Grapefruit Green

1 tablespoon used for 248 ml

I’m detecting a Gyokuro-like scent in the aroma.

I would have appreciated a bolder Gyokuro flavour in the taste. It seems to be subdued and the taste is slightly sencha-like. Good grapefruit flavour. I get a real post-grapefruit eating tingly feeling on my tongue.

Second infusion using 188 ml. Grapefruit flavour is pushed to the background but the grapefruit citrus mouthfeel is still present. Slight quick sour note from the grapefruit. Soft sweetness present. Green tea flavour is more apparent with roasted tones.

Thanks to Sil and Kittenna for sharing this with me!

I had a sample of this tea and I have ENJOYED it for the last few days. The sweet-tart flavor with the mellow green base is really wonderful. I am not really a grapefruit fan but for some reason this tea really hits the citrus spot.

My order from Lupicia arrived today. I’m thrilled!

Before I begin with my tasting notes, I want to talk a bit about grapefruit green tea. Last year, I went to Tohono Chul Park (in Tucson, AZ), and of course I had to dine in their tea room. I had their high tea, and I selected their grapefruit green tea to accompany my meal. It was absolutely delightful. Since that time, I’ve been looking for a grapefruit green tea that is as delightful. So far, I haven’t yet found one (I did contact the supplier of that tea. They did get back to me to tell me when they would sell locally. However, I live in Washington state, not AZ, so I couldn’t attend their local sale. I asked them if I might procure from them via mail, but they have not replied to that request)

So… that is why I ordered from Lupicia – in the hopes that their Grapefruit Green tea might be as good as I remember the tea being in Tucson…

Alas… it is not. That is not to say it is not a good tea, it is decent. A fresh, grassy taste to the leaves which is the strongest profile of the cup. The grapefruit is a very pleasing flavor, not overwhelmingly sour but pleasantly tart, with a nice citrus-y aftertaste. I like. But still, my search must go on!

The Final Sipdown: Day 13.1
[For the sake of clarity, I’m logging this one the day after. Blame the full stomach and the comfortable couch. Damn you, couch!]

Ugh, the only thing that rued anything yesterday was my stomach. I drank this tea, started to log it, and promptly fell asleep on my couch. So. Much. FOOD. I’m sure y’all can relate.

[That being said, I hope everyone had fabulous Thanksgivings.]

Grapefruit Green. If I liked grapefruit more, I suspect that I’d also like this tea more. Unsurprisingly.

The smell had a sharp grapefruit note to it that was tempered by the vegetal component of the green tea. Strangely, I got an overwhelming sense of cooked green beans at a few points while I was waiting for it to cool.

Not to be deterred, I drank. It was…kind of strange. The grapefruit didn’t appear to me for a while, and even when it did it tasted a bit of chemicals. The green tea was there, but eventually the grapefruit had it in a chokehold and I couldn’t taste it anymore, and there was a bizarre strain of bitterness that ran through the entire thing that I think was in part due to the fact that grapefruit has a bitter-sour quality about it and in part due to the strange chemical taste I was getting from the tea.

Also, at points I received a fleeting scent [and taste, but mostly scent] of fruit gum. Which is funny because Auggy, who was also the sender of this tea, mentioned gum in her log [I think]. Specifically it reminds me of Stride Gum’s Forever Fruit, which in turn reminds me of the one Japanese gum I have ever tried. It’s a unique flavor. This tea, however, is not playing out for me in a uniquely good way. It’s not something I’ll be buying. For the grapefruit lovers out there, however, it may indeed be worth a go.

Teas Downed: 21

I wanted to try another tea before sleeping, so I asked my sister to pick between Grapefruit Green and Strawberry & Vanilla. She said, “Grapefruit Green, because Strawberry Vanilla sounds nasty.” I hope to prove her wrong later.

Anyway, I’ve noticed a lot of Lupicia teas suggest brewing their teas with boiling water and a low steep time. I haven’t tasted a bitter tea yet, so I suppose they are not wrong on that, but I think I’m gonna reverse it (lower temperatures, longer steeping) to see what happens.

When I opened the bag, I was caught off guard by the aroma. Lupicia makes very beautiful spelling teas. Like, I am amazed by how fragrant they are. You could really tell this was a green tea that was highlighted with some serious grapefruit notes. Upon tasting, I noticed however this was a surprisingly mellow tea. There was no horrid aftertaste—well, there shouldn’t be no matter what—and it was simply soothing? I’m not sure if that’s the right word for it, but I liked it. I could taste the grapefruit chilling in there; it wasn’t overwhelming, but it wasn’t subtle.

Lupicia is quickly becoming one of my favorite tea merchants.

This is a tea that has to be served iced! I like the bittersweet grapefruit flavour which is authentic and refreshing. The green tea base is very delicate and light even though I have used boiling water and extended the recommended steep time a bit. I would like it to be a bit stronger! But still I think green tea is an excellent choice of base because its grassy flavour compliments the grapefruit flavour perfectly, making this a very natural and summer-y cup. I think I can see a grapefruit orchard outside now… ;)

I got this as a sample from my recent Tumblr winnings! This one is excellent.
I really have enjoyed my two teas from Lupicia and would recommend them wholeheartedly for their flavored teas. This one smells just like this SoBe I used to drink all the time. I actually hate grapefruit, but love grapefruit flavored things. Odd right?
This is super tangy, fruity, tart and just sweet enough to really pull this off. I think that Lupicia’s flavorings are pretty spot on. I really love their tea bags, so that’s really saying something. Amazing tea!

Well, another Lupicia Happy Bag tea bites the dust. I left the bag out where Mom could see it, and since Mom likes all things grapefruit she insisted I open yet another packet. I’m not at all sorry.

Very bright green in color (it scared my mom a little; “is it supposed to be neon green like that?”)

The grapefruit smell is really juicy and bright and smells like the old Tropicana white grapefruit juice gramma used to keep in her fridge (presumably for mixing with gin). So it’s got a little bitter note to it and I wonder whether this will carry over to the brew itself.

NOPE. It’s light and sweet, not bitter, but a sweet grapefruit flavor is very present. I poured into a cup that may have had a slight sugar residue in it, so that may be interfering, but I don’t think so—just a nice clean balanced cup that tastes exactly like, well, grapefruit and green. Love it.

EDIT: I now know this tea is awesome, because I involuntarily whispered “yummy” into my cup just now. I don’t even like the word “yummy,” as a general rule.

I just opened this today. I’m having it hot with a touch of sweetener. It’s really good. No bitterness, but a nice green taste with a touch of grapefruit. I can’t decide if I like this one or the Yuzu Green better. They are both delicious and definitely taste different from each other.

This is a good candidate for cold brewing, and this weekend when it is supposed to warm up some again, I’ll be giving that a try.

I love grapefruit, so the idea of grapefruit-flavored tea is very appealing to me. And this is the most grapefruit-y grapefruit tea I’ve tried – not necessarily the strongest, but the flavor is very authentic, and natural. It is a tiny bit bitter, but then so is grapefruit. The green base comes through quite strongly. It’s by no means a bad base, but it’s a bit more vegetal than I’d like in a fruit blend. I’ve only had this one iced (brewed hot, then chilled); I just can’t imagine drinking a grapefruit tea hot.