I’m going to let you all in on a little secret: I don’t really like watermelon.
GASP. Don’t tell summer. But for real– I am a fruit fiend, but something about melon (cantaloupe and honeydew included) just doesn’t really do it for me. In fact, I’ve even been known to scoff at a bowl of “filler fruit” alongside my omelet at breakfast. Bring me berries, or nothing at all!
That said– a little sub-quirk of this particular quirk is that I really love watermelon-flavored things. (I know, I don’t get it either.) Something about the concentrated, bright tanginess is spectacular to my palate– especially when it’s in iced tea form! Which, of course, is exactly how I brewed up this tea sample. Immediately, it turned a gorgeous, bright berry red. After a night in the fridge, this one was fully steeped. Fascinatingly enough, this brew boasts ZERO watermelon or watermelon flavoring, and yet, this blend totally hits all those familiar watermelon flavors.
My only tiny gripe is that the hibiscus in this blend is… overpowering. It is SUPER tart, and almost distractingly hibiscus-y. I want more of that yummy, watermelon-y goodness, but all my brain can process of the end notes of each sip is “hibiscus! hibiscus!”– kind of a bummer. That said, I can totally forsee this blend making for perfect, summery sun tea. In fact, you melon-lovers unlike myself could totally throw a few slices of your melon of choice inside a cold glass for a refreshing summery treat. Mmm– summer in a glass.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Fox Tea Club
Description
The remarkable blend of red hibiscus, tart cherries, red bilberry, aromatic rose petals, and rose hips combine sweetly in this remarkable “watermelony” summer tea. It is especially refreshing as served iced on a summer afternoon. Add a touch of sugar or honey to bring out the fruitiness of the brew.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Maui Mango from Tiesta Tea. . . .
Friends, grab your grass skirts and sunscreen– we’re going to Hawaii.
JUST KIDDING. I wish I weren’t, of course– but a few sips of this delightful fruit infusion and we may as well be on a tropical island. Filled with chunks of dried and sweetened fruit, bits of electric-yellow and orange safflower, you don’t even have to smell this tea to feel its summery vibes. I’ll admit– I’ve only ever made this one cold-brew-style– while I’m certain that it would be delightful hot, if I’m going to be channeling my inner vacation vibes, I want a cold beverage.
If you’re worried that these flavors won’t translate without hot water to wake them up, fear not. This cold brew is full of bright, tropical, sweet and fruit flavors. Mango, of course, is prominent, but a delightful array of varied citrus notes backs it up pretty prominently. This one is abundantly sweet on its own, which can sometimes be a little overwhelming– but served half and half with some plain sparkling water, you’ve got yourself a mocktail worthy of any island vacation.
Now, if someone could just point me to the beach…
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Tiesta Tea
Description
This incredible citrus fusion of mangos, pineapple and oranges brings a mouthwatering tropical vacation right to your lips.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
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Red Hot Hibiscus from The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co. . . . via Sipsby Box
Happy Monday morning tea friends! Hope your weekend was a great one. Mine was mainly because my Sipsby Box arrived for February. I’ve been a subscriber to Sipsby for sometime and I have to say, their selections just keep getting better. This month I only received one tea that I know I won’t be able to drink and that is mainly due to medical reasons. I was super happy to see one of my favorite tea companies in my box, The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co.
If you haven’t had tea from The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co, I encourage you to check them out. Flavored and Straight Tea drinkers alike can find delicious offerings. This particular blend, Red Hot Hibiscus, was the perfect way to enjoy some subtle Valentine vibes before the big day later this week. Consisting of organic cinnamon, hibiscus, and orange peel, this blend had my name written all over it.
I brewed up with water prep at boiling and allowed to steep for about 5 minutes and cooled for an additional 4. I was slightly nervous this tea would deliver a super tart punch first sip in, but that wasn’t the case at all. The main flavor that really comes across is the cinnamon and this cinnamon isn’t overly spiced. Just a delicious solid flavor. The tartness from the hibiscus and citrus notes from the orange peel really pull together and mingle gorgeously with the cinnamon, providing you almost with this sweetly spiced orange punch tone. A delicious evening treat and a nice change of pace from the traditional chamomile evening blends I usually enjoy.
Overall, an incredibly delicious herbal that is simple and to the point. I ended up drinking my entire pouch of this tea in one night and sadly wish I had saved some to try as a cold brew. Nevertheless, this blend reminds me just how much I do enjoy The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co and appreciate my Sipsby Box.
Can’t wait to dig into the other goodies I received later today!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co.
Description
Sweet cinnamon and tart hibiscus are blended to a perfect balance. Orange zest provides a fruity background. This tea is fantastic hot or iced and actually deserves extra steep time for its full flavor to shine!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Unwind and Relax / Great Tea Road Co.
This is my first herbal tisane post for SororiTea Sisters. . . or at least the first in a very long time.
As a purist I just tend to not drink much herbal but I do love Evening in Missoula and I was curious as to the taste of this one compared with that.
Let me tell you it is different. This one has a bit of a kick with the cinnamon. Personally I don’t find it very relaxing but then I may be biased with my love of the aforementioned tisane.
If you are a fan of cinnamon with hints of chamomile this could be a good fit for you.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Great Tea Road Co.
Description:
Amazing aroma with great taste. This tea will help you relax after your long day.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cheerful Blend from Tealyra. . . .
One can often tell something about a tea from it’s name. Teas like Foggy Coconut or Chocolate Delight come to mind. These teas make it clear what will be in your cup when all is said and done. Sometimes tea companies get a bit creative and come up with fun names like “Ghoul Gulp”, “Fairy Dust”, or this Tealyra tea, “Cheerful Blend”. These teas appeal to emotions or create certain associations in order to pull you in. The issue is, when you don’t really know what is in a blend, it is easy to overlook a tea. That is what has happened to this blend that has been bumping around my tea stash for over a year without ever being tasted.
The other day I was inventorying my teas and I looked this one up. I was intrigued by the unique ingredient list: apple bits, carrot bits, ginger bits, pumpkin bits, coriander, banana chips, and natural flavorings. I thought it sounded like it would make for a nice cold brew so I dumped the whole sample in a water bottle and left it to steep overnight.
Taste wise, it is unlike anything I have had before. It is sweet but not dessert-like. It has a lot of carrot and banana chip flavors. Almost like I am drinking the little bit of water that always seems to be in bags of baby carrots, while snacking on banana chips. The more I drink, the more pumpkin sweetness intermingles with the carrot. Unfortunately the sweet together just builds and builds and eventually the tea, though interesting, is just too much. I was hoping for some ginger to cut through and add something different to the layer upon layer of sweet but I never got any.
I think with some more ginger, this tea could be a real winner. It is different than most of the other fruit tisanes I have tried which rely heavily on apple or hibiscus but unfortunately it quickly becomes one note: sweet. This needs something to gives this more flavor and more depth. As it is, I am content with just the one cup.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: Tealyra
Description
Cheerful Blend is a sweet, orange-hued veggie infusion ideal for those looking for a healthy veggie tea with a pleasant mild fruit taste!
Brew up a taste of a freshly juiced health tonic with our Cheerful Blend! Our organic Cheerful veggie fusion blend features a fine base of dried apple bits, pumpkin, carrots and banana chips, to that we have added pure dried ginger and coriander for a sweet and healthy treat!
At first sip, a rich banana nectar flavor takes the lead, it is wonderfully complemented by naturally sweet carrots, then finishes with pumpkin-ginger. The veggie tisane has a thick velvety body, similar to fresh made juice.
Cheerful Blend will encourage a gentle detox and strengthen your immune system health from the inside out! Sunny days are ahead! Try it hot or iced for a zingy refresher!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
