A few months ago PBS had a big sale on anything Downton Abbey, coinciding with the end of the series. I used the opportunity to snap up tins of the teas I’d liked when sampled, this being one. It’s the end of August now, and I’ve finally dug in the tea cupboard enough to where I’d been squirreling this away. (Try to bury my faves so I drink up the ones I’m not as fond of.)
I made the first cup unsweetened. I wish I’d used a little less water in the pot. I tend to forget that Republic of Tea should put more in each teabag than they do. Still, a nice smooth fruity black tea, not bitter. I was careful to only steep for four minutes, rather than longer. (Sometimes to make up for smaller teabags, I steep for longer than usual, hoping that will make up the difference. Often that works, but other times, it also renders the tea more bitter. I didn’t do that here.) Bates’ Brambleberry Tea is a pleasant, smoothly drinkable blend, nice and summery with understated fruitiness.
The rest of the pot was sweetened with honey, which brought the fruitiness way into the forefront. I shall have to chill the rest and describe this when it’s an iced tea.
It is now two days later, and I’ve pulled the carafe of the above tea, chilled, from the fridge.
How refreshing! It almost has a melon-like flavor to it now. It’s sweet, cold, and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend this tea—especially as an iced tea!
Flavors: Berries, Melon
