Big Apple

omg i’m so excited!
omg what did i just do?!
i swear i was just gonna LOOK at the davidstea stuff…
but then all of a sudden i had The Earl’s Garden, Bamboozled, and Big Apple in my cart
PLUS
TWO Timolino Travel Mugs?!?!?!, one White and one FUCKING AWESOME Mate Purple!!!!
i couldn’t help myself! it was just so beautiful!
our eyes met and my knees immediately went weak. and i’m so excited to hold it close.
also i left my timolinos at home today by accident. weird. and it’s also raining and snowing at the same time right now out my window. help me Big Apple.

Trying to clean up my apartment yet again. I’ve tackled the pantry for the most part so my tea can have a nice spot. Yay!

I’ve had two steeps of this iced so far. The first steep I did at only 30 seconds. It wasn’t too flavored though, and there’s some spicy tones I was getting a lot from, almost like nutmeg I guess from the green tea.

Second steep I decided to try 3 minutes. I didn’t immediately put this one over ice, but let it sit and cool off until I was going to eat dinner. It still needed a couple ice cubes but it didn’t dilute it very much. There’s still a little spice, but it’s mostly apple and also very creamy.

I’m loving the apple in this tea. It’s well done for once in a white tea, because it doesn’t turn into apple juice. It isn’t super sweet, it’s just right. It tastes like there’s just the right amount of apple.

Speaking of apples, I can’t believe one of the orchards I know of in north Georgia is already harvesting some apple varieties! It feels so early, but then again August is right around the corner.

Thanks for picking this one up for me, Kittenna!

I went to visit my old roommate, who happens to work at David’s Tea, the other day and really went overboard on buying samples (and mugs). I’ve found a new way to waste resources and procrastinate: hold heat-sensitive mug under hot water, while turning it slightly. The colour change lasts longer if a hot substance is actually in the mug so I promise I won’t do that horrible thing too often.

Most of the samples I picked up were winter teas but I also grabbed a few non-seasonal deviants under ex-roomie’s “persuasive” coaxing. Big Apple was one of the deviant teas; along with Buddha’s Blend. She was a huge advocate for Big Apple but told me that it’s tricky steep and should be left in cooler waters than suggested. With that tidbit I steeped Big Apple around the 70 Celsius mark.

Big Apple smells so strongly of apple that it should be no shock that it also tastes like apple. The exciting factors are the hints of vanilla and unidentified spice (cinnamon or nutmeg) that I get. The tea gives an overall impression of apple pie with ice cream or some other baked apple dessert. It’s buttery and gooey light like a doughy crust or melted ice cream. Cream white goes into a soft green spice and end with a fruity, teasingly tart, apple. I feel like I’m drinking a baked and generously buttered spiced apple, especially when it cools down. Aftertaste is mostly apple. No astringency at all.

At about 5 min with estimated 70-82 C water, the second steep still has some apple flavour and a mushy vanilla note but I’m not picking up as much spice, only the softest of coatings! The liquid still gives off the scent of spiced apple but the aftertaste has creamy white tea with a toned down apple. Third steep is very diluted but Faintly fruity and very buttery leaves.

I haven’t had Mom’s Apple Pie or Movie Night in a while but this reminds me vaguely of both of them. Big Apple is much more buttery than the former and doesn’t taste as oily and weak (tea-wise) as the later. I have to try it at the actual recommended temperature, but for now I’m satisfied with this tea.

Ok, although this one smells to me much like Mom’s Apple Pie without the cinnamon, the flavour is definitely different. Yes, the apple flavour here is similar, but there’s almost a creaminess/caramel flavour at the end of the sip which is quite good. The downside to cold-brewing is that even though this is a white tea, I’m getting some bitterness, which means I won’t be cold-brewing this one again!

Cold brewed this one.
I definitely get apples with this one. I don’t get caramel apple in this one, but I haven’t tried it hot yet.
It was a little bit tart, but it was bearable for sure, some apples are tart. Not sure if I will re-stock or just finish off my sample.

After four cups, I’ve decided there is no way possible for me to brew this and actually enjoy it. There are notes there I adore for the apple, but I can’t seem to get the brew right. Still on the search for a perfect apple tea I guess.

Dry Leaf Nose: Rich apple notes with tea notes in the background.

Liquor: Golden yellow and clear with a very rich and ripe apple aroma.

Flavour: Ripe golden apples, fruity and spicy mingled with fine green and white teas. Green tea brings the spiciness of ripe apples to the blend.

This is the 2nd time I have tried my free sample from DT. The first time I was dumb and fallowed the instructions on the pack…… never again.

Ok the dry leaf of this smells EXACTLY like Jelly Belly beans green apple with a hint of carmal. The wet brew smells similar as well. I have to say though, I am not digging this tea. The little bit of the tea base that pops through is ok, but I get this astringency from it; though I didn’t brew it in a glass tea pot and stuff. The flavor unsweeten is ok. It has a weird sour note, and just taste fakey though due to the artificial flavoring. Usually I am not too sensitive to artificial stuff but it seems in my tea I notice it more; seems black tea’s pull them off better. The flavor just isn’t working. When I added a spot of sweetener it helped pull the flavor together better, but it was still meh.

I kinda wonder why they used artificial flavoring for apple. I mean white and green teas can already taste crisp and sweet. If they just kept the dehydrated apple pieces and used natural flavoring it would taste more like a real apple.

Overall I don’t like this tea. It just taste fakey and ick. I am not rating due to the lack of water temp measuring and playing around with it, but if I was going to rate it I would give it a 50 or lower

Big Apple is yet another sample from my order with David’s Tea. It’s definitely not something I would order on my own but I like it. In fact, I think I love it. Like a lot. And I hate apple so this, as a whole, is quite strange.

Big Apple tastes like the all the things I love about applesauce without all the things I hate like the texture and mushiness. The apple was nice. Not at all overpowering or jolly rancher-ish. There was a very nice spice flavor—perhaps nutmeg. I don’t know where it came from—maybe the green tea—-but it was appreciated because apple without nutmeg is a boring apple. I also got a strong buttery almost brown butter or caramel taste. I am not sure where that came from so I may be imagining it or maybe it’s from the white tea.

I was not expecting to like this one as much as I did but I’m thinking I will buy this during the summer to have iced. Or perhaps another apple tea from David’s (I have my eye on Mom’s Apple Pie). Or maybe both. I’m like that—I buy in bulk.

Urgh, I knew this would happen. I just knew it! Baby #2 is currently waging war on my ability to hold anything down longer than an hour: prenatal vitamins? Nope. Captain Crunch? Bye, bye. Applesauce? At least it tastes nearly the same down as it does up. Oatmeal? Not a chance!

I had my fingers crossed that this pregnancy would be different, but no, “morning” sickness—more like all-day-and night sickness—has kicked in. BIG time. Thus I’m on Diclectin, which takes away the nausea + vomiting, but leaves me super drowsy! So drowsy that I couldn’t wait to put my 19-month-old down for her after-lunch nap so that I could have one too!

Which brings me to tea. I’ve been craving it like madness, but then the thought of getting the kettle boiled, tea in cup, water over tea, waiting for steep, etc, was enough to send this pregnant gal back to bed. Too much work? Hey, I’m growing a human here. It takes a lot of effort! Plus, I never know if I’m going to open up some tea-pouch and have the scent send me reeling to the bathroom.

My solution? A tea that has a short steep time (pregnancy makes me impatient) + it has to be fruity (fruit doesn’t set off my nausea) = BIG APPLE. I erred on the side of caution by only steeping it for a minute, which turned out to be the right choice since this tea is light and apple-y, with the tiniest hint of caramel. To me, so much more satisfying than Baked Apple or Mom’s Apple Pie.

Now, fingers crossed this drowsiness subsides so I have the energy to brew more complex teas again…

Well, it smells awesome in the bag. My steep is decidedly milder than that, and just encroaching on bitterness. I like how fresh this is but I don’t feel I got the best brew out of my first try. I did have mine hot, with a second steeping into my kids tumbler to chill overnight. I might try sweetening this one with honey next time. We shall see…

This tea is delicious!

The dry leaf smells wonderful – fresh tea and fresh apples. There is a lot of tea leaf in this mix, a good balance of the green and white – along with a generous amount of dried apple pieces.

Steeped 3 min – 92F water. The fresh appley taste really comes through, and it doesn’t taste at all artificial – it is followed by smooth green and white teas lingering. No spices, nothing exotic – just good, clean apple tea. Tried adding a bit of raw sugar at the end and this was nice as well!

Iced – doubled the amount of tea used previously and poured the steeped tea over ice. Let this sit a while and came back to it – this is awesome iced, really quite refreshing! Again, tastes like apples and tea – not artificial or like apple juice. Added agave when I poured some for a friend and she said it was great!

This is a light tea – so if you pick up 50g your little silver sachet will be stuffed full, definitely a bonus! I went back a few days after purchasing my first 50g to buy another 50 in a tin so I can add them together. It’s that good!

Edge of bitterness on the sweet taste at the finish of the sip. There is definitely apple flavour on the after-taste. I’m detecting a hint of a type of full coconut-like/caramel-like taste in this. I can’t seem to extract the flavour of the white or green tea.
As the tea cools, I’m getting some roasted tones- presumably from the green tea in the blend.

I’ve had a few cups of this now, and its quite pleasant. Dry, it smells quite apply (though a different type of apple scent to what I’m used to. And I know my apples, my home state ain’t called the Apple Isle for no reason!). Steeped, there’s a lovely soft apple scent. Steeped, you can taste the base white with the apple being the prominent flavour. I found that using the recommended temperature for this can produce a bitter white, so I steep it a bit cooler, around 80oC. And coupled with a short-ish steep time, you can get two strongly flavoured cups or 3 softer flavoured infusions out of the leaves (using DT’s 1.5 teaspoons). Will have to try it iced before I finish the bag.

I love apples! I have one (sometimes two) every day. Sometimes I microwave them with cinnamon. It’s the closest thing to baked apples without an oven (I learned this trick in Japan, where ovens are rare). Apples remind me of my grandparent’s apple orchard and baked apples and cakes and pies and everything comforting and yummy. I just love love love them!

I realize that was somewhat of a digression, but having said that, I really love this tea. I’m drinking it with Almond Breeze right now and it really reminds me of my microwaved apples. It’s creamy and delicious, full of pure apple flavor. It smells so wonderful and tastes like my childhood.

Note that I brewed it for 2 min, rather than the 3-4 min instruction on the label. The David’s girl who sold it to me said that any longer than 2 min brings out too much bitterness. My brew turned out perfectly, with absolutely no bitterness, so I’m going by what she said.

Yum this smells like some sort of apple candy I can’t quite put my finger on. I’m getting a hint of apple in this one, reminiscent of an apple oatmeal flavour.
Perhaps I’ll try it iced before I leave a rating.

The last little while has been tough on my United States neighbor..including the iconic city of New York or the “Big Apple” as we like to call it.
this is my own little way of showing support to New Yorkers and other east Coasters.
I am raising a steaming cup of tea named in honor of New York in a toast to those struggling after the hurricane Sandy devastation.

I hope all of you come out of this safe and sound.

In the pouch this tea smells fresh like green apple candy also a little nutty and a tad earthy.
Once brewed it gets more rich….really warm and inviting the apple making my mouth seriously water.
I put more in and steeped longer to get more flavor from the white tea not realizing it had green tea in it as well so I am hoping it won’t become bitter.
Oh but it does smell amazing.It’s a perfect contrast to what’s going on outside.

It tastes like warm days wrapped in perfectly comfortable sweaters as rain and snow fall outside.
It has a little tartness that is just lovely and balanced with the warming effect of the tea.
It’s also refreshing and light (iced is on my mind soon!)

I did steep too long so it was a tad bitter but unlike lesser teas it did not ruin it the loveliness still comes through.

I don’t believe this will be a staple but I sure as hell will enjoy it while I have it!

Made for me at a DavidsTea store. 3-minute steep.

I really need to stop trying flavoured teas. The older and grumpier I get, the more I want straight tea. And yet, I tell myself, somewhere that perfect blend awaits …

Well, this one’s fine and dandy, as flavoured teas dominated by their flavours go. Pleasant apple taste without being too sour. But, as usual with many of DavidsTea flavoured teas, I don’t taste any tea. Not enough white tea, at least. You can taste white tea in the DT Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble, for example. Really, there’s nothing wrong with Big Apple, except that I want to taste tea when I drink tea.

I purchased a whopping 100g of this based on smell alone. Oops. My first brew followed the bags recommendation (4min @ 80C). My second brew was 3min @ 80C. Both were seriously so bitter I ended up dumping it all down the drain.

After some googling, I tried again, brewing it for no more than 2 minutes at 70C. That did the trick. It has the perfect amount of apple, and it is slightly creamy. It feels comfy. That smell that drew me to this tea comes out perfectly if you can get the brew just right, but this is one tricky brew.

Oh my! the smell is just heavenly straight out of the bag and also while brewing. The taste of apple is obvious although it didn’t have the tartness that I expected, which I thought was a nice alternative to other apple teas I have tried in the past. To me it seems to have tones of butter caramel in there somewhere~ yummy-yum! Maybe that’s just my palate though? I will definitely buy this one again.