Y’all…
As some of you are aware, I was just out in San Francisco [or as I like to call it, my future home]. I am now back in Virginia, and yesterday, to mellow out my sorrow, I decided some Downy Sprout was in order.
If you were reading along with the insane thread of comments on Samovar’s latest feature in Steepster Select, you may be aware of the new steeping method they discovered for Downy Sprout. It not only produces a very interesting, almost completely different brew, but it’s as if someone went, “HEY! ADD Girl! You want another way to make this tea? Ok, go!” [Speaking of which, who else loves OK GO’s “This Too Shall Pass” video?]
If you missed the thread, Samovar has this teeny tiny 4 oz. glass oolong pot. You fill it with leaves [a heaping tablespoon’s worth] and cover them with boiling water for 30 seconds-ish, then pour it out.
This brew is thick, saturated with flavor, and sings of deeper sweetnesses – honeyed caramels and the darker sugars that come from hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds. At times it gives me those heavy, yet shimmering, humid notes of tropical flowers. I think of orchids in particular. This mixes in with a more rural note of hay.
I recall reading in several places that white teas only have a lower caffeine content than greens if you brew them with cooler water, so with that information in mind this probably wrings out a bit more hihellowhatareyoudoingwhatsthathihihi than your typical cup of white tea.
Anyhow, for those of you currently [or about to be] in possession of some Downy Sprout and an adorable teapot, it’s definitely worth a whirl. Especially since that tea doesn’t quit. I started steeping this some time in the afternoon while I cleaned and unpacked. Hours later, it was still going strong. I don’t know how many infusions I went for, but it must have been in the twenties.
There’s not a ton of brightness at the end of the tunnel that is coming home from vacation, but good tea certainly helps take the edge off.
Oh, and hi, Steepster!
Preparation
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Oh I love this tea! I’ve only ever had a sample size, so I haven’t been able to mess with the steeping parameters too much, but I plan on reordering a bigger size eventually.
I am so going to steal that little teapot from Shantea!
[Speaking of which, who else loves OK GO’s “This Too Shall Pass” video?]
Is that the one with the marching band hidden in the scenery?
(I am awaiting my very own tiny teapot eagerly, although alas I have no Downy Sprout to go in it!)
Cannot wait to try this one when the cute little teapot comes in! Yay! I have enoguh Downy Sprout that you sent me to probably make a regular cup, and then a super-charged-oolong-little-pot-of-wonders cup. NOM NOM.
Hehehe….evil Shantea out Now I’m curious about that small tea pot….
rational Shanti No!! There’s no more room in your apartment!
How much water are you supposed to use for this new steeping method?
I’m assuming 4 oz. to go with the baby teapot?
YAY! Welcome back! You’ll have to tell us about your sit down tasting over at Samovar.
nods Lots of us missed you when you were away in Samovar-land. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your adventures!
I gotta try this!!!
Welcome back! Nice review :D
I tried this last night. In the cute little teapot (which is TINY..easy to forget how little half a cup really is when you’re drinking two cups of tea every time you steep…adorable, though). It was good! But I had wondered, at about 5 this morning, whether or not it really is as caffeine-free as one would have imagined. Now I know.
No regrets. So good.
And yes, that video is the bee’s knees. But their stuff almost always is.
@Erin Completely worth it. It’s like getting two completely different teas. Phenomenal.
@Ricky Aww, poor little teapot.
@Cait I haven’t seen that version, except in thumbnails! I’ll need to check it out. I’m referring to the crazy Rube Goldberg machine one.
@teaplz Eeeexcellent. Whee for Samovar orders! I’ll be perfectly honest and cop to putting another one through just recently. I cannot get enough, it seems.
@Shanti I just fill it as far as I can so it won’t spill over. So a little less than 4 oz., I’m guessing. I missed you too! …And oh no. I don’t know how many of y’all watch Southpark, but I have the Imagination-land song playing in my head now. Oh. No.
@LENA I shall! Maybe now, actually. Time to make my mark on the Places section of Steepster.
@Jacqueline Please do! So good!
@Harfatum Thank you! Good to be back! And unfortunately getting ready to disappear again for midterms!
@sophistre I know, right?! I used my little 6 oz. Bodum cup for it, but it still seems teeny. And yet, I’m sure that I ended up drinking just as much anyway since it’s so easy to keep steeping it. Mmm…
The OK GO video is awesome! Always impressed by those guys. Good song too :)
Oh I love this tea! I’ve only ever had a sample size, so I haven’t been able to mess with the steeping parameters too much, but I plan on reordering a bigger size eventually.
I am so going to steal that little teapot from Shantea!
[Speaking of which, who else loves OK GO’s “This Too Shall Pass” video?]
Is that the one with the marching band hidden in the scenery?
(I am awaiting my very own tiny teapot eagerly, although alas I have no Downy Sprout to go in it!)
Cannot wait to try this one when the cute little teapot comes in! Yay! I have enoguh Downy Sprout that you sent me to probably make a regular cup, and then a super-charged-oolong-little-pot-of-wonders cup. NOM NOM.
Hehehe….evil Shantea out Now I’m curious about that small tea pot….
rational Shanti No!! There’s no more room in your apartment!
How much water are you supposed to use for this new steeping method?
I’m assuming 4 oz. to go with the baby teapot?
YAY! Welcome back! You’ll have to tell us about your sit down tasting over at Samovar.
nods Lots of us missed you when you were away in Samovar-land. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your adventures!
I gotta try this!!!
Welcome back! Nice review :D
I tried this last night. In the cute little teapot (which is TINY..easy to forget how little half a cup really is when you’re drinking two cups of tea every time you steep…adorable, though). It was good! But I had wondered, at about 5 this morning, whether or not it really is as caffeine-free as one would have imagined. Now I know.
No regrets. So good.
And yes, that video is the bee’s knees. But their stuff almost always is.
@Erin Completely worth it. It’s like getting two completely different teas. Phenomenal.
@Ricky Aww, poor little teapot.
@Cait I haven’t seen that version, except in thumbnails! I’ll need to check it out. I’m referring to the crazy Rube Goldberg machine one.
@teaplz Eeeexcellent. Whee for Samovar orders! I’ll be perfectly honest and cop to putting another one through just recently. I cannot get enough, it seems.
@Shanti I just fill it as far as I can so it won’t spill over. So a little less than 4 oz., I’m guessing. I missed you too! …And oh no. I don’t know how many of y’all watch Southpark, but I have the Imagination-land song playing in my head now. Oh. No.
@LENA I shall! Maybe now, actually. Time to make my mark on the Places section of Steepster.
@Jacqueline Please do! So good!
@Harfatum Thank you! Good to be back! And unfortunately getting ready to disappear again for midterms!
@sophistre I know, right?! I used my little 6 oz. Bodum cup for it, but it still seems teeny. And yet, I’m sure that I ended up drinking just as much anyway since it’s so easy to keep steeping it. Mmm…
The OK GO video is awesome! Always impressed by those guys. Good song too :)