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drank No. 39 Fez by Steven Smith Teamaker
1646 tasting notes

I typed a really long piece on fire ecology, prescribed burning and my emotional sadness regarding the victims of the current Camp Fire in northern California but this is not the place for that so I deleted it. The smoke from that fire has blown southwest and blanketed the Bay. I’ve had a persistent headache for 3 days and woke up with a very rare nosebleed this morning. I brewed this sample from Mastress Alita, something light and refreshing that might make me feel a little better.

Fez is a pleasant blend of a grassy Chinese green, lemon myrtle and spearmint. I think the spearmint is a little underplayed here and the lemon myrtle too dominant for the type of green tea used. A second steep really brings out the lemon myrtle and a tinge of astringency. Whatever compound is responsible for lemon myrtles scent and taste seems to be the same used in lemon PEZ candy and in lemon Pledge furniture cleaner/polish, so don’t do that second steep if either of those turns you off. Otherwise, I find this to be to be a generally nice, smooth blend and would really like to try it as a cold brew.
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML
5 comments
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Lexie Aleah
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I hope you feel better soon! Also if your having headaches and a nosebleed I would see a doctor just to be safe.

derk
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Thanks for your concern. Smoke is the culprit – I’ve been through this before.

Mastress Alita
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I just got over a 5-day long migraine on Sunday, I know those feels. Get better Derk! Smoke is one of my triggers too, though I at least don’t have to worry about that at this time of year - Idaho gets its wild fires during the summer, and we’ll get that nasty blanket ‘o smoke in the sky around that time, too. It’s nasty. The lack of oxygen to the brain will cause the headaches. :(

mrmopar
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Hope you feel better soon!

derk
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Thanks, y’all. This too shall pass.

In one of my earlier reviews here, I linked to earthquake.usgs.gov for a worldwide map of earthquakes. Here’s another natural disaster website that’s interesting to click around: https://tinyurl.com/y7wv6k7k It’s a google map that shows all the fires our state fire agency, CalFire, has fought over 2018. The current boundaries of the Camp Fire are what will display on that page. 113,000 acres burned so far with 35% containment.

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Comments

Lexie Aleah
Delete

I hope you feel better soon! Also if your having headaches and a nosebleed I would see a doctor just to be safe.

derk
Delete

Thanks for your concern. Smoke is the culprit – I’ve been through this before.

Mastress Alita
Delete

I just got over a 5-day long migraine on Sunday, I know those feels. Get better Derk! Smoke is one of my triggers too, though I at least don’t have to worry about that at this time of year - Idaho gets its wild fires during the summer, and we’ll get that nasty blanket ‘o smoke in the sky around that time, too. It’s nasty. The lack of oxygen to the brain will cause the headaches. :(

mrmopar
Delete

Hope you feel better soon!

derk
Delete

Thanks, y’all. This too shall pass.

In one of my earlier reviews here, I linked to earthquake.usgs.gov for a worldwide map of earthquakes. Here’s another natural disaster website that’s interesting to click around: https://tinyurl.com/y7wv6k7k It’s a google map that shows all the fires our state fire agency, CalFire, has fought over 2018. The current boundaries of the Camp Fire are what will display on that page. 113,000 acres burned so far with 35% containment.

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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Sonoma County, California, USA

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