Steven Smith Teamaker

Sipdown #3 today is another tea from TastyBrew, thanks!
I don’t really have a lot to say about it, as I was starting 2 new batches for fermented cukes, & jarring up a rip batch. It always takes so much longer to do these things than you think it’s going to!! I’m hoping my Cuke vines will hold out for a few more weeks! If they do, we’ll have enough ‘Bubbies’ style pickles to last for quite awhile!
I sipped on this cup on & off while I was scrubbing cukes, peeling garlic, picking Dill seed heads, & stuffing the first crock. It’s a pleasant green with a vegetal taste, what can I say?

During the prep & stuffing of the 2nd crock I drank the cold brew of yesterday’s Dan Cong leaves (which I’m disappointed to admit was not a sipdown, I still have another little foil package of it).

This is the last day of summer for me, sad! I know this is so cliche, but it really went by so fast. Back in May I was so excited to start nursing school that I wanted the summer to fly by. Now that it has, I’m sitting here saying “Just one more week of summer, please!”

This is the first Steven Smith tea that I’ve tried, and I found it at the local Sur La Table store. The flavor of the tea is very nice, but very light on the bergamot. I can taste more maltiness than bergamot in this blend. It does take milk and sugar fantasically, though, so I am happy with this cup.

-Large square silk sachet with a tag.
-Sachet smells of rich black tea and bergamot. Tea liquor aroma is malty with a very faint hint of bergamot.
-Tea liquor is a thick medium brown color.
-Bold and sweetly malty flavor and finish. Very light citrusy aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Very good tea. A smooth and sweet cup with a very faint hint of bergamot. More maltiness than bergamot flavor.

This is the last of my box, but I’m sure I’ll pruchase more in the near future. This is a really nice Darjeeling, and while I’m usually a fan of the fruity and flower-y notes I have to say that the toasty flavors have become some of my favorites. I went from thinking the resteep was the best cup because of the lovely muscatel flavor to not-so-patiently waiting for the first cup to finish steeping and then happily going back to my pot for the second cup.

So basically I enjoy this tea. A lot. The end.

I was able to get an appointment to see my doctor, and this is the tea I had during the drive. I really enjoyed the toasty notes this morning. It went well with the rainy day we are having, and it tasted terrific. I was enjoying it so much that it had little chance to cool, so a lot of the other flavors were not present. Still a tasty cup.

Turns out I have a double ear infection and strep throat, so I will be spending this weekend at home with my blankets, books, and tea while the medicine does its thing. Can’t say this makes me overly sad.

This has been in my cup all week. I keep trying to talk myself into drinking something else, but all I want is a nice Darjeeling. I’ve found that I like this tea best when it’s steeped for 3 minutes and 45 seconds because I still get the toasty notes, but the floral flavor comes through at the end of the sip. There’s also a decent amount of astringency which is refreshing. It’s sooo good.

The second steeping (full 5 minutes) of the leaves really brings out the muscatel flavor. The toasty, nutty notes are gone and everything is fruit and flowers. Lovely. Getting two wonderfully different cups from one tea bag is such a treat. I’m glad I played with the steeping times. This went from being a so-so tea for me to being a cupboard staple.

I’m becoming a fan of Darjeeling more and more. I’ve also been wanting to try SST teas for weeks now. Today all the stars aligned and I was able to make it to the grocery store that sells SST and get home before a soul in my house was awake. Sometimes it’s the little things. :)

This blend is very nice. The color is a dark copper, and the initial smell is dry grass. Not hay – grass. The tea has a smooth and creamy feel. There weren’t many fruity notes, but the floral ones were delightful. Next time I make this I’ll shorten the steeping time. I followed the recommended five minute steep, but I think a lot of the subtler flavors might be noticeable with a four minute steep.

Yup. This is still amazingly good. Deeply malty and caramely.

Having recently taken a thermometer into work to see what the actual water temp is out of the dedicated line and the coffee maker spigot, I was shocked to find how off I have been in my estimation. It is actually only about 160F. I’m amazed any of my blacks that I love turned out okay with temps this low! But… knowing this, I now give the cup a bump in the microwave before steeping till it’s bubbling.

This tea was good at work before, now it’s just as amazing as it is at home. And other teas I’ve been retrying at work have definitely improved. I’ve been switching between this, Single Origin’s Kenya Kaporet, Harney & Sons’ Indian Nimbu & Golden Blend (which was tons better at a higher temperature), and the no-name golden yunnan from Chinatown.

I haven’t been posting much since I’m just drinking down my collection and not really trying anything new. It hurts my heart because I really, really want to order two of the new Harney teas from China and my TeaVivre sale order has to be my only purchase for this month. I do get on and read reviews and discussions, though. :)

Plus, work has been nuts. It sucks since I am busier than a one-armed paper hanger for the next two months but after September, I have no idea what I’ll have to keep me occupied! I’m also working on something that could turn out to be super neat if it all turns out like I hope. I can’t say anything yet… but I am positive you folks will like it. Stay tuned. :p

Holy cats. This is one awesome Assam. Caramely and malty. Yeah, this will have to be purchased. The question will be if I can wait until going there in person next May/June or if I will have to order it before then. :)

Thanks for sharing, Sil!

This morning I set about making teas and I realized the Steven Smith Teamaker sampler I got was not a sampler with four teabags of three teas, but rather 12 different ones! I gave this one a go, since I really love darjeeling, and it was a good cup. It had a thick feel to it, and was clearly a darjeeling, but as others noted: it’s solid but not a showstopper. Decent cup.

Question: When is an Earl Grey, not an Earl Grey?
A Tale of Two Different Cups of Tea

Per: http://www.smithtea.com/shop/black/bergamot:
“About this Tea
A flavor somewhat superior to traditional Earl Grey. Fragrant Ceylon Dimbulla and Uva are artfully combined with select teas from India’s Assam valley, then scented with the flavor of bergamot from the realm of Reggio Calabria, Italy.

Ingredients
Ceylon Dimbulla, Uva and Indian Assam full leaf teas and natural bergamot flavor.

Preparation
For best flavor, bring freshly drawn filtered water to a boil. Steep five minutes. If possible, play a little opera softly in the background.”

(Note: Neither the package or the SST website stated how many ounces of water to use with a sachet.)

Introduction: My wife and I have been drinking loose Earl Grey for over 30 years.

The typical Earl Grey tea has a 100% Ceylon base. Some Ceylon teas used in E.G. can be quite astringent. This Lord Bergamot is different in that it’s a blend of two Ceylon teas as well as an Assam tea.

Most E.G. teas are also light- to medium-bodied. While my wife loves the aroma and flavor of a well-balanced EG, she typically does not find them to be strong enough. To compensate, she will increase the amount of tea leaves and/or the brewing time. However, you can only increase those two parameters so much.

Cup #1:
Technique: Previously, my wife prepared a sachet: 8 oz. filtered water with TDS of 26 ppm / 212*F / 5 min. as she prefers a truly full-bodied Earl Grey. She’s also used to brewing an 8-oz. cup of tea. No sweeteners, milk or cream were added.

First impressions: This tea provided a very smooth full-bodied Earl Grey without any hint of bitterness. She also noted a vegetal flavor that’s typically not found in a classic Earl Grey.

Per: Alex Pieroni of SST: “I would say 1 sachet for every 12 oz. of water.”

Cup #2 (several days later):
Technique: I prepared a sachet: (2.5 g – My Weigh Durascale D2 660), 12-oz filtered water with TDS of 26 ppm / 212*F / 5 min. Brewed in a covered mug. No sweeteners, milk or cream were added.

Fragrance: “Fruity” – different than a classic bergamot EG.
Dry leaf: Medium-long dark brown full leaf – http://www.smithtea.com/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/286x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/l/o/lord_b_teabag.jpg
Liquor: Clear & coppery

5-min.: This medium-bodied black tea is expertly balanced. The fruity aroma does not overshadow the base black teas. There was no hint of tartness. The addition of Assam provided a very smooth sip. There was no bitterness or hint of a vegetal flavor. This black tea has an understated bergamot flavor.

I then presented this cup to my wife without telling her what type of tea it was or of my impression:
“I don’t know what it is. It’s not a regular black tea is it? It has a fruity aroma. An earthy flavor – Assam? Not bad – smooth! It’s not EG. It’s a little astringent toward the bottom of the (12-oz.) cup.” (I suspect this may be due to the high-altitude grown Ceylon Uva.)

Second Impressions:
This is a very smooth, expertly well-balanced, medium-bodied black tea with a pleasing fruity fragrance that does not overshadow the Ceylon/Assam base teas.

My wife enjoyed this very special medium-bodied black tea enough to want to purchase some as a change of pace from her regular Earl Grey. This is the first Earl Grey (not including EG cream) out of 14 EG teas, that she’s been interested in buying. Quite an accomplishment!!

Question: When is an Earl Grey, not an Earl Grey?
Answer: When it’s a Lord Bergamot!

Thanks to Alex Pieroni of Steven Smith Teamaker for providing this free sample.

For a short time, this brand was popping up in my grocery store. I picked up their EG, which was quite tasty (though I forgot to rate it!) and that led me delve into some of their other offerings. Unfortunately, it seems the grocery store has stopped carrying this brand. Boo. I don’t know if the company makes my short “must order from now!” list but I’m tempted to put them on my long “could see myself ordering from them” list so I could try some of their other black tea blends as the two teas I’ve now had from them have been quite nice.

The smell of this hits me as full on Assam – sweet, honeyed, thick and malty. The taste is less Assam and more… Ceylon, I think. Sort of a higher, smoother taste almost like a mild or very lightly muscat-ed Darjeeling. Which I think is Ceylon (the “big” black tea I am least familiar with). The Assam is in full on back up mode, adding just a little fuzzy texture and thickness. The Keemun…? I don’t really get a lot of Keemun taste but it seems to kind of fill in the holes the Ceylon and Assam leave, making this much smoother than I would anticipate from something Ceylon and not really expensive.

The Ceylon makes this a fairly bright tea but the Keemun, I think, keeps the astringency to the “rather mild” category. Still a bit bright for me this morning as I think I really need some tea cuddles (sore throat) but quite a nice little tea. I originally picked this up to be a travel mug tea for the husband (read: taken with lots of sugar and milk), but I think a handful of bags are going to have to go to me and my unadulterated cups.

I picked up a sampler of Steven Smith Teamaker teas to give a few a go, and getting home late in the evening, this was the first I’ve had a chance to try. I don’t normally love hibiscus. It’s something I have for the color more than the tea, but in this case I quite liked it. The flavor profile shifted as the tea cooled, and I enjoyed it throughout the cup. Looking forward to the next evening that requires something herbal!

Okay, this one could easily find a home in my permanent stash. Dark, fruity/winey notes in the undergrowth, malt hiding in the background, bit of sharpness, deep dark mahogany color, homemade molasses wheat bread.

Thanks, Sil! Gives me something to put on the list for when I visit Portland next spring. :)

If this breakfast blend is this good (which it is—dark tea fans, it’s worth seeking out), the Steven Smith straight-up Assam must be outstanding.

Smooth, bready. About 1/4 teaspoon left, which’ll do me a thimble-sized cup or add some class to the Junkyard Tea Mason jar. Decisions, decisions…

Random adjectives: suede, burgundy, fruit, mahogany wood, smooth, rich.
Watched the sun rise as I sipped, that just took extra words away.

(thanks to Terri HarpLady)

Sample package label:
“Blend No. 18
Steven Smith Teamaker
Brahmin
Full Leaf Black Tea”

Per: http://www.smithtea.com/shop/black/brahmin
“A sophisticated blend of full bodied, rich and malty Indian Assam teas, paired with succulent Ceylon dimbulla, intense and floral Ceylon Uva and a touch of smokey Keemun from Anhui. The taste is dense, robust and delicious, with or without milk, anytime you need a bit of extra inspiration. “

“Ingredients: Second flush Indian Assam, Ceylon Dimbulla, Ceylon Uva and China Keemun full leaf teas”

“Bring filtered water to a rolling boil. Steep 5 minutes.
Technically a breakfast tea, it is equally good for dessert.”

Per: Alex Pieroni: “I would say 1 sachet for every 12 oz of water.”

Technique:
12-oz filtered water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 27 ppm, heated to 212*F.

1 sachet – 3.4 g (My Weigh Durascale D2 660), without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Dry leaf: long, uniform sized, blackish brown

Fragrance: Subtle hint of pipe tobacco

Liquor: Clear amber brown

Aroma: Malty Assam aroma without an obvious smokiness that sometimes is associated with Keemun.

5-min Infusion: A robust full-bodied flavor black tea without bitterness. There was moderate sense of astringency that persists on the tongue. I suspect is due the high-altitude grown Ceylon Uva. There was also a very subtle caramel-like sweetness in the finish that’s probably due to the Keemun in this blended tea

Re-steep: 6-min Infusion Nearly as full-bodied and without any astringency.

Impression: A full-bodied blended black breakfast tea for those who don’t mind astringency. For those who do, one could try brewing this tea at a lower temperature such as 195*F.

Suggestion: To consider using less Ceylon Uva and perhaps more Keemun in this blend.

Thanks to Alex Pieroni of Steven Smith Teamaker for providing this free sample.

The rooibus and honeybush are all up in their mulch-y-ness, but this dry-smelling tea seems to be more of a savannah than an oasis. In this savannah, you have to scrape at the ground for any additional sweetness. There’s a hint of coconut. Maybe. Some of the dust settles when it’s steeped, but you better pack a canteen of water with this drink.

Luckily, the missing fruit emerges when you give it a taste. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of rosehip tea, this one may be a satisfactory stand-in, but only if you really like rooibus… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/23/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-3/

Peppermint Leaves needs no introduction. It is exactly what they say it is: peppermint leaves. In a bag. For tea.

It just so happens that these leaves are magical things, housing a Wonderland of scent and taste where peppermint is the ruling Queen. Her King Consort? Mr. Freeze. The minty-ness makes no secret of itself, and before it’s even steeped, your senses are awash in its powerful cry. Ditch your Tic Tacs and your Listerine.

You aren’t sipping peppermint leaves. These are truly Peppermint Leaves… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/23/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-3/

Meadow is magic.

There, I said it.

Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/23/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-3/

Big Hibiscus comes to you with a very odd smell in the bag. Initially you get the lush, rich hibiscus to be sure, hung with the accents of elderflower and rose like a particularly favored courtesan. Yet there’s this strange mustiness that you just can’t shake off. It’s the fault of the Indian sarsaparilla, most likely. In the cup–which yields a very seductive wine-y liquor–this off smell dies down and you can discern more of the ginger. (Mm, ginger. Smith has definitely caught on to how ginger goes well with everything.)

What a punch! In every sense of the word. This courtesan has some wild proclivi-teas, and she’s more than ready to show you how it’s done… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/23/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-3/

With one whiff of Jasmine Silver Tip, you’ve got the full floral parade. Dare I even call it… soapy? Seems to be all about the jasmine and none about the tea. Oh dear. This doesn’t disappear when steeped, but at least the odor fades a bit–just a bit, mind you, ’cause this flower damsel really doesn’t want to budge–hopefully to make way for some solid green flavor. (Though seeing as it’s called Silver Tip, it’s possible that you’ll have more of a white-y cup after all.) As with many jasmine teas, this one leaves you rubbing your fingers on the nearest napkin, trying to get rid of the oily feeling from the perfume.

Sip up, floral lovers, because this will be your happy hour. Floral haters to the back; you’ll get more out of Fez or one of Smith’s nice, twisty blacks…. Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/20/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-2/

The dry bag yields a wonderful fragrance of warm flowers. We’re not talking about floral in the usual sense, where the aroma hits you the way it would when you’re in the company of actual perfumes. Here, you get the feeling of meadow-y buds with their faces bright and open towards the day. The osmanthus masquerades as a whiff of peach. In the cup, these scents deepen and round out, like they’ve been slowly baked into the tea. Ozzy gets fruit-tastic here.

Oh no this is not something to drink in the morning. As soon as you start sipping, the chamomile takes over. You’d never think that a calming herb could taste so powerful, but something about this blend really takes it to a new level… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/20/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-2/

In the bag, Fez‘s dry smell is what your Starbucks Tazo mint tea wishes it could be. You get nothing but spearmint, with a hint of lemon that could pass as verbena, though in this case–pun intended–it’s Australian lemon myrtle. When was the last time you saw that one in a tea? Turns out it’s the perfect addition, as those sharp little acidic notes come out to play when the hot water hits the bag. No green smell at all, but that’s no surprise given the understated presence of their Mao Feng Shui.

Smith recommends drinking this tea while wearing a fez, but you’ll want to take your hats off to it–Fez, you sly fox!… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/20/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-2/

Mao Feng Shui‘s bag aroma is highly understated–or should I say, understa-tea-d? Maybe it’s because of the tightly-woven silk sachet, but this tea does not want to give up its secrets so easily. Still, it’s possible to discern the sweetness of the green held up by the more vegetal notes, like an assortment of fruit supported by a summer squash platter. Interestingly enough, it still won’t talk much once steeped in the cup. Huh. There’s a teaser of botanical fragrance, but it’s more of a, “Yeah, I could be a floral. But maybe I’m not. Could go either way. Wouldn’t you like to know?”… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/20/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-2/