Tea Forte's Kati Brewing System Review

So, this will be one of my first video and text reviews on this site.  I figured that some people enjoy reading text while others enjoy watching Youtube videos.

Written Review coming soon. 

SALE: Zen Tea has a year-end clearance sale for 50% teas with code Holiday

This sale is from December 7th to the 24th.

Zen Tea is a small online tea retailer that's just getting started in the tea world.  I haven't tried their teas yet but they seem like they provide a high-quality product moreso than vendors like Adagio.  They also have a few killer deals going on like these 3 tin gift sets.  I got the white tea one for $15 and it comes with 1 oz each of Silver Needles (which is $3.50 per ounce at the cheapest), Toffee Dream and Teardrop of Peony.  I also got 50g of House Sencha and 50g of the Earl Grey cream, all together costing me $25.  Honestly, I would definitely get the tins because cute tins apparently have to cost a lot of money and this is a good way to try some fancy tea.

  

Also, their teaware seems relatively cheap.  You can get a $5 Gaiwan, which is the appropriate vessel for drinking green and white tea.  Unfortunately, I did not see this when I ordered but would have bought one if I did.

Did I mention that these make great gift ideas for tea drinkers?

Happy Drinking!

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 Tips #1: How to Brew Tea

It's really quite simple.  You boil water, throw in your tea, wait for like five minutes and enjoy!

Not really.

Most of the tea-drinkers I know say they like black tea a lot more than green tea.  Now, I don't think this is completely due to your inborn taste preferences but because when you don't brew green tea properly, it's pretty much just bitter water with a hint of grass flavoring and that doesn't sound good to anyone.  Heck, I've been brewing green tea properly for about two months now and when my mom (who brews tea by sticking it in a coffee pot DON'T DO THAT EVER) gave me some "green tea" she brewed, I just wanted to punch something.    It's really not that difficult and if you don't have time, this is where I really recommend getting a water heater since it's quick, easy and safer than a stove.

Note:  These are general guidlines for people who probably don't get any really fancy tea and who don't have any special equipment  If you have a really expensive tea which requires you to be ultra-specific when it comes to temperature and timing, you're going to have to do research on your own.

1.  Tea is not Coffee:  My mom isn't the only person out there who uses a coffee pot to brew tea.  Coffee tends to need a higher temperature to release the right amount of flavor and even if you are dealing with something like black tea, you're not going to have the correct steep time.  There's also those Kerug machines which leave me feeling apprehensive.  I don't know if all of them are like this but the one at work uses the same setting for tea and coffee.  Plus a lot of the tea they offer is green tea!  Just trust me on this one and don't do it.

I couldn't find anything to do with rinsing so enjoy this picture of a cat in a cup!

2.  "Rinsing" the Tea:  I've just started practicing this recently.  Fill the cup or teaware with enough water to submerge the tea leaves, let it soak for a couple of seconds then dump the water out.  This is said to yield a better brew and I have to admit that my tea doesn't taste as bitter as it use to.  Something controversial I've noticed is the amount of time, some people say 1 or 2 seconds while others say a full 30 seconds or even 3 to 5 minutes!  I think it all depends on the amount of caffeine you want in your tea (high: 1-2 sec, low: 30 sec) so rinse longer if you want less caffeine.

3.  Each specific tea is different:  So, we aren't brewing our tea coffee-style, we rinsed the tea and now we're going to brew it.  When I said that tea isn't coffee, I also should have added that each type of tea is its own special little snowflake (or...tealeaf).  You should treat black tea and green tea differently or else you'll have crappy tea.  Heck, some people think you should treat tea from specific regions differently and honestly, that's all up to you.  Here's a list of tea and what's an appropriate steeping time, temperature and measurement.

Black Tea:  
-The most common type we see in the US and Europe.  Strong taste and lots of caffeine
-Temperature:  90 to 100 degrees Celsius
-Time:  3 to 5 minutes
-Amount:  1 teaspoon per 8 oz cup

Green Tea:  
-Picked then dried.  Freshest and has tons of antioxidants.  Also, some of the highest variety.
-Temperature:  65 to 85 degrees Celsius
-Time:  1 to 3 minutes.  I've even seen as low as 30 seconds
-Amount:  2 to 3 teaspoons/8 oz.

White Tea:  
-Made from the youngest tea leaves.  Slightly oxidized like Oolong.
-Temperature:  75 to 90 degrees Celsius.
-Time:  2 to 3 minutes
-Amount:  2 teaspoons/8 oz.

Red Tea:  
-Not technically "tea", made from the African Rooibos plant.  No caffeine, high in antioxidents.
-Temperature: 90 to 100 degrees Celsius
-Time:  It doesn't matter.  The tea doesn't get bitter.
-Amount:  1 teaspoon/8 oz cup

Oolong Tea:  
-Slightly oxidized, halfway between green and black.  Good for weightloss.
-Temp:  75 to 90 degrees C
-Time:  2 to 3 minutes
-Amount:  2 teaspoons/8 oz.

Herbal Tea:  
-If it's with a tea in the above list, follow suggestions
-Temp:  95 degrees C and above
-Time:  3 to 7 minutes depending on the herb
-Amount:  Depends on the herb


There are other types of tea out there, the most "common" type is Pu-erh which behaves like black tea for quick reference, but I haven't even found anywhere that sells yellow tea or any of the other crazy blends.  My advice for them is that the internet is a wonderful place and looking up info on them (or even some of the teas I just made a few points about) is not a bad idea.

4.  Multiple Infusions:  This goes along with the rinsing point.  Some people use tea meant for 1 cup of tea to make several cups of tea (like grandma used to).  I understand that tea is expensive but I feel like most tea just ends up losing too much flavor/getting bitter after the first batch.  Rinse it for 30 seconds if you want it decaf but after that, just use the bag/tea once.  And this is coming from a cheap person!

Well, these are all the basic tips you need.  And because I just LOVE bullet points....

-Don't brew tea in a coffee machine
-Try to rinse the tea with hot water for a couple of seconds
-Each tea is different.  The less done to it, the more gentle you should be in terms of temperature and time.
-Don't be a cheapo and just use the teabag for one cup of tea.


Oh, and here's the obligatory cute picture of Tommy.

Happy Drinking
-Domino

Here's my sources:  Wikipedia, Teachat and Enjoying Tea.

An Introduction

My name's Dominika and I love tea.  But I'm poor.  I'm 22, still in college and my parents are a bus driver and a piano teacher.  What this means is that I try to find good quality tea at a bargain price (a real bargain price, not 20 dollars for a box of tea).  I also can tell you how to brew it properly, what flavors I think go best with a dish and what to look for.  I plan on these posts being short and to the point but with some pictures thrown in.

Equipment that I have:

A water-boiler ($14-ish):  It's not like i have anything against teapots, but it boils water quickly, is easy to clean and only requires a sink and a power outlet meaning it's great for by your desk or in a dorm room.

A mesh-ball tea infuser that lets a couple leaves through ($2):  Teabags are great on the go or for beginners who need tea pre-measured, but most tea-snobs out there stick with an infuser.  You don't need to worry about little particles of paper (which is usually bleached), you can adjust the amount for a stronger flavor and loose-leaf tea is generally something that gives you more bang for your buck.  Like most everything else, I got the super-cheap mesh ball that you hang off the side of your tea kettle.  It's a little deformed and it lets a few of the leaves/herbs through but that won't kill anyone.

A bunch of mugs ($1-3.50 for me):  With mugs, make sure you get something with thick walls.  There are some really cool tea mugs out there with notches to store your teabag or in the shape of a heart, but mine are pretty generic.  Also, if you love a business/organisation then buy a mug from them to support them (coincidentally, if you're in the Pittsburgh area and love cartoons and comics then come visit me at the Toonseum).  Clear glass mugs can be tricky so make sure it's either specifically made for hot drinks or really thick glass.

Two aluminum bottles ($2):  I prefer metal bottles over plastic ones for a variety of reasons, mostly boiling down to I'm a slob and I don't clean things as well as I should.  You can pour boiling water into an aluminum bottle and it won't warp plus it'll be sanitized (Note: if you do this, please don't hold onto said bottle or else you'll end up burning yourself).

Sweetener whether it be sugar, honey, Splenda or (in my case) Ideal:  There's a lot of tea out there that can be drunk without anything and still be delicious.  There's also a lot of people out there who can't drink something unless it's sweet.  In general, the more unprocessed something is, the better it is for you so if you want something slightly sweetened, then try honey or raw sugar.  However, I enjoy Ideal because even though it's a no calorie sweetener, it doesn't change the flavor of tea like Spenda does.  It's also made from Xylitol which is what's in a lot of sugarfree gum (and it helps strengthen teeth).  There's also flavored syrups which can be added for some fun flavors (I'm going to recommend Torani Sugarfree Vanilla if only because it's the most versatile).

The last piece of equipment I have is the internet in general.  I know that sounds lame and all but knowledge about what temperature tea should be brewed, how long you should steep it for and what the flavor profiles and benefits of the teas and herbs on each region is more important than spending 15 bucks on 20 tea bags.  I'll possibly write a post about how I brew each tea but for now, just search tea on Wikipedia for some general rules.  

I hope you all enjoy this and can get a good idea of what's good to drink and what to stay away form.