Sugar and Spice

Sugar and Spice

Just like with Mom's, this is a play by play review for at least the first part.

It's another gross day, it started off raining, so it's damp and chilly. The perfect day to be trying a new tea! My second tasting of the Fall collection; Sugar and Spice.

Opening the bag was heavenly. It smelled like I was baking a steamed carrot pudding. I just wanted to smell it over and over! Or eat it! Damn, now I want pudding. 

I put 1 tbsp leaf to a 4 cup pot and steeped it for about 5 minutes. To be honest, I was listening to Started with a Song By Brett Kissel, and then took out the leaves when it finished playing. He's basically a big cutie from Alberta. And, the song is perfect steeping length.

The other rooms were being
used or had horrible light.

It tastes almost exactly how it smells, just not as sweet. And, thus far, it is the ONLY tea I have enjoyed MORE with a splash of milk and some Sugar in the Raw. I swear it tastes like a cookie if you put in some milk and sugar (or whichever sweetener you like the best).

The milk tones back the flavor of the black tea, which allows the carrot, apple, cinnamon, cloves, and marigold to poke through. Happily, the sugar compliments it with it's sweetness, as opposed to overpowering it. 

Drinking this tea is a good experience, but only one I'd do with sugar and milk. It may have medium caffeine, but I'm finding it quite soothing. 

Oh look! I drank the entire pot!

I think I'll be buying this before fall has run away!

Skål and stay cozy!
-Laura

IF YOU HAVE ANY TEA YOU WOULD LIKE REVIEWED, LEAVE A COMMENT AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

Mom's Apple Pie

Mom's Apple Pie by DavidsTea

Ooo the first of my Fall tea reviews!

How exciting! You're getting a review as I drink it for the first time! You lucky ducklings. Mom's Apple Pie...

When you open the bag, it literally smells exactly like an apple pie cooking in the oven. As it steeps, you get an entire room lightly smelling of baking apple pie!
Ingredients wise, it's very simple. green tea, apple pieces, cinnamon, natural and artificial flavoring.


It's a very gentle tea, I put 1 tbsp to a pot, and steeped it for the 3-4 minutes, next time I'll add more leaves, but keep the steeping time the same.

It tastes quite nice. Bright, warm. It tastes a little like apple pie...
Picture you had a bite of apple pie, swallowed, then washed it down with a gulp of green tea. That after flavor of apple pie is essentially what it tastes like.
Letting it cool a bit helped bring out some of the flavors, so I really recommend NOT drinking it piping hot. You end up losing a lot of the flavor that way.
The cooler mine got, the better it tasted. Just above warm was the best. So it was still hot, but just barely. I doubt that makes much sense but...fuck it.

It's dark out, I had to take a picture inside

It is ranked medium caffeine by DavidsTea, so probably not the best to have before bed, especially if you're sensitive to caffeine, but I don't have to wake up early tomorrow, so screw it. In fact, I think I'll make myself some more in the morning!

UPDATE:
I made a stronger pot in the morning, with 2 tbsp of Mom's Apple Pie, and it was not as good as the 1 tbsp. I steeped it for exactly 3 minutes, and it still turned a kinda bitter. It was the right strength just...bitter. Maybe 1.5 tbsp would work?

I'm not really sure if I would restock this one come end of Autumn. It being very finicky makes it less apPEELing. (Get it, a-PEEL-ing, like when peel and apple? >_> shhhh my pun isn't lame at all... ) No, but in all seriousness (tea is srs business), I decided not to restock this tea. It just doesn't do enough for me

Overall I rank it as good when it's quite mild, but when it gets stronger, it isn't so good. Even when steeped for the minimum time it says on the pouch.
If you like teas that are milder, you'll love this one. It shines when it is brewed to be mild; the balance of apple and green tea is great. But, as a person who loves a much stronger tea, it just isn't for me.
Or, if you like teas on the more tart or bitter side AND strong teas, you may like this tea. Still, no guarantees.

I gave the rest of my pouch to my green tea loving co-worker, and her and her husband absolutely love it!

Skål, and happy steeping everyone!

-L

IF YOU HAVE ANY TEA YOU WOULD LIKE REVIEWED, LEAVE A COMMENT AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

Creme Brulee

Picture taken from DavidsTea

This has to be one of my favorite teas. It has become a standby that I find very soothing, on top of being tasty!

It's Rooibos tea, and it's organic! It has organic red and green rooibos, safflowers, calendula marigold, and some natural flavoring. It's also caffeine free! Safe to have before bed. :)
It has a very smooth, caramel-y taste, while staying nice and light. Honestly, it follows the description on DavidsTea to the T.
It doesn't really smell LIKE creme brulee, but it is more like caramel sauce; relaxing and soothing either way!

It's nice to have with some cookies, or pie. Some sort of dessert, whichever you happen to like most.

My beautiful pot o'tea

I personally will make myself a pot cup if I'm having a nice relaxing candle lit bubble bath.

When making a pot, I put about a tablespoon or two in the Perfect Infuser, boil my water until the kettle start to scream  bloody murder (I cut it off before people suspect that it's a person, instead of the kettle!), and let it steep for...5-7 minutes? I'm not sure, to be honest. The amazing smell distracts me.

Without milk

Beautiful, isn't it?

Sorry no outside picture today! It's all cloudy and gross. MORE FUCKING RAIN. But...perfect day for a mug of creme brulee! Did you see what I did there? I rhymed...YOU BETTER LAUGH.

The slightly blurry with milk picture

I normally don't drink any of my teas with a dairy milk, or nondairy milk. But for you, dear readers, I'll give it a go.

I'm using skim milk, because that's what I like to drink.

Surprisingly, I like it.
Not as much as without, but it's still pretty good. If I used a cream, or even 2% milk, it may taste better than with skim. But, alas, we'll never know.



Skål!

-Laura

~~~~~~~~~~~

dun dun duuuunnnn
DOUBLE REVIEW!!

I am totally guilty of getting Laura to buy this, and she has become quite addicted. ooops?Nah. It's pretty obvious WHY.

Okay, honestly? What gets me about this tea? The SMELL!! Wow!
Creme brulee? Okay, you got us. no. It smells nothing like creme brulee (to me anyways), but it is amazing. Like... butterscotch pudding. Or those amazing little caramel cubes (best. Hallowe'en candy. ever!!) Just, MMmmmMMMmmm.

Excuse me *sniff sniff snnniiffffffff* Ahh...!
Oh, yeah. And it TASTES good, too!

To prove how yummy this is... My bird, Yoshi, the tea loving lovebird, had no interest in the Rose Congou Green. But he could smell this one and WHOOSH, he's on my hand trying to dunk his face into my steaming hot Creme Brulee! (More of Yoshi to come!)

I. Love. Rooibos.
So, naturally, I really like this tea. Very similar to Birthday Cake (will review soon) in many ways, but not as crazy sweet. This one tastes so much more naturally sweet. It just wraps you up in a blanket of dark caramel warmth. Perfect for a rainy day, like today.

This is definitely up there with my favourites - which I can't really put in any particular order or even just flat out say what they are, really... Creme Brulee rocks, though! Yum yum


-K

IF YOU HAVE ANY TEA YOU WOULD LIKE REVIEWED, LEAVE A COMMENT AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.