I don’t normally drink this tea by itself. I’ve been using it a lot lately to add flavor to other teas, as anything even a little bit of these campfire tasting leaves go into immediately gets a nice smoky flavor.
But the other day I decided to give it a go solo again.
It really is a good tea. Red Blossom Tea Company has two different brewing methods outlined on their site, one a normal black tea brewing method for a thick, rich and robust taste, and a shorter time at a slightly lower temperature for a lighter and sweeter taste.
That’s what I went for. I tried it a week ago or so, and it was good, but needed refinement. Here we go:
I used 3 tablespoons of leaves, NOT heaping tablespoons, if anything not quite full tablespoons. I used water not quite at a full boil, just after bubbles begin to form. And I only steeped it for 1:30, very short for a black tea.
Those three things gave me a nice, light, but still super flavorful brew. The smoky flavor is still right there on top, like I’m sipping an actual campfire. You know the taste. You get home from a camping trip and crash, and the next morning you unpack your clothes and they have that smell. That campfire smell.
But with the shorter brewing time, it’s not overwhelming, it’s balanced and yummy.
Only problem is it does not bode well for multiple steepings. The 2nd steeping was pretty good, although not nearly as crisp and clear as the first. The 3rd, well, let’s just say I won’t do a 3rd next time I use this method. It’s kind of bland and the flavors just don’t pop anymore.
But that first steeping is damn good.
-E
