How do I actually do my reviews of teas?
First, my family has two giant boxes that used to hold Crayola markers. These are our tea caddies. I also have a box of loose leaf tea, and was given two new tea caddy gift-packs for Christmas. We have no shortage of teas I have never tasted before. To top that off, I used to work as a barista in a coffee shop, so I occasionally join the one other coffee-drinker in the family, when I'm in the mood or feeling nostalgic. To begin a tea review, I find something I've never tried before.
Next, I prepare the hot water. For the best flavor, walk the steaming tea kettle to your mug, instead of pouring boiling water directly on the tea. Water that is hot, but just under boiling is the best way to brew.
I generally allow the tea to steep long enough that I can take a sip without burning my mouth. Sometimes if I am impatient, I will cool a bit of the tea in a spoon so I can get an idea of the flavor right away. These are my first impressions of the tea, which I usually write about in the section titled "Flavor." In general, I like black teas with milk and white sugar, green teas with honey or raw sugar, and herbal teas either with nothing or perhaps some honey or lemon. After my initial taste, I will add the things that end up in the "Suggested Additions" section. Sometimes the change in flavor is negligible and other times there is a big difference. These will be noted either in the "Suggested Additions" section or at the end of the "Flavor" section.
The next section is "Ingredients." In most cases, I've already read the ingredients to see what is in it, but occasionally, I am pleasantly surprised while writing the review to see that there is an ingredient in the tea that I didn't taste.
Lastly, there is "Purpose." This is a brief explanation of the tea's effect on my body or why I am drinking it (other than to have something to write about). If I am writing about a tea that is used in traditional folk medicine, this would be the section explaining its use. If I just need a huge jolt of caffeine in the morning, I would state that here. In many cases, my purpose is simply that I like tea and need something to relax me and/or make me happy.
In some (but not all) reviews, there is another "Tidbits" section. If the teabag or the box has an interesting quote, a cool picture, or some other thing that might be aesthetically pleasing, I will include it here. An example is Yogi Tea's practice of putting little inspirational quotes on all their tea tags.
I hope that provides you with a little look behind the scenes of what goes into my tea reviews, as well as some helpful hints for doing your own taste tests with teas. Enjoy!
