looseTman Send Message

Sample package label: “Autumn Darjeeling”
Per: http://www.alvinsofsf.com/tea/specialty-teas-and-blends/seeyok-autumnal-darjeeling.html
“Malty, muscatel, and spicy notes; smooth yet complex flavor, Autumnal 2nd flush. Organic, Fair Trade
Details
Deep in the Mirik Valley of Darjeeling in West Bengal India, comes this autumn harvest 2nd flush Darjeeling tea from the Seeyok plantation. Its has a strong body with a refreshing crisp finish with strong hints of Mustat, malt and spices. A perfect morning or early afternoon tea. Certified Organic and Fair Trade.”

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian at Alvin’s of San Francisco for the recommended brewing instructions: 1 tsp. / 195*F / 8oz. / 2 minutes. “To really enjoy the complexity of the tea leaves I personally leave them in for a bit longer though this is totally up to you. (Sometimes I don’t even take them out!)”

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 195*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
1 Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

The fragrance of this tea is very enticing, but what is it? – A new very pleasing experience.
Dry leaf – blackish brown
Infused Leaf – Bright coppery hue

First cup:
2-min: Smooth, light- to med.-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
3-min: med.-bodied
4-min: Smooth, lively & full-bodied with a malty character and a clean finish. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency

5-min re-steep:
Smooth & a little lighter than the first infusion, but very enjoyable.

2nd cup (same as above, but brewed in a closed vessel – teacup w/lid):
4-min: Smooth, lively & full-bodied with a malty character and a clean finish. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency. However, I now can appreciate the hints of muscatel. It reminds me of white grapes.

Impression: A very enjoyable Darjeeling – a smooth, full-bodied, malty tea with hints of muscatel and without any bitterness or astringency. Well Done!

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian for providing this generous size free sample.

Sample package label:
“Earl Grey de la Cream
Time: 3 minutes / Temp: 212*”

Thanks to David Palmerola founder of Steep City for the additional recommended brewing instructions: “Usually 1 tsp per 8 oz, but I like my teas stronger so maybe a bit more on the bold teas… Especially EG!”

Introduction: Steep City’s recently released Earl Grey de la Cream is the first EG Cream I’m aware of that uses vanilla beans (as opposed to just flavoring). It also uses an Assam/Ceylon blend. Most EG teas have a 100% Shi Lankan (Ceylon) base. Having the addition of an Assam black tea, was another significant reason for wanting to sample this EG tea. Our current EG has a Ceylon base and I can’t get past the astringency. My wife also loves EG.

This tea has a strong vanilla fragrance. Neither my wife nor I could smell the classic oil of bergamot fragrance.

April 18: 1 rounded to heaping tsp. / 8-oz. / 212*F / 3 min / No sweeteners, milk, or cream added

I brewed a cup of Earl Grey de la Crème for my wife – a life-long EG Lover. She noted a strong vanilla flavor, no discernible lemony oil of Bergamot flavor, and another flavor that she could not identify that detracted from the taste of this EG. She then looked at the Steep City website and specifically wanted to know about the vanilla and bergamot flavors.

My first impression of this tea (based only on a few stolen sips) was that it was full-bodied & very, very smooth w/o any bitterness or astringency – well done! The addition of vanilla beans was a great idea! However, as an EG tea, my wife was correct that the vanilla completely overshadowed the EG flavor.

Afterwards, I sent an e-mail to David asking about the vanilla and bergamot flavors. David told us that they use natural oil of Bergamot. “On the cream side, we are using natural flavors with some artificial flavors combined with the natural vanilla beans.”

April 21: 2.5 tsps. (All that remained in the sample) / 16-oz. / 212*F / 3 min. / No sweeteners, milk, or cream added (A cup for each of us)

3-min Infusion: A strong vanilla flavor, no discernible oil of Bergamot flavor, light- to medium-bodied, with zero hint of tartness, bitterness or astringency.
4-min: Improving
5-min: A strong vanilla flavor, no discernible oil of Bergamot flavor, strong hints of cinnamon, medium-bodied, with zero hint of tartness, bitterness or astringency.

In my experience, the tartness of citrus bergamia is a common characteristic of most Earl Grey tea. The addition of vanilla & vanilla beans definitely smoothed out the tartness.

In retrospect, as far as the full-bodied flavor on 4/18 and medium-bodied flavor on 4/21: I probably should have only brewed one cup with the remaining tea sample.

Impression: This tea is for creamy vanilla lovers.

For those who prefer a classic lemony Oil of Bergamot fragrance & flavor:
“It’s complicated.” The additional natural ingredients that give this Earl Grey its rich creamy vanilla taste are much stronger than the classic Oil of Bergamot EG flavor. Achieving just the right balance must be quite a challenge as the number of ingredients increases.

Suggestion: For those like my wife who love the classic EG fragrance & flavor, Steep City may wish to consider refining the balance between the vanilla beans / vanilla flavoring and the Oil of Bergamot so that these two key ingredients can be qually appreciated & enjoyed. Another consideration might be to eliminate the artificial vanilla flavor.

Thanks to David Palmerola founder of Steep City for providing this free sample.

Sample package label:
“CREAMY, SMOOTH, and delicious! We use spring select white tea hand blended with coconut, safflowers, and cornflowers. Delivers a sweet creamy texture with a light body and a good balance of coconut.

Ingredients: Organic Chinese White Tea, Organic Safflower, Organic Cornflower, Organic Coconut, Natural Flavors
Caffeine: Medium, Steep: 1-3 Minutes”

Thanks to Joey Landford, The Tea Merchant, for the additional recommended brewing instructions: 1 heaping tsp. / 180*F / 8oz.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 21 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 180*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
1 heaping Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

This white tea has a tropical coconut fragrance
Light gold hue

Infusion:
1-min: Smooth but light-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
2-min: Improving
3-min: Sweet, creamy, smooth, mellow, & light-bodied with a mild coconut aroma. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency.

Impression: An outstanding, well-balanced, afternoon white tea and a very enjoyable way to receive your antioxidants!

Thanks to Joey, The Tea Merchant, for providing this generous size free sample.

Sample package label:
“The Perfect Tea for the coffee lover looking for a healthier alternative. This impossibly smooth malty organic tea comes from the Assam region of Northern India. It brews a rich golden infusion with lots of character and may be steeped multiple times.
Ingredients: Organic black Tea
USDA Organic, Caffeine: Medium, Steep: 3-5 Minutes”

Thanks to Joey Landford, The Tea Merchant, for the additional recommended brewing instructions: A little less than 1 tsp. / 205*F / 8oz.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 21 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 205*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
1 scant Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

The fragrance of this tea has hints of tobacco
Golden hue

First cup:
3-min: Smooth but light-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
4-min: Improving
5-min: Smooth & medium bodied. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency. Since this is an Assam, I suspected more tea was needed.

2nd Cup – 1 Rounded Tsp.:
3-min: Smooth and medium-bodied.
4-min: Smooth and full-bodied.
5-min: Smooth & full-bodied with a malty character. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency

6-min re-steep:
Smooth & lighter than the first infusion.

Impression: This Assam is a full-bodied, malty tea without any bitterness or astringency.

Thanks to Joey, The Tea Merchant, for providing this generous size free sample.

Package label:
“Ingredients: Pure tea buds and leaves
Original Place: Qimen, Anhui, China
Distributor: Teas and Thes (China) Ltd.
Room 3-241, Hui Zhan Nan Wu Road
Xiamen, Fujian, China
www.teavivre.com
Production date: 5/15/2012
Storage Instruction: Store in Airtight, opaque container in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Shelf life: 24 months
Net Wt.: 3.5 oz. (100 g)

Brew Guide:
1-2 teaspoons for 8 oz. of water
Brew at 194*F (90*C) for 2-3 minutes”

Per their website: http://www.teavivre.com/keemun-hao-ya/ this Keemun is a handmade Gongfu process tea that also has EU Organic Certification.

Introduction: Since I thoroughly enjoyed the sample of this Keemun Hao Ya, I ordered 500 g. (See my initial review.)

4/18/13 Western Teapot Technique: 32-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 19 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 194*F (90*C) – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
6 Tevanna teaspoons (1.5 tsp/cup), without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Results:
This tea has a wonderful mild smoky fragrance as well as a fruity fragrance that reminds me of red wine.

Vibrant copper hue

3-min Infusion: It’s a creamy smooth, well-balanced, full-bodied breakfast tea with a natural caramel-like sweetness, a fruity / wine-like flavor, and a finish that leaves you with a wonderful full mouth feel, which lingers on the tongue for an extended period of time. It’s truly outstanding!

2nd Infusion:
4-min: Initial taste – another minute was needed
5-min: Yes, the 2nd 32-oz. steep was as enjoyable as the first! Just a tad lighter.

Impression: This premium-grade Keemun, clearly sets itself apart from “Keemun Panda #1” in that it is certified organic, provides a natural caramel-like sweetness, and a wonderful full mouth feel, which lingers on the tongue for such an extended period of time.

Congratulations to Mr. Jiang, the tea farmer responsible for this superb Keemun!
“He and his workers are well known to produce some of China’s most sought after Keemun teas, illustrated by their Keemun winning gold medal for best tea at the Shanghai World Expo.”

This is our first TeaVivre black tea and it’s provided a wonderful first-impression. Premium Keemun Hao Ya Black Tea should not be missed! – A truly exceptional Keemun! Very well done!

Thanks to TeaVivre and Angel for providing the original free sample.

Sample package label:
“USDA Organic, Fair Trade certified
Suggested Steeping Guide:
One scant tsp. / 212*F / 3-5 minutes”
http://www.arborteas.com/organic-keemun-hao-ya-a-black-tea.html#

Introduction: Kevin @ The Whistling Kettle first introduced me to Keemun tea: http://steepster.com/looseTman/posts/152917#likes I’ve purchased several pounds from him and have thoroughly enjoyed it. When I saw that Arbor Teas offers two different organic Keemun teas, I had to sample them. This second review is of their premium Keemun.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 25 ppm, heated to 212*F
1 “scant” Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Results:
This tea has a mild smoky fragrance.
Dark brown hue

1st cup:
3-min Initial Impression: The taste is medium-bodied & smooth. It’s not at all bitter or astringent. (I then let it steep for an additional two minutes.)
5-min: Too long – It now has a prominent roasted quality that overshadows the subtle wine-like Keemun flavor.

2nd cup:
4-min: It’s a deep, smooth, rich, full-bodied breakfast tea with a slight smokiness and a subtle wine-like Keemun flavor that’s not at all bitter or astringent.

5-min re-steep:
Still enjoyable and a little lighter as you would expect. In fact, the classic wine-like Keemun flavor is now a little better appreciated.

Impression: A smooth, full-bodied, organic Keemun that is more robust than their less expensive organic Keemun. However, it has a subtle classic wine-like Keemun flavor, which one would not expect of a premium Hao Ya A.

Suggestion: Using teaspoon measurements such as “scant” “rounded”, “generous”, “heaping”, etc. are sometimes too imprecise. Adding the weight of tea in grams to the brewing recommendations would insure an optimum first impression and be more time efficient.

Thanks to Arbor Teas and Aubrey for providing this overstuffed free sample.

Sample package: 2” x 2” clear plastic zip-lock, measured 1.75 tsp.
Label: “GRAND AMOUR “ (No ingredients listed. No brewing instructions.)

Per http://www.ninasparis.com/en/pro_tea0.html:
“Le gourmand GRAND AMOUR
Raspberry, red currant, vanilla, caramel
True love between raspberry and red currant: an irresistibly fruity attraction. Love at first sight, guaranteed!”

Thanks to Laurent at Nina’s Paris Tea Store USA
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ninas-Paris-Tea-Store-USA/569332199761362
for the recommended brewing instructions: 1 rounded tsp. / 205*F / 6oz / 2.5 min and for confirming that each sample pack is a two-cup sample.

Technique:
12-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 19 ppm – verified with HM Digital DM-1: http://www.tdsmeter.com/products/dm1.html
Heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 205*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer
Steeped the entire tea sample in a single container for 2.5 minutes, and then poured two six ounce servings.

This tea has a potent raspberry fragrance.

2.5-min Infusion: The aroma followed the strong raspberry fragrance. The flavor was a blend of raspberry, fruit (red currant), black tea, vanilla, and caramel, with the raspberry as the strongest of the five. This flavored tea was not at all bitter or astringent and had a clean finish. However, the black tea base was light- to medium-bodied. (This may be due to the sub-optimal sample size.)

Impression: A smooth, light- to medium-bodied fruity desert tea.

Suggestions: Nina’s Paris should consider assuring that there are at least two rounded teaspoon in each sample pack. “Love at first sight, guaranteed!” might be more likely if each sample contained enough tea for two cups. It’s false economy to not provide sufficient tea for a good first impression.

Thanks to Nina’s Paris for providing this free sample.

Sample package label:
“USDA Organic, Fair Trade certified
Suggested Steeping Guide:
One generous tsp. / 212*F / 3-5 minutes”
http://www.arborteas.com/organic-keemun-black-tea.html

Introduction: Kevin @ The Whistling Kettle first introduced me to Keemun tea: http://steepster.com/looseTman/posts/152917#likes I’ve purchased several pounds from him and have thoroughly enjoyed it. When I saw that Arbor Teas offers two different organic Keemun teas, I had to sample them. This first review is of the more cost-effective one.

Technique: 8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 21 ppm, heated to 212*F
1 “generous” Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Results:
This tea has a mild smoky fragrance.
Amber hue

1st cup: I first followed the brewing recommendations and after 5 minutes this Keemun was medium-bodied – not what I expected.

2nd cup: I kept everything the same but reduced the water to 6 oz. and it was too strong.

3rd Cup (8 oz. water & 1 Heaping tsp.):
3-min Initial Impression: The taste is light & smooth. It’s not at all bitter or astringent. (I then let it steep for an additional minute.)
4-min: Improving
5-min: It’s a smooth, full-bodied breakfast tea with a prominent roasted quality that overshadows the subtle wine-like Keemun flavor.

Impression: A cost-effective, smooth, full-bodied, organic Keemun.

Suggestion: With this tea, I used most of the sample to find the optimum balance of water & tea. This results in less of an opportunity to explore the subtleties of the tea. Using teaspoon measurements such as “rounded”, “generous”, “heaping”, etc. are sometimes too imprecise. Adding the weight of tea in grams to the brewing recommendations would be helpful and more time efficient.

(This tasting experience reminds me, I need to find a good digital tea scale. Does anyone have a recommendation?)

Thanks to Arbor Teas and Aubrey for providing this overstuffed free sample.

Sample package label:
“Ingredients: Organic Indian Black Tea, Fair-Trade Certified, USDA Organic
Steep 212*F, 3 – 5 minutes. 1 generous teaspoon”

http://www.arborteas.com/organic-singampatti-oothu-estate-black-tea.html

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 20 ppm, heated to 212*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer
Note: Arbor Teas web site specifies 8-oz (not 6) – more tea to enjoy w/o additional cost! However, the sample package doesn’t list this important point.
1 “generous” Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

This fragrance of this tea has hints of fresh Spring vegetation. A day after opening, there are also hints of sweet cocoa or fruit.

Clear amber hue

First Infusion: Since Arbor Teas states in their description of this tea “…with light to medium astringency.” I chose a 3-min infusion to minimize any astringency.
3-min:
There is a clean fresh spring vegetation hint in both the aroma and the flavor – Perhaps a faint hint of fresh Spring onion? “In fact, Oothu translates to “spring of water.”” There is also a gentle cocoa sweetness. This is a very smooth, medium-bodied tea with a clean finish. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency.

2nd Infusion:
4-min: Too light
5-min: Enjoyable, but lighter than the first cup. The flavor of the re-steep was primarily the gentle cocoa sweetness.

Impression: This is a unique unflavored very smooth organic Indian black tea without any bitterness or astringency that is worth experiencing.

Thanks to Arbor Teas and Aubrey for providing this generous overstuffed free sample.

The DAVIDsTEA Digital Thermometer & Timer is very well designed and easy to use once you’ve become familiar with it.

Its has six advantages:
1. The digital thermometer is very quick reading. (Analog models are not fast enough for this application.)
2. The temperature range is specifically designed for tea in one degree increments – both Celsius & Fahrenheit.
(Other kitchen thermometers that may be handy, such as meat has a max of 190*F in 5 or 10 degree increments or candy has a max of 400*F in 5 degree increments)
3. This digital thermometer beeps to alert you that the water has reached the appropriate temperature for the type tea being brewed.
4. A built-in digital timer – Once the infuser has been placed in the water, you press the timer start button. The next time it beeps, your tea is ready to enjoy.
5. Convenience: There are 8 pre-set temps and times for steeping white, green, oolong, black, pu’erh, rooibos, maté or herbal tea.
6. Custom mode: Allows selecting the appropriate combination of time & temp for any tea.

Being able to accurately determine the precise brewing temperature and duration allows one achieve tea-appropriate infusions consistently thus reducing potential frustration and maximizing the tea drinking experience. Highly recommended.

UPDATE 4/19/13:
This unit does not feature user-defined presets. However, it can be easily adjusted for the appropriate time & temp for any tea: http://steepster.com/discuss/156-tea-thermometer-recommendations?post_id=91599#forum_post_91599

Update 2/9/14:
http://steepster.com/discuss/156-tea-thermometer-recommendations?post_id=120116#forum_post_120116