Winter is Coming

Bird & Blend Advent Calendar 2021: Day 4!

Love the concept for this one! I don’t think I’ve ever had a peppermint/chili combination before, tea or otherwise. I enjoyed it, though—I got a nice crisp minty bite at first, followed by a gently warming spiciness afterward. Not noticing too much of the pu’erh base; I think that could be stronger to make this blend a bit more interesting and complex. It’s mostly a novelty as-is, but I’m glad I tried it.

Bird & Blend Advent Calendar 2021 – Day 4

Like Courtney, I got a worrying fishy pu’erh smell while this was steeping. Luckily it doesn’t really come through in the taste.

However, this is very spicy. Not sure if I got unlucky in the distribution of ingredients in my sachets, but wow is there a lot of chili and/or pepper coming through! I can taste the mint in the background and in the aftertaste, but mostly it’s just spicy. The pu’erh base is mostly just earthy and very mellow.

Not a fan of this, as the spiciness is really overwhelming all the other components. I am glad it didn’t end up tasting like fish though, heh…

B&B Advent 2021 Day 4

Once steeped, this has an off-putting pu’erh smell. I waited a while and that wore away, however, what was left didn’t really do it for me. Peppermint up front and chili spiciness on the back. Seemed to be lacking in complexity and neither of us enjoyed this. We both ending up dumping our cups.

We’re prepped for the big rainstorm rolling through. Took down all the windchimes haha, tarped what needed to be tarped, set up the pump for our yard prone to flooding, brought in some firewood in case the power goes out. Cold and wet, I came back in with freezing hands and knew this tea from Martin was what I needed to cast away the chill.

Made one cup for me and one for Kiki. This sips with a clean, fairly mellow herbal-sweet peppermint followed by the hot spice of ginger that dominates the red peppercorn. The red peppercorn also provides a hint of its exotic floral-fruity perfume. I could swear there’s also cinnamon in this because I feel like I taste it mid-mouth, but unless it’s an added flavor it isn’t in this blend. It’s a smooth, clean tea that I think gets some minerality from the puerh. Though I can’t necessarily taste the puerh’s trademark earthy flavor, I know its there and supporting the herbs and spices.

I like it. Kiki likes it. Simple, smooth and spicy and a good soul-warmer. Thanks, Martin :)

Day 6 of our Advent Tea Swap. From amandastory516.

I did a quick search online to see if I could find more information about this tea, but it looks like it’s no longer available. I wonder why since this is a really nice tea, and creative too with the fire and ice concept. It looks like this was released in September so maybe Game of Thrones just lost some of its hype since the finale is done.

I do think the flavor on this is really nice. I definitely get the cooling mint at first sip and feel the tingling spice of the peppercorns at the end. Its a fun idea and comes across well in the tea. I don’t really taste the puerh, but I also don’t really drink it enough to know its flavors intimately.

Not one I’d purchase most likely, even if available, but it’s one I’ll enjoy while I have it.

Now I’m off to enjoy a double date lunch with my brother and his girlfriend, then a surprise Advent activity they’ve set up for us. Have a wonderful day, fellow Steepsterites!

A sample gift from Martin, thank you!

Exhausted today so no long reviews or precision brewing. Just a good heaped teaspoon of tea and boiled water. It was soothing tea, very pleasant. I didn’t get any of the ginger or tea, just peppermint and a little spice from the peppercorns.

Finished my cup so that’s always a good sign!

I have received this tea in some subscription in 2020 and I remember it doesn’t made me happy, as it was sent even an year before. So, I most of the tea sent elsewhere.

I decided to brew this one though today, and I have to say, I think I see a little twist in the blend. I think they used lighter puerh than last year. Maybe it’s not true, maybe it is just my imagination.

But brewed, it’s still pretty much same. Not that much of dark puerh notes for sure, but honestly I don’t recall it that exact, I could tell. Keeping the 78 on this blend; as it is nice to drink it once, twice, but I am grateful that I don’t had to use all 20 grams!