Tension Tamer

Hello Steepster, I am back for a bit, haven’t been drinking much tea lately, trying to avoid the caffeine. I got this at Whole Foods along with a bevy of vitamins and some green juice. It’s been years since I have had this blend but I like it, the peppermint is not too strong and the other herbs make this a nice relaxing tisane. Tonight I go to meditation, hope all are having a nice weekend.

I am attempting to finish off my box of Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer tonight. I was unable to finish everything I needed to do for my move this morning at 7am, so now I really need to relax and unwind so that I can cope with the consequences. Que sera, sera.

I am going to stop working for today and go watch an episode of the BBC series Hustle. Anyone who is interested in the wheelings and dealings of con artists would enjoy this show. The grifters are portrayed as totally likeable people—it’s just that they live off other people’s gullibility and greed. In reality, when we encounter such people in the real world, we tend to regard them as low lifes, so the show offers an interesting, almost amoral perspective on the creatures who prey on people naive enough to trust their fellow human beings. Kind of nihilistic, actually.

So, more Tension Tamer is in order.

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: minty,spicy, chewy
After water is first poured: lemony, minty
At end of steep: sticky sweet, bright, minty, lemony
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: mossy green
Staple? yes
Preferred time of day: as needed medicinally
Taste:
At first?: syrupy, slippery elm note, slight stickiness, then mint
As it cools?: notes open up a bit, mints surface slightly, tea gets stickier, then much less syrupy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? yes, lemony, minty sticky syrup notes, when hot, after cooling a bit, hints of sweetened lemony mint
Not good chilled

I actually really enjoy this. Like others have said, there are a lot of competing flavors in here and the only thing that I can really pick out as dominant is the lemon flavoring. It is a strange concoction and the flavor is unlike anything else, but I do find it to be very pleasant and relaxing. I understand the mentions of medicinal flavor as it is lemony, slightly minty, and it coats your throat a little bit going down. Overall, I can’t quite explain why I like this stuff so much. I admit that it’s strange, but I love it. As a side note, I also definitely notice a slight cognitive enhancement when I sometimes sip on a 36 ounce jug of this stuff iced throughout the day. It provides an energy boost, but at the same time relaxes…this is definitely due to the eleuthero (which I also recommend as a great herbal supplement) and B-vitamins. Overall, I really like this stuff. Definitely my favorite bagged tea.

Okay, I’ve decided to forgo the 4th infusion of my oolong and am having this as my last tea of the night (well, maybe not..) I haven’t had this in awhile, but I used to like it pretty well. Yup, it is still pretty decent. Certainly not the best caffeine free option I have ever had, or that I have in my cupboard for that matter, but I wanted a bagged tea because I’m not committing to a resteep at this moment. I added a bit of honey which I can’t remember doing before and it is quite good. Nice way to finish off a day filled with yummy awesome teas.

This is my go-to upset stomach tea and wow do I have an upset stomach today. Unfortunately it wasn’t as effective as it usually is, but it did help a bit. I can’t say that I would ever drink this tea for the taste, and it didn’t help that I over-steeped it so it was extra strong today but I kind of had to force myself to drink it. Usually it’s much easier on the taste buds.

Lemongrass, mint, chamomile, ginger, and – who knew! – catnip! Agreat relaxing blend. I love this at work, but I also love drinking it when I have a cold. It’s comforting. Maybe I will start offering it to my clients!

Smells: very strong herbs a bit like medicine but in a good way =]
Tastes: sweet with a bit of spice notes
Lovely tea & I would reccomend it to anyones frazzled nerves! ♥

This tea just does it for me – I am not sure if it is placebo or an herb that actually works, but this tea mellows me out very well as I drink it. And the flavor – mmmmmmm!!!! I think I am in the minority (as most other Steepsters tend to think this is too medicinally flavored), but I really enjoy the many different herbal flavors Tension Tamer provides – especially the catnip and licorice. I can drink this one bag at a time if I need to, but in order for me to get the full flavor I love, I usually steep two teabags with a bit of honey. Perfection.

I can see how many would not drink this tea for the flavor. It’s not fruity, creamy, buttery, or spicy, really. I think it’s herb-y. If you’re used to drinking teas that remind you of some other flavor, or if you’re not that into Ricola-flavored teas, I wouldn’t try this unless it’s at a friend’s house and you don’t have to worry about money wasted on a box of tea you won’t drink. I happen to like it. Could be my offbeat taste buds, though.

The Taste: Neutral. Can’t decide whether I like it or dislike it… but I definitely neither hate it, nor love it. Since I have plenty of wonderful-tasting teas, I would not drink this for the (slightly medicinal) flavor. So, with that in mind, why do I LOVE this tea?

The Effects: This stuff really does tame tension, if you’re willing to use 2-3 teabags. Trust me, the effects are REAL. (And by “Real,” I mean “Don’t drive a car after 3+ cups of Tension Tamer.”) In my mind, Tension Tamer Tea is a good herbal medicine, not just a mere beverage.

The Verdict: This tea is great when you need to relax. The experience of drinking warm herbal tea is rather soothing, especially if you add honey and/or lemon juice to improve the taste. Add in the medicinal effects, and you’ve got a great remedy for today’s stressful world.