Passion

This is the tea that brought me to this site, to find out why my
half-and-half had gone awry when mixed with it. I found my answer, and while researching was surprised to see the majority of positive reviews.

My first sip of this tea was not what I was expecting, thinking then that it would taste as fruity as it smelled. But now, after my third cup of it this week, Passion is starting to grow on me.

I now take the bag out after a few minutes of steeping, instead of sipping with the bag left in place as I had done before. I also add a sparing amount of sweetener and it turns the pungent sour into something sweet and irresistible.

On the other hand, I drink this tea in the evening and would rather not add anything to it (like excess carbs I don’t need before bed), but I am imagining it as a great afternoon iced treat, easily consumed like fruity confection.

I really, really like this tea. They have it at the dining center where I attend school. It’s a fantastic end to an otherwise bland meal.

Note: The water I usually steep this tea in is at a sustainable steaming temperature, however I don’t know exact numbers. It is just what they provide.

At first I was skeptical to try it sans additive, but quickly discovered my affinity for strong and unusual flavors. Brewed correctly, Passion is a tart and mildly sweet herbal tea, and, in my opinion, best served hot. The finish is sour and dry, which I love. The hibiscus gives it a wonderful color and aroma. I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re looking for a fruity finish.

this is my new go-to at the bucks. much cheaper than my dream lover: venti double dirty chai frap. mmmm… still a lovely runner up, tho. it’s a beautiful red color with a strong, fruity, peppery taste. pretty refreshing :)

LOVE LOVE LOVE this tarty tart of a tea.
Brilliant iced.
A staple tea for me(fruit tea addict)

Just okay. It does have a somewhat nice flavor plain, but I’ve found that a teaspoon of sugar really amplifies it. I will always prefer the lemonade version of this at an actual Starbucks, however

Despite its price, I love this tea! It is delicious both iced and hot! I usually prefer it iced with a packet of sweetener, which takes away some of the “tartness”. I purchased a box of these teas from Starbucks and they came in really nice tin. Each teabag was in the “filter bag”, a very soft satchel (resembling what looks like potpourri). I wish they came individually packaged, so that the teabag was protected if the tin was not closed properly. I recommend buying the box of this tea and making it at home- I find Starbucks prices a little crazy, considering you are paying for water and not just the tea bag (at my Starbucks I pay a different amount per size, however, I have heard that others just charge for 1 or 2 teabags). Starbucks also sells an iced lemonade version of this tea. It is very tasty, but a little too high in calories for my liking. If you do enjoy this tea, there are several recipes for it online, some of which come with dietary restrictions considered (light lemonade, splenda, etc.)

I only brew this cold so I can make my own version of the shaken iced tea lemonade from Starbucks, which I once bought multiple times a day on a very hot, humid trip to the East Coast one August. The tea balances out the sourness of the lemonade very well. It’s the perfect refreshing summer drink! I use 1 bag per 8 oz of water and let it steep in the glass or pitcher for awhile, then I add equal parts lemonade and some ice. It’s not rocket science, you can play with the ratios to your taste. No sweetener needed!

The key to this is finding a good quality lemonade. I believe Starbucks uses their own exclusive kind. I use Simply Lemonade since it’s one of the more “natural” options at my grocery store and it has good kind of homemade flavor on its own.

I’m participating in a sleep deprivation study (oy! It is now 6 in the morning, and I’ve been awake for two hours against my will =D), and as we’re not allowed to have any caffeine my lovely friend bought us some herbal tea to get us through the morning. I have to say, so far I am not a fan of Passion. I’m a little surprised since the ingredients are so lovely, and it is such a beautiful tea, but it’s a bit like drinking straight lemon juice—unbelievably sour and puckery. However, reading these notes makes me start to think that this is more my fault than the tea’s. As others have said, it’s strong, strong stuff—it turns the water purple in just a moment or two and packs a real flavor wallop. I get into the habit of leaving the bag in while I drink herbals because usually herbal for me means mint—and you just can’t overbrew mint. This, clearly, you can overbrew. In addition, honey would mellow this out a great deal. As I don’t have access to honey, I’m going to go brew another cup with some sugar and a shorter steeping time, and we’ll see if this gets a revised review =)

One of the strongest herbal teas I’ve ever had. The only downside is that it makes other herbal teas seem weak after you drink this one.

This was the very last teabag that the cafe at my school had left. They won’t order any more until after break (as if tea goes bad in a month…). I steeped it too long, as always, and ended up with a concentrated overload of tartness. But I can imagine it would be more delicious steeped for a shorter time. Will have to try that next time.