Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Noodler's Lexington Gray Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Bigelow's Apple Cider Herbal Blend

An herbal blend that imitates another popular hot drink - interesting! This week on Tea Review Tuesday, we are taking a look at Bigelow's bagged Apple Cider Herbal.

I steeped my bag of this tisane in eight ounces of just-boiled water for four minutes, unsure of how strong it would actually brew. The aroma is exactly like packaged hot apple cider (I have never personally had fresh hot apple cider). Juicy and spicy, the cloves are especially noticeable.

Without sweetening it at all (though the package suggests that it should be sweetened to taste), I find the steeped herbal blend to be pleasantly and adequately sweet, just from the included ingredients. The flavor begins predominantly apple-centric, followed by some citrus notes. The clove is light and does not taste as strong as it smelled, originally. Four minutes was the perfect length of time for steeping. This really is a tasty cup.

The cup tastes smooth and very close to packaged hot apple cider but without the overload of sugar. Bigelow's Apple Cider is a delicious hot beverage for your winter evenings, completely caffeine-free. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tisane a 94/100.


Bigelow's Apple Cider Herbal is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Graphite Ink - Re-reviewed

Diamine Graphite Ink, re-reviewed with new pens.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Upton Tea Imports' Mélange Noël Christmas Black Tea

Mélange Noël Christmas Tea, a fancy name for a seasonal blend. In French, it loosely translates to a "Christmas blend/mix." And this shall be our tea to drink, this week!

The ingredients list - a blend of black tea, cardamom, cloves, vanilla, rose petals, and citrus peel reminds me a lot of Peet's Winter Solstice; though the inclusion of rose petals, here, could add an intriguing note to the flavor. The loose leaf smells so very spicy. And yet, the vanilla smooths the scent and adds a hint of sweetness that reminds me of a spicy candy.

Four minutes of steeping, using just-boiled water over two teaspoons of loose leaf, results in our aromatic pot of tea being complete. Sniffing the cup that I just poured, it definitely seems that the black tea base has come to the forefront. The first sip...light flavor hits my tongue first. Slight astringency from the black tea slides over the sides of my tongue. As I taste the body of the tea, very light - not sweet as the dry leaf suggested - vanilla notes come forth. Overall, the spices are a lot less intense than I had imagined them to be from smelling the dry leaves. The aftertaste leaves a touch of cloves, vanilla, citrus...and rose petals...on the tongue. Interesting how the rose petals arrive now in the flavor. Certainly, with such strong ingredients, they were in danger of being overwhelmed. But they all combine very well together.

This tea surprised me with how light it tasted. It does make a great winter drink and goes down very smooth. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this offering from Upton Tea Imports an 88/100. And yes, the flavors are definitely different than Peet's Winter Solstice.



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Upton Tea Imports' Mélange Noël Christmas Tea is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

I Ink Therefore I Am

Here on Built from Ink and Tea, we dedicate our time to sharing our thoughts on products, helping you discover new items, and putting offerings to the test. For us, pens and ink are a lifestyle, and we have opinions what we use. The choices we make when refilling our pens, affect how we feel about that pen and how we use it.

You will start to occasionally see posts from us, tagged with "Ink/Think". These will not be regularly scheduled but will be prompted by our refilling and wanting to share that unique feeling of a freshly-filled pen with you! We hope you enjoy them and invite you to leave your thoughts in the comments section, below.

"As described in a post on the Montblanc fineliner body hack, I have been using Montblanc fineliner refills in my Pilot Metropolitan rollerball, and the experience has been great. Recently, my medium Mystery Black refill ran out, and I replaced it with a broad Amethyst Purple refill. Depending on your paper, the broad tip can be really broad and bleeding. On this Rhodia pad, it does just fine and presents a decently large line. The color, I like, but I cannot see myself using on a daily basis. Funny how this page started darker than it is now. Unfortunately, swapping to this refill has actually led me to use this pen much less than before."

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Noodler's Polar Green Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Adagio Teas' Rooibos Berry

Contemplating this week's review, I had just returned home from work, and caffeine was the last thing that I needed. Noting this rooibos from Adagio in my review queue, I knew it was the perfect drink for the evening.

Pouring two cups of just-boiled water over two teaspoons of the rooibos blend, I let it steep for five minutes. The dark red brew that resulted was very aromatic. To me, rooibos already has a bit of a berry aspect to the aroma, but the smell of this blend, which includes strawberries, raspberries, and "natural forest berries" took that to another level entirely. Now, I am not sure what "natural forest berries" entail, but they had to have made this blend even better.

The flavors burst in the mouth, not tangy as some berries taste, but sweet, juicy, and rather smooth. The initial taste is very rooibos-centric, but - as the tisane sits on the tongue - the berry flavor rises to the forefront. A word of warning - this blend does somewhat taste like cough medicine. This could be a major turn-off for some folks, especially those who already feel that the taste of rooibos reminds them of Robitussin.

However, for me, this cup has been a pleasant delivery of flavor, a relaxing and caffeine-free beverage. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate Rooibos Berry a 94/100.




Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Adagio Teas' Rooibos Berry is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Ultra Green Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of TeaFrog's Asian Mint Green and Black Tea

As I sat at my kitchen table this morning, trying to decide on a tea to drink before breakfast, the typical questions swam through my head. "Do I want white tea?" "Do I want green tea?" "Do I want black tea?" Well, this morning, I was able to deal with two of those questions at once in the form of TeaFrog's Asian Mint Tea! This tea is a blend of gunpowder green tea and Ceylon Orange Pekoe black tea. Contrary to how it may sound, "Orange Pekoe" is a designation for a high quality tea leaf, not a citrus-flavored blend of black tea.

I heated water as though I were making a green tea, wanting to not scald the gunpowder green tea leaves. Three minutes of infusion later, and I had myself a cup of tea that looked like a typical, light, black tea. Seeing nothing different about it, I took a whiff of the tea. That is when I could smell the smoky, vegetal green tea aroma wafting out of the blend. And they mix perfectly!

At the forefront of the flavor is the black tea. Mild and yet flavorful, it leads this tea blend well. Then the gunpowder comes into the mix for the finish, and, with a smoky roar, sweeps pleasantly through the taste. This was really delicious. I can imagine that a bit of milk would add to this tea, if milk in tea is to your liking. This might become a new favorite for my morning cup! On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea a 91/100.



TeaFrog's Asian Mint Green and Black Tea is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Noodler's Bad Green Gator Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review Whispering Pines Tea's Wildcrafted Dian Hong Black Tea

Just as in last week's review, this week features another new (to Built from Ink and Tea) tea company - Whispering Pines Tea. Their handcrafted teas are blended in small batches, often using wildcrafted ingredients (see their article on this concept, here). Today's review focuses on their Wildcrafted Dian Hong black tea.

Per the recommendation on their website, I begin with steeping only a teaspoon of leaves in sixteen ounces of water for three minutes. As they give instructions for second and third infusions, I am looking forward to trying those. The dry leaves give-off a slightly-brassy, fresh grass scent. In some regards, it reminds me a bit of olive oil. The aroma is light, but it has some deep notes in the background, which cause me to draw long breaths of the dry tea, while the other leaves steep. Slightly chocolatey, slightly honey, there is only a touch of malt that I have experienced with other Chinese black teas. Yet dian hong is not just any Chinese black tea.

Other sources suggest that high quality dian hong will have no astringency to it, if brewed properly (which usually involves short steepings). My first sips of this Wildcrafted Dian Hong reveal notes of flavor that I would never have expected from the aroma. Whispering Pines Tea's website mentions the foremost flavor being sweet potato - they are spot-on. Honey flavors edge the body. The maltiness that was noticeable in the aroma is here in the flavor - subtly. The cup finishes with a hint of spice. If those sources I mentioned are to be believed - this dian hong definitely shows its quality. The taste holds no astringency.

During the second steep, a five minute infusion, I contemplate the amazing smoothness from my first brewing. Simply, I find this tea delicious, and I am already looking forward to more. The color of the second steep matches that of the first. The aromas have lightened a bit, but they seem sweeter. Likewise, the flavors are lighter and sweeter versions of their first steep. The sweet potato actually seems noticeable, now, in the smell.

A third steep for eight minutes seems to complete the tea, as the flavors diminish. The aroma is much weaker, now, and the flavors are only a shadow of what they were, originally. Tasting more like flavored water, the tea remains drinkable, yet not nearly as enjoyable.

On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate Whispering Pines Tea's Wildcrafted Dian Hong a 98/100. This tea was delicious, and I look forward to drinking many more cups of it. The flavors were so different than the usual Chinese black teas that I drink, I felt as if I had discovered a completely new aspect of tea that I had never previously encountered. I cannot recommend highly enough this find from Whispering Pines Tea.



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Whispering Pines Tea's Wildcrafted Dian Hong is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Noodler's Firefly Yellow Highlighter Ink

This week, for our final yellow ink review in November, we have a special ink, which can be used in fountain pens and refillable highlighters, alike. However, I would not recommend writing with this one, unless your reader has a black light by which to read it! (I did test, and it is UV-reactive.)

Below, I have included both the original scan and a digitally-darkened scan to showcase this ink.

Original scan

Darkened scan

I hope you enjoyed our month of yellow inks! If you have any suggestions for new inks to review, please feel free to submit them via the "Questions or Comments?" tab, above, or via this link.




This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

New "Ink Review Index" for Your Perusal!

Want a quick way to browse the ink reviews that have been featured in the past on Built from Ink and Tea? Check out the new "Ink Review Index" page in the navigation tabs at the top! Organized by color family and brand, each ink is linked to its latest review (in the case of multiple uploads). You can also access that page, here.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Upton Tea Imports' Mango Indica Black Tea

 

Surprisingly, we have never featured a tea from Upton Tea Imports, here on Built from Ink and Tea. I find this very unfortunate (and entirely my fault!), given that Upton Tea Imports sources a great many teas and tea blends from around the world. Today's blend mixes black tea, actual mango bits, sunflower petals (mostly for color), and some artificial flavors for a slightly-tropical tea blend that reminds me of summer (a nice follow-up to last week's review of the Imperial Breakfast Summer Blend).

Boiling some filtered water, I measure two teaspoons of the tea blend into the filter of a two-cup teapot (one teaspoon of leaf for each cup). When the water finishes, I pour it over the leaves and let it steep for four minutes. The dry leaves smell of sweetened mango and light black tea. Brewing, the tea's aroma lacks such heavy sweetness, but the mango and black tea blend together well.

The first sip of Mango Indica tastes of pleasantly-flavored black tea. This bring a smile to my face. As much as I enjoy heavily-flavored, fruit-centric teas, I often find that the fruits (and other flavors) entirely overwhelm the tea base. Mango Indica puts the flavor of the tea in the forefront. Mango flavors wreath the black tea, complementing what tastes like a light, Indian leaf. Four minutes of steep time was perfect to craft this smooth, easy-drinking cup.

I could see this making a delicious iced tea. The mango proves quite refreshing, regardless of whether the tea is brewed hot or cold. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate Mango Indica a 95/100.




Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Upton Tea Imports' Mango Indica is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Noodler's Yellow Ink

Three of four for yellow inks in November! Be sure to look for next Thursday's post, where we review a special yellow ink.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Verdant Tea's Imperial Breakfast Summer Blend

Though summer is over, here, our memories of it still remain, like half-remembered dreams upon waking. While musing and reminiscing, what better companion is there, than tea?

The Imperial Breakfast Summer Blend from Verdant tea offers a lot to contemplate. Now archived (and no longer sold), Verdant has released their recipe, allowing us to know the composition of our cup. Chinese black teas are blended with a touch of Wuyi oolong, and very small portions of shou pu'erh and Bai Mu Dan white tea are added. This should be an interesting one to brew! Not-quite-boiled water will be poured over two teaspoons of leaf in a twelve ounce mug and steeped for three minutes.

The finished cup is highlighted by dark amber coloration...and very strong aromas. Bold might be a better descriptor for this tea. While the Chinese black teas are definitely noticeable, it is the Wuyi Big Red robe oolong that gives a unique edge (or more than an edge) to the tea. As of yet, the pu'erh and white teas are not lending much to the aroma.

The flavors underwhelm me at first. My sip starts juicy, yet with little flavor, and it finishes dry, yet flavorful. The little flavor in the beginning is edged with black tea astringency. The longer I let the tea sit in my mouth, the more different flavor notes come forth. The taste of oolong has been darkened greatly by the other teas, yet it is still pleasant and flavorful, once it comes out. White tea flavors (from the Bai Mu Dan) and oolong comprise the aftertaste, which lasts quite a while. The pu'erh does not make an obvious appearance, though it is likely lending an earthiness to the overall flavor.

On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea blend an 81/100. The aftertaste was great, the body was so-so, and the beginning was disappointing. Given that this blend is no longer for sale, Verdant has kindly shared the recipe on their website, for personal use, so you can try blending and brewing your own variation!



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
The recipe for Verdant Tea's Imperial Breakfast Summer Blend can be found, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Sunshine Yellow Ink

Continuing our yellow inks in November!

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of DavidsTea's Snow Day Herbal Blend

Have you ever wondered what it would taste like, if you could have a drink made from York peppermint patties? Snow Day, one of DavidsTea's winter 2015 seasonal blends, makes for a good approximation - at least as far as herbal blends go! And yet, I found it to be so much more. Mixing dried peppermint leaves with white chocolate, dark chocolate, sugary sprinkles (this is starting to sound like a cupcake, rather than a tisane), and cocoa beans, this blend sounds like it is going to be intense. Time to get steeping...

For herbal blends, I like to steep them strong. Since peppermint can sometimes make for light-flavored blends, I steep Snow Day for a full seven minutes, using just boiled water. (There were two teaspoons of dry mixture in my twelve ounce mug.)  The aroma coming from the steeping cup is fantastic. York peppermint patties define the smell of this tisane, while cocoa nibs lend an earthy background, and I cannot wait to learn, if it tastes the same way that it smells!

Yes, it does. At least, my initial sip of Snow Day reminds me exactly of that iconic candy. Yet, it is more than just minty chocolate flavors. The body, comprised of the peppermint, stands-up well to the myriad of chocolate and cocoa notes. In contrast, they complement the mint in such a way that it seems accented and sweetened, not overwhelmed or subdued. With all of the seemingly-sweet ingredients listed on the package, I had been worried that the cup would be too sweet, but I am instead finding it to be rather pleasant and complex. Interestingly, the flavors do not entirely meld, and the balance between the sweetness of chocolate, earthiness of cocoa, and sharpness of mint shifts, as the liquid moves across the tongue.

DavidsTea has done a great job of crafting a delicious herbal blend with surprising facets and depth. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate Snow Day a 95/100. I highly recommend that you give it a try, if you enjoy mint "tea." It may surprise you, as it did me.



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
DavidsTea's Snow Day is available from their website, here, and in DavidsTea retail stores.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Yellow Ink

Recently, I realized that Built from Ink and Tea has never reviewed any yellow inks. With that said, we felt that to make up for lost time meant needing to review a group of yellow inks, so all of the ink reviews for November will be yellow, finishing with a special yellow ink on the 26th!

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of DavidsTea's Banana Nut Bread Fruit Infusion

DavidsTea features a new tea, each month, as their Tea of the Month, and the honor for November goes to Banana Nut Bread, a fruit infusion that had been discontinued and then brought back by popular demand. To me, this blend sounds like it would be difficult to replicate the bread aspect without actually including bread or wheat-based product in the mix.

As this blend does not contain tea, the recommendation is to steep it for four to seven minutes, using just-boiled water. Normally, I try to steep halfway between the recommendations, but for this blend, I decide to steep for a full seven minutes to get the most intense flavors possible.

While my tea steeps, I shake the bag of fruit blend and inspect the contents. While I did not get any dried banana slices in my bag, I saw that there were many in the container at the shop. Pieces of date and currant are prominent, and the mixture is filled with a plethora of chopped almonds, which seem to flavor tea better than walnuts (despite walnuts being traditional to banana nut bread).

The aroma is spot-on. Doughy, full of ripe banana smell, and sweet; this cup smells like breakfasts from my childhood. And the taste? Initial impressions are that it tastes very sweet. This is noticeable from the moment the liquid touches the tongue. The sweetness does not negatively contribute to the flavor, but it seems to be a bit sweeter than I recall banana bread. The body of the flavor maintains the bread and bananas combination impressively well. In fact, it almost perfectly matches the aroma. The sweetness melds with the other flavors and provides a very smooth cup.

I really did not think I was going to enjoy this. It intrigued me with its uniqueness, but I figured it might just be another strange attempt at emulating food (like a pineapple bacon rooibos I once tried). DavidsTea did an excellent job of crafting this one, and it might just be the cup that satisfies, next time I have a sweet tooth. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this an 86/100.

Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
DavidsTea's Banana Nut Bread is available from their website, here, and in DavidsTea retail stores.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Pilot Green Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Need an easy way to follow Built from Ink and Tea?

Hi folks! You may have noticed that we now have a "Follow by Email" box in the right sidebar of the site. If you want to receive updates by email, whenever we post new content, simply use that box to subscribe.

Additionally, new posts will now automatically be added to the official Built from Ink and Tea Twitter feed, @SpencerCreates. If you use Twitter, you can follow us there and will be notified of new posts to this site, as well as all the other short content that I tweet (or share from others).

And now, a photo of my morning:

Nock Co. Hightower, Unlabeled black tea, Field Notes Ambition Edition, TWSBI Mini, and Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun

Enjoy your tea and writing, folks! If you have any suggestions for improvements that we can make here at Built from Ink and Tea, please do not hesitate to share them, using the "Questions or Comments?" tab at the top of the page or via this link: Questions or Comments?




Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

New Fountain Pen Nib Infographic - Full of "Tips!"

The following infographic was created by the fine folks at Pen Chalet. Check out their great summary of interesting information about the nib of your fountain or dip pen!

Be sure to check out there site for great deals on fountain pens, inks, paper, and accessories. You can visit them, here, at PenChalet.com.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of DavidsTea's Coconut Ice Herbal Blend

From the first glance at the ingredients list, I feel as though this is the type of drink that would be better consumed iced. However, because we here at Built from Ink and Tea are very traditional in our tea consumption methods, we shall try it hot, first!

Brewing two teaspoons in just-boiled water for seven minutes results in a strong cup that gives off a heady coconut cream aroma. There is a lot of sweet scent in this cup, which I am happy to say comes from the honeybush base, not added sweeteners. First sip reveals a body that is light, definitely honeybush, and tinged with coconut. However, upon the swallow, the aftertaste lends a rich, coconut-laden burst of creaminess.

For an ice cream-inspired herbal blend, Coconut Ice still tastes pretty decent, when brewed hot. I would certainly keep drinking it like this, but let us put it on ice and see how things taste.

Cold, Coconut Ice tastes very creamy. I see now the intended drink Davidstea had in mind, when they crafted this blend. It is pretty tasty, and I find it quite refreshing. On my personal enjoyment scale, both hot and cold, I would rate Coconut Ice an 83/100.



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
DavidsTea's Coconut Ice is available from their website, here, and in DavidsTea retail stores.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Sherwood Green Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Numi Rooibos Chai

Before I even begin to taste this tea, I have to make mention of something that gives good credit to Numi. Numi, thank you for making this blend, showing the public (who may not be intimately familiar with the tea - and tisane - world) that rooibos does not have to be a mysterious ingredient that is listed in the fine print of some herbal blends, whose names make vague reference to "red" and "tea." Rooibos is a wonderful drink with great health benefits, and I hope that it continues to become more and more accessible to the average consumer.

To the review! Having not been impressed by the last Numi offering that I tried (the Aged Earl Grey, reviewed here), I am nevertheless giving them the benefit of the doubt, since this is an herbal blend and not a tea-based mixture. The package lists that this blend includes cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and cardamom...plus rooibos. Whoah. Nutmeg and allspice are interesting additions to an otherwise-fairly-traditional mix of chai spices.

They suggest using just-boiled water and a four to six minute steep time. Six minutes later, my eight ounce cup has the results of Numi's efforts, steeped. Aroma? Spicy. Lots of spice. The nutmeg and cinnamon are distinctly noticeable, and the nutmeg lends a pleasant sweetness to the smell. The taste is...surprisingly subdued, almost thin. I find this interesting, given the number of different spices. Mostly, I can taste the bite of clove and a bit of the ginger. The aftertaste has more of the flavors combined together, but the rooibos has been - I feel - overwhelmed completely. The rooibos possibly contributes a bit to the undertones, but mostly this is a spicy brew.

I might consider steeping a bag of this with some plain, red rooibos to boost the health benefits and the rooibos flavor. Numi, this one could use a bit of work. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this a 76/100.



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Numi's Rooibos Chai is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Pelikan Edelstein Aventurine Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of DavidsTea's Spiced Pumpkin Herbal Blend

Recently released as a part of the pumpkin-only second half of the DavidsTea autumn 2015 collection (alongside Pumpkin Pie Matcha and Pumpkin Maté), Spiced Pumpkin is a caffeine-free herbal blend, built on an delicious base of honeybush.

However, the delicious ingredients do not stop with the base! Mixed into the herbal blend are pumpkin pieces, cinnamon, cocoa shells, and maple crystals. The dry mixture smells heavily of the maple and cinnamon. Pleasantly, the pumpkin aroma is light - no pumpkin pie spice being used here! The cinnamon and maple are rather prominent.

I enjoy my herbal blends, rooibos, chamomile, etc. rather strong and flavorful, so the two teaspoons of this mixture get steeped in twelve ounces of just-boiled water for seven full minutes (the upper end of what DavidsTea recommends). The resulting cup puts off an aroma that is much deeper, richer, and less sharply-sweet than the dry ingredient suggest. It does not smell like pumpkin pie, as there is no breadiness. Rather, it is a slightly-sweet, spiced pumpkin. The aromas seem a bit juicy to me, which intrigues and delights the senses.

And juicy defines the flavor! What a rich treat! The richness is not too sweet, overwhelming, or bad; the flavors are simply quite full-bodied. Seven minutes was a perfect steep time for this tea. I find myself drinking it gulp by gulp, rather than sip by sip. The flavors are also rather spot-on for what DavidsTea was trying to accomplish. It does taste like spiced pumpkin. The sweetness is not too much, though one of my first thoughts was to wonder how it would taste without the maple crystals. Would the pumpkin be sweet enough to stand on its own?

That said, well done, DavidsTea for crafting a delicious pumpkin blend that breaks from the mold of pumpkin spice-centric beverages. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would give this herbal blend a 92/100.



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
DavidsTea's Spiced Pumpkin is available from their website, here, and in DavidsTea retail stores, for a limited time.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite Ink

My first review of an Edelstein ink from Pelikan! More to come next week.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Teavivre's Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun Green Tea

(Short review due to travels this week!)

Carrying one of the longest names I have ever seen in tea, Teavivre's Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun (also known as Pi Luo Chun) is a non-fermented green tea with a bold taste. In my tasting, I used three teaspoons of leave in two cups of water for one and a half minutes of steeping. The leaves do give off a fruity aroma, and I wonder if the tea will taste the same way.

This tea is certainly far less vegetal than others, such as gunpowder greens. "Fruity" does not not quite describe it, but it has a certain fruit edge to it. Other prominent flavors include a distinct nuttiness and natural sweetness. This tea is quite pleasant and provides an enjoyable drinking experience. For green tea fans, it is well worth a try. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would give it an 85/100.



Teavivre's Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun Green Tea is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Ancient Copper Ink

Today's review is of a beautiful reddish-brown ink. Check out another great offering from Diamine!

Built from Ink and Tea would like to thank Pen Chalet for sponsoring this week's Stained Fingers on Thursday. Visit Pen Chalet, here, and take a look at their fountain pen ink and other writing accessories!

Pen Chalet provided this ink in exchange for an unbiased review. If you would like to sponsor reviews on Built from Ink and Tea, please get in touch with us via our Sponsor page, here.



This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Rishi Tea's Green Tea Chai

A green tea chai! I have only ever tried one or two of these in the past, so this should be a novel experience. To begin, I was surprised at the directions. It said to boil together milk and water. While I have certainly made chai this way in the past, it has been a while, so this was pretty unique. After boiling the milk and water, I added the tea, turned down the burner on the stove, and let it simmer for four minutes. Pouring this whole mixture of leaf and herbs and liquid from a saucepan into a teapot (for holding) was an interesting endeavor. My tea now safely in a teapot, I poured myself a cup (straining out the leaves) and added a single sugar cube. 

The packaging for the tea had instructed to sweeten as desired, and one sugar cube was enough (for me, at least) to sweeten the individual cup of chai. 

This chai smells spicy! According to the packaging, there are a lot of spices in it, but the flavor still shocked me a bit. The second shock was the lemon aftertaste. This was not at all unpleasant, merely just different. I think that one description I read of this tea stated that the lemongrass in it was “zesty.” I wholeheartedly agree with this choice of words. If this tea is not enough to open your eyes wide, then there is a good chance that your taste buds are broken. (Kidding, kidding.)

If you like chai, then you need to try this tea. The green tea gives it an amazingly smooth flavor, and the herbal additions combine to create a unique and “zesty” drink. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea a 93/100.

 

 

 

Rishi's Green Tea Chai is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.
 

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Noodler's Rome Burning Ink

What an intriguing ink!

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Canton Tea Co's Jewel Flowering Tea

As I have been drinking a lot of oolongs lately, I felt that something new was in order for my tastebuds. This flowering tea from Canton Tea Co caught my eye, and I decided to give it a try. I have tried quite a few teas from Canton Tea Co, but never any of their green teas, much less a flowering tea ball. My past experience with flowering tea balls has told me that the tea is often mediocre in quality, but my hope is that Canton Tea Co will live up to their high quality, even in this decorative piece.

The directions say to steep this ball of tea in a cup of water until the flower blooms. While these may seem like vague directions, they provide the greatest enjoyment to the drinker, who gets to see the beautiful opening of the tea ball and the flower that “blooms” from within. Following these directions, I happily watched as the ball slowly opened, revealing a red flower in the center with small white flower buds moving off to either side on non-visible threads. Purely for the sake of my continued enjoyment, I decanted the tea from the cup with the flower into another cup, and then poured cold water over the flowering ball so that it continued to float in bloom.

Extremely interested in the taste, I eagerly tried a sip of the decanted tea. It is very sweet and thick, owing to the amaranth and jasmine flowers. The undertones remind me a bit of grain (not in a bad way), and the information on this tea says that the green tea contains some nutty flavors. I was certainly not expecting this flavor from tea, but I am pleasantly surprised, and I quite enjoy it. Plus, the flowering tea ball still looks very pretty.

This tea was a fun diversion, and it would make a unique gift, providing visual and taste stimulation for the recipient. Well done, Canton Tea Co. On my personal enjoyment scale, I rate this tea an 83/100.

Canton Tea Co's Jewel Flowering Tea is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Sailor Jentle Apricot Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of DavidsTea's Pumpkin Chai Black Tea

Welcome to autumn (at least according to DavidsTea)! Here in northern California, it is still very warm, and it feels as though summer is hanging-on. However, I feel that a cup of chai is delicious, year-round (and can very easily be iced)! Today, we will be tasting DavidsTea's new (re-released) Pumpkin Chai, part of their fall collection for 2015. As I prefer my chai unsweetened and without milk (or substitute), our review will look along those lines.

My DavidsTea Perfect mug will be the vessel for this steeping adventure. Two teaspoons, five minutes of steep time, and twelve ounces of just-boiled water blend and steep to provide a spicy and sweet-smelling cup. The little orange pumpkin candies that were a part of the blend have dissolved into the tea, lending that sweetness that combines with the caramel that is in it. The aroma is definitely pumpkin and chai with undertones of cinnamon and clove. Much appreciated is the fact that the pumpkin and the chai flavors smell equal, each blending well with the other and not overwhelming the overall nose.

My first sip of the tea tastes like a malty black tea with just a tinge of sweetness. Then the pumpkin flavor comes-in. The pumpkin is strong enough to be consistent and leave a pleasant aftertaste, combined with the spices. Flavors of clove and pumpkin mostly comprise that aftertaste, which I enjoy, as it leaves a bit of sweet, lighter (than the flavor of the tea itself) flavor behind.

On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate DavidsTea's Pumpkin Chai an 87/100. Pumpkin is a great flavor to have combined with chai, and I can see this making a great cold drink, too, whether with milk or without.



Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
DavidsTea's Pumpkin Chai is available from their website, here. and in DavidsTea retail stores.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.