Berry Black and Food is Stupid good

Tea :      Berry Black

Producer:  Red Zen Tea

Website: Berry Black

Website description:  This smooth rich dark Berry Black tea blend is perfect for any tea or coffee lover with its full rich body and deep berry flavor. Great over ice or hot this tea is made with a special high-end black tea that lends current and berry notes naturally so the flavor lasts with multiple steeps

Brewing Specs

  • Water: 32 oz
  • Temperature: 80 F outside in direct sunlight (Sun Tea technique)
  • Steep Time: 4 hours for 3 gm

My Review System: https://artofthepair.com/tea-overview/

Iced Tea Technique

  1. All iced teas are brewed using direct sunlight for a minimum of 4 hours.
  2. Only 3 gm of tea is used per 32 oz / 1 Quart of water .
  3. Once tea is brewed, it’s strained and placed into refrigerator to cool to under 40F (typically overnight).
  4. Samples are evaluated without ice, fruit additions (such as lemon) or additional sweetener.
  5. Iced tea is consumed within 24 hours of brewing.

My Overall Impression (Score of 84.0%)

It’s amazing that the weather is changing fast in MI.  A few weeks ago, I could go outside close to 10 pm and watch sunset.  Now, the days are getting shorter, but the weather is still near perfect.  I’m still showcasing iced teas and this one is a winner.

Berry Black has a great structure with strong tannins that will stand up to grilled items.  Add on the berry tones and this is a great match for Summertime Fare.  I love the aroma and overall smoothness.

The price on 8/1/23 is $15 for 2 oz (w) or 56 grams.

Broken down:

  • 56 gm / 3 gm for steeping = 18 brews
  • 18 brews from package = 83 cents per brew (4 – 8 oz servings)

After dividing out for 4 servings at 8 oz, the cost per cup is 21 cents per 8 oz serving.  This is a great cost and worth it for the flavor and structure of the brew

Quick Note – Melissa sent me samples a while back and now I’m starting to explore them.  From what I’ve seen, these are great blends that are unique and flavorful.

Aromas

  • Opening the package, you are greeted with rich berry tones (black raspberry / raspberry / strawberry) that reminded me of Starburst Candy chews
  • There were hints of violets and sweet notes of peaches and citrus.
  • Upon Brewing, there is heavy toasted malt with deep berry tones and dark fruit. There are hints of citrus and floral.

Flavors

  • There are great subtle berry flavors alongside the toasted malt. I loved this blend on the palate.
  • It had slightly unripe berry notes (not candied) tied in with the citrus along with hints of baking spices and floral notes.
  • Incredible structure comes from the moderate acidity, great approachable tannins, and smoothness.
  • Loved the full body that will allow it to stand up to food pairings.

Scores

  • Aromas (4.1/5)
  • Flavors (8.4/10)
  • Overall impression (4.3/5)
    • Total score = 84.0 percent (16.8/20)

Foods to Pair and Why

  • Fresh Berries over Shortcake. This just rings Summer sitting outside enjoying the day.
  • Grilled chicken breasts with a berry-based BBQ sauce. This and the shortcake above are just natural summertime fare.
  • Fresh Malted Waffles with berries. Sorry….I was craving waffles when I wrote this with fresh organic blueberries when I sampled the brew.  I know it will be a great pairing.
  • Crepes Suzette for dessert. Something about the flowers in the brew remind me of citrus and this dessert has lots of citrus to offer.  Plus, the acidity of the brew would rinse away some of the richness of the dish.
  • Grilled Bratwurst. I made some brats and happened to be sipping a glass of tea.  It’s hard to explain but the brats tasted better, and the tea’s tannins dropped and showed some spices.
Verified by MonsterInsights