I’ve got two new tea things to report on – I tried out teas from a new-to-me company, and there is some new tea technology (tea-chnology?) coming soon.
Starting with the new Tea-chnology
There is a tea-brewing machine coming out in the near future – the Bru. It is kind of like a Keurig, but without the pods. You can use your own tea bags or looseleaf tea – whatever you want. The water comes from a reservoir tank in the machine. It resolves one of the major issues I (and many others) had with the Keurig. Specifically, there’s no pod component, so no plastic waste.
So why buy this when you can just heat water in a kettle? The cool thing about it is that you can completely customize how hot you want the water, brewing time, and the amount of water to brew. Will I get one? I’m still thinking about it. Cons: it’s another specialist machine to buy and have around the house, and also my kettle works perfectly fine. Pros: the temperature and time functions are pretty impressive.
In other tea news…
I recently decided to check out a tea company I had been seeing ads for online – August Uncommon. They have some pretty interesting-sounding blends, and do have sample size bags of their teas, so I thought I’d give them a try.
I may have gotten a little crazy with the samples.
But they all sounded so interesting! And this isn’t even everything that sounded good – but it is a decent cross section. I didn’t pick any green teas, because I’m not really a fan of most green tea. They do have some green tea blends, so if you enjoy that style of tea there are options for you. So far I have tried three of the teas – Cult of Demeter, Silencio, and Know By Heart.
I tried Cult of Demeter last night shortly after the package got to my house. You definitely taste the barley, cocoa and anise – it tasted a lot like traditional biscotti. Not super-sweet, not fruity at all.
I tried Silencio this morning – it is a strong black tea with a great smoky flavor. The pineapple definitely comes through. There is a hint of a tobacco scent, but not a strong one. (There is no tobacco in the ingredients – I think it is just a flavor characteristic of the tea leaves used.) The smoke scent is different from the pine smoke scent of lapsang souchong – it’s more of a general woodsmoke smell.
And I am drinking Know By Heart right now. The tea aspect of this one is subtle, as is often the case with white teas. The orange blossom, honey and almond are pronounced flavors. It tastes kind of like a good marzipan with honey.
All three teas so far have been different and delicious! Very sophistical flavors, and outside the usual blends you would commonly find. I’m really looking forward to trying out the rest of these, and checking out more of their blends!
What’s your favorite tea? Tried out anything new or exciting lately?
Quite A Yarn 
Being caffeine sensitive (actually allergic) finding decaf teas can be a challenge. I have tried many a rooibos and find most of them lacking in a deep satisfying flavor. That being said, I do like two rooibos from Sipology. India orange (discontinued) and sleepy chai. Otherwise I stay with chai from Bigelow. Not very exciting or super special but readily available. Your tea reviews always makes me yearn for more teas for us decaf folk.
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The Cult of Demeter tea i mentioned is an herbal – no caffeine as far as I could tell! Other than herbals, it is kind of hard to find good decaf teas.
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I’m perusing a sampler from DavidsTea, and they’re delightful. So far a peachy one, and one that had apples and nuts.
I’m not picky enough to mess around with water temperature, and steeping time is generally me just remembering to go drink my tea. I usually heat my water in the microwave for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Not very scientific! But tea is delicious.
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Those sound really good! I will have to look for those 🙂
That’s another reason I’m hesitating. Will I really do all that fussing, or do I just like the idea of customizing each cup of tea that much?
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I’m not a tea drinker except for the occasional herbal when I want something hot but not coffee. Love the names. It’s like nail polish or paint names. Glad they also tasted good.
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I am a true sucker for wacky names of products, so I am relieved that they are good too!
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My middle son and his wife are real tea-lovers. I may have to get them Bru for Christmas next year. They are very particular about how they brew their tea and would balk at a Keurig because of the plastic waste. The Know By Heart sounds wonderful. Not sure I would enjoy a smoky tea!
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The Bru definitely looks interesting. Not sure if I am going to get one yet…
I like smoky everything, so I love it. But it definitely isn’t for everyone 🙂
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Im no help here. I usually go for a fruity iced tea. Tea is supposed to be so good for us. I wish I liked it more.
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Everybody has their likes and dislikes! Green tea is supposed to be good for you, and I just don’t like most of it.
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How could you not try all of thse teas? They have such great names. I’m trying to be a loose leaf tea person this month with my peppermint tea, but I’m finding that I lack the motivation to clean my IngenuiTEA cup. I’m trying to get away from tea bags because of the waste, but I’m so damn lazy.
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Right there with you! It is a struggle, because the tea bags are definitely easier. But you’re right that there is more waste. Plus it limits your options. I just try to shake out as much tea debris out of the infuser as I can right after brewing, then swipe it out with my finger or a dishcloth.
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