Tea
Gunpowder Chinese Green Tea
Observations – The leaves are rolled up into tiny balls. It has an earthy smell to it. It tastes like other green teas that I have had, and it kind of has a bitter taste to it.
Information – It is known as “pearl” tea in China. It is called gunpowder because the leaves rolled up resemble gunpowder pellets. It is one of the main Chinese green teas for export. It is produced mainly in the Zhejiang province. (http://www.fmltea.com/tea/Gunpowder-tea.htm)
Made – The leaves use to be individually hand rolled into tiny balls, but know they are rolled my machine. You can still buy hand rolled gunpowder but it is very expensive. You can brew this tea like other loose leaf teas. It is recommended to use an infuser. (http://www.crazyfortea.com/gunpowdergreentea.html)
South African Red Bush Tea
Observations – The leaves look like tiny pieces of grains with red pieces mixed in. You can tastes some spices in the tea.
Information - This tea is also called Rooibos. It is a naturally sweet tea. It has a high level of antioxidants and a very low level of caffeine. The plant has very similar growth and flowers to the redbush. It is grown in only a small area of South Africa called the Western Cape province. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos)
Made – The leaves are oxidized, referred to as fermentation. This gives the distinctive reddish-brown color of rooibos and enhances the flavor. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos)
Chinese Black Tea – Golden Yunnan
Observations – The leaves look like small noodles. It smells like leaves and wood. It has a better taste to it. It tastes a lot like the other black teas that I have had.
Information – The leaves are a gold-tipped leaf. The trees are found in the souther Chinese province called Yunnan. It has a sugary and floral taste to it, along with a peppery taste. This tea became popular because it was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. (http://www.chah.co.uk/yunnan-golden-tips-finest-black-chinese-tea-39-p.asp)
Made – The leaves are harvested and sorted into differing grades of quality and ripeness. They are then left to wither and undergo a type of pile fermentation. The buds of the tea harvest oxidize and turn a bright gold color. (http://www.chah.co.uk/yunnan-golden-tips-finest-black-chinese-tea-39-p.asp)
White Peony Indian White Tea
Observations – The leaves are different colors of green, brown, and yellow. It has a flowery and mossy smell to it. It has a weak taste to it. It is very mild with not a lot of flavor.
Information – White peony tea is known as Bai Mu Dan. White tea is called white because the leaves have fuzzy little silver hairs on them, which gives the leaves a whitish appearance. White tea is more expensive then other types of tea. White tea comes from a species of Camellia. (http://www.the-color-of-tea.com/white-tea-facts.html)
Made – The leaves are plucked early and then baked or steamed to prevent any leaf oxidation. They are then dried by the sun or indoors. (http://www.the-color-of-tea.com/white-tea-facts.html)
Coffee
Coffee beans start out as a green color and then they are roasted to a brown color. The medium roast coffee was a little to weak for me. It had a smoky flavor to it, but it tasted a little watery. The dark roast coffee was very good. That tasted like normal coffee to me. The espresso was very strong. It had a very strong coffee taste to it.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
This is considered to be the best quality Ethiopian coffee. These coffee beans are picked by hand. It is a washed coffee, which means that the beans have their outer layers of skin and fruity pulp removed. They are then soaked for up to 72 hours in fermentation tanks. They have a higher acidity and a more floral flavor. (http://www.cw-usa.com/coffee-reviews-ethiopianyirgacheffe.html)
Indian Monsooned Malabar
This type of coffee bean is dry processed. The beans are harvested and processed and then exposed to the monsoon winds for about 3 to 4 months. This causes the beans to swell and lose the original acidity. The beans are sun dried and then stored in warehouses where they are exposed to monsoon winds. This coffee is more of a sweet coffee. It comes from the Malabar Coast of Karnataka and Kerala. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsooned_Malabar)
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