infuser. This pack is intended to introduce people to the world of loose leaf tea. That may sound unnecessary to you and me but the reality is the vast majority of the world's tea is bagged. Loose leaf is still a very small part of the tea world.

This sample of Organic Mint Bliss has its own neat little tin. The top is clear so you can see the contents. It should be stored out of direct light and away from heat sources. There is enough leaf in the tin for 5-7 servings.

Their is a plastic outer seal around the lid. After removing, the lid twists off. Go at it slowly to avoid sudden spilling. Once open I immediately catch fragrant mint.

The leaf is small broken pieces. There are a few larger leaf pieces and a stem or two. It looks like dried cut grass.

I used my French Press as my brewing vessel. This is my favorite way to prepare a mug of tea. I do not press the plunger all the way down but even if I did, it would not crush the leaf. I like the press because I can watch the leaf as it steeps. For me this is an important part of my personal tea ritual.

The leaf (about 1 1/2 tsp) was placed in the press, then 10 oz of clean filtered water heated to 175 F was added. I steeped for 3 minutes.

The result is a honey colored mug of tea. The aroma is mint. Mostly I smell spearmint, though the ingredients suggest there is actually more peppermint. I am not a big fan of spearmint in anything. That is probably why I notice it more. We humans tend to dwell on the wrong stuff.

Finally get to taste. Definitely getting a nice icy hit of the mint at the back of the mouth. It is a pleasant refreshing sensation. While I can't separate out the peppermint (maybe you can), I know it is here because the spearmint is held back to a responsible more adult level.

I only catch the green tea in fleeting moments. I can't hold on to it long enough to really describe any individual notes from it. It seems to blend in with the mint. I know it is there but it wants to remain a back up singer in this melody.

Normally, I'm told you don't add sugar to green tea. Pish-posh. Sure try it without additions first, but feel free to add sweetener and see if you like it. There is no wrong way to prepare tea - as long as you like the result. Here I thought it brightened the cup without taking anything away.

If you are new to the world of loose leaf tea, I do recommend starting with a variety of samples to get a better feel for what you like. The Revitalize Teaser Box is one such option.

You can find Free The Leaf Revitalize Teaser Box with Organic Mint Bliss here.

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