Southern Boy Iced Teas

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Recent Tasting Notes

86

Ah my baptism of the Takeya Flash Chill Tea Maker. But I didn’t even flash chill it. I was a wimp and cold brewed because that’s how I always make my ice teas. Now reading the reviews I see I should have saved the bag and done a second hot brew and tried out the flash chill method.

Well there’s plenty more SBT where that came from!

I like this flavor because it reminds me of the lemon lime cheesecake honeybush blend that was my all time favorite 52teas cheesecake blend.

I cold brewed for about 14ish hours, maybe even 16. I was worried I overdid it but it tastes amazing. All citrus tanginess. More of a lemon lime than a key lime but still super refreshing and highly recommended.

Preparation
Iced

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95

Today’s iced tea for work. This had the usual SBT treatment (which I’ll refrain from outlining again). I’m currently working my way through a pouch of the 52 Teas version of this one, and I’ve been impressed with the strength of the blueberry in that one. Sometimes I get cream cheese/pastry from it, but it can be a bit hit and miss.

I’m pleased to report that the SBT is similarly blueberry-centric. It’s the first flavour to develop upon taking a sip, and it’s deliciously juicy and true-to-life. Sweet, slightly tangy, blueberry amazingness. There’s also a distinctive cream cheese flavour that comes in second and offsets the fruity sweetness nicely, and, then, right at the end, a fleeting hint of buttery, flaky pastry. It’s a really nice combination, and it’s wonderful to taste all of the elements of this one — together they make a great combination! Drinking this has actually made me feel hungry, that’s how spot on danish pastry it really is. Another awesome SBT.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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It’s not terrible, but it’s not for me. Even steeping at a lower temp and starting the 2-min countdown as I started pouring the water, it’s still leaning towards astringent and bitter.

The strawberry flavour is nice, but somewhat weaker than I expected from the scent.

I have one or two more of these, and I’ll drink them, but they definitely aren’t for me. Iced caffeinated tea isn’t something I love to drink all the time, so IDK what I was thinking when I bought the SBTs.

(Steeped in 2 cups of water, added ice and cold water to make 7 cups.)

Flavors: Astringent, Strawberry

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 2 min, 0 sec

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85

I was a bit worried about this one last night, as I couldn’t smell any orange, or taste any in the tiny sip I took. I also thought I might have overdone the steep a little as I got distracted. I brought it to work anyway, and I actually needn’t have worried because I was REALLY WRONG.

I took a tentative sip and discovered that this is actually insanely creamy. It tastes just like vanilla ice cream! The orange is pretty subtle, which is probably why I couldn’t taste much of it, but it does remind me of a thin orange ice lolly shell around a thick, creamy, vanilla ice cream interior. It’s a creamsicle through and through! The black base is a tiny bit intrusive, but that’s pretty much my fault because I went over the three minutes a little. It doesn’t ruin the overall tea, though, so it’s all good. This one had the standard treatment — 3 minutes in boiling water, topped up to 2 litres with cold, and into the fridge overnight.

A delicious summery SBT — this one makes me want to go on the zoomdweebies website and place an order for MOAR right away. I am trying to resist, though — there are a good few still sitting in my cupboard waiting to be tried, and I don’t want to neglect them unduly. SBTs make going to work in the summer bearable. I don’t know what I did before I discovered them.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
Southern Boy Teas

Comments like this are what keep me going! Thanks for the kind words. I’m so happy you are enjoying the teas.

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70

Rec’d this from the SBT kickstarter campaign.

The dry pouch smells like basic plain flavour bubblegum.

I brewed this up as per instructions and added some white sugar. I am kind of unsure how much I added because I made it last night while I was tired, but probably a tbsp or two.

It tastes ok. Not amazing. I have had better bubble gum teas. The black tea base seems to be light but it is present. The bubble gum flavour is quite powerful at the beginning and is quite artificial, but then what bubble gum flavour isn’t artificial. This one also reminds me of hints of the razzleberry SBT.

It is a good thirst quencher, but not my favorite flavour.

Preparation
Iced

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Reading all the other reviews, I feel like I am missing something. The lime flavouring is very intense and although I can kind of sort of half taste a hint of cheesecake in there, the lime is very POW and tastes like chemicals so it is hard for me to say…Will drink more and review properly then. Maybe it is just me.

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I received this gratis as part of a recent order from 52Teas. I cold brewed it overnight and it is very flavorful. My thoughts seem to yo-yo between liking it and disliking it, depending on the sip. It is very blueberry forward, but it almost reminds me of a blueberry muffin candle in the taste that I get at the end of the sip, lingering.

Flavors: Berries, Bread, Fruit Tree Flowers, Jam

Preparation
Iced

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72

Sipping on the last of this while we wait for the fireworks to start. It’s actually pretty cool next to the water, and I’m wishing I had brought a hot tea instead of an iced one. Oh well.

I still can’t taste the vanilla in this tea. Strawberry and chocolate, yes. No vanilla, not even in the form of creaminess. The floral note that was present the last time I drank this is, thankfully, absent.

This is good, but there are several SBTs I like more.

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72

I’ve been sipping on this for the past two days, and while I like it I don’t love it. The strawberry flavor is nice, and I get definite chocolate notes, but the vanilla seems to be missing. There is also a strange floral note at the end of the sip that throws me off. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t remind me of Neapolitan ice cream.

Preparation
Iced 3 min, 0 sec

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Strawberry and cream! Yummy :) This is a good one, but I still have some other strawberry cream teas that I have so this one is not one I’ll have to order again any time soon.

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73

I think this probably tastes AWESOME as a hot tea (and I should probably try the green tea version, because I can picture that being pretty good as well), but I didn’t think this worked as an iced tea. The strawberry flavor was great, but to me, it tasted like strawberry milk or strawberry whipped cream, and although I drank it, I just think that it wasn’t what I was looking for.

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85

I got this tea as part of SBT last kickstarter. i finished a pitcher of this iced tea today. So far, this one is my favorite – the lime goes great in southern style iced tea. Not that cheesecakey, but still very delicious.
I might need to snag more for the new SBT kickstarter!

Preparation
Iced

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90

Not counting the tea I reviewed last week, I have 21 different flavors of SBT teas in my cupboard. I’d better get drinking! Thank God it’s finally warm enough to enjoy iced tea. The dry leaf aroma is divine. Very lime-y in a fresh, authentic way. It even smells creamy, mmm!

My husband stole a sip while he poured me a cup and said, “It’s good, but it’s too buttery for my tastes.” Well, good! All the more for me then! The nerve of him to steal a sip without asking anyway. :P I’m perfectly happy to lay claim to this entire pitcher all by myself because this is super yummy!

Although my husband described it as buttery, I’m not sure I agree. I find it creamy, smooth, luscious, and delicious! It’s equally lime and cheesecake to me. The black base here is not bitter at all, and the flavoring is much more authentic tasting than the lime in the Cherry Limeade SBT. I love this one so much more.

The base is about even strength with the added flavorings, which is especially nice. I added some agave and it complements the cup perfectly! This is exactly my kind of tea. Yummm! I need to pick up some more of this. I think this is the most cheesecake I’ve gotten out of any 52teas blend to date. It’s not tangy, but it is creamy and delicious. I call it a success!

Preparation
Iced 3 min, 0 sec

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76

At first taste, this tasted a lot like a plain black iced tea with a shot of melted lime jello in it. It was sweet and limey, but dominantly the tea flavor.

About halfway through the sip, though, the lime becomes more tangy, sharp, and natural tasting like a fresh key lime. There does seem to be an amount of tart creamy cheesecake flavor hiding underneath it, as well.

This one didn’t really grow on me until I had already reached the bottom of my pitcher (Sad!). I don’t know if it strikes me as a reorder, but I definitely ended up liking it better than my initial impressions had me thinking.

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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This tastes just like the name! At first I thought that the orange taste was too sharp but it has grown on me or it mellowed itself out. I didn’t even add sugar and I love it. I don’t know how Frank does it but it’s such a good orange creamsicle taste.

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84

I think blueberry is one of my favorite flavors in iced teas.

This is a really nice blueberry flavor, with a natural, sweet flavor. The blackberry flavor is more subtle and comes out a bit more at the end of the sip. It’s presence does seem to add a layer of depth to the blueberry, though.

Like most of the SBTs I’ve tried, there is still a strong tea flavor that is well-balanced with the (in this instance) fruity flavors.

I would definitely get this one again.

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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79

Other than the Almond Milk, I’ve really enjoyed all the SBT’s I’ve tried and this one isn’t an exception.

I ended up cold steeping this for around 8-10 hours in my 2 quart pitcher. No sweetener or anything added, as usual. This ended up tasting sweet and feels just a little creamy. It’s heaviest on the strawberry, then the vanilla, and not quite as much as the chocolate. I definitely get a milk chocolate tastiness at the tail of a big sip though. This is definitely Neapolitan through and through.

Yum!

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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89

I have just been crazy-impressed by just about everything I’ve ordered from zoomdweebies.com. This one was very tasty, and pretty true-to-flavor. I brewed it yesterday before Casey and I (who are normally hermits/home bodies) went out to San Francisco for the day. I am enjoying this now while trying to catch up on others’ tasting notes!

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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I hate it when a picture is missing from a tea, so I always try to do a screen capture and add one. This time, it seems a bit messy. (Boo). Hopefully when Frank gets a chance he can change it.

Anyway. This is my second attempt at steeping one of Frank’s SBT blends. I really, really wish they came loose so that I could parse out the amount I wanted, as there are few 2-quart containers in my neck of the woods. I will definitely message him to share this, as I think I’d buy more if I could measure it, instead of getting one huge tea bag.

Anyway. Steeped it exactly as shared on the bag: 3 minutes, then added cold water to fill my Teavana glass pitcher. I found it a bit weak, and am going to let it sit in my fridge overnight to really cool. I did notice that as the small amount that I poured for myself cooled, the black base was less apparent, and the orange took over. Initially, all I got was cream and black base.

Also, a question for all you experienced SBT-ers, or at least those experienced to cold steeping: should I leave the tea bag in the water overnight, or use it again for another steep?

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec
VariaTEA

When I make it, I cold steep the bag for 15-16 hours. However, I only every cold steep them so I am not sure how the flavor would change using a bag that has already been hot brewed and then iced.

VariaTEA

What other SBT did you make btw?

MissB

I’m blanking out as to which one I made, as it was a while ago. We left it in the fridge too long, so it was icky by the time I got around to drinking it. :(

VariaTEA

Oh no. I am trying the last of my SBT teas tomorrow morning and then I will be placing an order for more. I figured I should try what I had so I knew what to restock.

OMGsrsly

LiberTEAS cold steeps overnight, then hot steeps to get the most out of them. Check out their reviews. :)

OMGsrsly

I have to admit, they are tempting. If you’re going to order more, MissB, might I tag along?

VariaTEA

OMGsrsly, I was going to offer to add some to my order for you and then realized that may not be the most effective plan given we don’t live nearly as close as you and MissB. However, if you are only looking to get a couple to try some, they are pretty flat and could probably pass as letter mail and therefore not really cost anything for me to send them to you. I will probably be ordering tomorrow evening so if you want me to add anything, just let me know :)

OMGsrsly

Ooo. Let me go check!

OMGsrsly

UH OH. Eggnog honeybush? Too tempting.

VariaTEA

Haha. I was tempted by that too. But I don’t know if I want 2 oz of it. Mostly because I don’t know if I would like it. Although, no one does honeybush like Frank.

MissB

Heh. I’ve got a LOT of Frank’s stuff on the way from the Kickstarter, plus the new ones. One just showed up now, it was somehow held in transit for weeks. I grabbed eggnog, and will pass along some to both of you if you’d like. :)

OMGsrsly

I’d really appreciate that, MissB!

I have to admit the cart I built (Malted Chocomate!) is only $40. Tempting to just buy. Are all the SBT caffeinated? I don’t see any honeybush ones.

VariaTEA

They are all black teas…I think.

VariaTEA

And I just wish someone had reviewed the eggnog honeybush so at least there is something to guess how the tea tastes. I may just cave and order it anyways. I have a nice balance on my paypal account that can go towards my order.

I am also debating the Pineapple Angel Food Cake. It was so tasty the first time I had it but the second time around I was not that impressed. The fear that I won’t be able to have it again is pushing me towards getting it even though I am not sure that I would want so much of it.

OMGsrsly

Hmm. Umm. I might just order now and ship to MissB. hides head

VariaTEA

haha. I think you should go for it.

OMGsrsly

Ok, ok… Let’s see. Oh no! It worked! Haha. MissB, you should be expecting a parcel for me…

VariaTEA

What did you end up getting??

OMGsrsly

Too much! LOL. Rootbeer Float, Butterbeer, Strawberry Zabaglione, Honey Ginger, Almond Milk (?!), Gingerbread Smoke, Eggnog Honeybush, Malted ChocoMate. Oh boy, oh boy. :D

VariaTEA

Haha. My cart right now is sitting at about $50 and that includes 13 diff SBTs (multiples of a couple) and the Pineapple Angel Food Cake. I made the mistake of looking through the Available Now and I am currently debating the Eggnog Honeybush, the Cinnamon Roll Honeybush, and the Frankenberry (but only because I saw it has Marshmallow root). I think I have a problem…

NayLynn

I have not had any SBT yet but have wondered for a while if you could just cut the tea bag open and get what you needed and repackage the rest. Is there a reason this would not work?

OMGsrsly

I don’t think there’s any reason why that wouldn’t work. They’re just a little more expensive than the loose teas – $12/2oz rather than $8.99. So if there’s a flavour offered loose, I’d probably just get it that way.

OMGsrsly

I wish I could just ‘like’ your comment, VariaTea!

NayLynn

Thanks, that is a good point about the difference in size/value. The main one I would get is sold out in loose & ya’ll are funny

MissB

I have a huge amount of Cinnamon Roll Honeybush, I love it that much!

NayLynn, I could easily cut the bag open, I just think I’d enjoy it more/more often if I was deciding how big my container is to cold steep, and then going from there.

OMGsrsly, sounds good!

keychange

Yeah, I wish I could cold steep smaller amounts also. I don’t even want two quarts. Because hello! I need to cold steep in my mason jar!

OMGsrsly

Both the containers I picked up are “two quarts”. One is actually 2 quarts, but the other is way closer to 3. I’ll probably keep that one for herbals as I prefer cold steeped tea to plain water.

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75

Okay, so I think I found an SBT that I won’t be restocking. This is good but not as tasty but having tried the others, I know there are better options out there. This has a smooth black tea flavor with the aftertaste of key lime. It is pleasant but I am missing the cheesecake. Perhaps I will try another one of the lime offerings with my next order…hmmm…

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more
Fjellrev

I was wondering what this one would be like since I’m a huge fan of his Lime Jello Salad. Too bad about the lack of cheesecake.

VariaTEA

I was actually thinking of grabbing the Lime Jello.

Fjellrev

I wouldn’t be surprised if the SBT Lime Jello is very similar to this one, especially if you didn’t pick up on the cheesecake note. I loved his Lime Jello Salad green that he sold as loose leaf. The marshmallow root made it so creamy. I didn’t really get that with the SBT Lime Jello, unfortunately.

VariaTEA

Mmmm. I love marshmallow root. I am glad you enjoyed it. And you are probably right about Lime Jello being similar to this. It is probably dumb but I feel like that would still be preferred because at least it would live up to its name. In this case I was disappointed because there was no cheesecake. Gotta love the power of suggestion.

Fjellrev

Perhaps he will reblend the Lime Jello Salad someday. But I totally understand the expectations, and that alone can change your perspective on a tea even if it does taste good. My theory is the cheesecake note is difficult to taste with a black base. I could actually taste the cheesecake in Apricot Cheesecake Shou Mei, most likely because the base was so light. It just seems like such a subtle note.

VariaTEA

There has been very few “cheesecake” teas that were successful in capturing the flavor. I could see how it would work on a white base although I have had successful cheesecake teas on black as well.

Fjellrev

Which black cheesecake teas have been successful for you?

VariaTEA

Oh. wow. I meant to write it and not be so mysterious and I guess I got distracted and forgot. This has really not been my day. I know there has been a couple, though not many, however the only one that is coming to mind right now is the Caramel Cherry Cheesecake by Darlene’s Teaport. It had a nice cheesecake tang to it. Now I am trying to remember the others…

Fjellrev

Thanks! I’ll have to check that out.

VariaTEA

I keep going back and forth about buying it. If I end up getting some, I am happy to send some your way so you can try it. I think I will have to have another cup of the sample I have before I decide to get more though to make sure it was actually the tea and not just my excitement that made the cup so great.

Also, taking a quick look through my spreadsheet, I think that may the only tea that nailed the cheesecake flavor for me. I thought there was more but I guess that was just wishful thinking :P

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88

So far I don’t think I have come across a SBT I didn’t like. I tried this flavor in the bestsellers sampler pack and was less than impressed but having now tried the SBT version I really like it. This is creamy, custardy, and has a delicious strawberry flavor. Now I am even more upset I managed to pour a cup worth of this all over my counter. Something tells me tomorrow morning (after I try the last of what I ordered) I will be placing another order to stock up on SBTs and some Pineapple Angel Food Cake.

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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84

This is actually my first SBT, but I love the flavors that I keep seeing pop up, and I’m always looking for new things to try in the pitcher of iced tea in the fridge that Fiance and I share, so I thought this would be fun to try!

Creamy, orangey, tea-y and tasty. I don’t really know what else I can ask for, though I think maybe next time I’ll add a little sugar when it’s steeping. I think it would amp up the melted popsicle-ness here.

But after we ended up dumping out just under half of the last pitcher because neither of us cared for it, this was a nice change

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85

Backlogging.

So. Much. Blueberry. I really enjoyed the sweetness of the berries combined with the tangy cream cheese note. There weren’t any pastry flavors that I could detect, but the great blueberry flavor more than made up for it. I hot brewed my tea and then let it cool in the fridge. Next time I’ll try cold brewing it to see how it changes the flavors.

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80

Sipdown!! (233)

Finally a sipdown! Not that I want this tea gone but rather I am trying to try all the SBTs I bought so I know what I need to restock and it is just such hard work to get through a pitcher alone in the middle of winter.

I don’t have anything new to say about this tea that I have not already said in my other tasting notes. Basically this is a delicious tea that captures the neapolitan flavor well. It will definitely be a restock.

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more
Yvonne

What an interesting premise for a tea!

Roswell Strange

I always just scoop the Strawberry out of Neapolitan…

Yvonne

^ That’s exactly what I used to do, too. Strawberry rules.

VariaTEA

The flavor is predominantly strawberry and vanilla in this which is amazing because I never liked chocolate anyways :P

Suziqzer

Ohh… Might have to pout this one on my shopping list for the summer. I always used to eat the chocolate first to get it out of the wah so that I could enjoy the vanilla & strawberry. :). Ice cream is a fav of mine… Going on shopping list.

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