Country of Origin: not listed
Leaf Appearance: deep green, needle like. lots of apricot pieces
Ingredients: pan fried green tea, apricots, common hops
Steep time: 3 minutes
Water Temperature: 180 degrees
Preparation Method: ceramic teacup and mesh infuser
Liquor: very pale

Each month’s shipment from +Handmade Tea brings an unexpected surprise and April was no different. I have never seen hops (yes, the kind used to make beer) in a tea before. The green tea was mellow and vegetal without no bitterness. Apricots are not usually something I enjoy but they added a fruity sweetness without being overwhelming. I was really glad that each ship includes mini tins of three ingredients because it allowed me to taste the hops on their own. They were grassy with a slightly bitter edge. The aftertaste was rather beerish. All together, the ingredients produced a pleasant and light tea. I could see this blend making a really good iced tea. There are a lot of tea subscription services out there and I’d love to try more of them but I just can’t seem to give this one up. I feel like I’d be missing out on something.

You can find out more about this tea subscription service here.