Cranberry Betty

I was really playing around with the idea of cold-steeping this one, but after reading some of the tasting notes I decided against it. I’ve never had a betty, but I’m guessing it’s like a slump or a cobbler? That sounds like my kind of dessert, and since it’s fall the cranberry and brown sugar are calling to me.

As it steeps, I smell lemon – it’s refreshing but also reminiscent of a hospital waiting room somehow? I don’t really know how else to describe it. It doesn’t smell like lemon cleaner or disinfectant as some citrus flavorings do, so that’s not it. I’ll have to think on it.

The liquid is a lovely apricot color, though there is a bit of a film on top. The taste is exactly like the aroma. I added a little light brown sugar as my sweetener today to see if it might boost that flavor, but it really doesn’t change anything. Honestly, this isn’t great. The lemon flavor is strange and the cranberry is nowhere to be found.

Sipdown (1527)!

Somewhat bittersweet sipdown, but I feel like that’s true of any A Quarter To Tea sipdown. The aroma off the steeped mug is bright, sweet cranberry but taking a sip I get brown sugar first on the palate before a very thick floral and sweet cranberry jam note takes over. The finish is cranberry juice, but without the tartness. It’s smooth and full bodied, and is really hitting the spot this afternoon.

2021 Sipdown 106/365!

Just sipping down a sample of this from Roswell Strange – I still have some portion of my original packet left, according to my spreadsheet. I really ended up being quite drawn to AQ2T’s cranberry flavouring, for whatever reason; it was very distinct and tended to make all of the cranberry blends taste somewhat similar – but when you like a flavour, you kind of don’t mind. Frankly, I have no idea what this tea tasted like aside from cranberry, but I know that I liked it because of the cranberry. Thanks for the bonus cranberry tea, Roswell!

I didn’t know what a cranberry betty was…now that i’ve looked it up on the interwebs after having this tea…i’m not sure that this tea would really capture the feeling of a baked good. that being said, this was much tastier than it smelled lol. I picked up the cranberry notes, but instead of “baked goods” it was just a generally tasty, slightly sweet but also tart smooth tea. I enjoyed this one! and as always, thanks a ton VariaTEA!

Tossed the ice trays in the freezer b/c the sun is out and the weather is warmer and iced tea sounds 100000x more appealing that hot. However, the ice isn’t ready yet and I wanted tea so I trued to go with something that had a lighter flavor. I was thinking Strawberry Champagne Cupcake but I didn’t find it. Instead I found this which is a fairly fall flavor profile (cranberry and brown sugar) but it was a white tea and it sounded good.

Alas, I don’t think this tastes great. I get lemon and soap. My guess is the latter is from the base tea. Some lemon. Some warmth from the brown sugar. And a touch of cranberry. But soap keeps popping up and I blame the base…and maybe age.