Oh dear, I’ve gotten behind in my 12 teas of Christmas notes once again. How did that happen? Oh well, it’s too far gone now. I’ll just review them as I please :D
I’ve been really enjoying trying a new tea every day though. I’ll be a loyal 12 teas of Christmas enthusiast as long as Frank keeps making them every year! I love a new tradition. Although after seeing everyone’s notes about the 12 days swap, I’m a little sad I didn’t participate. Looks like tons of fun!
This tea smells like delicious malty chocolate cake batter. I like that the tea smell isn’t overpowered by the chocolate, even in the dry leaf.
I tried it with no additions after about a 4 min steep and it was quite bitter. Added a bit of sugar, but still bitter. Time for some milk, and with both the milk and sugar it’s quite nice. Most of the bitterness has been covered up and the tasty dark chocolate and bold black tea notes come out. I enjoyed my cup, but I don’t think I could drink this often. It’s really heavy, without anything to brighten it up. But overall it’s a decent, chocolatey tea.
I think some people just don’t dig 52Teas. Maybe just you and me, but at least we agree. There are a couple I really enjoy, but most of the ones I tried (2 dozen or so?) were really finicky and hard to get right. I’ve grown to accept it.
ya, glad i at least have you to validate me! hah
i guess the perfect brew on these teas is a really small window or something, and though i’ve tried to be strict and i’ve tried multiple approaches, i must just always miss it.
thing is, i know i have a lot to learn from the tea world so i do like to question myself.
sometimes peoples responses is that the tea is best with some milk or sugar, but i have this weird rigid stance that a tea should be good plain first and foremost (then adding cream or whatnot is a variation on a theme! a bonus!). maybe that belief will be my ultimate vulnerability and pitfall.
happy sipping!
If you really dislike them, maybe consider putting some up for exchange in the swap thread? As others have said, life is too short for bad tea. Maybe you’ll get something you like instead?
Too bad about the 52 teas. I was putting off them bc of their varied inventory. (what if I love it and they never make more???) but I ended up placing my first order yesterday.
I’m with you that tea should taste good on its own. #TeaSnobSolidarityFistbump :)
#TeaSnobSolidarityFistbump!!!
(i don’t swap tea on the message boards for some really lame reasons. but basically i don’t have a car cuz i’m a mega city life type and it seems that post offices are getting harder and harder to come by these days, so basically i find the whole project of getting a package to the post office during open hours really annoying. i just know that if i did join a swap it would take me FOREVER to get it into the post. but i can give my sister all my teajects instead. i mean, she got me into tea in the first place! and she loves to try them all.)
i hope you love the 52teas as much as many MANY other tea lovers here do!
I totally agree with you about 52teas. I’ve only found a couple that I liked. Sometimes I feel like I’m taking crazy pills when I read different people’s ratings on the teas.
crazy pills!
gimme some! hah
There are three of us! I definitely don’t mean to hate on 52Teas- I WANT to love them, it just doesn’t quite work out. I actually have that with Red Leaf Matcha too. It’s nice to know that one or two others have similar tastes.
PS – #TeaSnobSolidarityFistbump!!! I WILL occasionally use milk or sugar if I have to, but that’s a bad sign. I also keep drinking bad tea as I can’t stand to toss it and I can’t afford to swap it. Someone once suggested that I shouldn’t rate them if I know I don’t tend to like the company, but my thought is that my opinion is valid even if it’s negative. Especially if I paid for the tea! :D
An afterthought for Cavocorax – I’m pretty confident you’ll like 52Teas – almost all people do. Enjoy it!
you guys are all super cute :)
I tried to like 52 tea’s but don’t. Something always tastes off to me. Ordered 3 times and always the same.
I found a few blends from the 52teas 12 days that I enjoyed, or at least found entertaining, although a good portion of them were definitely not my thing. This particular one was OK for a novelty cup but I dread finishing my tiny package of it.
Ditto that tea should taste good on its own. A lot of these needed soy or dairy, and that rubbed me wrong. For my tastes I find I have to steep them gentle and under the amount or else they rip my tongue off- finicky and an acquired taste. Still good to try a few at least once.
Also, Ciel?
Ciel Phantomhive!
I approve of the picture change.
Don’t worry, I agree too. I’ve found a couple that I absolutely love, but most are ultimately meh despite tinkering around with the parameters like mad. But hey, more for the ultimate fans!
yes more for the ultimate fans :)
i guess i did like the Weeping Angel tea they made. and i really don’t think it was fandom influenced either. it was easy to steep, and kinda reminded me of Buttered Rum by DavidsTea. so maybe i’ll order that one again some day. but like you said Incendiare, a couple you love from the catalog can be good enough.