Types of Tea

What are the different teas and how do I brew them?

GREEN- Green tea is made from the unfermented leaves of the camellia sinesis plant. Green tea leaves are withered, fried, rolled, and dried to produce their unique taste. Green tea tastes similar to white tea (sun-sweetened leaves) but a bit more robust. Green tea has a moderate amount of caffeine and anti-oxidants. Green tea is delicious hot or cold. To brew: Bring water to 160 degrees F and steep for 1-3 minutes.

BLACK – Black tea is made from the fully fermented tea leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. They produce a strong-flavored dark tea. Black tea is delicious hot or cold, plain or with cream and sugar. Black tea has the highest caffeine content of the teas. Black tea also has some anti-oxidants. To brew: Bring water to a boil and steep for 3-5 minutes.

WHITE- White tea is made from the unfermented leaves of the camellia sinesis plant. White tea has a very delicate flavor, similar to sun-sweetened leaves. White tea has the smallest amount of caffeine and the highest amount of anti-oxidants. White tea is delicious hot or cold. To brew: bring water to 180 degrees F and steep for 4-8 minutes.

ROOIBOS- Naturally CAFFEINE-FREE, this leaf is grown in South Africa. Recent years have shown that roobios is a popular decaffeinated alternative to green, white and black tea. It is full of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Rooibos has a red leaf that produces a sweet red infusion. Rooibos is delicious hot or cold, plain or with milk and sugar. To brew: bring water to a boil and steep for 7-10 minutes or to taste.

YERBA MATE- Yerba mate comes to us from Brazil. The flavor of brewed yerba mate is strongly vegetal, herbal, and grassy, reminiscent of some varieties of green tea. It has a slightly less potent stimulant than coffee, and is much gentler on the stomach. Yerba mate can be reinfused and does not grow bitter with over- steeping. To brew: Bring water to 150 degrees F and steep to taste.

HONEYBUSH- Honeybush is naturally CAFFEINE-FREE. This herbal red tea from South Africa, and is naturally sweet and mellow, like a mild honey. It is very similar to rooibos tea in its health benefits and nutrients (including Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium). It makes for a mildly sweet iced tea or a delicious hot infusion. To brew: bring water to a boil and steep for 7-10 minutes or to taste.