4241 Tasting Notes
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #3 – A tea from Africa
I always forget this tea is around. It’s ALMOST gone now. I also forget how finely chopped these ingredients are. I wish I could distinctly tell it is houjicha. I also usually forget that it IS houjicha as it usually tastes like an unroasted green tea, even if it is hiding under all those spices.
additional notes: Fun to revisit this cake that I won ten years ago, AND revisit the tasting note. Especially since realizing I’m a huge fan of the golden buds puerhs, so I’m appreciating that I won this even more now. I think I’m steeping it with different parameters — in the past, I went STRONG. And because of that AND if I’m using drastically less leaves now, I’m not sure if this puerh may have mellowed a bit. Less strong chocolate and coffee notes than the previous note. This is still very delicious. Originally, I noticed “pond” qualities, but they are not here in the leaf any longer.
Steep #1 // 20 minutes after boiling // 1-2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 18 minutes after boiling // 4-5 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 3-4 min
Steep #4 // just boiled // 10 min
I can’t believe it has been ten years!
ashmanra, you made me check to make sure it was really ten years… and then I noticed your tasting notes for this. You were also a fan of this one!
Yes, I was! I felt like I remembered that giveaway but I sure didn’t realize it was that long ago! I love golden bud pu!
10 years! Aww back in the Butiki heyday. Old school steepster.
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #2 – September 8 – World Literacy Day: drink tea while reading a favorite book or story
I wasn’t really reading anything that is a Favorite, but it’s rare I go a day without reading SOMETHING. I just wanted to go with one of my S&V author teas today, and as time escaped me today, I had to choose the ONE no caff author tea. This blend is just okay… I think it is mostly aimed for kids… it has a jello strawberry type of flavor. As this tea is aging, it’s funny that it’s the strawberry flavor that is still going strong. Happy reading!
I love strawberry flavors in tea. Is it very hibby flavored? This might be a good addition to my evening roster.
Happy Reading! What book are you reading now?
NO hibiscus in this one. It does mention rosehips BUT I’m sure they are few and far between in the blend, as I can’t tell.
I’m reading ‘Birnum Wood’ at the moment. It’s… okay. But I think I have read some books that I expected would be great this summer but also think I’m being picky and just finding them only okay. I don’t like it. I like to love what I’m reading. :D
I made it to the end of Birnam Wood. I’m glad I finished, but don’t recommend it as a good read. Certainly there are better parts to that book than others. Hello beautiful gets rave reviews, but I haven’t taken the time to read it yet. I really liked and recommend Brave the Wild River. Great book and a true story.
Oh cool, you read Birnam Wood too! I have been meaning to read her other book and from the little I know about it, it’s much different. I will look up Brave the Wild River.
Oh cool, you read Birnam Wood too! I have been meaning to read her other book and from the little I know about it, it’s much different. I will look up Brave the Wild River.
From Daylon R Thomas a while ago! Thank you! I’m surprised at the lightness of the flavor here, as I thought Daylon mainly wanted to pass a bunch of strong teas along. This one is incredibly light. To be fair, I did NOT follow instructions as the pouch says to use FOUR teaspoons for eight ounces of water. Yowza. I went with two heaping teaspoons. Both steeps tasted the same… not really distinct flavor notes that I could find… maybe honey sweet. So I suppose I will have to try using four teaspoons the next time.
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minute steep
This was what I chose as a sample with my small order — thanks, New Mexico Tea Co! I’m always looking for great white teas… it’s always good to have a handful of those in the collection. I LOVED the name of this one, and the image on the pouch was perfect for it too. I had three great steeps with this one — it started a little like creamed corn. Then steeps two and three could have fooled me in a blind test… it was like drinking two cups of milk. Surprisingly, despite the hairy inspired name of this tea, trichomes didn’t really make themselves apparent here. I’m surprised how delicate the flavor was, even on that third steep. It’s a friendly yeti.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons for a full mug // 40 minutes after boiling // 1 minute steep
Steep #2 // 30 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #3 // 10 min after boiling // 3-4 min
Flavors: Cream, Milk, Sweet Corn
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #1 – A tea Miss Piggy would drink
I, for one, can really appreciate anything Muppets related. I am a FAN. A FAN, I say. So I LOVE these Muppets inspired prompts this month! AHHHHHH —Kermit wavey arms— I had a few in mind for Miss Piggy, but I went with this one. Classy enough for her, I think. Apparently I haven’t written a note for this Tealyra blend though, as it was a bit of a restock from similar blends from other shops. This herbal has a fruit flavor base with an additional champagne flavor. It’s always a unique one to have around. Not a sipdown!
I had already decided I would choose a French tea for Miss Piggy but I haven’t decided which one yet! I love your choice!
I think I was thinking less “Paris” and more the “sparkling wine”. haha.
All of that just screams Miss Piggy – anything foofoo and fancy!
I think it’s time to drag out our Muppet Show DVD’s this weekend! My favorite episode ever features Gilda Radner.
Thanks yet again, Cameron B! I like the concept of black tea mixed with puerh! Upon first sipping this, I really thought I had ruined it, since it had a flavor that was a bit like sheng. I actually had to look at the description again… nope — it is supposed to be half black tea and half shou. Specifically, the shou is 2020 Bulang material and the black tea is 2022 Fengqing. It really doesn’t taste like shou to me at all. Not sure if I have ever had Bulang before… It has a greenish flavor to it that I associate with sheng. The black tea also isn’t spectacular. I think I’ll pass this on to Michelle who has it on the wishlist…
From Cameron B! Thanks so much! This one is rich as a black tea, and decadently like a fancy chocolate truffle as chocolate flavor, so that is enough to be a win for me!! However, it is 100% chocolate flavor that I’m getting, and no other additional flavors at this point.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minutes
This one is from Daylon R Thomas quite a while ago. Thank you! I had to open the packaging, so I trust this note is a little accurate. It’s quite a unique scent to the dry leaf. Much different than most black teas. The light brew has flavors of cucumber, and I swear it’s not because of the abundance of cucumbers in the house right now… None of them are cut open cucumbers anyway, creating a waft of cucumber scent in the house, so I do believe it’s the tea. Second, I notice lychee and probably some other exotic fruits. Then turning to peach. It’s a unique one! I definitely wouldn’t lump this with Ruby 18 varietal (even though it is ACTUALLY stored in the same box as a Ruby and the leaves look fairly similar.) The second steep was STRONG. Possibly a bit too much, tasting more like a harsh, astringent, typical black tea… which leads me to realize I might be overdoing the steeps for these types of leaves on the second steep. I will try to be gentler in the future…
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minutes
Flavors: Cucumber, Lychee, Peach
