Rocly Mountian Huckleberry is new Twist on Iced Tea

Tea :      Rocky Mountain Huckleberry

Producer:  Ku Cha Tea

Website: Rocky Mountain Huckleberry

Website Description: 

A Sri Lankan black tea mixed with raspberry, rosehip pieces, cornflowers, and natural huckleberry flavor. The blend has a delightfully sweet, tart berry flavor. This is one of our favorite choices for making cold tea in the summer!

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 87 %)

This might be an obvious statement but Iced tea selections around the country are nowhere near the same.  I’m talking about unsweet tea right now (not the sugar bombs in the South).  I travel a great deal more now for my job which I love as I get to see America.  However, I get to experience what others think of iced tea.

Now some of it is good.  A great deal is neutral on flavor, and some are astringent beasts.  That’s why I love to get home and sun brew tea selections.  I love learning about new options along with the other favorites that I’ve written about.  This week, it was time to try something fruity.  I brewed a batch of Rocky Mountain Huckleberry from Kucha Tea in Colorado.  Not knowing what to expect, I was exceptionally happy with the results.  From its lovely berry aroma and flavor to great structure, this is a great brew to sip on.

This is one that when I’m home, I plan on brewing well into Fall.  Something about Iced Tea just makes the day happier.

What do I think this Tea’s Personality is?

  • “Sitting on the Shore of a MI beach sipping on this with a Roasted Turkey, Fresh Mozzarella Raspberry jam ciabatta Sandwich.”

The Price

The price on 7/25/24 is $18.50 for 4 oz (w) or 113 grams.

Broken down:

  • 113 gm / 3 gm for steeping = 38 brews
  • 38 brews from package = app. 49 cents per quart or 12.4 cents per 8 oz cup.

This is a perfect Iced tea blend at an amazing price point for these flavors.  Definitely worth considering.

Aromas

  • In the package, instant intense aromas of sour raspberries and lightly toasted malt.
  • This is followed by citrus notes, dried mangos, a hint of toffee (it’s there 😊) and layers of fruit punch ( a bit artificially but not unpleasant).
  • Once it was brewed and cooled, it shows subtle fruit punch, unripe berries, and lovely floral notes.
  • It has hints of peach, nectarines, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and rosehips.

Flavors

  • On the first sip, you are greeted by soft berry flavors (such as raspberry and blackberries) along with a layer from the rosehips. This is followed by  stone fruit, and this was lighter and more delicate than expected.
  • It also showed an interesting mouthcoating layer which is from the rosehips.
  • It shows a good sweetness (off dry), structure and a touch of astringency.
  • I love its acidity and body (medium) with lower tannins that make this very approachable and easy to enjoy.

Scores

  • Aromas (4.4/5)
  • Flavors (8.6/10)
  • Overall impression (4.4/5)
    • Total score = 87 percent (17.4/20)

Foods to Pair and Why

  • Well as I mentioned before, this reminds me of a sandwich that I had years ago at a bar to pair with fruity beers. The roasted turkey, fresh mozzarella, raspberry jam sandwich was amazing and would be lovely with this brew.  Any good fruity jam (just a hint) will work.
  • I love the option of grilled chicken or shrimp lightly coated with a raspberry cherry BBQ sauce and just very lightly charred on the grill for smoky tones would be perfect with this brew.
  • If you have never had a floral based salad, now is the chance to try it. Rose petals with a hint of Nasturtium flowers over salad greens with a berry vinaigrette would be amazing.
  • Don’t ask why but when I drank this, I started to crave shortbread cookies. However, the trick is to add rosewater to the cookies for a lovely touch to assist in pairing.
  • Lastly….sit on a patio and drink this with a splash of vodka just because.
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