Morning Time

So I’ve found myself becoming a bit too comfortable with caffeine lately, and decided it was time to step back a bit: new plan is no caffeine for the weekend, and after that only caffeine when it’s needed.

Which means: I’ll be getting reacquainted with my herbals.

I seem to be Steepster’s Sole Proponent of Pukka, if going by other people’s tasting notes. This didn’t even have a Steepster page so I actually had to make one. I haven’t touched this in over a year and distinctly remember not being that impressed with it, as far as Pukka teas went? I had better rooibos teas. But I had a cup of this yesterday and it just felt like a warm inviting hug, so I’ve decided to give it another shot.

It tastes exactly like typical rooibos. It IS mostly rooibos, with only a bit of honeybush, ginseng, maca, and Pukka’s typical licorice root. So if you’re not a big fan of rooibos, I can safely say that this tea probably isn’t for you. It doesn’t have a medicinal taste, but is definitely herbal. It’s sweet, smooth, and I may try it with a little bit of milk sometime even though I don’t normally have milk with rooibos. A bit weaker today, though that’s likely because I used more water when brewing it. I think this might be a ‘one mug only’ tea for me. As usual with Pukka herbals, I used boiling water and left the bag in for as long as I wanted and had no problems other than probably using a bit too much water.

If you want to sweeten it, go ahead; it’s already pleasantly sweet as it is, but adding your own sweetener is completely up to you. I imagine it would go very nicely with honey, taste-wise.

When I had it yesterday to get me through a three-hour lecture I could definitely notice the difference: I was tired the whole time and found myself closing my eyes because keeping them open hurt. So there are some things caffeine does that can’t be replicated with ginseng or maca, however ‘natural pick me up’s’ they are. But for someone who hasn’t been as wired on caffeine as I have, or doesn’t have much caffeine in general, it may help. It always depends, when dealing with brain chemistry and neurochemicals.

But the point is: this tea is lovely, and I will be paying much more attention to it!

Ugh oh gods no there’s licorice root in this too? Bear With Me, you are a trouble maker. ;)

Huh. Actually, this mostly just tastes like rooibos. I didn’t steep it long, and I added honey, so maybe that… no, there’s the sweet licorice root grody aftertaste. Haha.

But it’s no completely terrible and I am SO COLD today, I will sit here cuddling my mug.