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I finished this one up a while ago but forgot to post a note. I feel bad because it was a tasty and charming white tea. It deserved better.

I recall that it reminded me of a green tea at times; it had the hay notes you see in many white teas, but it was altogether grassier than what I expected: bamboo shoots and sweetgrass too! It was a temperamental steeper and could get grass-bitter if oversteeped though. It made me think of a laying in a grass field and listening to the blades rustle in the wind. All in all, a very restful and vibrant tea.

The fire smoke is finally hitting us here, turning the sky into something autumnal and eerie. It’s not as bad as other areas, but it’s an energy zapper and a mood killer.

I wanted a tea profile to contrast this internal lethargy so I reached for something extremely green, decadent, and bright – this candied melon tea! It’s so cheery and flavourful – although, this particular tin is saddled with the now bittersweet memory of briefly visiting Lahaina, Kona, and Honolulu back in March. Absolutely surreal and heartbreaking at the loss of lives and homes. We are really lucky here in the Lower Mainland that it’s just the smoke right now; it’s an understatement to say wildfires have particularly sucked this year across the board.

But here I was trying to distract myself. That almost never works, eh? Maybe I need to embrace the fall-ish notes and the catharsis that this upcoming season can offer. Hopefully, I have a puerh hiding away somewhere.

Steep Count: 3

A subtle but decadent twist on a 52teas staple; paradoxically light and rich! I really enjoyed this one, and it was popular with the rest of my family too.

Still on a purple flower kick. This is a nice level of lavender, and a pleasant twist on an earl grey (the bergamot is super light), but it can be finicky to steep up. I oversteeped it to the point of bitterness a couple of times, but milk helps with these things. Also, even if I butchered the first steep, the second steep was deliciously smooth.

My 50g did not last at all; I pull out teas like this (ex – earl greys & citrusy black tea blends) when I can’t make up my mind, but want caffeine plus a little flair.

I wanted Violet Cremes but there’s sadly very little left of that (hoarding ensues). Instead, I opted for this brisker black tea to get my violet fix. It’s delicious in its own right, but I want buttery oolong too! Sometimes life is challenging like this.

Note to self: find more violet teas to fill the void in my life.

Backlog – Sipdown!

Tasty, but this dessert tea exists in a state between “satisfies sweet tooth” and “it’s so cloying and rich it’s nauseating!” I also don’t get pie as much as I get candy corn (this isn’t a terrible thing though). However, my mom adored it, and found nothing to criticize — so, maybe the sweetness overload is just me. I’d consider getting more for her, and snag the odd cup that way.

Backlog

(2021 Spring Harvest)

It’s long overdue that I finished this old harvest up but, now that it’s gone, I miss its familiar profile of malt, cocoa, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, and, strikingly, pepper spice. It’s neither the fanciest tea in my cupboard nor the plainest. It occupies a mercurial niche that makes it universally accessible.

It’s a tea I drink on slow Sunday afternoons — as well as one that I’ve pulled out for wedding showers, baby showers, and, most recently, after receiving the news that my uncle, my dad’s youngest brother, had passed away. It’s strangely grounding, and I can’t believe all the memories and significance it has accumulated over the years.

The name is always a conversation starter and a welcome distraction for those who need it (“are there actually snails in this tea?”). I’m usually prompted to show off to the particularly snail-anxious among us the beautifully rolled, gold-black curl of the tea leaf in order to put them at ease. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who hasn’t been taken in by the leaves or the rich, sweet, and earthy aroma that they give off. Like I said — grounding and comforting. This tea is a pillar.

So long for now (not forever) beautiful tea.

Omg, I finally managed to get back into my account (I was in some weird signed in/out limbo). I missed you all.

Backlog

Sad sipdown. This makes the most delicious tropical cold brew. The grassiness of the sencha and acidic traits of the pineapple also mellows out with this steep method. Perfect for hot weather. I know people tend to drink less tea in the hot summer months, but I’m a huge fan of 52Teas’ fruity blends; they’re some of the most refreshing and flavourful iced tea-adjacent blends around.

Oh, hey! I can log into Steepster again! I missed you all.

I had quite the adventure in March. I took a short trip down to San Francisco, and then went on a birthday cruise (for my father and young nephew) to various Hawaiian ports. This was my first visit to the US since before the pandemic and it was.. nice, even if SF did a good YVR impression with the weather (rain. so much rain). Also, I definitely caught covid on the tail-end of the cruise, which was awful – the least terrible ramification being that it prevented me from enjoying my Lupicia souvenirs for a couple weeks.

Is this tea subtle? No. Does it taste like a Melona bar? Yes, it totally does – and that’s all I want at the moment. Sugary green melons on a floral bouquet. This is an excellent tea for flavoured tea fans and newbies (my mom thinks it tastes and smells mindbogglingly good). My sole complaint is the green oolong base is kind of boring and veers towards sour once the flavouring dissipates – but it’s such an easy tea to guzzle down, and takes a long while to get to the point of “meh”. This is one of the very few Lupicia offerings I’ve tried before and it’s lovely to get a chance to revisit it.

Steep Count: 5 and going strong

While not a blend I’d pick out on my own, I do think the concept is pretty neat: sweet stonefruit blended with zesty spices to create something that does kind of taste like a savoury chutney.

The lemon and ginger help bring out the zestiness to the blend; it makes it feel convincing and interesting texture-wise. None of the spices steal the show; they’re well blended. The green blend also aids the concept and leans into the savoury with it’s fresh and bright vegetal profile. The tea ultimately reminds me of a green guava chutney I had ages ago, which brings back happy memories.

Steep Count: 2