ms.aineecbeland Send Message

A review of Green Kick by Now Real Foods

Company: Now Real Foods
Tea Name: Green Kick
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Region: Japan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea bag
Liquor Color: green
Leaf Characteristics: There is a mixture of three greens for making of this fine tea: Sencha green tea leaves, matcha green tea leaves, and green tea extract leaf.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 160 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes

This tea is so easy to make considering all the good things to be found in it. I take one of the tea bags and put this in my cup adding some of the freshly boiled water in my cup as well and leaving it to steep for a few minutes.

Tea’s color is a soft green mint like color. Tea’s aroma is of fresh greens of cut grass. It smells fresh and clean and upon sipping the tea the astringency is there to sting on my tongue. I take several sips of tea and notice the tingling effect which in time becomes as familiar as waves lapsing on sand dunes. The astringency of the tea lingers on the back of throat when swallowed and leaving a sort of dryness wanting for more tea perhaps.

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 170 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes

I am having another fixing of the tea with water a bit hotter and timing for infusion is for a few minutes. The first infusion focused more on tea’s astringency; with this second cup of tea I am noticing the sencha blend of this tea with the matcha and how nicely they play well together. I want to say that the layering is that of sencha then the matcha powder kicks in for a smoother mellow cup of the tea. Why the sencha? The sencha gives the tea its color and somewhat of a grainy texture and the matcha acts as a coating making the tea more enjoyable. It is a smooth surface effect is what I mean to say.

I think this is a most unusual blending and it seems to work nicely. I would have thought it to be too bitter and harsh; but it is not that at all.

A review of Tawain Jin Xuan (Milk Oolong Tea) by Teavivre

Company: Teavivre
Tea Name: Jin Xuan
Tea Type/Varietal: oolong
Region: Taiwan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ loose leaf
Liquor Color: light green
Leaf Characteristics: small pellets that bloom to fuller leaves when steep/immerse in hot water.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes

I trying to finish some tea samples sent to me earlier in the year or several weeks ago; Teavivre had sent me a big tea packets and each time I reach in the bag I find a sample pack; this one I reached in for I had just the other day; I did not realize how many oolong teas were in this packet and some are the same 2 or 3 of the same kind.

I open and empty the pack into my cup and add the boiled water to it; I leave it to steep for 5 minutes and the teas’ aroma when done is definitely of milk; that honey dew quality and the tea’s color is a lovely light peach-yellow base.

I scoop out the tea leaves, noticing how fuller they are and plumper; they look buttery even. I take a sip of the tea and another and it is good for my palette. I continue to enjoy this drink until gone.

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 4 minutes

I fix some more of the oolong tea using same tea leaves and this time that honey dew or cream of broccoli is most prevalent. Shorter infusion seems to bring out the softer nuances of this tea (buttery with slight peach flavoring) with no tartness as can be with unripe peach; I think if served cold this aspect would present itself in the tea.

This is for me a favorite oolong and I know it is one that I will return to time and again.

A review of Green Tea Powder by Hamasaen

Company: Hamasaen
Tea Name: Green Tea Powder
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Region: Japan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ 1 teaspoon
Liquor Color: green
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 30 seconds

I am having a cup of this green powder tea as my morning cup. I fill my wooden teaspoon with the green powder and put this in my cup and adding the freshly boiled water into my cup, I stir the tea vigorously, whisking it until tea powder has completely dissolved. The tea did foam nicely and has a wonderful clean and fresh aroma with a salty-marine scent.

As I sip the tea I find that it is smooth with a salty after taste. The astringency is most light since the saltiness discerns it. I always enjoy having this tea for what it is worth. Overall, this is one tea powder that I continue to purchase and use as part of my morning tea drinking ritual. I mean it is good tea that is all.

A review of Anti Strain by Zen Tea life

Company: Zen Tea life
Tea Name: Anti-Strain
Tea Type/Varietal: herb
Region: India
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ loose leaf
Liquor Color: light yellow
Leaf Characteristics: the leaves and coloring appears to be a bright green-yellow mixture with bits of cinnamon pieces, ginger pieces, fennel, orange peels and plenty of licorice roots.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes

I am finishing off some teas that I found from earlier on in the year. This one is an Ayurveda herbal tea made to help ease off the days stress and I so need it. I take the remainder of this tea and put it in my tea cup and adding some freshly drawn tap water to my cup I put it in the microwave for two minutes and left to steep a few minutes more; about five minutes total.

Tea’ aroma is lovely fruity and herbal aroma with the cinnamon and ginger roots with the orange peels kicking and biting at ones’ nostrils. As I sip of this tea, the licorice flavoring is very strong, making this tea too sweet for me. I don’t like licorice so this is not as enjoyable a cup of tea for me. I had forgotten about the headiness of the licorice roots. Other wise this tea should be most enjoyable for those favoring herbal / Ayurveda teas.

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes

I tried to have more steeps of this tea to try and unfortunately the licorice roots is still the major top note for this tea; drowning the other flavorings all together. I insist that it is because I do not like licorice and others liking herbal/Ayurveda teas will love, love this tea.

Temple of Heaven
China Green Tea
Special Gunpowder
A review of Special Gunpowder China Green Tea by Temple of Heaven

Company: Temple of Heaven
Tea Name: Special Gunpowder
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Region: China
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ loose leaf
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: light yellow-green
Leaf Characteristics: The tea leaves are tiny, tightly rolled pellets and when infused with hot water the leaves are fuller.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes

I must admit that I drink plenty of green teas and I should probably consume less green tea perhaps. As I continue with my green tea expedition, it is now Gunpowder Green tea. I take 1 teaspoon of the tea and put this in my cup and adding cold tap water to my cup I then put the cup in the microwave for 2 minutes.

The leaves bunch to the top of the mug and are steaming; I always note that when I microwave teas it is easier to scoop out the leaves since they are all atop / floating with water underneath; so usually one scoop and leaves are removed. Tea’s color is light yellow-green; with no astringency in the smell.

This tea is smoothly refreshing

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes

I am able to steep this tea for several infusions and each is as nice as the first. The tea continues to be smooth tasting and clean with a very light body. Overall impression is that it is a smooth tea with a lovely color.

A review of Taiwan Jin Xuan Milk Oolong Tea by Teavivre

Company: Teavivre
Tea Name: Taiwan Jin Xuan
Tea Type/Varietal: oolong
Region: Taiwan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ 1 scoop
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: light green/ yellow base—pale peach
Leaf Characteristics: small pellets like leaves as this is pure tea buds and leaves hand rolled into these fine peletts.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes

I chose to have this milk oolong after having had some wonderful green tea powdered matcha tea. I also have had many fine teas from Teavivre who sent me a number of teas to sample and I have a few remaining.

I opened this small packet and emptied its content into my cup and adding the freshly boiled water to my cup I cover it, leaving it to steep for few minutes. After a few minutes, I remove the saucer and scoop out the leaves which are fuller and green in color with hints of veggies for an aroma.

The tea is a smooth light green in color with a milky aroma; more like broccoli. As I sip the tea I find it to have no astringency, having instead a milky dew quality that can be compared to honey dew and fresh peach; but as for my self it is a bowl of cream of broccoli soup in the making.

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes

I am very grateful to have been exposed to oolong teas as they are exceptional teas and good for you to have with a meal or after. Thank you, Teavivre for sending these teas for me to sample.

A review of Organic Green Breeze by Takaokaya

Company: Takaokaya
Tea Name: Organic Green Breeze
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Region: Japan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ 1 teaspoon
Liquor Color: minty green
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 30 seconds

This morning I want to try and make a better matcha than the last one I had; I am using this Green Breeze tea powder and not the Hamasaen brand. As this one is per packet for each use, so I should fare better this time. I open the packet and place the contents in my cup and add some boiling water to my cup. Less than half of a small cup of water is what I use. I stir and stir the tea until the mixture has completely dissolved and what remains is a frothy mixture of the tea.

I seem to have done it right since there is no pastiness; the tea’s color is a mint green, not darkly green and the tea smells smoothly of milk as does my fingers from having handled the tea packet’s content while putting it in my cup. I like the milky scent and when I sip my tea it is rich froth with smoothness of green tea. This tea has a wonderful ‘umami’ taste of green veggies; a bowl of cream of broccoli soup would be a close description of this tea powder. It is so very mild and faintly since nothing is overt in the tasting of this tea.

I think because the packets are pre-measured per serving and all one need do is add water; less than half of a small cup and stirring tea with vigor should produce a wonderful cup of tea as in this instance.

I had purchased this from the Miso International Market and will need to find some more of this. Thank you for this great tea.

A review of Plum Green Tea by Fruit Tea Garden

Company: Fruit Tea Garden
Tea Name: Plum Green Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Region: Taiwan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: light plum / darken rose
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes

I put one tea bag and adding freshly boiled water into my cup over the tea bag and leaving it to steep for few minutes. Tea brews a lovely plum color. That reddish wine of a good Port coloring and the aroma is a fruity aroma from the plum.

Tea is naturally sweetened and I find that I don’t need to add a thing to this tea. When last I had this tea; I made the mistake of fixing two tea bags with one cup of water and this made the tea too sweetly; it was not good at all. It is weird how one tea bag is lightly smooth and sweet with a faintness of the fruits like plum but when there is two tea bag the tea is much too strong for this reviewer/tea drinker.

I would say the same thing about the Green Tea & Blackcurrant by London Fruit & Herb Company.

A review of Korean Ginseng Tea by Wah po Trading Inc.

Company: Wah Po Trading Inc
Tea Name: Korean Ginseng
Tea Type/Varietal: herbal
Region: Korea
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea bag
Liquor Color: light honey color
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes

I like having this tea for its sweetness and smoothness which I have when wanting a cup of milky honey tea. The tea is like the dews of a cantaloupe ripened just so; and very smooth (not mushy) but smooth from being ripened.

This is pure Korean ginseng tea made from original Korean ginseng roots. I dissolved one packet of this in hot water and stirred until all is mixed evenly. The color is lightly yellow/golden like that dew melon and smells of rich honey with a very firm creamy texture.

I mean this tea is amazing for such a small packet and simply made cup of tea. You sip the tea and it is sweetness that meets you and the ginseng plant adding to the enjoyment. This is another tea that I continue to enjoy and I am happy to have purchased and will continue to keep stock of and those similarly so.