I Love Lemon

A rating of 95 you say? I can explain.

When I first started my tea journey, I started with some bags of this and I really loved it. Today I had to take my car into the shop and on the way in I was thinking-should I buy another box and see whether I really like it as much as I did then? Then, as fate would have it, at the dealership I had to sit in the lobby waiting to talk to the service guy and guess what they had among the refreshments? So of course, I made a cup.

And yes, I still really love this.

I know. It’s something you get in the grocery store. It comes in bags. It’s cheap. And I still love it, in the way I love In-N-Out burger for being the best fast food burger in my area. It’s really good at what it does.

First, it’s VERY lemony. Moreso than probably any other tisane I’ve tasted while trying to find something that was a bit more sophisticated. To me, anyway, there is nothing I can find wrong with this lemon. It’s not soapy, it’s not chemical-y. It reminds me of the lemon in the lemonade at Orange Julius (which I happen to like), that very lemony lemon flavor.

Second, it’s the right mix of tart and sweet, and needs no sweetener to my tongue. So many more expensive tisanes have needed a lot of sweetener or have even been bitter. Not here. If it’s coming out too tart, my guess is it’s too dilute. With the right amount of water, it isn’t.

Third, the hibiscus is not scary. It makes the drink a nice, red color but I can’t taste it. If I could, I would not like this.

Fourth, yes, there’s mint, but I’m not really sure what it does other than to add a sort of heightening of the other flavors. A freshness, if you will.

I still heart I Love Lemon. :-)

It’s free and it’s at work – need I say more?

I wanted to reach for something caffeine free. I actually DO love lemon but between that, and the rose hips and hibiscus it is fairly tart. I hardly ever add sugar to anything but this one definitely needed it. Also peppermint… why? I fear this is going to give me a big stomach ache. Can’t say that I will be wanting anymore of this and it will be a struggle to finish the cup.

This one is a nice under the weather tea, as others have mentioned. I feel a cold coming on, the throat scratchiness and all, so this was definitely a good choice. Not the ‘lemon zinger’ I was expecting, though, which is a PLUS. I like lemon teas, and this one is a great choice. Very bright, with a delicate, light taste, with just a hint of good tartness. Love the pinkish color too.

Last night I curled up in bed with a book and this tea with little honey. I was feeling like I was coming down with something, and thought this tisane, which says that it has added Vitamin C, would be a good choice.

It was soothing and enjoyable, but it did not bowl me over with super lemony lemontude. I wanted more lemon! Good in a lazy leave the tea bag in the cup way. I’m wondering if a little slice of lemon would add to both the lemon flavor and the soothing the under the weather person properties (even though that makes it slightly less lazy ;)

I like my citrus to be circumspect and well-behaved, not brassy and obnoxious. Thus, this little herbal blend is about right for me. Not tart at all, just sunny and cheerful.

One more tea of the evening….

This tea is the big guns. I drink this with manuka honey. You have been Ma-NUKED! Die, you annoying cold, die! :D (I think I am getting a little delirious……or I have watched a few too many action adventure films.)

12 oz mug, 2 bags, freshly boiled water, 6 minutes. Manuka-ed.

So I’m stuck working at home today b/c of the winter storm blowing thru my area. . . and I forgot all of my good tea at work! The sadness and tears!! Plus, I’m stuck working from home with a moody 5 year old and a crazy 14 mo old. . . Ugh!

So this one is ok. It’ll get me thru the morning. Nothing fantastic. Just eh. . . .It works when you are in a pinch.

Why is there peppermint in a tea that’s called “I Love Lemon”? Shouldn’t it just be a bunch of lemon flavors? Well, despite my confusion for the ingredients included, it tastes all right I guess. The lemon is more potent than the mint, for which I’m grateful. This is pretty good for a “tea” that doesn’t actually have any tea in it. Color me impressed!

Every so often it’s fine to slum it, tea wise. And quite frankly I consider anything I can buy at a mainstream grocery store chain (not including health food chains here) to be slumming it ;) There, I said it. This doesn’t mean I don’t like wallowing down here sometimes though. And the dining hall at my language study program stocks only Bigelow teas. Free tea? Yes, please.

I have been pleasantly surprised by this one. I have tasted some incredibly bad lemon teas in the past, but this one is sorta sweet and mild. It actually reminds me somewhat of some ‘lemon cream’ blends I have tried. It doesn’t get too intense- and I left the tea bag in my travel mug, so if it was going to, it would have an hour ago. Maybe Bigelow shines the most when it comes to herb teas! It’s not as though I have a particularly sophisticated palette anyway.

Good after dinner or lunch, methinks.

A review of I Love Lemon Herb Tea by Bigelow

Date: 10/31/2012
Company: Bigelow Tea
Tea Name: I love Lemon Herb Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: Herbal
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup/ tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color:
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes

Note: I had my walked today which was not very good. I walked for the sake of it at times. Upon returning I snagged this tea bag from in-laws cupboard. They seem to favor the Bigelow brand. Anyhow, I place the tea bag in my mug and pour water into the cup and placed in microwave for few minutes. After which time, I let the tea sit with the bag still in it for another two minutes.

The tea’s color is lovely golden dew, it is creamy and smooth looking and smells of honey and lemon and when I am sipping this tea I think truly wonderful. The lemon seems just right with the hibiscus and lemongrass weighing in on the forays of flavors and the tea’s aroma is very conducive to the enjoyment of this tea as well.

I had spent the morning sampling loose leaf teas and it is always a comfort to return to tea bags and find one worth the efforts that goes to making and having a cup of tea. Tea bags, needs not much effort.