Now that we’re slowly rolling into winter, I thought I’d raise my game a bit and make a more concerted effort to review a few more of the Tea offerings for Keurig Brewers.  After all, Keurig owners know you can brew a lot more than coffee.  Well, tea, and hot cocoa, so I guess it’s actually just a little more than coffee.  Anyway, my point is that Keurig brewers are extremely versatile, and if you don’t have one you’re missing out.

As far as today’s review is concerned, Gloria Jean’s Passion Fruit Tea is on the menu.  Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on your perspective), Gloria Jean herself just announced that Passion Fruit Tea (among others) is being discontinued.  Ok, I made the Gloria Jean part up, but the rest is true.  So quickly as I could, I asked Joe @ Shoffee.com to send me some samples to review before it’s too late.  And because Shoffee.com ships so quickly, I’m able to offer up this review, while the last few boxes of Gloria Jean’s Passion Fruit are still on the shelves.

The Description

Rich, juicy passion fruit flavor and aroma.

The Aroma

I love a nice sneaky aroma.  At first I’m like all I smell is black tea, and then smack, right up my nose, there’s some fierce passion fruit smells tickling around in my nostrils.  Good stuff.

Drinking it Straight

Holy disappointment batman.  For all the awesome passion fruit aroma, there’s nary a trace of it in the actual flavor.  While I won’t go so far as to say it’s nonexistent, it’s definitely a bit too muted for my taste.  If I’m drinking a flavored tea, I want all up in my grill kind a flavor.

With Honey

So while I usually go for Splenda, I reached for a jar of honey this time.  Why you ask (or didn’t ask)?  Well, my wife is a bit under the weather and has been drinking Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Tea like it’s a cure all (maybe it is), and well, she drinks her tea with honey, and she left the jar (plastic bear actually) on the counter, so that’s what I used.  Anyway…

Honey doesn’t do much to bring an Passion to the flavor.  It tastes like black tea, only with honey.

Final Thoughts

It’s not that Gloria Jean’s Passion Fruit tastes bad.  In fact, it’s perfectly drinkable.  It’s as drinkable as anything you’d make with a Lipton teabag.  In fact, it’s damn near identical, and I guess that’s my gripe.  While it smells great, it lacks a passion fruity flavor, which for my money is kind of important in a passion fruit flavored tea.

Shameless Plug

Today’s installment of the K-Cup Challenge, was brought to you by the letter P, the number 4, and of course, Shoffee.com.  If you like black tea with mild fruit flavors, then by all means, buy a box of Gloria Jean’s Passion Fruit (it’s been discontinued, so act fast).  If Gloria Jean’s Passion Fruit Tea isn’t your thing, well, that’s no big deal either because Shoffee.com offers an outstanding selection of Coffee, Tea, and Hot Cocoa for your Keurig Brewer.  Check out Shoffee’s CupOfTheWeek for weekly specials on K-Cup Boxes.  Also check out the Shoffee Blog for all sorts of K-Cup-related news as well as the occasional giveaway.

While you’re here at Qwowi.com (your 1 stop shop for K-Cup Reviews, and golf equipment information, and oh yeah, leaf blowers) check out the growing list of reviews in my K-Cup Challenge.