Two sets of reviews in a week! I think this is a personal record, albeit not for a stellar reason. Timing aside, this was an interesting month for Sips by™. Every tea this month was, at the very least, interesting. As usual, there were ups and downs, but this month I think the ups outweighed the downs by far. So, what did this months’ shipment include?
#1 Turmeric Active by Pukka
Turmeric Active isn’t my first tea from Pukka, and it isn’t my first turmeric tea, but it is an interesting one! A blend of turmeric, ginger, and galangal, Turmeric Active has just enough of a bite to it to stand out, without being overpowering. I’ll admit that my first few sips of it weren’t what I would call groundbreaking, but as I drank the rest of the cup, it did start to grow on me.
Turmeric Active reminded me of a glass of warm ginger ale. In most cases, carbonated beverages don’t work well warm. In this case, it’s not too bad! I’m planning on trying it over ice to see if that carries over when it’s cold. Regardless, this tea was refreshing and invigorating and, while I don’t plan on going out of my way to buy it, I wouldn’t object to having some on hand in the future.
#2 Sweet Matcha by Motion Matcha
This is my first experience with matcha tea. In truth, I wasn’t even 100% sure what matcha was until I received this sample. I’d seen it around on various tea sites, but it was just different enough that it never really caught my eye. However, get it from Sips by™ and there’s no reason not to try it anymore!
For those who aren’t familiar, matcha is a type of tea where you are consuming the tea leaves themselves. Rather than steeping, matcha blends in water or milk. To prepare matcha, the tea leaves are destemmed and deveined, and the remaining leaf is ground up into a fine water-soluble powder. The preparation process for these leaves results in a unique tea which has been favored in China and Japan for centuries.
My first cup of matcha was the result of a little trial and error. I didn’t use as much water as I probably should have and ended up with the powder not entirely dissolving. Despite this, I found the tea to be surprisingly sweet for having no sugar in it and rather enjoyed it. I’ll be adjusting the water for my next cup, and plan on making a cup with milk from the sample supply I received. Additionally, now that I have a better understanding and appreciation for matcha, I’ll be getting more in the future. It may even become a mainstay in my kitchen!
#3 Organic Goji Green by DAVIDsTEA
I’ve had a soft spot for DAVIDsTEA since the first sample I received back in my third month. The vast majority of their teas that I have had the opportunity to try have been perfectly blended and, despite the occasional failure, they continue to impress. This goji berry backed green tea is no exception.
Superfood or not, goji berries are delicious and, blended with raspberries and orange peel, provide a stellar tea that has a bright, fruity flavor. Combine the taste with the memory-boosting and detox effects of the goji berries, and this is one outstanding fruit tea.
#4 Dandelion Red Chai by Teeccino
It’s no secret that I love chai teas. Over the last year, I have frequently raved about the variety of chai teas I have been able to sample, almost entirely without any complaints. I am not, unfortunately, a fan of this chai.
To start with, it’s very bitter. Yes, chai tends to have a sharp flavor, and that is usually a good thing, but this particular blend came across with an almost burnt coffee flavor. It took me virtually an entire cup to figure out what the taste reminded me of, but I finally figured it out; grunt coffee. I’ve frequently commented on my distaste for teas that remind me of coffee, and this is no exception. Unfortunately, it doesn’t just remind me of coffee… it reminds me of bad coffee. Its only real redeeming quality is that I did find the blend to be quite stimulating.
I should note that I’ve adjusted my reviews a tiny bit; the Sips by™ site asks you to review each tea you try but restricts reviews to whole-star increments. I’ve decided that I’m going to rate each tea the same on my site that I do on theirs, even though this means slight adjustments may sometimes be necessary.
When everything is said and done, this was what I’d call a winning box. Yes, the red chai was a spectacular failure, but everything else falls into the “good” or “great” categories as far as I’m concerned.
