stories:
Supertaster
Bad Expensive TeaPomegranate 7UP and Revolution TeaWhat's new? What's great? What's weird? Our columnist samples offerings from supermarket aisles and fast-food menus. |
BY: Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc.
I Paid: $1.69 for 2 liters (prices may vary by region)
There’s good reason to be suspicious of pomsploitation products; it seems like every kind of food, from yogurt to toothpaste, now has some kind of pomegranate version. And although the health benefits of pom seem well substantiated (so much so that physicians even worry about pom–drug interaction problems), often the flavor impact is marginal at best. Few products contain the bracing tartness of a real pomegranate.
Similarly, Pomegranate 7UP only has a nibble of piquancy. But at least it’s not syrupy sweet like Mountain Dew. In fact, it’s very good: well balanced and surprisingly elegant, with the usual 7UP citrus notes muted and an aggressive level of refreshing carbonation. Even better, it makes a great party drink: Not only is it festively red colored, but also it stands up to vodka well.
By: Revolution Tea
I Paid: $4.99 for 16 tea bags (prices may vary by region)
Everything about Revolution Tea suggests quality, from its slick, minimalist packaging and silky fabric tea bags to its high-end price tag (around $5 for 16 bags). And if weak and flavorless is what you get from quality tea, then Revolution has filled its promise.
Three flavors, Earl Grey Lavender, Sweet Ginger Peach, and English Breakfast, were washed-out-tasting to the point of beggaring belief. Bags steeped for five minutes (the upper end of the recommended three- to five-minute steeping time) produced a flavor not unlike the one you sample when you accidentally get a mouthful of water while taking a shower. The Sweet Ginger Peach especially broke my heart, because of its sweet, intoxicating aroma. Alas, as in all three cases, an astringent black-tea note overwhelmed any other flavors that might have made for a pleasant sipping experience. A brewing experiment (using three bags of Sweet Ginger Peach at once) resulted in a tea so astringent it tasted like corporal punishment in a cup.
Life is too short for bad tea.
Life is too short for bad *anything*.
Pomegranate 7-Up... pre-mixed Shirley Temple! Admittedly, I think that something gets lost in translation when the soda company adds the flavor for you, but I do enjoy the various versions of 7-Up. I may have to try it out should I see it.
I am glad to know others dislike this tea as well. I tried the Peach one, and found it truly disgusting. I just did not understand. Thanks for enlightening me on the fact that it wasn't my tastebuds.
I like the shorter, two-paragraph reviews. Less attempted cleverness keeps the focus on the product. I hope this is a trend.
Hearing that Revolution tea is not good not only from the review but from another persons review has probably prevented me from wasting my money on crappy tea.
My sister was raving about revolution tea, the earl grey. So I bought the chai with great expectations. What a disappointment! The fragrance was prominsing as reported in the review, but no taste. It was like hot water. I use the remaining tea bags to scent my drawers.
I got some tropical flavor of the Revolution tea a long while back. Used one bag and it tasted and smelled once brewed like a foot. I threw them all away.
The Pomegranate 7-up comes in diet this year and I LOVE that one. It tastes really good.
I have learned that 5 minutes is FAR too long to steep black tea. Unless you like strong astringent flavors that you have to cover up with a large portion of milk and sugar. I've been steeping less than a minute. I also pour the water into the cup first and then place the teabag... rather than pouring boiling water directly onto the tea, thereby scorching it.
Haven't tried Revolution tea, will take your word that it's not worth trying.
i really liked the revolution mint tea and the golden chamomile tea. the other flavors/varieties seemed too disgusting to try...so totally mixed bag and probably not worth the exorbitant price.
Frankly, I disagree with mwleitchy, provided he is implying that Norton fails in his attempts at cleverness. I've loved this column since it came out and I find the author delightfully clever and witty. Please keep it up!
I love Lavender Earl Grey and Revolution is the only brand I can find of that type. I think it is quite good. Previously, I had to mix my own earl grey with lavender to get the same result.
I loooove the Revolution Acai Green Tea. It's got a REALLY strong green tea flavour with just a hit of acai (usually there is one berry per tea bag). However, I do only stock up when it's on sale.
I was very excited that Revolution made earl grey green tea, which was only available to me whenever friends went to London and brought back Fortnum and Mason.
Bitter, too low in quality to withstand two brews, and not particularly fragrant. I wouldn't call it disgusting, but I brew it very slightly and drink it just to get rid of the pack.
I'm going to go farther than vorpal and disagree with mwliechty unconditionally. I don't usually read this feature for information about the products for the simple reason that I probably won't be buying almost any of them. I read it for the attempted cleverness, especially because the attempts almost always succeed.
The 7up pom has virtually zero Pomegranate flavor.
Let someone try and ask them what they taste...it won't be Pomegranate!
Please review the teas blended by White Heron Tea of Portsmouth, NH (which sells a lavender earl grey), and Portsmouth Tea Company of Stratham, NH (which sells a vanilla earl grey) - both good companies, with a wide range of products; WHT carries organic teas only.
Is there any reason why tea should be in silk coverings? It seems like a huge waste of material.
for gourmet tea, go with MEM tea imports. A little goes a long way, especially crimson berry!
The tea bags themselves are made from nylon, not silk and this is the heart of the problem-- the nylon inhibits the flow of water in an out. Nylon tea bags are all the rage now; it seems like I can't go out for tea anymore b/c most cafes want to be fancy and serve this crap. I actually wrote to another company who makes this type of tea bag to complain and they said the nylon doesn't impart a taste is the reason they use it; but as others have said, why bother if the tea doesn't taste? Not to mention, you can't compost the teabags as you can with paper.
Try Lupicia teas, they're MUCH better -- taste-full, available in loose-leaf and bagged, and amazingly delicious. Lupicia is imported from Japan; their store is in the new Westfield shopping center on the third floor (I think).
I could not agree more about the pathetic taste of Revolution tea. I bought a box of the English Breakfast when it was on sale, and I wound up throwing it away, it was so awful. I would let it steep for ages, and still the tea tasted like dishwater.
I'll stick toPG Tips, thank you.
Wait a second...I just think it's strange in the first place to compare SODA to TEA.
Meh, what do I care? I hate tea...
If the pomegranate 7up is going to take the fun out of me ordering a shirley temple, then forget it! But I'm hoping it doesn't taste the same, because pomegranate flavored anything is intriguing to me.
I have been drinking Revolution tea for about 4 years now and have introduced many other people to it. It is most outstanding tea. The Tropical Green Tea, Acai Green, White Chai & Lavender Earl Grey have a distinct flavor, aroma and taste. Don't believe a negative word said about it. Everyone's taste is different and obviously, someone's tastes bud are dead. I'd try it again. It's fabulous!!
I have the Revolution Earl grey have not tried it yet though.
I did not know the bags were nylon-I guess that means they are not biodegredeable and quite a waste?
I just ordered some Eden Grove tea and their website stated that they use mesh tea bags that are biodegradeable.
I have an Eden Grove tea rub and am quite happy with the taste and quality of tea leaves used.
I am actually looking to buy some interesting loose teas now and not too sure what to try next!