The Sip Milk Tea Shoppe Tea Tasting Ceremony

Tea tasting at Sip. Weee!

Oh yes, we’re a city of tea drinkers now … milk tea/bubble tea drinkers, that is.

I’ve already covered six tea based establishments in a couple of Tea Offs, but there are many more places in Baguio that offer these refreshments.  Presenting, Sip Milk Tea Shop. (“,)

Tea Tasting Ceremony – The Steps

Step 1. The Invite:

You might be thinking, wait a minute, this store is set up on Luneta Hill and we thought you didn’t cover those food establishments.  It will all be clear to you once you read on the comments that’s been left in the second tea off blog.  I’ve posted a screen capture of that particular section below.

*click to enlarge   Thanks once again to maii, for the contribution. Thank you so much too, Maam Ann, for the invite! This goes to show that there’s no harm in asking/trying. ^^,

How could anyone refuse such a gracious invitation?  The Sip proprietors have already shown me the most accommodating service without me even setting foot in their establishment.  I just had to see their tea shop for myself now.  It’s the least I could do; one good turn deserves another.  (“,)

Step 2. Opening the Tea Tasting Ceremony:

The tea shoppe before the afternoon tea crowd (of bloggers and patrons alike) arrive =)

Step 3. The Shots:

With the lucky seven of taste testers (Race, Queen Ane, Sir Clayre, Stella, Samantha, and Sir Kurt), past introductions to Maam Ann, seated and ready, the first round of Sip’s best selling teas were brought to us.

Let the tea taste testing begin! \m/ Just the way I imagined it would be, teas in ‘shot glasses’. Oh, joy!

Flavored teas: Mango with triple jelly, raspberry yakult and lychee with tapioca.

I took a little sip from each glass, mimicking Gary Vaynerchuk … at least what I think he’s doing in audio recordings of his wine tastings. =b Minus the spitting after the little palate swish of these healthy liquids, I decided that I liked the mango one best.  As usual, I was on the prowl for something that would be cooling when the days get hot in the city (which happens more often now, sigh) and this did the job.

I downed everything and found that I also liked raspberry Yakult.  You might want to give this a little shake after leaving it out for a while because the Yakult tends to separate from the tea. Lychee was also good but fades in comparison to the two.  (However, on Race’s part, lychee is number one for this batch.)

Something to nibble on with your Sip drinkables.

While waiting for the next batch of teas to sip, we were given some honeycomb waffles, the only munchables available at Sip.  (Ohh, comforting, the warmth emanating from the bag. *ahhh) Meant to look like honeycomb, I advise you not to get hung up on the ‘honey’ part of its name like I did. That’s the best way you’re going to enjoy this snack. You see, there’s nothing in the bulgy thingies of this waffle but waffle.  It’s soft, fluffy and good enough like that.  =D

Milk teas: White choco raspberry, milk tea with poppers and wintermelon milk tea with green apple nata de coco

The next tray of shots were the best sellers of the milk tea category.  My, am I a sucker for wintermelon.  I just love the woodsy (Is that the right word, woodsy? Anyhoo, I think it’s woodsy so there. =))) aroma and flavor of it.  The addition of the green apple flavored nata de coco was a welcome taste at the end of the shot, too.

Essentially, I liked everything in this series.  The white choco raspberry was strikingly different (One check for Ms. Maii’s recommendation. Yey!) and the strawberry poppers in the basic milk tea transformed it into something extraordinary.  Pop goes the Popping Boba and just like the owner of Cosy’s Cafe (Shout out to Kuya Joel and everyone at the Xmas house!) called it, everyone was surprised.

Handmade taro milk

The next batch of tea shots were the special mixes of the house.  Handmade taro milk is made from real taro, (none of that powder stuff in there) and it’s blended in with the tea and ice chips.  Race liked this one a lot saying, it’s reminiscent of milk shakes.

Mango chapp shots.

On the other side of the tray, were the tiny glasses of mango chapp.  No worries, they’re not alcoholic although they look like glasses of beer.  (Perfect for bahay-bahayan/playing house, I imagine. *hihi  The members of CBG looked like they were ‘really downing shots’ with this.)  The Sip flyer indicated that this drink is flavored tea topped with the awesomest cream … they weren’t kidding. This was one fun drink.

Maam Ann informed us that we still had two more categories of best sellers to go through before she would give us a choice of their regular sized large teas (hope that statement made sense to you, afoodionados ^^,).

Strawberry flavored fresh soda.

Here we go with one of the fresh soda flavors, strawberry.  Taking a sip, it’s a lot like regular soda, fizzy and bubbly.  It got us all talking about sparkling water.  What’s interesting about this drink is that, the bottom of the glass had what looked like strawberry fibers on it.  (I wonder if that was real strawberry, I forgot to ask. *hee) Cool.

The Mesteazo series.

The last but not the least tea to sip from Sip, strawberry mesteazo.  A mix of black tea and green tea, we got one large glass for sharing just to ensure the effect of duality could be achieved. Like a magic trick, the green milk tea floated over the flavored black one.

This is one drink that you shouldn’t shake, our host told us.  Rather, take a sip moving your straw up and down the glass so you could get the two teas in one gulp.  That was amusing. (Sam will attest to how OA – plug highnesses’ blog – I did that sipping motion. *blushies) (Check and check for Ms. Maii’s recommendations. =) I really appreciate the guidance.)

A dream come true, this tea taste test.  With one visit to Sip, each and every one of us has found our favorites.

Step 4. Details:

The menu. *click to enlarge photo. Pick your drink and start sipping. =D

Sip Milk Tea Shoppe opened in Baguio on May 13, 2013.  As per the info on the glass, this is a Philippine brand.  They do make use of some Taiwanese ingredients, though.  (They are the inventors of bubble tea, after all.)

The scene at Sip … light bulbs, PVC pipe fences and busy bees.

What makes Sip teas different from the drinks offered by other tea shops?

Apart from the fresh taro in handmade taro milk and the awesomest cream on top of the chapps; their teas are steeped. Instead of brewing where the tea leaves are beaten in a rolling boil to bring out their flavor, they’re soaked in hot water so not only the flavors but also the nutrients are extracted from the leaves.  Sip’s tea preparation is one that takes a lot of patience. The busy bees, their staff have their work cut out for them.

Free sinkers for your fruit/milk teas.  Just in case you want more, it’s P10 for add ons.  Maam Ann says there are more selections to come, e.g. coffee jelly. Although, caramel jelly sounds good right now.

Step 5. Bringing the Tea Tasting Ceremony to A Close:

And so the tea tasting ceremony at Sip is done.  We drank the last drops from our shot glasses, fished out the last sinkers left at the bottom, and we got our free large top pick in hand. (Oh my gosh, we’re super grateful, Maam Ann!)

My takehome tea from SIP, choco chapp, courtesy of Maam Ann. Pasalubong for my bro, roasted lemon bush remix tea, courtesy of a loving sister. *angel pose heeharhar

You can bet I took a sip from my brother’s Sip cooler … after I gave it to him. =b Mmm, ultra lemon tea with some pulp and shavings of citrus peelings for good measure.

As for my choco chapp, it was the perfect choice. Poking a little hole on the cellophane lid with a (giant) toothpick, I sipped my complimentary Sip tea like I would drinking an occasional hot drink from stores like Starbucks or McDonald’s.

As the tea and the awesomest cream flowed together in my mouth, it tickled my taste buds.  Fantastic the way the cream blended naturally with the choco tea in EVERY sip – like sweet cappuccino foam. No clumps, no fuss, no gunk left on the sides of the glass.  Totally beats rock salt and cheese versions where the stuff, that isn’t left on the underside of the lid, is barely discernible after the first gulps.

The Cordillera/Baguio Bloggers with the owner of Sip Milk Tea Shoppe. The guys, pa-wacky-wacky-ish pose pag may time.  *giggles

X marks Sip Milk Tea Shoppe for good tea based beverages in Baguio.  Enjoy a glass of one of these inventive steeped tea options today.  The steps are easy.  It’s SIP, drink to your health, repeat.

X marking SIP tea shop.  Definitely, idloveasip.com

Drinks: 

Honeycomb waffle:  If they do start selling some with honey or syrup inside the pockets, I’d get my chompers on that for sure.

Service:  +  for being  gracious hosts.

Just so you know, eatsplorers, Sip really does deliver within the central business district for a minimum order worth P500. Call 422 0255 or text 0917 506 0021.

Ambiance: 

Price: 

SIP Milk Tea Shoppe

Unit 370, 3^rd Floor (in front of Cinema 4)

SM Baguio, Luneta Hill

Baguio City, Philippines

422 0255

0917 506 0021

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sip-Baguio/227824250697881

*** Thank you so much, Maam Ann for having us at your SIP franchise.  It was nice to see you again. Like a prefect mini reunion. \m/ More power to the store that you named after your little one! (“,)