I thought I might like this better cold brewed, but it’s still not good. Almost anything’s better than hot hibiscus, but in this case even cold hibiscus doesn’t win. It’s tart like cranberries and smells like red jello. Yuck.
Flavors: Tart
Lifetime student. Lover of books and paper and ink. Kitchen dweller. Aspiring herbalist, excessively proud cat lady, and tea fanatic. Thirty-something elder millennial. She/her.
I love flavored black teas most of all, always with cream and honey. I enjoy floral and fruity teas, as well as flavored or scented ones. I’m not overly fond of green or white teas, but I’ve found a few that I enjoy.
I’m open to tea swaps and/or just sharing what’s in my tea cabinet! Please reach out if you see something I have that you’d like to try. I do my best to update my cupboard regularly.
Favorites
Any and all black teas, smoky teas, raspberry, strawberry, red fruits, bergamot, chai spices, floral teas, caramel/toffee, jasmine, rose, vanilla, peaches, plums, valerian root, cinnamon, cardamom
Not a huge fan
White teas, green teas, artificial sweeteners, sarsaparilla, licorice, lemongrass, lavender, hot hibiscus, hibiscus in black tea blends
Rating Scale
1-20: By far, one of the worst teas I’ve tasted. I most certainly will not finish my cup and will likely “gift” the rest to my sweet husband, James, who almost always enjoys the teas I dislike (and vice versa).
21-49: This tea is not good, but if I mix it with another tea or find another steeping method I might be able to finish it.
50-69: This one is just okay. I might drink it again if someone were to give it to me, but I probably won’t be buying more for myself.
70-79: This is a consistently good tea. It’s reliable but not necessarily special.
80-90: This one is a notch above the rest and I would gladly enjoy a cup of it any day of the week. I’ll likely be keeping this in my cupboard, but it isn’t one of my all-time favorites.
91-95: One small change and this tea would be perfect. I’ll definitely have a stash of this in my kitchen if you come over for tea.
96-100: No words can describe this tea. It’s an experience, an aha moment. Closed eyes, wide smile, encompassing warmth. Absolutely incredible. Perfect.
Updated May 2022.
Alabaster, Alabama
This was so vile and acidic. I’ll never forget the only bag I had over 20 years ago. And I enjoy hibiscus.
My husband loves hibiscus, but even he asked if it had gone bad. We ended up tossing the rest since neither of us could finish it.