545 Tasting Notes
Alright ! We’re on to The August Tealog Catchup ! (Which will hopefully be completed in August instead of mid-September. =P )
My first cup in August was of this one as an iced tea. Well, actually no, it was a cup of Rishi’s Wuyi oolong leftover from the night before. But, this one was my first new tea of August.
Okay, so this was my second time hot steeping this Earl Grey and chilling it for iced tea. This time I steeped 3 slightly rounded teaspoons in 16oz of water then added 14oz more. I made two steeps and combined them. I think this is pretty close to the right process for hot steeping this for iced tea for me, with maybe some minor tweaks if needed.
It came out stronger. Maybe a touch too strong. I’m unsure yet. Distinctly Earl Grey and refreshing.
This will prolly be the way I use most of the rest of this Earl Grey up. It’s definitely less my cup of tea when hot. I’d had other Earls I prefer more, though this one is just fine itself. But I down it iced!
Preparation
Alright ! Last tea of July for sure !
My mom brought this at the Savannah Bee Company shop downtown. It’s loose leaf. I’m sure they didn’t make it but it’s not labeled who did. It’s not even on their website online. I tried Google as well. I’ll add the ingredient list to the product description next time I’m at my parent’s.
What I remember is good chai, heavy on the ginger, especially on the second steep. I’m pretty sure I drank with some milk on the first steep, second steep unsure.
Preparation
Alright! I’ve found two more teas from July misplaced on my jotted down page of notes on what I’ve drank. These should have gone between the Earl Grey iced tea and the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie tealogs below. Then it’ll be on to August. My Steepster slogan should be: Tealogging! I’m always 15 notes or so behind!
So this tea, this time I let it cool accidentally until it was a little warmer than room temperature and god was it amazing! It was very malty and I could taste stone fruits – peach, apricot, and cherry. As it cooled further, those tastes gave way to a honeyed floral.
The second steep was juicy, malty, and a bit drying but not astringent, and also lovely. I’m afraid I might hoard this tea; it was so good this time.
I don’t know if it’s my taste buds or slight changes to the way I steep and drink my tea (lower end of the steeping range, more leaf, letting the cup cool until very warm but no longer hot), but I can really taste more in my teas. I used to just be able to distinguish between different black teas or green teas or what have you. Sometimes I could taste a general descriptive term or find a flavor I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Increasingly lately, I can pick out distinct and nameable tastes, and multiple notes of flavors in my teas. I love it! Even though, I’m drinking less tea in the hot South Carolina summer, I’m enjoying every cup so much.
Preparation
The July TeaLog Catchup ! (Last one!)
So it’s been a long time since I’ve had this Wuyi oolong. I can’t quite remember why I picked to have it that day now. Part of it was that it sounded soothing though. But I did remember that I had tried reducing the steeping times with success last time. So I looked up my tealog for it. Indeed, I had. It looks like a bit more reduction might be warranted for my tastes still. So I tried that this time with very good results. 4 very enjoyable steeps were consumed.
2nd steep: 3mins 45 secs, 190 F.
3rd steep: 4 mins, 195 F.
4th steep: approx 8 mins, 200 F.
Preparation
The July TeaLog Catchup ! (Two more teas left!)
I’m two bags shy of finishing this one off. It was one of the best bagged teas that I’ve ever had. So I promised myself that I could order it loose leaf off the Numi site once I finished it off.
I took a gander around the Numi site the next day. I found a puerh sampler to try. I’m also oddly intrigue by their garden flavored teas so I think I must try those as well. Add in, I think, a box or two more of something to leave at my parent’s to drink and I should meet the $40 needed for free shipping.
Preparation
The July TeaLog Catchup ! (Nearly done now!)
So Steepster ate my original note on this. So new brief note.
Tastes like thin apple juice with some chamomile and less ginger. Not sure if I like it yet. (Feel oddly like I should recreate my note better, but not going to.)
Rating it a 50 (low nice bagged tea range) for now.
Preparation
I’ve been bellyaching because I can’t find Celestial Seasonings Sweet Apple Chamomile locally…have to look for this one as a possible substitute.
Hm, I think you’ll like it if you like apple juice and chamomile. I’m not overly fond of either myself and I thought it was a pretty nice cup to change it up once in awhile.
I liked the CS version cold…wonder if this would stand up to it.
Hm, I have no idea. Er, that is, I’m having a hard time picturing it in my head. Next time I have it, I’ll try to remember to chill the last few sips and try it in the morning.
The July TeaLog Catchup !
I tried 30 seconds less time. But no, that just made it taste like a weaker version of what I was used to. I think this one just is what it is, a good strong rich cup, no matter how you make it.
2 steeps.
Preparation
The July TeaLog Catchup !
This is my second jug of this one as an iced tea. This time I hot steeped then chilled. I did one rounded and one heaping teaspoon in 22oz (what a Pyrex measuring cup filled nearly to the brim holds). I did two steeps and combined them. A much stronger iced tea this time and less floral.
Preparation
The July TeaLog Catchup !
Can I use iced tea as a way to use all this up? (My mom gave me 8oz of it after she brought it on sale at William & Somona.) Why, yes, I think I can!
For my first jug of it, I cold steeped 2 rounded teaspoons and 1 heaping teaspoon in 32oz of water for 8 hours then re[cold]steeped the same leaves for another 24 hours and combined the two steeps. It was very light in color and faintly orange, faintly tea, and a bit floral.
Now I hate the taste of water. I know, how can I hate the taste of water? It tastes like nothing, right. I know, but I do. So even a tiny bit of added flavor makes it palatable to me. I will drink hot tea/liquids all winter long. But summer hot weather is another story. I rarely like things very cold and am picky enough to add only 2 ice cubes when at home. But where this was going is that I can drink chilled water with only a drop of Mio added just fine. So the faintest tasting tea works well for me, and was quite good.
But I still want to try hot steeping this then chilling it because I think it will take less time/work or something. That doesn’t actually make sense now that I’ve typed it out. But I think the iced tea will be stronger that way too.
