Browncoat Genmaicha

Just looked through my Steepster cupboard. I think I had a sipdown of this a while back. I remember enjoying it, but that’s about it.

Well, I’ve never tried a genmaicha before and I’m not a huge fan of green tea in general, but this is pretty good for a green tea and the toasted rice is really good! I don’t like the green tea part as much, but it just gets a slight grimace instead of a full on yuck face like most of them, so that generally means good things. I do love the toasted rice part though. I can’t taste the chocolate at all.

I am a fan of Genmaicha and this iteration with chocolate notes is amazing. The subtle chocolate is not a milky flavor; instead it has a roasted cacao nib flavor that pairs well with the toasted rice. Of course, the Firefly reference gives it a unique space cowboy coolness.

I’m not giving this a score as yet because I think my score will be artificially deflated. I have never tried Genmaicha before. I’m not sure if it’s my thing. It reminds me of that horrible malt-o-meal ricey cereal that my mother made us eat growing up because it was healthier than fun cereals like fuit loops.

I want to give this tea another try at a later date, maybe add a wee bit of sugar. I think if you like genmaicha you’ll love this, as you have some good flavors going on and it tastes like quality tea. I just don’t know if toasted rice in tea is for me.

Firefly! This was my first order from 52 teas :)

I tried it soon after I got it and didn’t like it, there was a sharp sort of chemically smell and I didn’t like the taste at all but after reading some, I decided to let the bag sit a bit and try again later.

So on this second try, the weird smell has gone away and the taste is a nice roasted, toasted rice and hint of chocolate. It tastes like what I imagined it to be from the description so I’m very pleased.

While Genmaicha on its own is great- adding cacaco nibs to the mix takes this tea over the top. I am not typically fond of chocolate teas but in this case its a rare exception. The Genmaicha base combines with the subtle chocolate flavor to make a unique and tasty cup.

Summer Vacation! I have been trying to avoid flavored blends for this month’s theme, and instead sample pure varietals from the theme country of the week, but you know what? I feel like hell from the migraine I worked through today, coupled with the lady time cramps, and I just want chocolately comfort time tea. And my cupboard sale box from Ost showed up today, and inside was this really old genmaicha blend from 52Teas based on one of my all-time favorite TV shows, and it is chocolate-flavored. So I say it totally counts.

I’m just hoping some of the chocolate has withheld the test of time… this is a 2012 blend, apparently. I do get some cocoa aroma from the steeped cup, but it isn’t overwhelming… there is certainly a genmaicha nuttiness to the aroma, too. The flavor is… hmm. Interesting. There certainly are some chocolately notes here, but they do taste a little watered down (whether that is by age or by design I’m not sure, but I’m betting on the former here). I do still get that roasted nuttiness from the base genmaicha, and it is very sweet, with a subtle bit of chocolate at the end of the sip. Certainly the toasted rice and cocoa notes pair well, and the only downside is I wish the chocolate was a bit fuller and the mouthfeel creamier, but I’m happy with what it is. I’m appalled at the thought of adding milk to a green tea, or I’d be tempted to put some of my chocolate almond milk in the cup to amp up the cocoa notes just a touch. But who adds milk to green tea?!

Welp, I’ll be enjoying this while I settle in to translate a few more pages of manga before bed. Have another earlier-than-usual morning tomorrow…

From the Great Canadian Tea Box Round 5

Wehhhhh I don’t like the smell of this dry (I guess it’s the combo of slightly marine smell from the green tea + chocolate????). It smells better brewed, but it tastes like a very bland genmaicha. I’m not getting any chocolate flavour from it…maybe if I squint? It gets a little better as it cools, but I still don’t like it.

I took a sample of this out of the GCTTB5.
I have been eyeing 52teas Genmaicha for a long time, but never wanted to commit to a whole package because I was sure that I probably wouldn’t like it. I think I did try the marshmallow treat one way back in the day, but I don’t even remember now.
Well, this tea is just not for me. It just tastes like vegetal green tea and toasted rice…duh…lol. The chocolate was nonexistent for me, but maybe I didn’t get any in my teaspoon. Oh well, just not for me. Glad to have satisfied my curiosity though.

GCTTB meh. tastes like a boring genmaicha, an average one at best. I’ve had far better so this doesn’t really do it for me. seems almost musty.