Butterbeer from Adagio
Prep: 212° water, 3 minutes steep, milk + honey Verdict: ★★★☆☆ Good!
This butterbeer tea—or rather, beerbutter, which has no relation to nor copyright infringement upon any magical franchise—is a nice cup of black tea with some understated sweetness. It's base is black tea, with caramel, cream, and vanilla flavoring that adds a gentle balance.
Going off some other reviews, I do think this tea is at the unfair disadvantage in that it’s being compared to Actual Butterbeer—either the kind that’s sold at venues or the way we imagined it in ours heads growing up. And while you certainly can sweeten this up with honey or sugar, it is—at its heart—a cup of tea. I tend to be a little bit reserved (or stingy) when it comes to adding milk and honey to my tea, but this one needs some extra to really shine. Otherwise, the black tea can be a little overpowering, hiding away some of those sweeter notes (also take care not to oversteep). But once I added more milk and honey, the flavor profile changed entirely and the sweeter tastes shined through.
Whether you’re living up in a tower or down in the basement, castles get drafty! This is a nice little cup that’ll soothe you to your bones and make you feel all cozy on a chilly night. Add your milk and sweetener, wrap yourself up in a blanket, and enjoy. And Happy Halloween!
