Blueberry Muffin Honeybush from 52Teas. . . .

by VariaTEA

I love 52 Teas. They have a great selection of unique and exciting flavored teas thanks to their business model of releasing a new small batch custom blended hand-crafted tea each week. The only downfall? The flavors go fast so if you fall in love, you have to act quickly to make sure you get your hands on that particular tea before it is sold out. That, or you hope and beg and pray for the 52 Teas gods to bless you with a reblend of your beloved flavor. I mention this because this particularly tea, Blueberry Muffin Honeybush, is not currently available on 52 Teas website but it may return in the future.

The blueberry flavor of this tea is perfect. It is juicy and just a little sweeter than the fruit itself but that is because it is more reminiscent of the blueberries found in muffins which are more syrupy sweet than fresh blueberries. The honeybush, though a little woody, also contributes a honeyed baked goods flavor that helps sell the idea of blueberry muffins. On top of all that, this tea is a touch buttery which is like the cherry on top.

This tea is a great evening treat. Being based on honeybush means it is naturally caffeine free and that means even the caffeine-sensitive won’t be kept up at night after enjoying a cup.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description

This blend is not currently available but click below for blends that are.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

VariaTEA

Hey there! My name is Rachel. I’m a twenty-something from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who loves dogs and has a bit of an obsession with tea. As a child I hated the stuff since all I ever knew was Red Rose (no offense to Red Rose). However, a few years ago that all changed. I was on a diet and desperate for new flavors without adding calories and that’s when I turned to tea. I started off by going to DAVIDsTEA and Teavana for all their dessert-inspired flavors, and since I didn’t know any better, I bought 100 grams each of about twenty-something different teas. This was okay for the teas I liked but for those I didn’t I needed to find some way of getting rid of them. Enter Steepster.com. This is where I met some incredible tea friends, discovered tea swaps, and learned of so many amazing tea companies. My desire to try all the teas grew and since joining three years ago I have tried over a thousand different teas. I have learned what ingredients I love and I have learned what flavors I don’t like. I determined my go-to brewing method is Western-style with no added milk or sweeteners, though I also enjoy cold brewing, iced teas, teapops, lattes, and smoothies. I have yet to brew gong-fu style but I hope to do so just as soon as I get the proper teaware to do it. About a year ago, I actually stopped drinking tea but as my stash of over 200 teas started aging I decided I needed to respark my interest. I chose to take a 365 days of tea challenge on Instagram in which I post a new tea picture every day. So far it has been rather successful as I find myself drinking (and buying) more and more tea each day. Plus it enabled CuppaGeek to find me and invite me here to SororiTea Sisters.

This post was posted in 52Teas, Honeybush

Lemon Poundcake Oolong from David’s Tea. . . . .

by Sophia
I don’t like lemon tea, honestly. I know that was not what you were expecting for the first line of a review on Lemon Poundcake Oolong tea, but it’s the truth. That said, the reason I decided to pick up some of this tea was: #1 I had some Frequent Steeper points I wanted to use and #2 The description of a “buttery Oolong” was tempting, and even though I may not generally like lemon tea I do like Lemon Poundcake. (or any poundcake, for that matter)

 

The first thing I noticed upon opening the bag was that there was a strong lemon scent, as if I just sliced open an actual lemon. Bleh. But I trucked on and continued to prepare my cup. The lemon scent became much more tolerable once it was steeped and I think that the oolong and other ingredients toned it down. Upon taking my first sip I realized that this isn’t even as strong as it smelled in regards to lemon, not in the least. It actually is quite tolerable and, dare I say, reminiscent of a true slice of lemon poundcake with vanilla icing! The Oolong definitely toned down the lemon with its buttery mouth feel and the poundcake flavor shines through at the end. The lemon is not strong or too tart, but it’s just right! Even if you are not a big fan of lemon, this tea could still be for you!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Oolong
Where to Buy:  David’s Tea
Description

This buttery, citrus oolong tastes just like a sweet slice of lemon pound cake. Yum!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in DAVIDsTEA, Oolong

Cinnamon Bun from Pinky Up. . . . .

by Sophia

This delectable tea was part of my first order from Pinky Up. I have to admit, I am so impressed with this company. Not only are their teas packaged in these adorable tins, but I also purchased a cute black kitty cat mug. Unfortunately, the mug was broken and I contacted the company. They sent me a brand new mug! It was really nice. Anyways, back to their teas. They sell loose leaf as well as blooming teas- which are tea leaves wrapped around flowers that literally “bloom” as you steep them. Today, however, I am reviewing their Cinnamon Bun loose leaf herbal tea.

Upon opening my tin I could immediately smell cinnamon rolls. I swear, while this tea is steeping your husband/wife/roommate/children/etc. will definitely think that you’re baking cinnamon rolls, so prepare yourself for everyone to come running! #hidethetea The taste is just as realistic as the smell. Cinnamon can either make or break a tea.

Depending on the kind of cinnamon and what else it’s mixed with, sometimes it can be too hot or spicy. In this blend though, it is absolutely heavenly. Just like in a sweet, ooey-gooey cinnamon roll. There is this underlying hint of sweet bread or pastry. Then the experience is topped off with vanilla icing. I feel like this is the liquid version of an actual cinnamon roll, minus the calories! Add a pinch of agave and some low-fat cream and you’ve got yourself a delicious and guilt-free dessert!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Herbal
Where to Buy:  Pinky Up Tea

Description

Decadent baked goods tempting you at the bakery? Have no fear! Pinky Up’s aromatic Cinnamon Bun Loose Leaf Tea will satisfy that craving in no time, and it’s naturally calorie free!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Fruit/Herbal Tisane, Pinky Up Tea

Dirty Girl Scout from The NecessiTeas. . . .

by Sophia

I was a Girl Scout for a long time. I’m not 100% certain how long, but it was all throughout middle school. I actually really enjoyed it, but of course my favorite part of the whole experience was the cookies. How could it not be? This fabulous blend by The NecessiTEAs was made with a certain cookie in mind- Thin Mints….but with a twist: irish cream! And as we speak, I am eating some Thin Mints and sipping on my Dirty Girl Scout tea! What a combo. Y’all I am in chocolate mint heaven right now! I also think that at this moment I am the best judge of whether this tea embodied a twist on these cookies properly, and the answer to that is absolutely! The best part? It is a black tea blend, which means that not only are my taste buds happy but i’m getting caffeinated at the same time! Win/win situation for me!

This tea was not overly minty or overly chocolate. I appreciated that. The mint to chocolate ratio was definitely balanced. The flavors of cookies and irish cream really set this tea apart to other chocolate mint teas. I feel like sometimes teas that include mint end up tasting medicinal, but that was not the case with Dirty Girl Scout. Another aspect I really enjoyed about this tea was that although it was blended with a dessert cookie in mind, it was light enough on taste that it can be drunk anytime of the day and not just as a dessert. So you can technically have cookies for breakfast without the guilt! I really enjoyed this blend and I totally recommend grabbing a pack of Thin Mints to go along with it! Yum!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black Tea
Where to Buy:  The NecessiTeas
Description

We want to commemorate the solemn and depressing end of Girl Scout Cookie season with a tribute tea, the Dirty Girl Scout! We have put a twist on this treat by flavoring black tea with natural flavors of white chocolate and Irish cream then sprinkled a generous amount of organic peppermint into the blend and topped it off with real Andes mint pieces. If you want to get real dirty, add sweetener of choice and a splash of milk.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Black Tea, The NecessiTeas

Pina Colada Honeybush from 52Teas. . . .

by Sophia

When I was a kid I had an obsession with pina coladas. As an adult, I still do. I actually have a funny story about them. I was at a restaurant with my parents and I was probably 6 years old. I ordered a pina colada. My parents used to always try it first, just in case the bartender put alcohol in it by accident. Well, that one particular time they didn’t taste it because we actually knew the owner of the restaurant and I guess they trusted that his bartenders were competent. Well, I was drinking my pina colada and I told my parents that it tasted yucky. Low and behold, there was alcohol in it! Go figure. As a 6 year old I was very freaked out and upset. Anyways, I got a new pina colada and all was forgiven!

Back to tea- I have never had a pina colada tea blend and was excited to try this one. I’ve said it before, but I really enjoy honeybush much more than rooibos. It is definitely a tea I gravitate towards when I am looking for caffeine free. Upon smelling the steeped liquid I could detect the honeybush and pineapple. I couldn’t really smell the coconut. Upon tasting this cup I could sort of detect pina colada flavor, but it was really light. I’m not sure if I would have screamed “pina colada” if you didn’t tell me the name of this tea. But when I think about it and try to detect it, I can.

Unfortunately, I did not get something that screamed creamy pina coladas from this blend. It was very light and I could mostly taste the honeybush. That said, it was still enjoyable. I think if someone is new to flavored teas and wants something light but yummy, this would be the tea for them!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Honeybush
Where to Buy:  52Teas
Description

This tea is no longer available but below are the teas that are.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in 52Teas, Honeybush