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This isn’t the most exciting tea to log, but I feel obligated to, as this is the final tea my trusty first variable temp kettle (my Breville) brewed. Its replacement Breville (of the exact same make) showed up tonight and is ready for tomorrow. Sad day, 9 years with that kettle haha it’s seen a lot and brewed a LOT of tea. But it is starting to fail on the regular so it’s time to replace it. Hope the new one last another 9 years! Also they look pretty much identical except the new one measures in cups and not ml haha.

And this tea is fine, soothing on this dreary, cold night when I am replacing my kettle haha.

Happy weekend! I’ve been burnt out all day so having some caffeine to get motivated to do some house work. This is a SIPDOWN soo many years later finally haha! Still good and smoky, sweet grape notes, not as much zing as it used to have. Age was good to this tea. Now I only have another….20 shengs to go to sipdown lol.

Last dessert Rooibos new sample total try! I still have a decaf vanilla to try, but this is the last fully uncaffeinated tester. I received this one as a surprise free sample from The Tea Girl as well, thank you! I’ve had this one before and do like it quite a bit, mint and chocolate is a great combo, although a bit wintery for the upcoming summer. This is smooth and sweet, and hitting the spot tonight!

In unrelated news – getting old sucks. I somehow injured my shoulder at work by simply working at a computer…pulled something haha. Have a iced wheat bag on it and have been massaging it with a tennis ball all night.. definitely going to bed earlier so it hopefully is better tomorrow lol!

Another dessert tea sample! I was hoping this one would be like the DT creme caramel rooibos that was my original dessert tea of choice. This blend is similar but not quite the same, it is sweeter from the honeybush base and very sugar caramel note. I don’t mind it but it unfortunately doesn’t stand out as overly exciting. Might try with a splash of almond milk at some point, as I’d like more “cream” rather than just sugary caramel, if that makes sense. Good to try though, and it may grow on me since it’s mellow and inoffensive!

Another dessert tea tonight! Having it after a relaxing yin yoga class ..and taking a trip down memory lane with this tea! It tastes almost SPOT ON like my old favorite David’s Tea blend Green and Fruity. Anyone remember that tea? A peaches and cream tasting green rooibos. Man, I drank that tea for an entire year in university when I took a year long caffeine hiatus lol. I’m so pleased to have found the same flavors in a local blend!! So this is very peachy and creamy, not much lychee but I like it nonetheless. Lighter for an evening tea, this is another I could easily drink during the day. Happy to have found it and may order a but more since I have such fond memories of these flavors :)

Short and Sweet note tonight because I’m tired enough I almost bought a random used camera on Facebook by accident when I clicked the wrong button lolol…this smells amazing, and honestly tastes amazing. If strawberry vanilla cake flavours are your jam, this hits it. Loving this as a light dessert tea!!

Dessert tea #3 taste test! So this one passed the smell test, caramel is fine by my husband it’s just maple he can’t handle lol. I quite like the blueberry caramel aroma, reminds me a bit of an alcohol blueberry tea :) I steeped this for 3 minutes, short for a rooibos but matched the instructions! The flavor is interesting indeed! The blueberry and woodiness of the rooibos come out, then the aftertaste is the sweet caramel. I’m digging it, but it’s not quite sweet enough for solely a dessert tea, I could drink this midday with no problems too! I still like the banana one the best of the three, but this is a solid 2nd place and may get a reorder of this!

Also on a sad note – my variable temp kettle is FINALLY on its last legs. Steepsterites – I got this kettle way back like…almost 10 years ago now. Back when I was first on Steepster haha. It has brewed literally thousands of cups of teas and my husband’s daily coffee pretty much every day it has existed. I am sad that the electrical connections are finally nearly worn out, but it exceeded our expectations immensely. So we have now ordered the exact same model and hopefully we get another 10 years out of the new one! It is the Breville IQ if anyone is interested :)

Night 2 of dessert blend tasting! This one is super maple-y. A bit too much for my taste honestly haha. My husband found the smell a bit overwhelming too, definitely one for maple lovers! A nice treat before bed regardless, but the one I had last night is leading for now :) happy to test it out!

Hi Steepster folks, it’s been a while yet again. I miss this community! Anyways I’ll keep this short – I am taste testing a bunch of dessert Rooibos’ from my local shop The Tea Girl, as I need an after dinner treat that isn’t sugar haha. This was the first one up and I’m really digging it! Reminds me of DT’s old Dulce and Banana (sp?). Very sweet cream notes with a hint of caramel banana. Added a bit of honey and it made it even more caramelly. Definitely hit the spot! Off to a great start with dessert teas!

Also #tbt – anyone remember Della Terra teas and their. Rooibos’?? Lemon cream pie, etc…haha oh the memories!

DavidsTEA Matcha Advent Calendar 2020 – Day 20

Morning matcha earlier today – this one smelled yummy right out of the package! Very fresh mango scent! I pictured mango and matcha going well together, so was looking forward to it.

Prepared in the usual method, 175 degree water, whisk, top up with hot water, drink. It lived up to my expectations :) very tropical, sunny matcha flavor pairing nicely with the faint grassiness of the matcha. The little bit of bitterness from the matcha also fit right in here, as it was like eating the piece of mango near the pit! Very natural tasting, not too much artificial sweetness, very enjoyable!