Awake from Treehouse Teas

AwakeTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy: Treehouse Teas

Tea Description:

A wonderful energetic blend that will keep you awake! Maybe you’ve been traveling the world or just need a little boost to get you through the day. Green Tea, Green Mate, Gynostemma Leaves, Strawberry and Papaya make this blend a get up and go to.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I am such a fan of green tea and green mate.  I love how the flavors mix.  What is fun with this mix is that there is also a bit of a tropical feel to it with the added strawberries and papaya. This tea had such a nice sweet aroma.

What I always seem to be confused by is what steeping parameters I should use.  Green tea and green mate have completely different steeping times.  To play it safe- I went with the green tea setting on the Breville One Touch because I wasn’t sure how forgiving the green tea would be if I went with the mate setting I typically use.  Poured the sample into the brewing basket and away I went.

My thoughts? I like this blend.  It isn’t overpowering and it is very subtle.  No one flavor gets in the way or pushes the other around.  The green tea has a nice buttery feel that really pairs well with the strawberry and the mate gives a slight roasted flavor that goes well with the papaya.  All in all, a nice brew subtle brew.  I would love to try this one on ice.  With ingredients like strawberry and papaya, I can see this being perfect for these last days of summer!

Awake from Bird’s Eye Tea

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Yerba Maté & Tulsi

Where to Buy:  Bird’s Eye Tea

Tisane Description:

This energizing blend will brighten your mornings!  This is a really fun blend that I hope will invigorate and keep you focused during this cool dark season we are entering.

Ingredients: Yerba mate, Tulsi, Bacopa (brahmi), Spearmint, and Currant

To learn more about this tisane, click here.

To learn more about subscribing to Bird’s Eye Tea, click here.

Taster’s Review:

I had a hard time waking up this morning.  I just didn’t want to.  I was all warm and snuggled in my bed, so comfortable … but I had to get up.  Too many things to do today!

This is exactly the kind of tisane that I need on a day like this.  Awake from Bird’s Eye Tea is a Yerba Maté blend that was included in their November subscription box.

Yerba Maté – as many of you probably already know – is super-charged with caffeine for an eye-opening experience, but, what I like about this tisane isn’t the earthy/vegetal taste of the Maté (although I don’t dislike that), I’m liking the hint of mint that I taste from spearmint and tulsi – it isn’t a strong MINTY taste, but it is a nice touch.  I find mint to be an invigorating taste, and tulsi has a sort of calming effect … which allows me to become alert but not jittery.

I don’t have much experience with brahmi … in fact, I cant tell you with certainty that I’ve ever had this herb in a tea … or in anything else, for that matter.  The Bird’s Eye Tea Newsletter for November says that brahmi is an adaptogenic herb, which is supposed to help the body adapt to stress.

OK, so what I’m deriving from that is that this tisane helps you wake up and face the day, stress free!  Heck yeah!  I certainly could use a little of that!

My one complaint about this tisane is that I wish I could taste more of the currant.  I taste the mint, I taste the herbaceous, earthy flavor of the Maté (and of course the other herbs contribute to this herbaceous note as well), but I don’t really taste a whole lot of berry, except in the aftertaste.  Not even in the immediate aftertaste, but, after I’ve finished the sip, about a minute or so afterward, then I notice a hint of berry flavor come through – just a wee hint of tingly, tart-yet-sweet currant.  I like that … but I’d like there to be a little more.

Overall, though, I found this to be a very enjoyable herbal tisane.  It is energizing, as I am just over the halfway point with my cup here, and I am already feeling invigorated.  A really pleasant blend – I’m really liking Bird’s Eye Tea!