VariaTEA Send Message

345 Followers / 115 Following

75
drank Strawberry Zabaglione by 52teas
6444 tasting notes

I had high hopes for this tea after falling in love with the strawberry flavors of Strawberry Pie Honeybush last night. Unfortunately, this pales in comparison. I find it has a similar thick mouth feel to pancake breakfast – I think it added to the pancake breakfast tea because it resembled the mouth feel of a pancake but I am not sure if it really goes well in this tea. I also find the strawberry flavor is more prominent in the smell than the taste although it is subtly there. Perhaps brewing this slightly under boiling will help the flavors shine through a bit more. As I had it today, I think this is a nice enough cup of tea but I would far rather spend my money getting more of the amazing Strawberry Pie Honeybush.
Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
8 comments
Edit
ifjuly
Delete

uh oh! i just grabbed some for the same reasons while restocking the pie one. hmmm…

Sil
Delete

Try 2.5 mins at less than boiling – seems to work better for Frank’s black bases in my experience

VariaTEA
Delete

ifjuly – don’t worry, this tea is not bad at all. I just far prefer the other. Both are good though.
Sil – thank you! I will definitely try that out next time

moraiwe
Delete

I struggled with this one for a while too. 190-195 for 2.5 min seems to be the sweet spot.

CHAroma
Delete

I second Sil’s recommendation. That brewing method revolutionized Frank’s black base for me.

MissB
Delete

Another one here chiming in – definitely less than boiling for 2.5 minutes.

Dexter
Delete

(Making mental note – 2.5 minutes for 52teas black bases….)

VariaTEA
Delete

Thanks everyone! I will definitely be sure to have a 2.5 min steeping time with water just below boiling.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Comments

ifjuly
Delete

uh oh! i just grabbed some for the same reasons while restocking the pie one. hmmm…

Sil
Delete

Try 2.5 mins at less than boiling – seems to work better for Frank’s black bases in my experience

VariaTEA
Delete

ifjuly – don’t worry, this tea is not bad at all. I just far prefer the other. Both are good though.
Sil – thank you! I will definitely try that out next time

moraiwe
Delete

I struggled with this one for a while too. 190-195 for 2.5 min seems to be the sweet spot.

CHAroma
Delete

I second Sil’s recommendation. That brewing method revolutionized Frank’s black base for me.

MissB
Delete

Another one here chiming in – definitely less than boiling for 2.5 minutes.

Dexter
Delete

(Making mental note – 2.5 minutes for 52teas black bases….)

VariaTEA
Delete

Thanks everyone! I will definitely be sure to have a 2.5 min steeping time with water just below boiling.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

My cupboard has grown exponentially since joining this site and I have a lot to share. Feel free to snoop through my cupboard and message me if anything interests you – I am always happy to swap!

For me, flavored teas are definitely my sweet spot. I will most often reach for black teas and rooibos or honeybush blends but I do keep some flavored whites and greens around for when the mood strikes. I have a few herbals/tisanes but most of the time I find myself disappointed by them as they often smell deliciously sweet and then end up tasting tart/sour. I have a little bit of an aversion to pu’erh and oolong teas. I am also wary of florals, earl greys, and chai teas. I do not like overpowering citrus flavors nor do I usually like hibiscus, licorice or chamomile. I love dessert teas – caramel, vanilla, toffee, cookie, cream, and other sweet flavors make me smile. Fruits like strawberry, peach, mango, and pineapples will often catch my attention as well.

I have also realized that although I really enjoy adding frothed milk to some of my teas, if I do not like the tea with zero additives (just in plain water without milk or sugar), I probably won’t drink it. The one exception is flavored matchas which I will happily drink in cold milk if I do not like it mixed with hot water. My theory is if the tea can’t stand on its own then it is not for me and I will more than likely try to swap it out for something else.

Tea Ratings Guide (as of December 10, 2017)
90-100 Teas I NEED on hand at all times
80-89 Teas I want to keep around for a cup every now and then
70-79 Teas I am glad I have around and can experiment with but probably don’t need more than what’s in my cupboard
60-69 Teas I would not turn down a cup of from a friend but that would probably be enough
50-59 Teas I can see why someone would enjoy but are not for me
Under 50 Teas I really did not like and most likely got dumped

Location

Waterdown, Ontario

Following These People

See More

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer