Crisp Cranberry Soda Green Rooibos

Was this one I missed from last year? I think so. Either way, it was yummy – not sure I got enough cranberry from it, but someone’s likening of it to Sprite is rather accurate, and I like that it’s caffeine-free.

This tea tastes like Sprite! I really like it! I don’t know how it achieves this almost bubbly quality, but it’s great! I cold brew a second steep, and that turns out very tasty as well. Definitely a new favorite. Totally a unique tea. I prefer this one room temperature.

I had coldbrewed a 2017 packet of this and reviewed it about two years ago (here: https://steepster.com/mastressalita/posts/397660 ) TL;DR: the coldbrew had a great lemon lime flavor, and was extremely refreshing, but I never did taste the cranberry. Now I’ve pulled my packet from the 2018 Advent Calendar. Last night I tried my first warm cup, and found that even more disappointing than the cold brew… it had a bit of the refreshing lime but mostly, the green rooibos just became overpowering and washed out any flavor. And still no cranberry.

I coldbrewed the remainder of the packet overnight last night, and decided to make it as an actual soda/pop. I strained the coldbrew, then infused it with three bursts of Co2 from my DrinkMate. And this. is. A-MAZ-ING! Hands down, 100% tastes like a lemon-lime-CRANBERRY soda! I even taste the cranberry this time! Perhaps something about that sort of sharp/crisp flavor of the carbonation is really making it pop.

I didn’t even add sweetener, and am perfectly happy with this. Likely if I added some sugar syrup into my cold brew, it might have an even closer replication from that syrupy/sweet quality.

If any other packets of this ever make their way to me again, I’m carbonating from now on! Raising rating!

Cold Brew!

I don’t know how Anne gets the lemon lime soda flavouring so perfect in this tea, but it just wows me every time I drink so. This was practically the perfect cold brew – refreshing and light citrus with a splash of tart cranberry with the best sweetness level and just enough of the green rooibos coming through to not be lost!

Sample from VariaTEA…man i like this one. A little sweetner would make the flavours pop a little more i suspect but this really does feel like a cranberry soda…maybe a little more soda than cranberry but i am digging how this one comes across. Almost wish i’d cold brewed this to see how that worked out. :) thanks variatea!

Tea Pop Sipdown (245)

I actually did not anticipate this being a sipdown but here we are. I think I am okay saying bye to this one for a bit. With that said, I wouldn’t be mad if it showed up in this year’s 12 Teas of Christmas either.

My brother-in-law made carbonated water for dinner so I thought a teapop would go well with dinner but wanted to pick a flavor that would go well. This literally tastes like a soda when made as a teapop so it seemed like the perfect choice.

The cranberry flavor is awesome. The slight touch of tartness from the carbonation playing of the tart/sweet cranberry flavor. The base also adds to the tea overall and sometimes I find it adds a touch too much but being a green rooibos, its not too bad.

AHH! Yes, okay, so I’m not a fan of rooibos really. BUT. THIS. TEA. I wasn’t really expecting much of a ‘soda-y’ flavour, but this had one?? it reminded me a little of a cream soda (which is my favourite kind of soda!) but with the addition of honey and cranberry/citrus. so good! I wish I saved some for a cold brew, but was distracted. oh well.

Phew! Finally doing some catchup on my 12 Days of Christmas cross-posts!
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… Crisp Cranberry Soda Green Rooibos!

For the second day of 52Tea’s Christmas Countdown, I was lukewarm to the name of the blend. I was so not ready to get my rooibos on when I scratched off the silvery label. Try as I may, rooibos and I are just not very friendly. I enjoy drinking caffeine-free tea late at night, and I want to like it, I truly do. Luckily for me, typically green is the lesser rooibos evil (sorry red), so I was ready to give it a shot. Reminding myself that ’it’s for the blog!" Helps too.

Cracking open the package, a deep whiff of bubblegum and Crest hit me on the nose. The blend is very visually appealing – large hunks of cranberries, whole and sliced. The brewed tea had another scent entirely. To me, the brew tastes exactly like Country Time pink lemonade. It was love at first sip. The sweet, subtle cranberry blended well with the fruity rooibos. I was worried that all those cranberries would affect the infusion in a mouth puckering sour way. Not so with this blend.

Once I brewed my first cup, I kept craving more. Without much thought, I finished the whole package in one day. So far, I am looking forward to sharing my experience.

Check out the review on my blog: http://itstheteamonster.blogspot.com/2016/12/12-days-of-christmas-day-2.html

I finished off my sample bag by cold-steeping the last few teaspoons in a pitcher. Cold-steeped it reminds me a bit of David’s Sweet Lime with cranberries thrown into the mix. I just enjoyed the last cup or so topped with some carbonated water. It’s so refreshing. I cannot wait to receive my stock-up order of this tea.

If anyone has any recommendations for fruity green rooibos blends, please let me know. :)

On the 2nd Day of Christmas – here’s our second tea of our Holiday countdown/Advent calendar box. This is the only caffeine-free tea/tisane in our box this year and it’s one of four original teas (rather than a reblend).

I didn’t expect it would be one of my favorite teas that I’ve created thus far – but it definitely has become just that. It’s so good and tastes so much like what I wanted it to taste like. It’s sweet and crisp and light and distinctly cranberry without tasting overly tart.

I admit that most of what I’ve consumed of this tea has been hot – but I really love this one iced – preferably cold-brewed. It’s good without sugar but a little teensy bit of sugar will enhance the ‘soda-ish’ experience. http://52teas.com/blog/on-the-2nd-day-of-christmas-/