4 Tasting Notes
My order finally came in! I can’t wait to use this new gaiwan. Bought the organic tea sampler from Teavivre, as well as one from Tea Forte, all of which I am very eager to try. Next on my list is to buy an electric tea kettle to make it easier to monitor temperatures.
I can’t tell if I’ve ruined this brew, but the aroma was very intense. I don’t mean to offend, but the brewed tea smelled terrible, exactly like canned tuna. A little bit of a turn off, and my first sip was incredibly bitter. Though as I kept drinking, it became a very buttery, vegetal flavor. I’m sure with a proper rinsing, this would be a marvelous afternoon tea. Will definitely brew this again after work today.
Preparation
I’ve never liked the smell of this tea. Quite often, when I open up the canister and take a whiff, I find myself gagging a little. It almost reminds me of an old man’s renovated basement where he keeps all of his hunting trophies and fishing rods.
That given, I actually love the flavor. A very smooth feel all the way down with the faintest smokiness. This makes one of my favorite midday teas.
I actually screwed up my second steeping – got distracted by the computer and let it sit for a little over 6 minutes, and surprisingly, it wasn’t bad at all. If anything, I like a little bitterness.
Preparation
Snow! Finally! One more day of final exams, and I am free. Good riddance; the stress really gnawed at my immune system and I’ve got some kind of weird throat thing going on. Should probably make that long overdue visit to the PCP…
Despite what most people say about it, this is probably one of my favorite herbals so far! I’m a huge fan of ginger anything. In Filipino culture, we have a traditional drink called Salabat which is essentially a hot ginger and cayenne brew. Most make it by simply boiling the ginger root in sugar water, others get it in powder form (which I generally don’t prefer). I get that feel with the Turmeric Ginger, but with a much more naturally sweet taste. Had it extra strong today with a super long steep to ATTACK whatever it is that ails my throat.
Love the sting that ginger brings: it gives the essence of a capsaicin pepper drink without the entire mouth burn. Ideally, I would just drink this for the benefits, but I’ve had such good luck with all my brews, that the TG is on its way to #1. Definitely going to explore with different temperatures, though. I hate boiling tea.
Preparation
Interesting one to have iced… I work at a vegetarian cafe that carries teas from MEM, Rishi, and a local supplier, Salandrea. We typically feature an iced tea of the day; however, the people opening either have no knowledge of brewing times/temperatures or don’t care for specifics. So unless it’s an herbal tea we’re making, it almost always comes out way too bitter. It’s frustrating, especially when we have some avid tea-drinkers and herbalists that come in disappointed by our preparation, simply because we cannot commit the time…
Still, I find this tea to have a slightly bitter aftertaste on top of a medley of flavors that I sometimes feel is a little overwhelming. I usually like to pick out the different components, but I think I just need to learn to appreciate the way this one just blends.
Not a big fan, but I’m willing to give it another try with better preparation.
