Good Young Co. Ltd, Strawberry Black Tea

This one came in the mail as a surprise from a tea drinking friend. I have never encountered this brand in the local stores. This comes in tea bag form. I feel like I am going back to my roots today. The tag says tradition but a google search reveals the company's name is Good Young Co. Ltd. Dry it looks kind of flat. It smells lightly of strawberry.

I boiled up a mug of water and poured over the tea, steeping for 3 minutes. I wish I had a clear glass mug for reviews to get a better idea of the brew color. This is moderately dark with an orange tint. Smells a bit like strawberry Quik. When I removed the bag it had really swollen nicely. Salada is another company with bags that make me wonder if there is enough tea in it but always swells big and produces a good solid cup.

This is my first ever strawberry tea. Seriously. I thought, I really don’t drink fruit teas, then I realized I like a lot of them – gojiberry, pomegranate, dragon fruit, peach, apricot, lemon, lime, orange, and especially bergamot. So why not strawberry?

I took my first sip and was pleasantly entertained. Immediately you taste strawberry but it is done in moderation. Yes, it does taste a lot like Nestle’s Strawberry Quik and yet it leans to a more natural flavor. The tea base is standard bag tea black. It isn’t bad. It gets the job done with just a touch of bite and astringency, but that is the way I like it. The best part is I can taste the base right along with the strawberry. That is of major importance to me.

Oh wait, this is interesting. As the cup is cooling I am starting to catch roasted notes in the lingering aftertaste. I hope it isn’t my imagination. It reminds me of a mild Yamamotoyama oolong. Hot dog! That is one of my favorite bagged teas. So kudos for the extra touch.

My friend says this is a really cheap tea so it gets extra points. This is a nice tea with some nice surprises. I could drink this one often. I am glad I got to try it.

Teavivre, Organic Hangzhou Tian Mu Qing Ding Green Tea

What a name. This is another sample provided by Teavivre. I opened the very stuffed sample bag and removed one hefty scoop. The remaining leaf, seems to leave the bag looking almost as full as before I got in to it. I believe if I had poured it all out, I would have a hard time putting it back. The leaf is dark green slightly rolled but straight. It is kind of flattened. It looks like dried grass. It smells nice and sweet.

I brewed for almost two minutes in heavily steaming water. This produced the lightest of yellow green liquids. The aroma of artichoke fills the air.

The sip is sweet and slightly salty. It reminds me of mild dragonwell without the butteriness. It does seem milky. I am getting a bit of numbing on the lips. Mid sip it takes on mineral notes. The aftertaste is fresh, not grassy, with a very slight tartness. Tart may be the wrong word but I can’t quite put a label on it.

On the first cup I added the tea to the water. All the leaf clung to the surface. The second time I steeped, I added a bit more leaf and poured the water over the tea. Now the leaf dances in the water. That is what I was after. There was not an artichoke aroma, until I poured the brew. The leaf is fully open, and reveals small pale green leaves. The taste at first seemed to be pretty much the same as the first cup. As it cooled a bit it came alive and produced a much more flavorful drink.

The third cup was the best yet. The flavor turned sort of cucumber. Not quite like a white tea. In whites, I think of the cucumber as leaning towards watermelon. This did not have the melon notes. Maybe this would go another cup but I don’t have time to find out today.

Chinese green tea fans, this is another great one!

Visit the Teavivre web site

Epi Tea – The New Kid In Town

I am taking a break from reviewing today to make a public announcement. Today August 23, 2012 marks the official opening of Epi Tea’s web store.

Epi Tea is currently available to tea drinkers in the US and Canada. The hope to go global in the near future.

They are currently offering four different blends packed in tins each containing 25 biodegradable pyramid sachets. Their blends are Irish Breakfast, Berry Rooibos, Serene Chai, and Lavender Earl Grey.

They are willing to listen to their customers. This was evidenced when during early taste tests, the response caused them to drop one of their offerings.

You can read reviews of Epi Tea blends here - These are from the Steepster online tea community.

I have never reviewed or tasted any of these teas. So why am I announcing the opening and what’s in it for me? To be clear Epi Tea has offered a link back to this site but that is NOT my motivation. Kyle the CEO of Epi Tea is a regular poster on Steepster. He is a 19 year old college man who has impressed me with his enthusiasm, drive, and passion for tea. Epi Tea has the goal of creating a unique American tea culture through a new way of sharing tea. They have a thought out plan to accomplish their mission. I bid them success.

Teavivre, Organic Tian Mu Mao Feng Green Tea

Another sample provided by the fabulous Teavivre company. My first look at the leaf immediately images - wiry, brittle, and grassy. It is dark olive green in the room light. If you look at it under a lamp it kind of glows bright green. Yes, I’m weird that way.

I took a large scoop. The sample packet is very full, so I am guessing this requires a little extra leaf. I used my press with 12oz of heavily steaming water (this calls for 194F) and steeped for 1 minute. The recommended is 1 – 2 minutes. I added the tea to the water. The instant the leaf hit the water I smell spinach. The brew is light yellow/green but nearly clear. Once the liquor is poured I examined the wet leaf. It is various sized chopped pieces of small leaf on tender stems. The scent reminds me of spinach and simmering stew. Yum.

The sip is at first soft and silky smooth, like butter. Very mild. It is a bit sweet. This gives way to a brighter bitterness – the good kind that cleanses the palate and lingers on the breath. This is a light bodied cup. I like Chinese greens. They are like buttery steamed veggies with a nice bite without being overly grassy. This is a fine example of those very characteristics.

At this point I added sweetener. Sorry purists. Although my sweet tooth did not perceive this as all that sweet, it apparently is, as once sweetener is added it is almost too sweet, even for me. Go lightly if you add anything. Despite overdoing it a bit, the sweetener does not take away any flavors. It enhances what is already there. It brought out the light grassiness which develops a green wood/twig kind of flavor. Teavivre says this has a chestnut flavor. Having never eaten chestnuts, I can’t verify but I can see that what I am calling wood/twig could be thought of as nutty.

I have never heard of this tea before. After just one cup, I found myself ready to brew another. I had two more cups from the leaf. The second at 2 minutes was slightly less flavorful but still good. Cup three at 4 minutes was similar. I really like this one.

Visit Teavivre’s web site here

Teavivre, Superfine Jasmine Downy Dragon Pearls Green Tea

I will say again how I used to think I didn’t like Jasmine tea. It always seemed artificial, harsh, or overbearing – because it was. When Teavivre approached me offering their samples, I actually turned down the first jasmine because I was sure I wouldn’t like it. I did accept the Premium Dragon Pearls in spite of the jasmine because they looked cool and different. I am so glad I tried it. I learned from this that I only dislike poor quality jasmine.

Dragon Pearls is at the top of my list, as far as favorite Teavivre teas. It is even at or near the top of my list of favorite flavored teas – right there with Earl Grey. The truth is, it is probably better than any Earl Grey I have tried so far but I refuse to admit it.

When Teavivre offered to send me their Superfine Downy Dragon Pearls Green Tea, I immediately said absolutely. In the back of my mind though, I am wondering, how can you improve on perfection?

I cut open the top of the pouch and I am transported to a place where space and time stand still. What a beautiful, intoxicating scent. It always reminds me of grapes. My brain always connects this with a childhood memory of sipping grape Nehi in my neighbors’ basement while shooting pool or building model cars. Happy times.

The pearls are small, and gray and white in color. It actually looks more like a white tea. I used a spoon of pearls in my press with lightly steaming water. My steep time was a minute and a half. The brew is the palest of yellows - almost clear.

I love sipping this. Every time I lift the cup to my lips I inhale deeply and soak up that fragrance. The sip reinforces it with a wonderful sweet nectar. This gives way to a woodsy sort of leaf taste. The aftertaste is very long lingering leaf and flower. This really is a beautiful tea.

The big question is how does Superfine Downy compare to the Premium Dragon Pearls? Honestly, I can’t give an answer. I think you would need better developed tasting skills than I posses or at least both teas in hand to do a side by side comparison – something I would like to see. From memory, I do not recall the woodsy leaf flavor that I am experiencing. Beyond that I find them both to be stunning teas and worthy of your cupboard.

Teavivre, Organic Superfine Keemun Fragrant Black Tea

The first of my latest round of Teavivre samples. When I look back through time, I am thankful to Bigleow and Twinings for helping me take my first few steps on my tea journey. Teavivre, however, has taught me to spread my wings and soar. I am not saying that because I am reviewing another of their free samples. I mean it. I literally compare most teas I taste with the memory of something I have reviewed from Teavivre. The most notable exception being Earl Grey – but then they don’t carry an Earl Grey.

I also remember, less than a year ago receiving my first Keemun from Teavivre. I was a bit terrified of it. It seemed so smoky. I was sure it was good because I trusted Teavivre knew what they were doing. I kept sipping, and it wasn’t long before I learned to enjoy it. Then I began to understand it really was not all that smoky. How will this superfine Keemun fair? Let's see.

So, I open this bag and smell malt and grain - like wheat. An excellent start. I pour out one scoop of leaf – about 3 grams, and put it in my press. The dry leaf looks like thin twisted threads of dark chocolate with flecks of milk chocolate intermixed. The picture isn't up close enough to reveal the beauty of the leaf.

Next, I heat 12oz of water to just below boiling and pour over the leaf. The steep time was 2 ½ minutes, halfway between the recommended 2-3 minutes. The brew is lighter than expected and orange in color. The wet leaf scent is pretty much that of the dry - malty grain.

The sip is first malt, then wheat, followed by honey. There are flashes of light cocoa notes. It is a bit fruity. Many report sweet potato notes. I get that, but it was not as strong as some other black Chinese teas I've tried. This kind of reminds me of Bailin Gongfu.

This is very, very smooth. You could slam this down with out thinking about it. I choose to sip slowly. There is no bitterness and no bite. You could probably brew this strong and work the tannins into a frenzy but prepared per the instructions this seems light on the stomach. What I am not noticing is smoke. I was fully expecting some but it is not present.

Cup two, at 3 minutes, continues where cup one left off. It is now a little sweeter and that sweetness really lingers in the aftertaste. Cup three is very similar.

This is a very nice tea. The only negative comment I could offer is that oddly, I find myself missing the smoke that frightened me a year ago. That is not the fault of the tea. Rather it is my understanding of what makes a Keemun that is to blame. If you don't enjoy a smoky tea, then this is the Keemun for you. If you like a light smoky tea try the Premium Keemun Hao Ya Black Tea.

Visit Teavivre’s web site

The Everyday Tea Blog Is Now Bona Fide

One of my favorite movies is "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". In this film George Clooney's character escapes from the chain gang to stop the former Mrs from marrying a bon fide suiter. I have no idea what that means but it sounds impressive.

The Everyday Tea Blog has recently been accepted as a member of The Association of Tea Bloggers. I appreciate being accepted by the association and I will do my best to represent it in a responsible manner.

What does the first paragraph have to do with the second? Not a lot, but Google likes George Clooney ;) that, and I now like to think The Everyday Tea Blog has become Bona Fide. You won't find any Dapper Dan here, just some ramblings and reviews about my favorite obsession - tea of course.