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Monday, February 14, 2011

Trader Joe's Kettle Brewed Green & White Tea

Imagine you're in a bonny wood listening to a sappy balladeer named Green Tea play a bad folk song on an out-of-tune guitar. Then in the middle of his song, a lithe male acrobat in a spandex onesie, White Tea, springs into action, doing gymnastics in front of the musician. And finally, amidst the music and the acrobatics, imagine an angry, minty leprechaun running out from behind a nearby tree, heading straight for you, jumping way up in the air and kicking you in the teeth.

Drinking this beverage is a similar experience, except not as bold...well, the mint part is that bold, but nothing else.

It needs some sugar. Or honey. Or Stevia. Or even corn syrup, but for heaven's sake, TJ's, don't leave it the way it is, please.

I can drink some other green teas without sweetener. But this product doesn't really have a green tea flavor...it's just that minty aftertaste that lingers like the hurt from a bloody lip.

Sonia generously gave it a 3 out of 5. I'm not sure why. When I asked her if she would ever buy it again, she quickly replied "NO!"

I give it a 2. Bottom line: 5 out of 10.
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13 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 7, 2011 at 2:33 AM

    You are soooo wrong! The fact that it does not have sugar is the best part. Find any other drink that doesn't cause instant diabetes.

    On a hot day, there is nothing more refreshing. And without the yuk of all the way-too-sweet drinks.

    And I almost forgot ... it's healthy.

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  2. traderhosAugust 14, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    nathan, your reviews are hilarious! especially this one. A kick in the teeth couldn't of been more true. I love mint but it definitely overpowers the tea...i do wish we had a trader joe's in orange county NY . I travel to CT.

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  3. stevenpJune 23, 2012 at 9:39 PM

    I actually love this stuff--yes, it has a real green/white tea flavor (which is not a sugary-sweet, btw). The mint adds a bit of freshness/sweetness to it--overall, it's extremely light and not sugary sweet-extremely refreshing. A nice change from all the sugary crap that's out there....

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    Replies
    1. UnknownJune 27, 2012 at 11:32 AM

      It takes some getting used to, but it is probably a healthier alternative to sweet beverages. Thanks for your feedback. :)

      Delete
  4. Day & NiteOctober 9, 2012 at 3:06 PM

    I have to disagree with this review. This is one tea that I can drink that doesn't need any sugar. Most of the unsweetned teas I drink either taste like rusty brown water or has this after-texture that makes my tongue dry, like sucking on the actual teabag. Nice visaul right. This tea is smooth and the mint offers the flavor without the sugar.

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  5. UnknownJanuary 5, 2014 at 1:24 AM

    This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. There are hundreds of choices out there if you want a sweetened drink but if you want a drink that's pretty good without sugar this is it. Obviously an unsweetened drink cannot compete with a sweetened drink but this combination of flavors does a pretty good job if you're trying to avoid sugared drinks. This guy was raised on sweet drinks his whole life and can't appreciate the natural flavors such as those in this drink.

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  6. UnknownMay 23, 2014 at 7:40 PM

    They must have changed the recipe because I don't think the mint is overpowering at all! In fact, I taste the citric acid (presumably added to help preserve the tea) more than the mint. Overall very refreshing and delicious. Definitely no need for sweetener!

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  7. jwoolmanMay 3, 2015 at 1:26 PM

    Can't you just add sugar yourself? The nice thing about unsweetened is that you can always add sugar but can't subtract it if it's already there....

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  8. KatieAugust 9, 2016 at 8:33 AM

    I was surprised to see a "meh" rating on this, because this iced tea has become my favorite drink this summer - I've been going through about 2 gallons a week! Great for when I want a little more flavor than water provides but don't want the empty calories or all the sugar found in soda or juice. Maybe the recipe has changed in the past four years, or maybe it's just the difference between unsweetened iced tea and sweetened iced tea.

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  9. Alex M. GarthJanuary 19, 2019 at 6:55 PM

    Just tried it for the first time. I love it. Has a bit flavor of mint and citric acid. And if someone wants sweet stuff - isn't there enough out there?

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  10. KimbyLJuly 23, 2019 at 9:38 PM

    I love this stuff! I despise sweetened tea. Most of the bottled stuff is sweetened and I’m always happy when I find an unsweetened one I love. The touch of mint is refreshing.

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  11. FazJuly 17, 2021 at 6:45 PM

    Is this stuff caffeinated?

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