Ashmanra’s Sipdown Challenge | December 2023 | A tea with a red ingredient
This is a bit of a stretch, but I swear some of the freeze-dried plums in this blend look red!
For whatever reason, I could never get this one to work for me… it’s a smidge bitter and muddled. Which is a shame because it’s such a fun concept, and it’s just chock full of fruit pieces. Maybe I should have cold-brewed it or added some sweetener?!
2023 sipdown count: 57
Flavors: Bitter, Sour, Stonefruit
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How long did you steep it? Cold brewing is often a good idea, I find that it will soften any bitterness that I experience with a tea, but I didn’t get bitterness from this blend when I hot brewed so I’m wondering what your parameters were when you steeped?
Also, with just about any flavored tea, a teensy bit of sugar will often help define the flavors. The flavors are primarily soluble at the “right temperature” of water (which is why I recommend allowing a tea to cool for a few minutes, this helps the flavors “activate”). They are often also soluble with natural sweeteners like sugar or honey (although sugar tends to be better to bring out the flavors). I always test a tea with both sugar and without. When the flavors come out on their own without sugar, I make note of it in my testing notes (which can be found on the tea listing on my website under “serving suggestion”). Otherwise, I do make a note that a little bit of sugar will enhance the flavors. Generally, I only add a little less than 1/2 a teaspoon to any 12oz cup of tea, because I tend to prefer my teas unsweet.
I want to say I brewed it at 205 for 3 minutes, then let it cool a bit? I may have overleafed it because I wanted to finish the bag, though! XD
Hmm – well, it may just be that this flavor didn’t work for you. I’m sorry! In the future, if you encounter something that doesn’t work for you and you followed the suggested brewing parameters (which I believe you have here in this case!) a teensy bit of sugar may help to not only soften the bitterness but also help the flavors shine.
When I do my taste testing, I test first without sugar, and then I test with a little bit of sugar (usually a little less than 1/2 a teaspoon per 12oz of tea) – in most cases, this little bit of sugar will enhance the flavors because as I stated before, the flavors are both water and sugar soluable. Quite often, the water temperature will bring out the right flavor, but with some teas, a little sugar will help encourage it to be more flavorful. I haven’t tried other sweeteners (such as low calorie/sugar free options) because I simply do not like them, and in the case of aspartame, I’m allergic. So, I’m very thoughtful of when I sweeten, I don’t generally sweeten my teas. But occasionally, I’ll find something that is just a little bit better with a bit of sugar, this is generally with a dessert-y type of tea (because desserts are supposed to be sweet, I suppose!)
Aw, there’s no need to apologize! It wasn’t the most mindful brewing process on my end, honestly. I’ll try a smidge of sugar next time!
How long did you steep it? Cold brewing is often a good idea, I find that it will soften any bitterness that I experience with a tea, but I didn’t get bitterness from this blend when I hot brewed so I’m wondering what your parameters were when you steeped?
Also, with just about any flavored tea, a teensy bit of sugar will often help define the flavors. The flavors are primarily soluble at the “right temperature” of water (which is why I recommend allowing a tea to cool for a few minutes, this helps the flavors “activate”). They are often also soluble with natural sweeteners like sugar or honey (although sugar tends to be better to bring out the flavors). I always test a tea with both sugar and without. When the flavors come out on their own without sugar, I make note of it in my testing notes (which can be found on the tea listing on my website under “serving suggestion”). Otherwise, I do make a note that a little bit of sugar will enhance the flavors. Generally, I only add a little less than 1/2 a teaspoon to any 12oz cup of tea, because I tend to prefer my teas unsweet.
I want to say I brewed it at 205 for 3 minutes, then let it cool a bit? I may have overleafed it because I wanted to finish the bag, though! XD
Hmm – well, it may just be that this flavor didn’t work for you. I’m sorry! In the future, if you encounter something that doesn’t work for you and you followed the suggested brewing parameters (which I believe you have here in this case!) a teensy bit of sugar may help to not only soften the bitterness but also help the flavors shine.
When I do my taste testing, I test first without sugar, and then I test with a little bit of sugar (usually a little less than 1/2 a teaspoon per 12oz of tea) – in most cases, this little bit of sugar will enhance the flavors because as I stated before, the flavors are both water and sugar soluable. Quite often, the water temperature will bring out the right flavor, but with some teas, a little sugar will help encourage it to be more flavorful. I haven’t tried other sweeteners (such as low calorie/sugar free options) because I simply do not like them, and in the case of aspartame, I’m allergic. So, I’m very thoughtful of when I sweeten, I don’t generally sweeten my teas. But occasionally, I’ll find something that is just a little bit better with a bit of sugar, this is generally with a dessert-y type of tea (because desserts are supposed to be sweet, I suppose!)
Aw, there’s no need to apologize! It wasn’t the most mindful brewing process on my end, honestly. I’ll try a smidge of sugar next time!