1459 Tasting Notes
Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 7
I got distracted and ended up steeping this for 20 minutes, but it’s actually really good that way! The chestnut flavor is completely on point, with a subtle sweetness. The woodsiness of the rooibos works nicely with the chestnut. Part of me wants to try this out as a latte, part of me doesn’t want to mess with a blend that works beautifully on its own.
Day 7 of the Tea Thoughts advent is another pu’erh and I just… don’t really feel like going through the same “maybe this time will be different” → “nope this one just tastes like fish and wet dirt too” cycle of disappointment that I always seem to have with pu’erhs. I might just skip it and put it aside for rehoming.
Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown 2025 – Day 5
Wow, it seems like this one can resteep endlessly. I’ve been drinking it gong fu all day and it’s still giving me flavorful steeps! Smooth and round mouthfeel, with a honey-like sweetness, that savory hay note white teas always seem to have for me, no astringency, and just a bit of dryness at the end of the sip. Great paired with Reese’s Pieces, or on its own.
Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 5
I absolutely butchered this one. No one to blame but myself. I got distracted and oversteeped by at least ten minutes, so the resulting brew was very astringent and made my stomach hurt. It was, however, still pleasantly fruity! I got the mango and lemon, not so much the strawberry. But with the bad steep, it’s entirely possible that the strawberry is more present under normal conditions. I’ll just have to be more careful :-)
Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 4
Yay, another Deb tea! Admittedly, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a mimosa (as in, over a decade at least), so I don’t really remember what they taste like. Putting aside whether it lives up to the name, I like this blend! I’m getting lightly tart and sweet lemon and orange, with the turmeric lending enough earthiness to keep this from from feeling overly sweet.
Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown 2025 – Day 4
Day 3 was a cute floral gaiwan sticker. Day 4 is a Jin Jun Mei from a wholesaler, so can’t really make a distinct Steepster entry for it. This was a lovely accompaniment on a long and stressful workday – tasty and soothing enough to make the day easier, but not so distinctive that it’s a distraction. I hit my caffeine cap long before this steeped out, so throwing it in the fridge for a cold brew to be enjoyed later. Very smooth and malty, with a bit of natural sweetness. And no attendant tummy pain!
Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 3
Ooh, this one’s fun. Spicy at first, then tart lemon. I added a bit of honey, which made for a very smooth drink. I’d call this medium spicy – not super hot, but spicy enough that it would be unpleasant for someone who doesn’t like a peppery kick. Didn’t expect to get to try any Bird & Blend teas for a while, so very excited to have had the chance! Thank you, AJ!
Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown 2025 – Day 2
Day 2 is an Icelandic Puer from a wholesaler, so can’t really make a distinct Steepster entry for it. This isn’t the worst tea I’ve ever had, which is higher praise than it sounds like coming from me for a pu’erh. The first steep was a bit thin, which was fine by me. Still the same boggy, fishy flavor I always seem to get from pu’erhs, just not as overwhelming. Subsequent steeps, however, were stronger and more boggy, with a touch of fishiness. Alas, another pu’erh wasted on me.
Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 2
Ooh, another tea from a company I’m fond of, yay! The raspberry here is just the right level of tart and not particularly sweet, and it pairs nicely with the mint. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this was great after a big lunch. Even better as a tea soda. Very happy with this one.
Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 1
AJRimmer is my Steepster diy calendar swap buddy this year! She did a cute playing card motif with hers, which I find charming. I was excited about day 1 being a Deb tea, but I’m not quite sure whether I like this one. It’s definitely best as a sweetened latte; that treatment brings out the flavor (mostly banana). I have some more leaf, so I want to play around with it a bit.
