Trying a lower/shorter steep on recommendation of LiberTEAS and Dexter, to try and avoid that terrible sour taste honeybush can have. (I’ve been going through my list, and TeaG and Butiki have been fine, as have a couple I’ve tried from Bayswater. A couple blends that are “honeybush” but mostly other stuff have also been fine. But I’ve had a bunch from Steam, and some other local shops (usually teas to go), 52Teas and Adagio, and I’ve noticed it in all those at varying levels. I don’t always note it because for a while I thought it was how it was supposed to taste. Heh. Guess not!)
Steeped low and short, this tea is very herbaceous, actually. I would say that the flavour is 90% raspberry leaves, 9% honeybush and rooibos, 1% other. :) Not exactly the flavour profile I’m going for! Even though the last time I had this, before it went sour, it was kind of weird.
Now to let this cool…
Hmm. It’s starting to get sour again. Now, this one probably isn’t the best test for this, but I’m not sure I want to buy some honeybush to test it out. I might try some of the others I have in my cupboard this way. And it really isn’t as bad as it was last time – as in, I can still drink it so I’m finishing this cup instead of dumping it.
Interesting.
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I would recommend trying – if you have something available to you – some plain honeybush (loose leaf!) and see if you get the same results. It could just be that this is the way honeybush tastes to you. Something that I learned many years ago is that no tea tastes exactly the same to any other palate. Our palates are individualized, just like our fingerprints, so it could very well be that honeybush just isn’t your thing.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen plain honeybush around here! But it’s something I’ll be putting on my list to try. If I don’t like it, I have a friend who will love it. :) It’s interesting because there are some I’ve had with no problems, and some that I’ve ended up getting rid of. I guess it’s somewhat like rooibos, where some grades/harvests/etc are a lot woodier than others.
I’ve also found that whether or not it’s organic makes a big difference in flavor too. I took the time several years ago to compare rooibos side by side – a conventionally grown rooibos versus an organic rooibos … organic is definitely better tasting.
I have a few ounces of organic honeybush from Mountain Rose Herbs. I prefer it over the Rooibos that I have from them, because it’s more mellow. I haven’t had much honeybush blends, but I know people say that it can taste woody. When you say it tastes sour, could it be the taste of the rooibos or the added orange peel and orange flavor? I missed your other review. :(
I know it’s not rooibos because I never get the flavour in rooibos teas. I only get it in teas that have honeybush – and it doesn’t matter what flavour it is. Plum, spice, almond, etc. They all have that sour taste as the tea starts to cool.
I would recommend trying – if you have something available to you – some plain honeybush (loose leaf!) and see if you get the same results. It could just be that this is the way honeybush tastes to you. Something that I learned many years ago is that no tea tastes exactly the same to any other palate. Our palates are individualized, just like our fingerprints, so it could very well be that honeybush just isn’t your thing.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen plain honeybush around here! But it’s something I’ll be putting on my list to try. If I don’t like it, I have a friend who will love it. :) It’s interesting because there are some I’ve had with no problems, and some that I’ve ended up getting rid of. I guess it’s somewhat like rooibos, where some grades/harvests/etc are a lot woodier than others.
I’ve also found that whether or not it’s organic makes a big difference in flavor too. I took the time several years ago to compare rooibos side by side – a conventionally grown rooibos versus an organic rooibos … organic is definitely better tasting.
I have a few ounces of organic honeybush from Mountain Rose Herbs. I prefer it over the Rooibos that I have from them, because it’s more mellow. I haven’t had much honeybush blends, but I know people say that it can taste woody. When you say it tastes sour, could it be the taste of the rooibos or the added orange peel and orange flavor? I missed your other review. :(
I know it’s not rooibos because I never get the flavour in rooibos teas. I only get it in teas that have honeybush – and it doesn’t matter what flavour it is. Plum, spice, almond, etc. They all have that sour taste as the tea starts to cool.