This week, check your horoscope to see which tea variety your sign reminds me of. The varieties recognized worldwide vary, usually including black, green, white and herbal, but there are many other recognized varieties apart from these four.
Herbal: In most cases, herbal teas are all varieties of the drink not made from the traditional tea plant, Camellia sinensis. This includes chamomile, mint and herb-based teas. Herbal teas tend to be soothing and lack caffeine, which fits with the calm-loving attitude of a Cancer.
Black tea: Black teas have a high caffeine content and include styles like Earl Grey and English Breakfast. In western countries, black tea tends to get more attention than other varieties, just like a certain high-energy star sign.
White tea: This variety goes through minimal processing and yields a delicate, gentle flavor. White tea includes Darjeeling and Bai Mudan, among others. Although they often put on a strong external facade, Virgos tend to be delicate, kind souls.
Oolong: This unique variety balances between black and green tea, yet provides its own flavor profile with the best of both varieties. Since Libras enjoy finding balance in life, oolong seemed like a perfect fit for your tastes.
Flavor-infused tea: Tea infused with artificial and natural flavorings other than leaves, herbs and spices tend to be controversial among tea lovers. Some love it, some hate it, but very few have neutral opinions on it. You tend to have similarly strong opinions, Scorpio.
Pu-erh: Similar to kombucha, pu-erh is a fermented drink which changes flavor as it ages. Pu-erh made from green tea is traditional, but pu-erh made from black tea has also become popular. Like this newer pu-erh style, Sagittarians tend to enjoy taking new spins on old classics.
Matcha: A premium traditional Japanese take on tea, matcha has as rich a history as its flavor. It has a strong, bitter taste which is mellowed out with milk and sugar in matcha lattes. Some may see Capricorns as bitter, but its your strength of mind that makes you who you are.
Senna: Made from a bitter flowering plant, senna grows in tropical regions and can be used for medical purposes, so make sure to double check it won’t interact with medications before drinking it. Some may see your high standards as bitterness, Aquarius, but trust your gut and stick to them.
Rooibos: This South African tea is spicy, fruity and almost nutty is taste. It’s also caffeine-free. It can be sweetened with sugar and mellowed out with milk, similar to a black tea or matcha. This unique flavor, which stands out yet still tastes familiar, reminds me of your versatility, Pisces.
Yerba mate: This tea is made from a holly tree which only grows in South American forests. It has an intense flavor and contains almost as much caffeine as coffee. This intensity matches your own internal drive and the fire in your personality.
Green: One of the widely accepted varieties of tea, green tea has a smooth, gentle flavor suitable for all tastes and times of day. Green tea includes sencha and matcha, although matcha tends to be a category all. It’s always a good time for green tea, just like it’s always a good time to be friends with a Taurus.
Pau d’arco: This tea is made from the bark of the pau d’arco tree, which grows in the Amazon rainforest. Its taste is multi-faceted, with hints of fruitiness and an herb-like flavor. You can often have multiple public-facing personas, Gemini, but that doesn’t make any of them less wonderful than the others.
Lex Miller can be reached at [email protected]