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Sipdown/restock #1 of the season! The October air helped us breeze through 100g of this in record time. It was perfect for yesterday’s Oct 13th. Between the creepy cloudy weather and low chill, this was the perfect toasty trea. Polishing off the second tin shouldn’t take long.

I was very wary of this blend as I have the opinion that chai masala should contain no cloves. The absence of ginger is also odd but it was a good choice. This is very cooling and and stretches out the yerba energy. This ia a great blend for cold brewing or cold.

Today’s brain boost brought to you by Mate Factor. Delivered via a chia orange yerba late. With a pinch of matcha for extra green go. I think there’s just too much going into this blend without better balence. It’s not bad alone and with juice or milk it approches good.

If you’ll excuse me, I need to climb a few sequoias.

I was intrigued by a bagged honeybush chai put out by such a specialized company when honeybush is so new to the American market. Given this speedy release, I expected it to be fresher than bagged usually is and worth a try.
It was not a disappointment and much fresher than most bagged teas. I was wary of the cloves, which are always over powering but this is well balenced and survived in coconut milk. I couldn’t taste the honeybush or rooibos (thankfully) so its unique selling point is nominal, but as a caffeine free chai masala it succeeds.

Since her reactions to coffee and creamer are worsening, my mother has finally relented in trying alternatives. I figured the caffeine rich yerba would be a good start. I can’t rate this quite yet as I don’t think I steeped it right. I used four table spoons in a two cup French press and forgot about it for twenty minutes. It came out with far too strong an aftertaste. I timed the second cup better and was surprised. Despite the dark color and list of toasty ingredients this tastes mostly like green yerba and a cacophony of extras. I’m going to give this blend a few more tries before I give up.

And the maternal unit’s reaction? “It’s okay. Too green. It needs creamer, though.”
Oh well. One problem at a time.

Revisiting this one before shipping off a swap to a new friend. I had to increase the rating a few points from comparative awe. Yesterday I turned on the furnace for the first time and immediately needed oolong to speed the defrosting process. Enjoying the stone fruit flavors, it felt like an admission of autumn’s unwelcome presence. This tea seems infinately lighter and agreeable but I’m not sure I’ll want it much in winter.

I think I’m starting to develop a taste for Wuyi oolongs.
This was yesterday’s evening tea and it last a good five steep through breakfast. The light quality ofthis oolong seems almost phantasmic after the heavier ones I’ve had recently. I can’t say I like this but I can’t say a bad word a out it either. I can appreciate the quality of an oolong but still want sencha afterward.

These are more like plastic mardi gras beads than pearls, lacking the depth and refinement of jasmine. Still, they’re natural enough to fit the rainy day headache cure I give to jasmine teas. It helps one apreciate old favorites in true form.