Violin in C Sharp

 This is the second flavor in the Jiant three flavor variety pack that I found at Trader Joe's. The tea flavor in this one is lighter than the tea flavor in the first flavor I tried - which was made with black tea.  This flavor is based on Oolong tea, and I think that's why there's less tea flavor.  The mango and lime come through SO nice.  Honestly, it tastes like a mango cider with lime - and I'm HERE for that. This is a great alternative for an apple or pear cider for those nights when both apple and pear have too much sweetness for my palate.  Even though this isn't as sweet as either of those, there isn't any bitterness that often accompanies a cider type drink with a drop in the sweetness level.  It's just all mango and lime with the tiniest touch of oolon on the end note. Final though: I WILL be getting this one again.  It's delicious.

 A week or so ago, I was in the Trader Joe's beer and wine section when I saw a variety pack of what is being marketed as "hard tea".  I was, needless to say, intrigued. So I bought myself a few packs with different flavors, and this is the first of them.  Raspberry Mint.  Honestly, I was afraid when I popped this open that it was going to smell like kombucha.  I have yet to smell a kombucha that doesn't remind me of dirty socks - and I can't stand the taste of any of them either. So, it was with great delight that when I sniffed this as I poured it into a glass, that it smelled nothing of kombucha!  If anything, it smells slightly like beer or maybe cider would be a better correlation on the aroma profile.  What I didn't smell was the mint - which was a surprise. Also a surprise was the color.  I just wasn't expecting such a pinkish berry color!  Keemun is a pretty dark black tea the way that I brew it, so I was honestly expecting this to ha...