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Day 8 of the homemade advent calender 2018: ginger teas

I got this from the TTB and thought today would be a good day to try it. Oddly enough, I found it tasted a lot like a ginger ale. The ginger spicy flavour was strong, and the tart fruits actually gave it a soda flavour. I normally associate soda with sweet, but this was definitely reminiscent of ginger ale. I see a tea pop in my future.

Back in my cupboard once again! I am that weirdo who goes into the shop and asks for $2 worth of a tea. The inevitable response is “that would only make about one cup” but buy $2 anyway because deep down I know I am cheap and that it will make me at least 4-5 because I let small amounts steep a long time. Hacker level 5000.

Anyway, this is a pleasant herbal tea with strong red apple, dried apple, and spice notes. I would have liked more clove (which I associate with a good apple cider), but cinnamon and blackberry leaves are good too.

I was worried when they didn’t have this blend online during the Black Friday sale. I stopped in to pick up some movie night while it is back and also got some more birthday cake. I can’t believe I let myself run out of this.

Day 6 of the homemade advent calendar with the theme of berry teas. Stonefruits aren’t really berries, but I’m a bit limited here with my herba; blends haha

The green rooibos does well with the citrus and peach flavour. I think I get some orange peel and apricot as well. No strawberry can be made out, which continues to disappointing me every cup-I keep expecting to find it somewhere. I think this would benefit from a touch of lime or mango to add a bit more complexity to the flavour, however I still enjoy it hot or iced.

I’m sad to say I’m now out of this tea. I can’t order Adagio teas because they charge $35+ for shipping, which is atrocious compared to most companiess that are $8-$15 for a similar order size. Next time I visit the states maybe. ^^

Day 6 of the homemade advent calendar with the theme of berry teas.

This has a fresh, juicy raspberry flavour with a smooth but slightly brisk black base. It is decaffinated, but you wouldn’t know. I have enjoyed this one most as a latte with vanilla soy milk or iced with a touch of lemon and sweetener. Very fruity, but not sour.

This was something I drank yesterday but I’ve been slack on reviewing my newer teas lately. I got this in the T2 sampler I picked up in Paris. Most of the teas are very plain or not my thing, but I can’t turn down a new rooibos to try.

This is not a great rooibos. It has a lot of the typical sweet woody flavours, but I found it lacked the honey flavour/scent and seemed overly plain. Maybe stale? The leaves were also pale brown instead of red-brown with golden hues so I’m wondering if it is just old. Regardless, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped. The other teas from T2 have been quite solid, fresh, and flavourful.

Day 7 of the homemade advent calender with the theme of plain herbals

I bought this a while back in the hopes I could make a copycat version of Earth’s Herbal’s Rootbeer Tea but never really got around to finding all the ingredients.

I have had this many times and never once enjoyed it much. It tastes good in a blend or when you ferment rootbeer, but not as a straight tea. I may have oversteeped it this time, however it never seems very tasty brewed for shorter sessions either. It tastes like a mixture of roots, sort of Earthy, decaying wood, musty clay soil, and licorice extract. Metallic or at least minerals, but mostly like what you expect a dried woody root to taste like. I can see how rootbeer might use this as an ingredient, but as-is it isn’t great. The astringency is similar to cheap, oversteeped green tea in that it is drying in the mouth and slightly bitter/tingly, which I didn’t expect at all.

Day 7 of the home made advent calender continues with a sachet of Camomile/Chamomile from the Empress. Now that the Empress Hotel has been renamed Fairmont Empress, they have switched their teas to a new brand they call “Lot 35”. I don’t know if this is just for all Fairmont hotels in Canada or just at the Empress (I thought the Empress had its own brand, but maybe not?). Anyway, I have a few free sachets to try and decided today was the day for this one.

It is your typical chamomile. The red corn flower petals and amaranth petals are beautiful, but do not add a flavour. This chamomile isn’t too vegetal or extreme (overpoweringly lemony or all hay flavoured) and retains a nice balance in flavour.

Advent calendar day 7: Plain/straight herbals

I’m starting to run out of ideas for caffeine-free tea themes, but since I have quite a few straight herbals I thought this could occupy one or two days. This is a tisane made of fennel seed. It smalls and tastes similar to anise or liquorice, but when it grows it looks more like dill. I actually really like anise and fennel in teas (far more than licorice root), so I find this a decent herbal for calm evenings or just to have something to drink. I originally bought fennel seed tea to help with stomach aches/digestion upsets and now I find I enjoy it enough to drink it regularly.