Mornings get crisp fast now, and the evenings come earlier every day. A homemade tea latte is about the easiest comfort I know of, and you can pour one for yourself.

We are picky tea drinkers here, and we care about good leaf that doesn't cost a fortune. These are three latte recipes we reach for all autumn. You don't need a café line for any of them, just loose leaf, hot water, and the milk you like.

1. Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte

Start with our Pumpkin Spiced Tea: premium Ceylon black tea with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, marigold flowers, and natural pumpkin flavor. It is the first blend I grab once the leaves start turning.

For each cup:

• Use 1 heaping teaspoon of loose leaf

• Pour freshly boiled water (212°F / 100°C) over the leaves

• Steep 3–5 minutes, then strain

• Froth or warm about ½–¾ cup milk (dairy or plant-based) and pour it over the tea

• Sweeten lightly with maple syrup or honey, and dust with cinnamon if you like

If you want the spice to hold its own against the milk, brew it a touch stronger. It is just as good in the afternoon, honestly.

2. Classic Masala Chai Latte

Our Masala Chai is a full-bodied black tea with South Indian masala spices (ginger, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper). You can taste the ginger and cardamom right at the finish.

Hot chai method (from how we brew it in-house):

• Bring fresh water to a rolling boil

• Use 1 heaping teaspoon of chai per cup

• Steep 5–10 minutes (at least 7 for a true chai taste)

• Prepare your cup with a little sugar and about 20% milk by volume, then pour in the strained chai

Like it creamier? Brew the chai as usual and top it with steamed milk, just like a latte. Craving vanilla with the same spice? Try our Vanilla Chai the same way. Browse the full chai selection if you are hunting for a new favorite.

3. Homemade London Fog

A London Fog is really just Earl Grey with steamed milk and a hint of vanilla sweetness. Our Cream Earl Grey (also known as Earl Grey de la Crème) was made for exactly this. It is Ceylon black tea with bergamot, rounded out by smooth vanilla and soft cream, with blue cornflower petals.

Per 8 oz cup:

• Use 1 teaspoon of Cream Earl Grey

• Steep in freshly boiled water for 3–5 minutes

• Strain into your mug

• Add steamed milk and a small splash of vanilla syrup or a drop of vanilla extract with a touch of honey

The vanilla is already in the leaf, so you won't need much sweetener. It makes a quiet, elegant cup for slow mornings or a late-afternoon reset.

A few latte tips that always help

• Brew a little stronger than you would for black tea, since milk mellows the cup.

• Fresh water matters. Reboiled water can taste flat.

• Keep loose leaf in an airtight container, away from light, air, moisture, and heat, so the flavors stay bright.

• Want to try a blend first? Samples start at just $2.95, well before you commit to a larger bag.

Pumpkin-spiced, classic chai, or London Fog, it's all quality tea at prices that won't make you wince. That's the same approach we've followed since our Tea Zone days in Boston.

Warm up the milk, pick your favorite, and let the season feel a little cozier. See you in the next post, and happy steeping from all of us at Beantown Tea & Spices!

Once the weather turns warm, a tall glass of iced tea is about the best thing going. Making it is easy, but a few small habits make the difference between a glass that’s just cold and one that actually tastes good. Here’s how we make ours.

Step 1: Choose Your Tea. Start with good leaf. We carry a wide variety of high-quality loose-leaf teas that make great iced tea. For the classic glass, I’d reach for a black tea like our Assam or Ceylon. If you want something milder, green tea or white tea work nicely too.

Step 2: Brew Your Tea. Bring your water to a boil and steep the leaves. Our usual guide is 1 tablespoon of tea per 8 ounces of water. For iced tea, double it. So if you’d normally use 1 tablespoon for 8 ounces, use 2 tablespoons for 8 ounces when you’re making it to pour over ice.

Once the water boils, give it a few minutes to cool before the tea goes in. Steep for 3-5 minutes depending on the type of tea, and check the specific instructions for whichever tea you picked.

Step 3: Sweeten Your Tea (Optional). If you like it sweet, add sugar or another sweetener now, while the tea is still warm. We offer natural sweeteners like honey and agave nectar if you want just a touch.

Step 4: Chill Your Tea. Now cool it down. Pour it over ice, or put it in the refrigerator. Either way, give it enough time to chill all the way through before you serve it.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy! Pour it into a tall glass over ice and add a slice of lemon or a sprig of mint. That little extra makes it feel like summer.

That’s really all there is to it: pick the right tea, brew it properly, sweeten if you like, and chill it. Grab a bag of Beantown Tea and make yourself a glass.

Cold brew tea has been showing up everywhere lately, and I get why. It tastes clean and refreshing, and there's a health angle too. So let's talk about what's actually in the glass: the health benefits of cold brew tea, how it's different from a regular hot-brewed cup, and why the brewing process and temperature matter so much.

Most of the good stuff in tea comes from its antioxidants and phytonutrients. The big three are catechins, theaflavins, and thearubigens. These compounds are behind benefits like better cognitive function and help with weight management.

Polyphenols are one of the most important antioxidants in tea, and they carry a lot of health benefits. Here's where cold brew gets interesting. It ends up with more polyphenols than hot tea, simply because of how it's made. Cold brew steeps at low temperatures with little to no heat. Hot tea steeps in hot water, and that heat can bring the polyphenol level down. Polyphenols have been found to have some real potential benefits, like reducing inflammation, preventing damage to DNA, and lowering the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Catechins are another antioxidant in tea with plenty of benefits, but they're a little fragile. Heat them and they can break down, which means you get less out of them. That's the catch with hot-brewed tea. Cold brew stays at a low temperature, so the catechins stay intact. Studies have shown the catechins in cold brew tea can reduce the risk of heart disease, improve cholesterol levels, and lower blood pressure.

Then there are theaflavins, a third antioxidant tied to a whole range of health benefits. Studies have shown they can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can lead to chronic disease. They've also been found to reduce the risk of cancer and improve liver health. Because cold brew is made at a lower temperature, you get more theaflavins than you would from hot tea, and more of the benefits that come with them.

Thearubigens round out the list. Like theaflavins, they've been shown in studies to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. They also have antiviral activity and can improve blood pressure. And once again, there are more of them in cold brewed tea than in hot, thanks to that lower brewing temperature.

So that's the case for cold brew. It's an excellent source of polyphenols, catechins, theaflavins, and thearubigens, all antioxidants linked to a long list of health benefits. Since the water never gets hot, those compounds are less likely to break down, and more of the good stuff makes it into your glass. Honestly, it's one of the best ways I know to get the health benefits of tea.

Tea and coffee are the world's two favorite ways to get a gentle lift, and both owe it to the same natural stimulant: caffeine. Caffeine is the same molecule whether it comes from a tea leaf or a coffee bean, but the amount that ends up in your cup, and how it feels, can be quite different.

Here's how the two compare, and how to pick a tea that matches the kind of energy you want.

How much caffeine is in a cup?

According to the Mayo Clinic's caffeine chart, typical amounts per 8-ounce cup look like this:

• Brewed coffee: about 95 mg

• Black tea: about 47 mg

• Green tea: about 28 mg

These are averages, and real cups vary a lot. Still, a cup of tea usually has roughly half the caffeine of a cup of coffee, or less.

Wait, don't tea leaves have more caffeine?

By weight, dry tea leaves can actually contain more caffeine than coffee beans. The difference is how much you use. A cup of tea takes about 2–3 grams of leaf, while a cup of coffee takes roughly twice that or more in ground beans. Coffee is also brewed in a way that pulls out more of its caffeine, so the cup ends up stronger.

What changes the caffeine in your tea

• Steep time. The longer the leaves sit, the more caffeine comes out.

• Water temperature. Hotter water extracts caffeine faster, which is one reason green tea, brewed cooler, often ends up lower.

• Amount of leaf. More tea means more caffeine.

• Leaf size. Broken leaves release caffeine faster than whole leaves.

• Re-steeping. The first infusion carries the most caffeine, and each one after that carries less.

• Matcha. Because you whisk and drink the whole powdered leaf, matcha tends to be on the higher end for tea.

The color of the tea isn't a reliable guide on its own. Some green and white teas made from young buds can be fairly high in caffeine, while some black teas are mild.

Why tea feels different

Tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid found almost only in the tea plant. Research suggests that L-theanine and caffeine together support a calm, focused kind of alertness, which may be why many people find tea gives them a smoother lift than coffee. We dig into that research in calm focus in a cup.

Teas for every energy level

• A strong morning cup: English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast.

• A focused afternoon: Sencha or Gyokuro.

• A lighter lift: Hojicha or Kukicha, which are generally lower in caffeine.

• The evening: Decaf Cream Earl Grey or one of our herbal and fruit teas, which are naturally caffeine-free. See more ideas in our caffeine-free tea guide.

How much is too much?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is generally fine for most healthy adults. That's several cups of tea. If you're pregnant, sensitive to caffeine, or taking medication, check with your doctor about what's right for you.

Coffee and tea both have their place. If you'd like a gentler, steadier lift with a lot of flavor to explore, tea is a wonderful choice.

Water temperature is the easiest way to make your tea taste better. Too hot, and delicate greens and whites turn bitter. Too cool, and a black tea or oolong comes out thin and flat. Match the water to the leaf and the same tea suddenly tastes the way it should.

Here's a quick guide to water temperature for each type of tea, based on the brewing tips on our product pages. Treat these as starting points and adjust to taste.

Water temperature at a glance

• Japanese green tea (like Sencha): 160–175°F, 1–2 minutes

• Gyokuro: 120–140°F, about 2 minutes

• Most other green teas: 175–185°F, 2–3 minutes

• White tea: 170–185°F, 3–5 minutes

• Oolong tea: 185–205°F, 3–5 minutes

• Black tea: freshly boiled, 205–212°F, 3–5 minutes

• Herbal and fruit teas: freshly boiled water, 5–10 minutes

Green tea: keep it cool

Green tea is heated soon after picking to stop oxidation, so it keeps a fresh, vegetal flavor. Very hot water pulls out its bitter compounds quickly. Steamed Japanese greens like Sencha do best around 160–175°F for just a minute or two. Shaded Gyokuro goes even cooler, 120–140°F, which brings out its sweetness and savory umami. Most other green teas are happy at 175–185°F.

White tea: warm, not hot

White tea is only withered and dried, so the leaves are delicate. Water at 170–185°F and a 3–5 minute steep bring out its soft, honeyed sweetness without any harshness. Try it with Silver Needle or White Peony, and learn more in what is white tea.

Oolong tea: hotter water, many steeps

Oolongs are partly oxidized and often tightly rolled, so they need hotter water, 185–205°F, to open up. Lighter, greener oolongs like Iron Goddess (Ti Kuan Yin) sit at the lower end, while darker, roasted styles can take the top of the range. The same leaves can be steeped several times, and each cup tastes a little different. Read more in how oolong tea is made.

Black tea: just off the boil

Black tea is fully oxidized and sturdy, so it wants freshly boiled water, 205–212°F, to draw out its full body. A classic like English Breakfast takes 3–5 minutes. Some lighter black teas are nicer at 195–205°F with a shorter steep. For more, see our tips for brewing black tea.

Herbal and fruit teas: boiling is fine

Herbal and fruit blends aren't made from the tea plant, so there's no bitterness to worry about. Use freshly boiled water and give them time. A fruit blend like Red Orange takes 5–10 minutes to get its full flavor.

How to get the temperature right without a thermometer

• Use a variable-temperature kettle if you have one. It takes all the guesswork out.

• Bring water to a boil, then let it rest with the lid off. After a few minutes it drops into green and white tea range.

• Add a splash of cool water to boiled water to bring the temperature down quickly.

• Watch the bubbles. Tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pot mean the water is still well below boiling, and a rolling boil means it's ready for black or herbal tea.

Every tea page on our site lists its own brewing tips, so check there for the best starting point. Find your next favorite in our green, white, oolong, black, and herbal and fruit tea collections.

If you love espresso drinks, here's a fun experiment: run tea through your espresso machine instead of coffee. The method is almost the same as pulling a coffee shot, and the result is a strong, concentrated tea you can sip straight, stretch with hot water, or turn into a tea cappuccino or latte. A few simple choices make the difference between a harsh shot and a delicious one, so let's go through them.

A tea cappuccino made with CTC black tea.

Choose a black tea

Black tea is the best fit for espresso. It's fully oxidized, so it has a fuller, more robust flavor that holds up to the very hot water and pressure of an espresso machine, and to milk afterward. Green and white teas are unoxidized or only lightly processed, and their delicate flavors tend to turn grassy or bitter under those conditions, so save them for gentle steeping in a cup or teapot.

CTC black tea grounds after brewing.

Use a CTC tea for the best extraction

We recommend a CTC black tea. CTC stands for "cut, tear, curl" (you'll also see "crush, tear, curl"), a machine method that turns tea leaves into tiny, uniform pellets. Because the pieces are so small, water pulls flavor out of them quickly, which is exactly what you want in the short time a shot takes. They also pack into a portafilter much like ground coffee, while big, fluffy whole leaves don't.

Our Irish Breakfast is a CTC blend of Assam and Kenya black teas with a strong, malty flavor that loves milk, so it's a great place to start.

CTC tea in the porta-filter.

Fill and tamp the portafilter

Fill and tamp the portafilter the way you normally would for coffee, but don't overfill it. Then pull your shot.

Adjust to taste

If the shot is too strong to enjoy on its own, top it up with hot water, much like an Americano. For a tea cappuccino or latte, add steamed milk and foam, and play with the ratio until it tastes right to you. A little honey or sugar is lovely, too.

Tea espresso dripping out into the cups.

Now turn on the machine and enjoy your first tea espresso! For more ways to brew, read our guide on how to brew the perfect cup of black tea, or browse our Black Tea collection.

Want a bold, full-bodied cup of tea with real strength behind it? If you have a stovetop moka pot at home, try brewing tea in it. A moka pot pushes hot water up through the leaves under gentle pressure, and the result is a rich, concentrated brew that's wonderful on its own or as the base for a black tea latte.

What kind of tea works best in a moka pot?

In our experience, black tea is the best fit. It's fully oxidized, so it holds up to the high heat and pressure of a moka pot and still tastes smooth and malty. Green and white teas are much more delicate; at these temperatures they tend to turn bitter or grassy, so save them for gentle steeping in a cup or teapot.

Small, broken-leaf black teas are especially good here because they release their flavor quickly. Our Irish Breakfast is a CTC tea (cut, tear and curl) made from Assam and Kenya teas, and its tiny pellets pack evenly into the moka pot basket. English Breakfast and Assam Hunwal are also great choices if you love a malty, robust cup with milk.

How to brew tea in a moka pot

1. Fill the base with hot water. Starting with hot water shortens the time the leaves sit over the heat. Fill only to just below the safety valve.

2. Add the tea to the filter basket. Fill the basket with tea leaves and level them off with a spoon. Don't press or tamp the leaves down, and don't overfill the basket.

3. Assemble the pot. Screw the top section on firmly (use a towel, since the base will be hot) and set the pot on the stove.

4. Heat over medium. Keep the flame or burner at medium, and make sure it doesn't reach up around the handle.

5. Watch for the first trickle. Take the pot off the heat as soon as tea starts dribbling out of the spout. The remaining heat will push the rest of the tea through.

6. Pour and enjoy. Moka pot tea is strong and concentrated, so you can drink it as is, top it up with a little hot water, or add steamed milk for a creamy tea latte.

Tips for the best moka pot tea

• Adjust the strength. If the tea is too strong, use a little less tea in the basket next time rather than packing it tighter.

• Keep it clean. Rinse the basket and gasket well after each brew so tea residue doesn't build up or flavor your coffee.

• Sweeten to taste. A spoonful of honey or sugar goes well with the bold, malty flavor, especially in a latte.

Prefer a more traditional cup? See our tips for brewing the perfect cup of black tea, or try making a tea espresso and cappuccino with your espresso machine. You can find all of our loose-leaf black teas here.

When tea starts dribbling out, take the pot off the stove. 

This thirst quenching tropical delight is an alcohol free Iced Tea Sangria. It is a perfect kids friendly summer drink. Please see recipe below for ingredients and direction.

Ingredients to made a 60 oz. pitcher:

• 5 teaspoons of Black Tea . We used our Assam Behora Estate for its strength and malty flavor. 

• 2 cups of fruits. Use fruits and berries that are fresh at your local market. We used strawberries, mandarin oranges, sweet tomatos, and apricots.

• Honey or sugar to taste. Alternatively, use stevia extract to make a sugar free version. 

• 1 lime and 5 fresh mint leaves.   

• Ice. 

Direction:

• Wash, peel and cut the fruits into bite size pieces and put them into a pitcher.

• Add mint leaves and honey (or sugar) in the pitcher. 

• Muddle and mash the fruits, mint and sweetener for 30 seconds.

• Fill pitcher with ice.

• Bring 30 oz. of water to a boil. Then use a tea pot (or a heat resistant pot) and steep the tea leaves in the freshly boiled water for 5 minutes.

• When tea is brewed, strain and pour tea into the ice-filled pitcher.

• Stir well and top off with more ice if needed.  

Enjoy!

Want a delicious and healthy breakfast to start your day? This nutrient packed Matcha green tea and oatmeal breakfast should get you charged up for the day.

Pictured above is a freshly made Matcha Oatmeal with almond milk, pine nuts, almond pieces and sweet red beans.  It is delicious, packed full of nutrients and energizing.

It is very easy to prepare. First, make an oatmeal like you normally would. We put in almond milk just because we like how it tastes. Alternatively, you can use regular milk, coconut milk  or rice milk.

Second, whisk 1 teaspoon of Matcha with 1-2 ounces of water to make a thick/dense matcha green tea and add it to the oatmeal. 

Finally, put some nuts, and/or fruits according to your preference. We like to use pine nuts , cut up almonds and sweet red beans.

Enjoy! 

Kenya’s highland is one of the best location for tea production. It has got the right altitude, optimum soil and climate conditions for tea growing.  

In recent years, Kenya has become a major producer in the tea trade. Tea farms in Kenya adapt very quickly to new trends and technologies. The black tea matcha is a fine example of what Kenya has to offer. The special tea leave are specifically selected for their tannin and antioxidants count. After the harvest, they are processed in small batches and craftily stone ground into fine powder. 

This Kenya Highlands Matcha brews up a very well balanced tea that is smooth, malty, and slightly astringent. It couples with milk/cream very well. 

Black tea Matcha is super rich in antioxidants and fibers. It is less vegetal than green Matcha. For some who don’t like the grassiness of Green Matcha, this Kenya Highlands Black Tea Matcha is a nice alternative.

We highly encourage you to experiment with various quantities, water temperatures, and whisking time until you find the strength that‟s perfect for you. 

For more information please visit our tea info page. 

https://www.beantowntea.com/tea-info-2/

Click to here to view product. 

Moroccan Mint Tea is a blended Green Tea. Our Moroccan Mint is blended with the classic quality ingredients.​ We use the full body Chinese green teas as its base and blended them with top quality peppermint. 

The brewed cup is minty, refreshing and emergizing. Excellent both hot and iced. It can be enjoyed as is or with a dash of sugar.

For more information, please click here to visit the product page. 

Click here to view product

Darjeeling Margaret’s Hope estate 2nd flush TGFOP. This stable Darjeeling tea is such a classic. Medium body with right amount of astringency. The signature Muscatel grape notes are prominent. It compliments desserts and snacks very well. For someone who is new to Darjeeling Tea, this is a relatively inexpensive easy pick as an introduction to the regions great teas.

More information: The bushes at Margaret’s Hope are almost entirely the Chinese Jat (genus) accounting for the green leafed tippy appearance of the manufactured leaf and the superb fragrance. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year for quality is during ‘second-flush’ (end May - end June). During this time Darjeelings are incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of black currants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of muscat grapes.

Click her to view product  

Whisking up our Matcha Samidori in a casual way. Matcha, bamboo whisk and water is all we need to make a nutritiousand delicious tea. Cheers!

Traditional Matcha Brewing

• Prepare tea bowls by warming them with boiled water.

• Prepare your Matcha whisk by soaking the tip in the boiled water in one of the bowls for about 10 seconds.

• Pour the water out and dry the bowl with a paper towel.

• Using your tea spoon, according to taste, add 1-2 teaspoons of Matcha to each bowl.

• Pour 1/3 of a cup of your hot water into each bowl.

• In a slow "m' motion, submerge any loose bits of Matcha that may be floating on the surface of the tea.

• Whisk the tea more briskly in a back and forth motion until the surface of the Matcha becomes frothy.

• Consume immediately.

Mondern/Simple Matcha Brewing

• Add 1 teaspoon of Matcha to a bowl.

• Put a few drops of hot water into bowl and use a whisk to whisk the Matcha into a paste.

• Pour6 to 8 oz. ofhot water (160-180F) into bowl. Then in a slow "m' motion, submerge any loose bits of Matcha that may be floating on the surface of the tea.

• Whisk the tea more briskly in a back and forth or circular motion until the surface of the Matcha becomes frothy.

• Consume immediately.

Matcha is a big energy booster and is packed with nutrients such as antioxidants, fiber, amino acids and many more.

The easiest way to add Matcha to your diet is adding it your smoothies and shakes. 

For two 12 oz. servings of smoothies. We blended 4 bananas, 5 strawberries, 1 grapefruit, and 1 heaping teaspoon of Matcha green tea powder.

Below is a link to our products

 https://www.beantowntea.com/matcha-selection/

Enjoy!

Pictured above is a brewed cup of Jasmine Dragon Pearls. Click to view product.

There are 3 keys to brewing a nice cup of tea. Right amount of tea leaves, water temperature, and steeping time.

Amount of Tea Leaves

Below are some general guidelines on how much leaves to use for different kinds of tea. Please note that the amount of dry tea leaves to use varies from person to person and from tea to tea, and it is always better to use less tea leaves if you are not sure how strong you would like the tea to be.

Black Tea -- Weak Brew: 2 grams ( 2/3 teaspoon ) of tea leaves per 8oz. cup; Medium Brew: 3-4 grams (1 level teaspoon) of leaves per cup; Strong Brew: 5 grams (1 heaping tea spoon) of leaves per cup.

Green Tea (Same Leaves Can Be Brewed Multiple Times) -- Weak Brew: 3 grams ( 1 teaspoon ) of tea leaves per 8oz. cup; Strong Brew: 5 grams (1 heaping tea spoon) of tea leaves per cup.

Oolong Tea (Same Leaves Can Be Brewed Multiple Times) -- Weak Brew: 3 grams (2/3 teaspoon for the tight rolled Oolong, and 1 heaping teaspoon for waving Oolongs such as Pouchong and Champagne Oolong ) of tea leaves per 8oz. cup; Strong Brew: 5 grams (1 tea spoon for tight rolled Oolong, and 2 teaspoons for waving Oolongs such as Pouchong and Champagne Oolong ) of tea leaves per 8oz. cup.

White Tea (Same Leaves Can Be Brewed Multiple Times) -- Weak Brew: 3 grams ( 2 teaspoons ) of tea leaves per 8oz. cup; Strong Brew: 5 grams (3 teaspoons) of tea leaves per cup.

Water Temperature and Steeping Time

Black Tea -- Use water at boiling temperature. Brew tea for about 3-5 minutes.

Green Tea -- Most Green Tea can be brewed for up to 3 infusions). Use water at about 160-180 degrees Fahrenheit for Japanese Green Tea, and use water at 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit for Chinese Green Tea .  First Infusion, brew the tea for 2 minutes then pour all the tea from the tea pot (take the tea infuser out, if you are using tea infuser) into the cups and enjoy; Second Infusion, brew the tea a little longer (3-4 minutes); Third Infusion, brew the tea for 5 minutes.

White Tea -- Use water at about 180 degrees Fahrenheit and brew tea for 3-5 minutes.

Oolong Tea -- Oolong tea can also be brewed multiple times (some can even be brewed for up to 7 times). Use water at 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit. First Infusion, brew the tea for 1-2 minutes then pour all the tea from the tea pot (take the tea infuser out, if you are using tea infuser) into the cups and enjoy; Second Infusion, brew the tea a little longer (2-3 minutes); Third Infusion, brew the tea for 3-5 minutes.

Herbal and Fruit Blend -- Use water at boiling temperature. Brew tea for about 3-5 minutes.

Matcha is not only an energy booster. It is also packed with nutrients such as antioxidants, amino acids, dietary fiber, carotene, and vitamins. Adding Matcha to your favorite smoothie is a delicious and easy way to introduce this superfood into our diet.

Our favorite smoothie is Banana Matcha smoothie. The recipe is very simple. It takes less than 5 minutes to make. It calls for a few basic ingredients. We use 2 bananas, 1 teaspoon of Matcha, half an orange, and half an avocado. Milk or yogurt is optional. Additionally, we can also add other fruits and veggies such berries, mango, celery, and so on. 

We also posted a video on the Banana Matcha Smoothie below. Enjoy!

Pouchong Oolong

What is Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is semi fermented/oxidized tea. The degree of oxidation varies among different types of Oolong. This variation in the oxidation gives Oolong tea unique characters and complexity. Oxidation levels of different Oolong teas can differ greatly. Some are very green with an oxidation level of only 10-15%, while some are very dark at 85%. As a result, the taste profile can range from floral and fragrant to smoky and malty.

You will see (particularly in the infused leaf) that the edges of the leaves are slightly bruised (brownish). The reason for this is that the leaves are lightly bruised to start the oxidation process. Oolong teas usually are not picked too early or at too tender a stage. They must be produced immediately after picking.

Unlike leaves for green tea, those destined to be Oolong are wilted in the direct sun and then shaken in tubular bamboo baskets to bruise the leaf edges. The bruising is what make the edges oxidize faster than the center. After 15-25 minutes (depending upon ambient temperature and humidity levels) the tea is fired, locking in the special flavor profile.

A freshly brewed Ali Shan Oolong.

How to brew Oolong Tea

Quality Oolong teas have complex taste profiles. Usually, same tea leaves can be infused multiple times (2-3 times).

Water temperature for steeping Oolong varies depending greatly on oxidation level. Generally, the darker or more oxidized types of Oolong tea the hotter the water. For example, the Fomosa Oolong and Oriental Beauty Oolong are best when steeped in freshly boiled water, because they both have higher levels of oxidation. One the other spectrum, the less oxidized Jade Oolong and Pouchong Oolong are best when infused in water that is 195°F.

Amount of tea leave to use really depend on personal preference and taste. Generally, we use 2-4 grams of leaves per 8 oz. cup. We would recommend using less tea leaves to start.

As for brewing/steeping tea, we suggest steeping 2-3 minutes for the first infusion and 3-5 minutes for the second infusion. If a third infusion is desired, steep for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

There are many good reasons to drink tea. Drink tea for its good taste and to boost energy are the primary reasons why tea is the most consumed beverage in the world.  However, to the health conscious crowd, tea drinking is not only pallet pleasing but also beneficial to our health. Let's scroll on to find out why.

• Tea is very rich in Antioxidants. Tea has one of the highest contents of flavonoids among common food and beverage products. Catechins are the largest type of flavonoids in tea leaves. While many scientific researches have mixed conclusion on the effects of antioxidants, the antioxidants in tea might help protect against cancer.

• Tea energizes us with its caffeine but in a less abrupt way then coffee does. After drinking tea, the caffeine is released into our body more slowly. So the result is a gentle and longer lasting boost of energy.

• Tea could be beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Researches have showed that tea drinking may associate with a reduced risk of stroke. Research also showed that long-term tea consumption can help lower the cholesterol in our body. In short, tea might be very beneficial to our heart.

• Tea may help protect against age-related cognitive impairment/decline and dementia later in life, based on correlations found in epidemiological studies.

• Tea can help boost metabolism and exercise endurance. Scientists have found that the antioxidant rich tea might help speed up metabolism and increase our body's ability to burn fat as fuel.

• Tea could help control blood sugar. Studies suggest that tea drinking might help our body tometabolize sugar better.

• Tea can have immune boosting effects on our body. Again, because of all the antioxidants tea has, tea might be beneficial to our immune system to fight against common cold and flu.

 In conclusion, moderate long-term tea drinking could be very beneficial to our health. Let's brew some tea now. Enjoy!

What is Cold Brewed Tea

Cold brewed tea is tea steeped in cold water for an extended period of time.

Pictured above is Sencha green tea cold brewed for 12 hours.

The process brews the tea leaves slowly, using time rather than temperature to release the flavors. Free form catechins(antioxidants) and tanning acids, which are good for the human body, are more dissolvable and readily released in cold brewing as opposed to regular hot brewing. In addition, the amount of caffeine released from cold brewing tea is only half of the caffeine released from regular hot tea brewing.

How to Cold Brew

• Use cold water or iced water to brew tea. (It takes longer to brew tea with iced water).

• Ratio of tea leaves to water is usually 1:50 by weight (you can adjust the ratio according to your taste).

• Put loose tea or tea bags into a water container filled with cold or room temperature water.

• Put the container into the refrigerator. * Do Not Put It In Freezer

• Tea leaves which come in stripped form such as green tea, black tea or flat/wavy Oolong tea (Pouchong) should be brewed in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. We recommend 4-12 hours.

• Tea leaves that are rolled such as Jade Oolong and Ti kuan Yin should be brewed in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. We recommend 6-12 hours.

• Strain the tea leaves and enjoy the refreshing cold brewed tea. And if you have excess tea left over, put it back to the refrigerator (remember to strain the leaves).