TasTEA Time! Peace Tea Diet Green Tea

 

Outsides:  I enjoy the sweet-looking can.  The can says "Matcha-style" but this is definitely not, with the tea being a gold color and smelling slightly floral.

Insides:  I actually like this more than the regular version.  It's not as sweet or the tea has a flavor, but it's definitely "better" than the sugar version.  I think one of the nice things is that the tea seems to have more subtle flavors mixed into it.  There's a hint of floral and citrus, and it really adds something to the tea.  It's definately not Matcha, but that's easy to tell just by the color.  Another thing to note is that this is sweetened with sucralose which is the same ingredient found in Splenda, so if you enjoy Splenda then you'll like this.  Overall, this is an enjoyable diet green tea.

Overall:  I guess if you want some no-calorie green tea that's still sweet, this is a pretty good choice.  It's cheap, good flavor and not overly chemical tasting.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site:  Peace Tea. 

TasTEA Time! Tazo Organic Green Tea

 

There's a lot of things to like and dislike about this tea at first glance.  The good things include how it's organic, is sweetened with cane sugar and has a few herbs to jazz up the normal green tea flavor.  The bad things are that it's still full of sugar and calories, is about as expensive as Lipton Pure Leaf if not more and is Tazo, the purveyors of bland tea that always has a hint of mint somewhere.  But I'm at work with tea and love telling the world every detail about my beverage, so here we go.

Outsides:  Much like Lipton Pure Leaf, this comes in a glass bottle which to me, results in a better flavor than plastic (although plastic is more recyclable (?)).  It looks like slightly cloudy gold green tea and smells very much like the Lipton green tea in a bottle.

Insides:  I think the best way to describe this is a jazzed up Lipton Pure Leaf Green Tea.  There's a hint of lemongrass and mint which gives it a more refreshing taste even when warm.  I personally find it a bit too sugared-up, but it's not nearly as offensive as the Giant Peach (spoiler alert:  if you're not a sugar maniac, it's barely drinkable unless it's chilled).  Other than that, the green tea flavor is nice, there but not too bitter although the sugar overwhelms it a little.  I also like the citrus touch it has.

Overall:  If you find yourself buying Lipton Pure Leaf Green tea and want an alternative, this is pretty much a jazzed-up version of that.  I wish they'd cut back on the sugar, but ultimately, it's not a bad drink.

My Rating:  Try it!  I'm not giving a website because Tazo is literally everywhere.

 

TasTEA Time! Peace Tea Unsweetened Black Tea

 

I don't normally buy unsweetened tea.  I mean, why pay for something when you can get it at home for a tenth of the price (at least).  But sometimes, you don't have hot water with you and you really want some tea.  Also, Peace Tea is generally a good bargain.   It's 99 cents for a 23 oz of pure, natural tea and that's better than getting tea at the hospital.  Plus I'm on a diet.  Ok, not a diet diet, but I'm trying to be more conscious of what I eat (for a week until I go to the fair -_-).  Although I will drink things with artificial sweeteners, I prefer not because they often change the taste of things and have other health concerns.  You're sacrificing a bit of sweetness but are ultimately better off just not adding sugar.

Outsides:  It's in a rather graphic can and smells like tea.

Insides:  I'm not going to say this is my favorite tea, but it's not the worst.  It's a lot more fragrant than flavorful and has some slightly sweet floral notes.  This is supposed to be styled after English Breakfast and it does a good job maintaining that.  It's a little bitter, but not too offensive and would probably be better cold than at room temperature like I'm having it.

Overall:  I like it.  It's not going to replace my normal tea, but it's enjoyable if you just want some canned unsweetened tea.

My Rating:  Try if you need it/Pass if you don't.  Here's the Peace Tea Website:  Peace Tea.

Coincidently, if anyone wants to enter into this awesome Bento giveaway, here's the link:  Awesome Bento Giveaway

Review: Izze Sparkling Grapefruit

 

This drink is interesting to me because it walks a fine line with two of its components.  Sparkling fruit juice can be good as long as they keep the fizz respectable and the fruit juice sweet but not heavy.  Grapefruit can be good as long as they tone down the bitterness a bit (I actually really love grapefruit so that's not a problem except for in Aranciata).   That being said, I'm a sucker for anything in glass bottles.

Outsides:  In a nice glass bottle with a "easy" twist-off cap (It's never easy for me but thankfully, twists off easily with the help of a hoodie).  It's a similar color to Ruby Red juice, kinda salmon colored with hints of pink and orange.  The drink smells like a ripe grapefruit.

Insides:  Ok, this is what sparkling juice should taste like.  It's kind of an alternative to soda, very fizzy but also sweet with realistic fruit flavor.  The grapefruit is the star of the show, but the flavor isn't overpowering.  There's also a blend of other juices like apple, white grape and orange, but these blend well with the grapefruit and serve as a nice neutral or enhancing base to its flavor.  It's also:  1)  Not syrupy  2)  Nice and fizzy.  3)  Sweet but not too sweet (the only sugar in it is natural fruit sugar)  4)  Not too tart.  So yeah, I like it....a lot.

Overall:  It still has 120 calories, but if you're looking for a good alternative to soda then you should look at this.  It's fruity, fizzy and all-natural.  Obviously, if you don't like grapefruit then don't drink this, but I really can't not give this a buy.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the Izze site:  Izze Home

Review: Pepsi Next Paradise Mango

 

My reaction to seeing this was pure "Wahhh?"  Mango!  In a cola!  But it's true, there's a Pepsi with a hint of mango in it.  Now, I haven't tried Pepsi Next either although it's supposed to have 60% less sugar than regular Pepsi (the whole bottle has 100 calories and is sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup, sugar and aspertain, so quite the combination).  I do like a lot of the colas that have hints of other flavors in them (although I'm a Coke fan in that respect).  Cherry and Vanilla Coke are something I'll drink when I'm craving a mainstream soda and it works well enough with citrus.  However, mango as a flavor hint to Pepsi is still a little jarring.  

Outsides:  It really just looks like normal Pepsi but smells like you dropped a piece of Stride Mega Mystery gum in it (Oh no, am I spoiling the mystery?  I actually think there's some strawberry mixed in there too).

Insides:  It's a little bit jarring at first since I never would have expected mango to go with Pepsi, but it kinda works.  This is a lot like cherry Pepsi in that the mango flavor makes the Pepsi a little sweeter and the cola flavor a little more mild.  The soda is really fruity scented, but isn't a blatant fruit soda in terms of intensity of flavor.  Also, I wish they'd have a little more cola flavor just because the mango is so overpowering.  As for Pepsi Next, it's not a terrible lower calorie option.  The soda tastes a little more syrupy than usual and you can kinda taste the asperain, but if you love pop and want to shave off a few calories, this is a LOT better tasting than normal diet (although I kinda like Pepsi Max).

Overall:  It's a bit strange but I like it.  This kinda makes me wonder what kinds of flavors will Pepsi release in the US next (because Japanese Pepsi has a TON of crazy flavors).  Pepsi Coconut?  Pepsi Melon?  Pepsi BACON!!!   Only the consumers and corporate executives can decide.

My Rating:  Try it!   Here's Pepsi's site if you want to look at it:  Pepsi.

Also, here's some pictures of the swanky room I'm in.  I work at my school's medical library as the media desk babysitter and they're remodeling the upstairs part, so I get to stay in the very classy yet very cold Rare Books Room.

 

Review: Liquid Solution's Majes-tea

Today, we have Selena modeling the Majes-Tea

So, I wanted to do something different today and review some equipment I've been using.  I can't do this often because well, I'm poor.  I use an electric kettle to brew my water (I don't even have a teapot) and don't really have that much tea-specialized equipment.  However, I needed a tea travel mug.  The thing about using metal or certain plastic travel mugs for tea is 1)  it changes the flavor, often in a bad way and 2)  you can't really take hot tea with you.  So yeah, saw this at Marshells and decided to give it a go.

The Majes-Tea is awesome not only because it cleverly replaces a "T" sound in it's name to the word tea, but also because it allows you to brew loose leaf tea on the go.  It's basically a double-walled plastic tumbler with a metal basket on the inside as to allow for teabag steeping.  It's made of plastic, but it's BPA free and won't cop out when there's heat all about.

I figure the best format for doing an equipment review is a set of Pros and Cons since I don't know what other equipment I'll be reviewing. 

Pros: 

• It's Cheap:  I ended up getting this for $10 at Marshell's but I've seen them online for $15 which is still one of the cheaper tea travel mugs on the market.
• It's easy to clean:  The container is basically a big cup and the basket doesn't have that many holes in it so it takes less effort to clean than a lot of the mesh tea infusers I have.
• It keeps tea warm:  Since it's basically a double-walled tumbler, it insulates pretty well.  My tea does stay warm for a few hours after I make it and cold drinks stay cool for a few hours too.
• It's aesthetically pleasing:   The lid has this nice cut detail that makes it look similar to a Recess Peanut Butter Cup.  It also has this nice long, sleek design and comes in grey, red and clear/green.  
• It's pretty durable:  I'm not afraid that the plastic will break.  The parts all fit into each other and it seems durable enough the handle a few knocks.
• It would be pretty nice for traveling:  There is a difference between something being nice for traveling and portable (like a mini-mac vs. a laptop), but since this has the basket built into it, you can take this baby with you on a trip with a few small containers of loose-leaf and not need any other special equipment other than a means to heat you water.

Cons:

• It's not as portable as I'd like it to be:  Here's the thing.  You can drink this on the go, but you can't really stick this in your bag while there's still tea in there.  The flap does noting when the container is upside down.  
• It's not microwavable:   
• It's not as portable as I'd like it to be, part II!:  The thing about the metal basket is, it gets hot and if you're running out the door, it's kinda hard to dispose of the tea leaves and store it properly.  It's easy to clean if you have running water, but if you don't then you're going to have some tea leaves on the bottom and those will probably get in your drink if you put it back in the Majes-Tea.  
• It's made of cheap stuff:  Super Duper Tea Snobs would probably prefer a ceramic or glass inside, saying it affects the flavor the least.  I'll admit, I brewed some Blueberry Bliss and the inside smelled like blueberries for days. 

Overall:  I like it despite its flaws.  I'd like to get a better tea travel mug some day, but I think it's totally worth the money and can even be used as a decent water bottle.  If you can find it for 10 bucks, definately pick it up.

B+

TasTEA Time! Dilmah Lemon Ceylon

Oh Dilmah, I'm a pretty big fan of you.  You're always top quality and your flavors always come through so nicely.  Plus your farm is ethical and your tea is single origin, meaning you can taste the pureness of Ceylon.  And you have the obligatory Lemon flavor, which is usually overpowering and used to cover up bad tea.  But your staff are professionals, they know how to properly balance the flavors.  Do they?  Let's find out.

Outsides:  Like other products in this line, Dilmah individually wraps its sachets in paper and foil.  The tea is a nice golden color with a lemon scent that smells stronger than natural but isn't as strong as Lemon Pine-Sol.  The best way to describe it is that it smells like a Lemonhead.

Insides:  Here's the thing.  Ceylon is a much stronger tea than green tea, meaning it can take the lemon flavor.  The lemon is still a bit overpowering, but it's tolerable and basically, this is close to what I want in a lemon tea.  It's strong, but isn't just sour or scent, giving off the fullness of citrus flavor.  This would be fantastic cold and I'd actually recommend getting this brand of Dilmah for that purpose.  The tea is strong but not too bitter and the lemon is strong but not overpowering.

Overall:  I recommend this for iced tea.  I mean, people are going crazy for Arnold Palmers so why not this?

My Rating:  Buy it (if you can find it cheap)!  Here's the link:  Dilmah Lemon

K-cup Reviews: Revv

Outsides:  Your standard K-cup.  It smells slightly smoky and like man-coffee.

Insides:  This one's actually really interesting.  The base is a medium to slightly dark roast coffee that's smoky and slightly sweet with not too much bitterness, but then there's this herbal aftertaste of rosemary and basil.  Maybe I got a fluke, because I'm looking at the product description site right now and they're talking about caramel and chocolate, but this is more reminiscent of smoky wood and fresh herbs.  I have to say though, this is really delicious.  You don't taste the herbs in the coffee but what you do taste is something bold and smoky and basically what you want in a coffee and then you get a lovely aftertaste.  

Overall:  Emril, you have a challenger for my personal favorite K-cup.  It's a little unique but completely in a possitive way and I can't see anyone disliking it unless they just dislike coffee.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the site:  Revv K-cup

K-cup Review: Gloria Jean Butter Toffee

Gloria Jean is one of the more famous flavored K-cup makers (and apparently makes legitimate coffee items like French Presses) and have extra bold blends as well as neat flavors like Butter Toffee and Mudslide.  I have their Hazelnut coffee to review but was just curious about this one.  Toffee is pretty much the crunchy version of caramel and I love caramel!

Outsides:  Your average K-cup.  This smells really nice, like a candy or cake.

Insides:  Meh.  It's ok, but I feel like other companies do flavored coffee better.  For one thing, the coffee's really weak.  It's like I'm drinking caramel-scented water.  The flavoring is nice, sweet smelling and...there, but there really isn't much to say other than this is not a flavored coffee. 

Overall:  If you know someone who doesn't like coffee, they might like this (with creamer and sugar), but for people who want real flavored coffee (in this variety), check out Wolfgang Puck Caramel Cream Single Cup Coffee Pods,.  Just pass on this one.

My Rating:  Pass.  Here's a product site:  Keurig K-Cup 18-Pk. Gloria Jean's Butter Toffee Coffee

K-cup Reviews: Brooklyn Bean Roastery Boardwalk Blend

Ah, nothing like a hot cup of coffee at midnight.  This is supposed to be an extra bold medium roast, and the website description gives little more than poetry, so I can't tell you what to expect.

Outside:  It's lighter than the other BBR coffee I tried.  It also smells more like a dark roast.

Insides:  This is actually quite nice cold (I'm drinking it 8 hours after I brewed it).  While it was hot, I felt that it tasted like a dark roast but it has a lot less emphasis on the smoky, acidic favors and more on just being robust and aromatic.  I'm going to put out there that I think this would make a really nice iced coffee (assuming you're willing to brew 2-3 K-cups to make a pitcher).  It's not too harsh but still strong.

Overall:  It's surprising what a night of sleep can do to a cup of coffee.  This is another decent, but not brilliant, cup of coffee from the Brooklyn Bean Roastary.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site:  BBR Boardwalk Blend

TasTEA Time! Loyd Green Tea with Lemon

Here's tea number 2 from a company that seems to be the Polish version of Lipton.  Here's the thing about green tea from companies that aren't Asian; they have a statistically higher chance of being sub-par in terms of tea quality.  There are exceptions (Dilmah, which has a delightfully warm and full-bodied green tea), but I'm not surprised if people dislike green tea after only having the Euromerican version.  Plus they're adding lemon to it, which I'm just going to say it, lemon kills off a lot of green tea flavor.  Lemon is often used to disguise bad tea from being bad, it replaces an acid found in tea with a tastier acid.  People always add it to tea, but if you have a good tea, you don't need to add it.  But enough of my ranting, let's try the tea.

Outsides:  It's your average medium gold green tea color and...how can i put this?  The tea smells like lemon Pine-Sol.  It's way too....citrusy to smell natural.

Insides:  The lemon flavor kills it.  The tea isn't horrible tasting, mostly sweet with very little bitterness.  It's your average drugstore tea.  But dear gawd, that lemon flavor is overkill.  You could probably mop up your floors with that stuff and expect a nice lemon scent afterwards.  It's really too much, and I've had this open for a while.  

Overall:  I guess if you REALLY like lemon, give this a try.  But for the average person, stay away and stick with something else.  

My Rating:  Pass.  Here's a site:  Loyd Green Tea Lemon

K-cup Review: Green Mountain Coffee Island Coconut

Check out my sweet cow pajama pants!  Blogger fashion, woo!

Outsides:  Your average K-cup.  It smells like coffee and coconut mixed together.

Insides:  This one has more of a balance between the coconut flavor and coffee than the Doughnut shop did.  It's a light roast, but the flavor is lighter and makes this a coffee with a slight coconut flavor as opposed to coconut with some coffee.  The coffee has more of a sweet note to it, but that's how a lot of mild coffees are.  Not a bad coconut coffee.

Overall:  It's a good flavor if you like coconut.  The coffee and flavor are well balanced and I'm looking forward to trying more flavored blends from Green Mountain.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's a product page:  Green Mountain Island Coconut

TasTEA Time! Organo Gold Green Tea

I got this as a sample in the mail and really don't know what to expect.   The whole gimmick with this tea is that it contains 100% organic Ganoderma, which is a type of mushroom that has a lot of health benefits.   I managed to get a free sample of both this and the coffee, so I guess look forward to that in the future.  Anyway, let's have some mushroom tea!

Outsides: It's a gold type green tea that smells like normal green tea.

Insides:  Honestly, this is pretty average as far as green tea goes.  It's a little better than a lot of the big brands in that I don't taste any chemicals, but the quality is meh.  I think the whole thing about this is all the health benefits it provides and I have to admit, it does make me feel healthier.  Maybe it's because I've been drinking a lot more coffee, or ate a lot more ice cream, but I feel as though my mind is cleared, my energy level is up and these mushrooms are eating through all the bad stuff in my body.  Or maybe some of that is due to the coffee espresso I just drank.  It really isn't bad though and if you want to have a healthier lifestyle, go ahead and drink this (or organic green tea in general).

Overall:  You know what, you can get a free sample and decide for yourselves (it should be somewhere on the page, not the $10 one).  It really isn't bad but if you're a complete tea snob, you probably won't care about it.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the real website:  Organo Gold

K-cup reviews: Brooklyn Bean Roastery Cyclone

So, I basically got all of this company's regular flavors in my sample pack.  This company looks interesting.  For one thing, they have extra bold medium roasts as well as dark roasts.  I've seen this on a few coffees but not many K-cups.  They also only can be ordered online, but are relatively cheap.  So what's a Cyclone?  Apparently, it's a roller coaster on Conney Island.   This one's supposed to be an extra bold dark roast with an espresso kick.

Outsides:  Brooklyn Bean Roastery doesn't do anything with their K-cups to make them special.  However, one thing I noticed when brewing this is how dark the coffee was when it dripped down.  Most of them are kind of tan colored but this was dark.  It smells like it does have a hint of espresso to it.

Insides:  So, this one's a little interesting.  It starts off fairly bland for the first second or so, but build up with this smoky and sweet flavor.  I don't know if I'd call this Extra Bold, but it is a nice man-coffee without being in your face about it.  I've brewed espresso in the Keurig before, and after this, I might just mix it with my coffee.  

Overall:  It's not quite as robust as I would have liked it, but it's still very nice and I recommend it for people who like coffee espresso blends.  And it lives up to it's name, giving a roller coaster of flavors and a nice ride.

My Rating:  Try it!  I'll give you their official website:  Brooklyn Bean Roastery Products