Tea Review 100 - Mighty Leaf (x4)

Organic Emerald Pearls
Organic Yellow Flower
Marrakesh Mint Green
Orange Dulce
Might Leaf Tea Company

Organic Emerald Pearls
Organic Yellow Flower
A nice pair of loose-leaf Chinese green teas from Anhui province. Quite a delicate flavor in both cases. This can be a bit of a drawback if you're used to stronger stuff, but nothing really to complain about here.

Orange Dulce
There are a few flavored teas I like, but as a general rule I'm not the target audience for this sort of thing. Orange Dulce is a blend of black tea with orange, vanilla and jasmine. Not to my liking, so much, but your mileage is likely to vary.

Marrakesh Mint Green
As with most mint teas, the mint component of Marrakesh Mint tends to overpower the green tea. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. For my money, a good peppermint tisane is as good as anything, but if you want a bit of a pick-me-up, you could do worse than this mix of China green teas and Moroccan mint that's been "cultivated on a mountainside in Tiznit."

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Tea-Riffic Cricket

Another one on the miraculous powers of tea. Aspiring cricketers, take note.



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Mold Growing On Tea Time Lapse

Not sure why you'd want to do a time lapse sequence of mold growing on tea. Or why you'd want to watch it. But if you do, here you go.



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Drain Cleaners, Tea Thermometers & Hemp Teabags

So this first one's not strictly tea-related, but it does relate to one of my favorite themes - tea marketers and others inflating the health benefits of their products in order to make a buck. Which is not to say that's what the sugar water makers and all around humanitarians at Pepsi are doing in developing "an ultra-cheap softdrink that will aid fight against anaemia in women in rural India." But it never hurts to have your BS detector activated. More here.

On a totally different tangent, here's an interesting one from Marshal at A Tea Addict's Journal. It's about drain cleaners, his term for puerh teas that are of a certain vintage and that often possess a not completely delightful flavor. On a similar theme, here are Marshal's reflections on one of the worst teas he's ever encountered.

If it's gadgetry that gets you all weak in the knees, have a look at this quite nifty digital tea thermometer.

And here's one for the patchouli and Phish crowd - reusable hemp tea bags.

Last up, the winners of the Tea-Off! Tea Kettle Design Competition.

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Zhena's Gypsy Tea Brews Up Dynamic Difference

Zhena's Gypsy Tea Brews Up Dynamic Difference
Beyond Organic Biodynamic Zhena's Gypsy Tea
(from a press release)

When it comes to innovating a product that is nearly 5,000 years old it takes more than reading the tea leaves, it takes an understanding of the environment with a consideration for future generations. With its new line of Beyond Organic Biodynamic Teas, Zhena's Gypsy Tea brings to the marketplace teas grown in Demeter certified Biodynamic gardens, where an emphasis is placed on protecting the complexity of the ecological whole.

The five new Demeter(R) certified Biodynamic green tea experiences include: BLUEBERRY VANILLA, KIWI PEACH, MANGO GINGER, CARAMELIZED PEAR, and BLACK FOREST BERRY. Available in 15 eco-friendly sachets, beautifully packaged for functionality and conservation in recyclable, air-tight tins, that keeps the tea fresh.

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Automatic Lego NXT Tea Machine

While ambling through the tea blogosphere - as they're calling it these days - I ran across this gadget-oriented tea video posted at Tavalon's The Voice of Tea.



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Tea Extravaganza 2009

Tea Extravaganza 2009 Set For The Drake Hotel - The First Independent Tea Tasting in North America
(from a press release)

Similar to a fine wine tasting, the Tea Extravaganza 2009 is an opportunity for tea aficionados with a sophisticated palate to sample and taste at least 15 of the finest, rarest, and often hardest to acquire teas from the world's premier estates. The event is the first independent tea tasting of its kind in North America, and will be held at the luxurious Drake Hotel in Chicago, August 10th and 11th.

more

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Lipton Continues Sustainability Expansion

Lipton Tea Continues Major Expansion of Sustainability Initiative
(from a press release)

Lipton Tea, an industry pioneer in sustainable agriculture practices and social responsibility, is undertaking a major expansion of its long term commitment to sustainability. Starting this spring, select Lipton Tea products bearing the Rainforest Alliance-certified seal will be available on grocery store shelves across the United States. The brand is also launching an integrated partnership with National Geographic Global Media to highlight the social, economic and environmental benefits of Lipton's sustainability practices.

more

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Trini Tea Commercial

A cursory search didn't turn up much info about Trini Tea, but this is apparently one of their commercials.



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Tea Champs, Damn Fine Tea & More

Would you like to see who walked away with the laurels at the recent World Tea Championships? Click here.

Ready for some damn fine tea? The boys over at Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea have just the thing for you. Their second series was recently released and includes two black teas, one from India and one from China.

The publicist for Teapod Organic Tea Bar apparently has a real knack for getting the word out. Profiles of the California-based teahouse appeared recently at T Ching and World Tea News. Love that minimal look.

Speaking of profiles, here's one of Rooibee Red Tea, a Kentucky-based company that aspires to bring bottled rooibos to the masses.

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Japanese Tea Commercial

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Video: Tetley Red Tea Commercial

Here's an artfully done commercial for Tetley's Red (rooibos) Tea. Just turn off the sound and watch.



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Tea Review 99 - MateVeza Organic Yerba Mate IPA

MateVeza
Organic Yerba Mate IPA

Beer, ale and whatnot - it's a world that's far removed from tea and one that I'm not very familiar with. While I like the taste of all of the aforementioned, I mostly steer clear of them because alcohol makes me feel sluggish.

What I'm getting at is that I may not be the best person to weigh on in on the merits of Mateveza's Organic Yerba Mate IPA. Then again, I know what I like and I like this yerba mate-flavored ale rather well. If you're keen on frosty beverages with a nice touch of the bitters - courtesy of that yerba mate, I'd wager - you might want to look into this one.

Here's the press release for the product and here's a review I wrote of another of their yerba mate ales a while back.

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Green Tea Coke & More Health Hype

Just when you thought the green tea hype couldn't get any more absurd, here comes an announcement from Coca-Cola about a green-tea flavored version of Coke they're releasing in Japan. An idea so dreadful that my taste buds cringe at the very thought of it. Here's a brief news bit about green tea Coke (and basil Pepsi - yum).

On a similar note, though not tea-related, is an incarnation of 7UP, complete with antioxidants.

Speaking of tea, health benefits and hype, here's a timely report about Tetley's misadventures over a TV ad that's been airing in Britain.

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Video: Bubble Tea Documentary

Documenting the interest in bubble tea in the Toronto area:



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Video: Rube Goldberg Tea Bag Dunking Machine

If tea bags are your thing, here's a gadget that's sure to simplify your tea preparation duties.



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