Our Organic Jasmine tea has an exquisite, abundant jasmine character. It is produced without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
History & Heritage
Jasmine tea has a long history in China, and the city of Fuzhou in Fujian is especially famous for it, with scenting traditions recorded as far back as the Southern Song dynasty. The craft relies on timing. Jasmine blossoms are gathered during the day while still closed, then layered with the tea in the evening as the flowers open and release their fragrance. After resting together, the spent flowers are removed and the tea is dried, and the process is often repeated several times for a deeper scent.
Interesting Facts
The jasmine comes into bloom only in May and June. Each blossom lasts only about 12 hours and opens at night after sunset.
About halfway through the night, the fragrance peaks. That is when the blossoms are picked and layered into the tea.
By morning most of the fragrance has left the blossom, but if the tea maker has done the job correctly, that heavenly scent has been captured in the tea. The process is repeated on 5 successive evenings.
Tasting Notes & Pairings
Sweetly floral and smooth, with a refreshing green tea base. It is wonderful on its own and pairs nicely with Chinese dishes, steamed fish, fruit salads, and almond cookies.
Brewing tips (general guideline): use 1 teaspoon (about 2–3 g) per 8 oz of water at 175–185°F, steeped 2–3 minutes. Avoid boiling water, which can make green tea bitter. Adjust to taste.
Like every tea at Beantown Tea & Spices, Organic Jasmine Green is a quality loose-leaf tea offered at an affordable price, with sample and larger sizes so you can find your favorite. Explore more in our Green Tea collection, or pair it with our tea accessories.
Naturally sweet, smooth and caffeine free, our top-grade Organic Rooibos is a delicious alternative to tea at any time of day.
History & Heritage
Rooibos, meaning "red bush," grows in the Cederberg mountains of South Africa's Western Cape, where the indigenous Khoisan people have long known the plant. In 1904, a merchant named Benjamin Ginsberg began selling it as "Mountain Tea," and in the 1930s Dr. Le Fras Nortier helped develop methods for cultivating it as a crop. Today rooibos is enjoyed around the world. Its name comes from Afrikaans, and the plant thrives in the dry, rugged mountain landscape of the Cederberg.
Interesting Facts
Rooibos is not related to the tea plant. It is an herbal plant (Aspalathus linearis) from South Africa.
To make it, cut rooibos is bound and milled to a uniform length, then bruised between rollers to trigger the fermentation process. That fermentation creates its characteristic flavor, sweet aroma and red color.
Because it has no caffeine, rooibos is a popular evening drink and is easy to share with the whole family.
Tasting Notes & Pairings
Smooth, naturally sweet and gently woody, with hints of honey and a rich amber-red color. It is delicious plain, with milk and honey, or as an iced tea. In South Africa it is often enjoyed with milk, and it also makes a lovely "red latte." Pair it with honey cake, scones, rusks, or fruit.
Brewing tips (general guideline): use 1–2 teaspoons per 8 oz of freshly boiled water (212°F), steeped 5–7 minutes. Steep a little longer for a stronger cup.
Like everything at Beantown Tea & Spices, Organic Rooibos is a quality blend offered at an affordable price, with sample and larger sizes so you can find your favorite. Explore more in our Herbal & Fruit Tea collection, or pair it with our tea accessories.
Light, bright and gently floral, this is a classic Ceylon tea. It has light liquoring with hints of delicate floral notes, and dashes of astringency reminiscent of plum run throughout the cup.
History & Heritage
Ceylon tea was born from disaster. In the 1870s, coffee rust destroyed the coffee plantations that had been the island's main crop, and planters switched to tea. The pioneer was a Scottish planter named James Taylor, who planted the island's first tea field, about 19 acres known as Field No. 7, on the Loolecondera estate near Kandy in 1867. Today Sri Lanka recognizes seven distinct tea-growing regions, each with its own character. Taylor's first shipment of Ceylon tea to reach London, in 1873, was only about 23 pounds, a humble beginning for what became one of the world's great tea origins.
Interesting Facts
The country is now called Sri Lanka, but its tea is still sold around the world as "Ceylon tea."
Our Organic Ceylon is a Pekoe grade grown above 6,000 feet and certified organic by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd.
Sri Lanka's seven tea regions are Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Uda Pussellawa, Uva, Kandy, Sabaragamuwa and Ruhuna.
Tasting Notes & Pairings
The infusion is bright tending yellow, with a clean, floral flavor and a touch of plum. It is lovely plain or with lemon, and it also makes a refreshing iced tea. Pair it with lemon bars, fruit salad, or light sandwiches.
Brewing tips (general guideline): use 1 rounded teaspoon (about 2–3 g) per 8 oz of freshly boiled water (205–212°F), steeped 3–5 minutes. Adjust to taste.
Like every tea at Beantown Tea & Spices, Organic Ceylon Black Tea is a quality loose-leaf tea offered at an affordable price, with sample and larger sizes so you can find your favorite. Explore more in our Organic collection, or pair it with our tea accessories.