Yaupon Brothers

This is my first experience with yaupon, and it’s interesting! Pretty savory and beany or grassy, but not bad. There’s almost a hint of spice in there too. It’s not something I’d order, but it was fun to try a bag from a tea box!

This was a sipsby choice for me, and not a bad one – a mild peppermint, less than a candy cane, smooth with a hint of sweet. I love the idea of a tea that is truly “impossible to over-steep”, since I frequently forget to pull the tea out when recommended. I left the tea bags in the travel mug the second time and didn’t notice any difference in flavor while drinking, which is a definite selling point!

Received this sample courtesy of Yaupon Brothers. I had been putting this one off as well because of some of my previous encounters with yaupon.

But I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It’s a lot smoother than I expected. I’m getting springlike notes of green grass and crushed leaves. But there’s also a fermented note and hint of bitterness after 4 minutes. This is almost like a plain green tea, or a mild yerba mate. Maybe I was wrong about yaupon after all. It might taste a little murkier than an oolong or green, but it’s still a nice cup.

Sipdowns In 2019: 6

This is another tea sent to me by Yaupon Brothers. Thank you!

I am all about chai. It’s a staple in my collection for sure. However, the dry bags don’t smell so much like chai to me. There are gingery notes in the aroma, but mostly it smells vegetal and seaweedy, with a little bit of iodine. Like some green teas. There is a faint hint of cinnamon that you really have to feel for.

I used 5 bags for a 24 ounce pot, making it strong on purpose to stand up against a splash of milk. (I realize this was a bold and maybe unwise move.) The water starts off light green and fades to a dark brownish color. With milk, it whitens fast and ends up pale tan. The spices don’t really come through at all as far as flavor goes. This surprises me after how bright and flavorful the Lavender Coconut was. I honestly would not know this was a chai at all if I hadn’t read the package. It mostly just tastes like a nutty, somewhat vegetal green tea.

So, you might remember that I wrote a pretty harsh review of the last Yaupon Brothers tea I got in my Sips by box. Well, Yaupon Brothers contacted me and offered to let me try some of their other offerings. In fact, they weren’t sure why I got the particular blend that I did. I’m guessing that wasn’t the tea they’d like a yaupon beginner like me to try first. Anyway, they sent a very generous amount of tea! I’m really excited about that, particularly when it comes to this one. Lavender and coconut are both favorites.

Dry, this smells so wonderful. Notes of rich, vanilla-like coconut, clean lavender, and a sort of leafy, springtime aroma. I went back and smelled it a couple times last night. The green yaupon, unlike the smoky fire-roasted one I tried, smells much fresher and gentler. More like green tea. Though when brewed, it looks more like a black tea.

Upon first sip, I realize that this is definitely the tea I should have started with. It’s so smooth and creamy and floral. I find it both soothing and energizing at the same time. I know there is rooibos blended into this, but I can’t really taste it, and that’s perfectly ok with me. The yaupon is also mild, sort of hiding in the background and adding a note like crushed tree leaves or grass. I love the way the decadent coconut softens the lavender. There is something very elegant about this. Luxurious, I would say. I’m so happy they sent me the full size. This tea completely changes my mind about yaupon blends.

Alright, my first yaupon ever, from Sips by.

It’s green and mostly powdered in the packets they sent. Very small, flat pieces. I know a lot of this is gonna go right through my infuser. The aroma reminds me of matcha or sencha. Very strong “green tea” scent.

As it steeped, I looked up the company to see what they were about. Something about it put me off a bit… It feels weird seeing a couple of white hipster brothers profiting off of a part of Native American culture. Something just felt wrong about it to me. Appropriated, maybe.

Anyway, the resulting tea is very dark. Sort of like the color of black coffee, but with a green tint. It smells strongly of green beans. And yerba mate. That’s almost exactly what it smells like, only sweeter. I am very, very hesitant. I do not like yerba mate. And I do not drink tea to sip on what smells like stewed vegetables.

The flavor isn’t quite as offensive as I expected. But it is really bitter. I wonder if 8 ounces was not enough water per packet. The instructions did not say. But yeah, this tastes like tea made by gathering up a wad of grass your lawnmower spat out a couple days ago. I do not see any appeal other than the caffeine boost.