Morning Zen

I saw this tea get advertised and I immediately had to try it. Jasmine, mint, yerba mate. Sounds like a caffeine dream on a hot morning. Brewed hot, this blend has a strong focus on the nutty green rooibos and dry grass yerba mate flavors, all wrapped up in almost-medicinal mint. Cold brewing this blend brings out the jasmine more, and the more honeyed tones of the green rooibos. This blend has such a smooth feel and flavor in all its forms, sugar optional. I prefer this as a cold brew for the gentler mate and mint tones, and I would have loved to have an even stronger jasmine blossom presence in the blend. This is a delicious nutty, grassy alternative to a high caffeine black tea or coffee on those mornings when you really need a kick.

I’ve had a yerba mate blend once before and I remember that I didn’t like it very much, but I’m actually pleasantly surprised by this one. The fragrance of the dry tea is an herbaceous mint. There are whole flower buds mixed in with the chopped mint leaves and woody rooibos. The liquid looks like that of a straight mint tea, maybe a little lighter, and the taste is mint as well. I can definitely feel the caffeine, even after just a couple of sips.

Second Steep
8 ounces water + 175 degrees + 5 minutes, 30 seconds

I’ve read online that mate can be re-steeped several times, but I’m not sure how well the rooibos and mint will hold up. There is still flavor here though the mint is lighter.