Steep Information:
Amount: 1 tsp
Water: 1 zarafina cup
Tool: Zarafina black-loose-medium
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: chocolate, nut, tea, something else I can’t identify
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet black tea
Flavor: astringent, nutty, black tea
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: astringent, a touch bitter
Liquor: translucent dark reddish-brown
There was not high star frequency in the tin. I think 1/3 of my cups may get one? So the picture is a bit misleading.
The taste however is smooth and very pleasant. I very much enjoyed this tea.
I did not pick up the vanilla, I think my taste buds need a reset / recalibration :( I have been missing it while MilitiaJim has been spotting it lately.
I prepared this while running around getting ready for work. I have been trying to wake up early enough to review one tea each day before work, but I am not a morning person. Thank goodness for the zarafina, it takes care of the tea while I work on packing lunch and everything else.
Post-Steep Additives: German rock sugar
Sweet tea, hint of nuts and coco
I took a few sips and then went back to getting ready for work.
Resteep: Zarafina black-loose-medium
I started this immediately after pouring the first steep off. The second steep was the same as the first steep, after assessing this I then mixed the two together into my travel mug and then ran to the train.
images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/04/jade-teapot-loose-leaf-black-tea-starry.html
People who liked this
Comments
OK… I fear that I may actually NEED a zarafina.
hold out for the fancy breville pot! although the zarafina is awesome it’s kind of a black box – i don’t know what temp each “tea” is – on the other hand, it is awesome for the busy person who had no time to check temp and set timer and pack lunch and brush teeth and feed the pets…..
You are so generous! If I had a 1 outta 3 ratio for stars I’d give it like a 30 lol:)
But… what I don’t like about the Breville is that it doesn’t dispense the tea (thereby removing the brewed tea from the steeped leaves) so if you “forget” about it, the tea continues to brew. So, for me, the Breville is really nothing much more than a fancy, programmable kettle… When you get the Breville, though, will you please let me know and give me a comparison? I have had my kettle now for about 4 years, so I think I can get some fancy-pants gadget that I don’t need for my birthday next month…… (this website is very very bad for me and my principles)
LiberTEAS, you’re just experiencing a paradigm shift… albeit a steepster induced paradigm sift, but a paradigm shift LOL:) I thank God for my paradigm shifts, I’m a much better person for them.
“Variable steeping times control the tea strength — strong, medium, or mild.
Tea Basket auto-raises at the correct time to prevent over-steeping.” I am not exactly sure when it’s being released though, but I will certainly review it in comparison to the zarafina as soon as I can get my grubby paws on one
Some time during May I believe… I have no clue what part of May though.
excellent, AmazonV. I’d like to hear which one you prefer and why to help me with my decision… Now… it’s a matter of explaining to hubby that this is what I want for my birthday. LOL
No explaination should be needed, it’s your birthday:) Although some men (of course NOT saying yours since I don’t know him) don’t get why women don’t want weed wackers for their birthdays lol.
He probably would understand why I want it… my tea fanaticism is pretty well known around here… (that’s an understatement)… but the task is in explaining why I want a zarafina (or breville) over say… a 29 dollar electric tea kettle like I have now. It’s kind of like explaining to him why Gyokuro is better than Bancha.
Oh… and please note – he is NOT a tea drinker and does not understand that one tea is different from another.
Eh I think the gyokuro vs. bancha would be a heck of a lot easier since you’re so anti gadget:)
true. But he doesn’t really see the anti gadget thing because I collect teapots and teacups… so he thinks I’m pro gadget. LOL
Does he really like coffee? woodworking? we can angle this….
He likes coffee… but he doesn’t drink it very often and his favorite is the instant stuff (is it called Via?) from Starbucks. Not so much into woodworking. He likes the Steelers.
Yep it’s VIA.
LiberTEAS, you could just do what I am planning copy his C.C. and order the new Breville and then make his favorite dinner and when he inevitably says
“This is sooo good what have I done to deserve all this?” then I will tell him he’s been stuck with the bill for the new Breville!
This is a joke but as in all comedy there is some truth in it. :)
drat, i was hoping your hubby would be into something like coffee so you could compare it to the nice alarm clock coffee makers LiberTEAS – bleh! the VIA is my emergency backup coffee, we have a burr and blade grinder and preferr fresh beans made in a french press or stove top espresso maker
OK… I fear that I may actually NEED a zarafina.
hold out for the fancy breville pot! although the zarafina is awesome it’s kind of a black box – i don’t know what temp each “tea” is – on the other hand, it is awesome for the busy person who had no time to check temp and set timer and pack lunch and brush teeth and feed the pets…..
You are so generous! If I had a 1 outta 3 ratio for stars I’d give it like a 30 lol:)
But… what I don’t like about the Breville is that it doesn’t dispense the tea (thereby removing the brewed tea from the steeped leaves) so if you “forget” about it, the tea continues to brew. So, for me, the Breville is really nothing much more than a fancy, programmable kettle… When you get the Breville, though, will you please let me know and give me a comparison? I have had my kettle now for about 4 years, so I think I can get some fancy-pants gadget that I don’t need for my birthday next month…… (this website is very very bad for me and my principles)
LiberTEAS, you’re just experiencing a paradigm shift… albeit a steepster induced paradigm sift, but a paradigm shift LOL:) I thank God for my paradigm shifts, I’m a much better person for them.
“Variable steeping times control the tea strength — strong, medium, or mild.
Tea Basket auto-raises at the correct time to prevent over-steeping.” I am not exactly sure when it’s being released though, but I will certainly review it in comparison to the zarafina as soon as I can get my grubby paws on one
Some time during May I believe… I have no clue what part of May though.
excellent, AmazonV. I’d like to hear which one you prefer and why to help me with my decision… Now… it’s a matter of explaining to hubby that this is what I want for my birthday. LOL
No explaination should be needed, it’s your birthday:) Although some men (of course NOT saying yours since I don’t know him) don’t get why women don’t want weed wackers for their birthdays lol.
He probably would understand why I want it… my tea fanaticism is pretty well known around here… (that’s an understatement)… but the task is in explaining why I want a zarafina (or breville) over say… a 29 dollar electric tea kettle like I have now. It’s kind of like explaining to him why Gyokuro is better than Bancha.
Oh… and please note – he is NOT a tea drinker and does not understand that one tea is different from another.
Eh I think the gyokuro vs. bancha would be a heck of a lot easier since you’re so anti gadget:)
true. But he doesn’t really see the anti gadget thing because I collect teapots and teacups… so he thinks I’m pro gadget. LOL
Does he really like coffee? woodworking? we can angle this….
He likes coffee… but he doesn’t drink it very often and his favorite is the instant stuff (is it called Via?) from Starbucks. Not so much into woodworking. He likes the Steelers.
Yep it’s VIA.
LiberTEAS, you could just do what I am planning copy his C.C. and order the new Breville and then make his favorite dinner and when he inevitably says
“This is sooo good what have I done to deserve all this?” then I will tell him he’s been stuck with the bill for the new Breville!
This is a joke but as in all comedy there is some truth in it. :)
drat, i was hoping your hubby would be into something like coffee so you could compare it to the nice alarm clock coffee makers LiberTEAS – bleh! the VIA is my emergency backup coffee, we have a burr and blade grinder and preferr fresh beans made in a french press or stove top espresso maker