Butterbeer

I’m in the minority on this one as I don’t much care for it hot at all. CK gave me some a while back, and I kept wanting it to grow on me, but I found it a little medicinal and I guess I was expecting something more butterscotchy. Also chicory and I have a mixed relationship (I like it in coffee, but on it’s own I think sometimes it can taste like a woodier, more bitter version of coffee).

And while I didn’t necessarily care for this, I didn’t dislike it enough not to drink it. I cold steeped as a way to use up more leaf, really. But by golly, I wish I would have done this in the beginning! I can get past the chicory this way. It’s a distant nuttiness to the primary butter and flat rootbeer flavors. I really only get a little bit of base at the beginning of the sip, too. The aftertaste is either butter or licorice depending on what part of my tongue it touches.

Still not quite how I pictured Butterbeer, but I do quite like it this way.

I’ve been eyeing this for a looong time now, I love Harry Potter and I also love root beer, it’s easily my favorite soda of all time (the real stuff that is, along with Pennsylvania Dutch birch beer). As other people have said, the smell of the dry leaf is incredible. I mean really, it shocked me with how amazing it smelled. Pure root beer.

But… I think the sheer greatness of the smell of the dry leaf set me up to be a little disappointed with the taste of the tea itself. But I can’t deny that it’s tasty, it just didn’t wow me like strawberry zabaglione (I’m still very limited in my experience with 52teas).

All in all, it’s tasty stuff and it’s worth having around if only to stick my nose in the pouch and repeatedly inhale its intoxicating aroma. :)

i taste a hint of ginger, a vague sense of effervescence and an odd vinegar twang that i really dislike =0(

i wish i had had the experiences that vaulted this blend into the stratosphere! i followed the instructions, measured twice before pouring once…. and still i got this strange brew.

perversely i have the mother of all rotten weekends…. maybe it’s variations on a theme. however, thank you to the generous CHAroma for the opportunity to try it.

no numerical rating because i only had enough for one steep and i cannot try again.

Backlogging. 10 days ago. Wednesday afternoon.

The February Backlog: From the 1st to today.

My second time having this, my first time logging this. First time I had it I liked it so much. I got root beer, cream soda, and buttery. This time I got more black tea taste with those flavors. This tea is sooo good.

Yum! This tastes very much like a slightly buttery rootbeer.

I was in the mood for a somewhat butterier version of this, so I added a bit of Buttered Rum from DavidsTea this time around.

I can’t wait for winter to come so I can drink this and watch the snow fall!

I tried Butterbeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park and unfortunately, this is not butterbeer. This tastes more like Cream Soda mixed with black tea. However, the base for Butterbeer is often Cream Soda so I can see where this tea was going but fell a bit short. Not a bad tea, just not the butterbeer I was hoping for.

ETA: I added milk to this and frothed it to make it more like a latte and that brings this tea closer to Butterbeer but still not quite there. As a latte it has a bit more complex flavor as it is creamier and more buttery. Plus some butterscotch notes come through just a bit. I am still prominently getting Cream Soda and Black tea though.

ETA: Well my friend has found the key to making this taste like butterbeer. Milk and a handful of German Rock Sugar. Not the healthiest drink but Butterbeer is not the epitome of health either.

Had to log this this morning because it is my 8 yr olds first experience today with loose leaf… One proud Momma! He has always turned his nose up at loose leaf until today, and he actually helped me fill the steeper ball. :)

He is home longer this morning for a delay due to cold temperatures, so we had a nice breakfast and tea. He finished his first cup and after breakfast asked for more. We were out of his first choice for today, so I went through some of the options and he chose this. He loves root beer, so this was an obvious first step to loose leaf for him. He was really surprised at how close this was to root beer for him.

This has been one that my Hubby has liked since I was able to get a partial pkg from ShadowFall to try… Thanks again! Now we know we have 2 that enjoy this one and it might be worth the re-stock. I may, however, be looking for a caffeine free version of root beer so he can have it later in the day and not compromise bedtime.

Sipdown! I tried a cup of this over the holidays from the 12 Days of Tea and I remember liking it. Today I finished off the pack and made the boy and I two cups of tea. I love the way this one smells – very buttery and lightly of rootbeer. My fiancee claims it smells like butterscotch, but I smell more of a licorice and creamy vanilla. I’m obsessed with this flavor – it’s not like the strong, overwhelming rootbeer flavor of a soda, but a nice, soft taste with a smooth and creamy texture, and no artificialness. I’m sad to see this one go!

-Dry leaves are medium sized.
-Dry leaves smell softly of butter and licorice. Tea liquor aroma is of licorice and vanilla.
-Tea liquor is a clear orange brown color.
-Smooth licorice flavor with a creamy butter finish.
-Best with sweetener. Milk optional.
-Excellent tea. Light natural creamy rootbeer flavor.

I have had this tea for a few months now and left it untried for too long, even when it appeared in the 12 days of Christmas box I failed to try any. Well not today, now is the time to brew, sip and review.

My house is a royal mess thanks to my lazy days over Christmas and my hangover has left me with holiday belly today so after washing a marathon of pots I have sat down to rest with a cup of butterbeer. Strange really since the last thing I want after this hangover is beer.

Raw the tea reminded me of dandelion and burdock pop which I adore and get delivered each week from my milk man so I hope it tastes similar. I think it’s the licorice that put me off initially as I have gone right off the taste of it which may be why it has taken me to long to try this.

I have no idea what the reference is with Harry Potter either, not a Potter fan. As a child I was a LOTR fanatic, of course that was when there were only the books. I think someone should make a LOTR tea. Anyway I’m stalling…I must sip.

It smells sweet and malty with strong licorice notes. It’s a familiar smell but I just cannot think what it reminds me of (which is no help). The maltyness in flavour I like which may be the chicory aiding the black tea but the licorice is sweet and well..very licorice. It’s chai like but without the spices.

It’s no where near as bad as I was expecting but it’s not something I could drink much of. Going to see if I can trade away my unopened pouch. Sorry this one just isn’t for me.

This is tea #11 from the sampler. I’m sitting on the couch sipping it while I relax from a crazy day of work at the bookstore. I’m back on Boxing Day too, blah.

I’m not sure what butterbeer is meant to taste like as I’ve never tried any of the fan-made recipes floating around the internet and I don’t think it was ever described in the books. I’m going to assume a similarity with rootbeer as this is what this blend tastes like to me – and that’s totally okay as I love rootbeer. There’s a bit of something more in there that’s harder to define – it’s smooth and slightly creamy with a bit of natural sweetness. Very yummy!