Burgundy Blast

HOLY PUCKER!!!!!!!! I said PUCKER! This is SOUR! WOW! I think this would be ok iced for those who like Hibiscus…but HOT…not so much! WOW! I’m not going to rate this one and am really going to try this one iced to see if I can accept it cold.

I was a little scared this tea would be too sour, but, I think that the key is to not steep it too long. I steeped it for just 5 minutes and I have a cup that is tart, but not too sour, and pleasantly fruity. I like this!

Woooooo, this is one is very tart ha ha! But I don’t mind that in a cold steeped tea, I like to have a variety of hibiscus-y and non-hibiscus-y options.

It’s very sour, but still has a flavor besides hibiscus. The front of the sip is sweeter, and then the back half reminds me strongly of cranberry juice. There’s a definitely Sweet Tarts flavor to it overall as well. It’s supposed to be pomegranate and acai flavored, and I can see that, albeit with a healthy dash of hibiscus tartness as well. Given those flavors are already quite tart, I can see why it ends up being so puckery.

Not bad though!

Sip Down and Backlog

This blend is similar to sticking your face in a bag of Sour Patch Kids and inhaling deeply. However, the taste is Sweet Tart-esq, fruity, mango sweetness (at the front of the overall flavor), tart hibiscus, and a nice sweet and sour pineapple finish.

Thanks very much, AJRimmer!  If you’re aiming to steep up a cup of heavy hibiscus, this one is a good option.  The name is accurate!  Though I’d say it’s more a cup of magenta when I’m trying to tame all that hibiscus.  It’s not bad though. Not too tart, with a fruit punch undertone to it, so the sweetness adds a level to the brisk tartness.  I would definitely not steep it for five minutes on the first steep, as S&V suggests, because I’m not a huge fan of hibiscus overload.  But it’s drinkable with short steeps.  I don’t think there is enough of these additional flavors to make it worthwhile (mango, papaya, acai, pomegranate) but any flavors would be struggling through all this hibiscus.  But like I said, you can tell they are TRYING to be there.  Not the worst cup of hibiscus I’ve ever had!
Steep #1 // 1 1/3 teaspoons for a full mug // 15 minutes after boiling // 1 1/2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 min

If you oversteep this, it leads to quite the sour brew…I know this because I’ve done it several times, whoops. But a pleasantly tart brew can be pretty refreshing. I’d say hibiscus is the main flavor here. It’s best cold. I wouldn’t repurchase this one because it’s not special enough, but it’s a fine example of a tart tea that can be pleasant when brewed properly.

Nice, tarty tea with great fruit notes. Just let this steep for 7 min or cold steep though. The currant and hibiscus in this can make this tea get very tart fast. But I love this iced and makes a great summer drink.