Big Easy by August Uncommon is a sweet sencha green tea with lemongrass, pineapple and barley. It is said to taste like pineapple cake, caramel beignets, and dried lemon peel. Well…here goes nothing…
I cold brewed this for almost 24 hours and since I had some left, I also steeped about 1.5 teaspoons in 12 oz of 175F water for 4 minutes.
Sipping on the hot tea, the first thing I notice is the sweetness. Yes, the pineapple is sweet but there is more to it than just pineapple. I was surprised that there is a caramel-like sweetness akin to what I remember a Werther’s Originals tasting like. Upon further investigation, it would seem there is caramel in the ingredient list so that caramel is meant to be there and not my mind playing tricks on me. Anyways, the two sweet elements combined manage to not be overwhelming while also capturing pineapple cake. I think it is the lemongrass that reigns in the sweetness and perhaps the tiny bit of rosehips. In addition to the gentle herb-citrus quality of the lemongrass, there is a brighter orange note that underlines the sip. All the while, I think the barley gives this body and helps capture a breadiness/cereal note that provides a solid foundation for the other flavors.
The cold brew is a little less complex than the hot tea. The pineapple really takes over with a sprinkling of citrus throughout. The caramel is more just sweet than distinctly caramel and the barley is gone entirely. It is not bad but can border on cloying and mostly just feels familiar and done before. As a hot tea, it feels more unique.
All in all, I enjoy this tea, though my preferred method of brewing it would be hot. It is an interesting tea but given it has a fairly distinct flavor, at least as a hot tea, it is one I can see enjoying for a while but growing tired of it overtime. That is the problem with something that is so different flavorwise…it is fun for a while but easy to grow bored of. Still worth trying and enjoying at least for a little while.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: August Uncommon Tea
Description
This tea is not available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peeps from the Necessiteas
Two of our Sisters recently reviewed My Peeps from The NecessiTeas. . .here is the first one!
Springtime is historically the season for Peeps: those iconic, yellow sugar-coated marshmallow chicks. The company behind Peeps has done quite a bit of branching out since those original Easter Sundays. Now Peeps come in every seasonal shape and color, pumpkins and frankenstein heads for fall, snowmen and gingerbread men for winter, and more flavors and kooky combinations than you can imagine.
I’m partial to marshmallows, whether big soft marshmallows in my hot cocoa, mini marshmallows in my Lucky Charms, or marshmallow-coated snowball cakes– you name it. And yes, I like Peeps too. The Necessiteas captured the sweet whimsy of marshmallow peeps in this delicious tea blend.
This decaf honeybush blend is super jam-packed with strong vanilla, almost caramel flavors. In both smell and taste, the foremost flavor in the blend is the beyond-vanilla buttercream frosting, meant to be ultra-reminiscent of marshmallows and marshmallow cream. It’s hard to imagine exactly what flavors make marshmallows so distinctive, but the sugary sweetness with clean vanilla are a close match. The honeybush is a great tea to use as a base, the leaves being gentle enough not to overpower the marshmallow flavoring.
Just in case the flavor alone wasn’t enough to entice you to try a cup of this brew, the loose leaf have mini marshmallows and pink sugar crystals to add sweetness and cuteness in equal measure.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: The Necessiteas
Easter just would’t be the same without peeps. In fact, you could say that peeps are to food what ugly Christmas sweaters are to clothing. You know whether you prefer chicks to bunnies, fresh to stale, or plain to chocolate-covered. I personally prefer slightly stale pink bunnies! When it comes to peeps, you either love them or you hate them. Their sugary, marshmallowy sweetness is enough to make your teeth ache, and I’m ok with that! I decided to make a healthier version of my favorite Easter treat by blending naturally sweet honeybush with mini marshmallows, pink sugar crystals and organic flavors. The outcome? Same sweet, marshmallowy goodness, minus the toothache!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Berry Bushel Bounty from Plum Deluxe. . . .
There’s something magical that happens whenever I get a new tea from Plum Deluxe. It’s like Andy and his fantastic tea blenders just have a wire straight to my brain and know JUST what kind of tea I’m craving at any given moment. (Seriously, you guys. How do you do it. HOW.)
When this fruity, fragrant tea of the month showed up at my doorstep, I was a tiny bit cranky from this random week dreary getting close to spring time kind of days — and little did I know, a fresh cup of fruity iced tea was just what the doctor ordered to cure me of my let’s get winter over -crankyness.
This delicious oolong & black blend brews up with mild, fruity sweetness in the brewed cup, and is a perfect combination with a splash of lemonade (my favorite way to serve it) or paired with a hint of sparkling water. But you guys, if we’re being honest? I’ve been hoarding the dry leaf to sniff instead of brewing it because it smells OH SO VERY GOOD. Do you remember the sweet and delicious tang of strawberry fruit snacks as a kiddo? This tea is a DEAD RINGER for that delightful flavor-memory, but sans any of the chemical-ick.
Frankly, it’s the only cure I’ve found to remedy the crankiness that is born of cold dreary days. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go pour a cup and stick my nose in the dry leaf and enjoy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong & Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Cheesecake from The NecessiTeas. . . .
If you are looking for a dessert tea to curb that sweet tooth. . .look no further The NecessiTeas and their amazingly hand blended decadent tea blends. Just check out the review below from our sister. . .
For sure a creamy cuppa.
If cheesecake is your favorite dessert you need to give this tea a try.
The black base is harmoniously complimented by flavors of strawberries and cream.
Even the wet smell is creamy and fruity.
Check out all that The NecessiTeas has to offer! You won’t be disappointed. We promise you! But hurry! A lot of these hand blended beauties are in limited supply.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
Now you can indulge in cheesecake anytime without waiting for a seat at the Cheesecake Factory. This blend is a rich, creamy, strawberry-topped showstopper and completely guilt-free!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jelly and Ice Cream from Teapigs. . . . .
I recently tried a cheeky box set of tea samples from Teapigs, and their packaging and labels were so cute and irresistible. One flavor that wasn’t available in the box set was a blend made in honor of the Teapigs 10th anniversary in 2016. It was meant as a limited edition blend, but it made such a hit that you can still place fresh orders for the blend today.
Jelly and Ice Cream was such an unusual flavor name and profile, I just had to check it out. This is an herbal blend, made with lots of fruit pieces and natural flavoring. The dry leaf smells both fruity and nutty, almost like sugary cereal, and brings to mind sticking your nose into a box of Crunch Berries. The blend brews up as a rich, amber-pink color and tastes much like its scent, only smoother and sweeter. The great news is that even though the tea is pink, there’s no sour hibiscus petals, so fruity-tea lovers of the world can rejoice that this blend isn’t overpowered by hibiscus tartness.
The flavors are just balanced enough to give me a full taste of both the jam-like raspberries and strawberries, and the sweet-cake tones of vanilla, cream, and biscuits. Despite the dessert-like name, there’s something bright and breakfast-oriented about this blend, like toast with jam, or fruity cereal in milk. This blend entices me to make it part of my balanced breakfast! Besides, it makes me feel whimsical and like a kid eating dessert-first.
Not being British, I’m not sure if this tea is based on a type of dessert in real life, but no matter what side of the pond you’re on, it’s hard to argue against flavors like jelly and ice cream and cake.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Teapigs
Description:
In 2006 the Iphone didn’t exist, the Kardashians were not a (big) thing, nobody #HASHTAGGED anything, people asked directions, smoking in pubs happened, Lance Armstrong was liked, Desperate Housewives ruled our lives, Woolworth’s pick’n’mix ruled our kids lives, avocado’s were not cool and teapigs was launched. We celebrate 10 years of great quality tea with this blend of strawberry jelly & ice cream. Grab a mug and raise a Birthday toast to teapigs!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!