Teas

The Bulk Department carries many loose leaf teas. Below is a list of the teas we carry with information and brewing instructions.

Black Teas

Assam: Assam is a black tea variety that is grown in Assam in northeast India. One of the most popular black teas, it’s often used in blends, marketed as “breakfast” teas. The flavor is brisk and malty while the color is bright. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 3-4 minutes.

Ceylon Tea: Ceylon is a black tea originating in Sri Lanka. It is often used in tea blends and is also the tea used for Thai iced tea. Ceylon tea is bold, with subtle notes of chocolate, citrus, and spices. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 3-4 minutes.

Darjeeling: Considered one of the highest quality black teas, Darjeeling is produced in India’s mountainous northern regions. The tea leaves are harvested by plucking the plant’s top two leaves and the bud, from March to November, a timespan that is divided into four flushes. Darjeeling is sometimes called “the champagne of tea” and has a subtly sweet-musky flavor, occasionally with hints of moss, fruit, or citrus. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 3-4 minutes.

English Breakfast: A traditional blend of black teas originating from Assam, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Kenya. English breakfast is one of the most popular blended teas, common in British and Irish tea culture. It is usually served with milk or lemon. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 2-3 minutes.

Gunpowder: Gunpowder is a Chinese green tea that is popular worldwide. During processing, the leaves are rolled into tight pellets, which resemble gunpowder. Flavor varies according to the growing location of tea used for production, but it generally has a bold flavor with a smoky hint appropriate to the name. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 1 minute.

Irish Breakfast: This blend is made with several black teas, most often a combination of Assam teas and Ceylon teas. It is more robust than English Breakfast with a strong malty component. Irish Breakfast is usually served with milk. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 2-3 minutes.

Lapsang Souchong: This smoky, Chinese black tea is made from leaves smoked over a pine fire. It has hints of pine resin, whisky, and paprika. It isn’t very bitter, so isn’t usually sweetened or cut with milk. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 2-3 minutes.

Green Teas

Bancha: A Japanese green tea variety, bancha is an everyday tea with a mild flavor. It is harvested from the second flush of sencha between summer and autumn. Bancha is a low caffeine tea and works well for cold brewing. The flavor is sweet and nutty, and it has a golden hue. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 1 minute.

Hojicha: Hojicha is a popular Japanese green tea made from roasted bancha or kukicha tea. It’s often enjoyed as an after-dinner tea. The tea is roasted over charcoal, turning it brown, a process developed in the 1920s. Roasting the tea removed the bitterness of green tea, leaving a smoky flavor with hints of cocoa. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

Matcha: Matcha is a powdered green tea from Japan, famous as the “tea ceremony” tea. Matcha has a lot of great health benefits. One cup has 137x the antioxidant power of a standard cup of green tea because it is concentrated. Since you are ingesting the entire tea leaf, you get 100% of the nutrients. On top of that, it has a lovely nutty flavor and smooth texture! It is also great for flavoring baked goods and ice cream!

Sencha: The most popular Japanese green tea, sencha has a fresh, grassy, seaweed flavor. It is a delicious tea either brewed hot or cold. Sencha makes up 80% of Japan’s tea production. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 1 minute.

Twig Teas

Kukicha: Also known as twig tea, kukicha is a Japanese tea made from the stems, twigs, and stalks of the tea plant. Kukicha has a light, mildly nutty, and sweet flavor and a fresh, green aroma. It is common to drink the tea in three or four infusions, each with a deeper flavor. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 1 minute.

Falvored Teas

Chai Tea: Chai is a spiced tea from India, made with a blend of black tea (generally Assam) and various spices. The main spices are ginger and cardamom with usually one or more of cinnamon, star anise, fennel, peppercorn, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice. Chai is traditionally sweetened and brewed with milk. Brew: Heat 1 cup of water and 1 cup of milk until almost boiling. Add 2 tsp of chai tea and sweetened to taste. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain. 

Earl Grey: A classic flavored tea, Earl Grey is mixed with bergamot oil, which comes from a citrus fruit similar to Meyer lemons. It has a distinct floral, citrusy flavor and aroma. It’s delicious as is or served with milk. Earl Grey also makes for a great iced tea. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 3-4 minutes.

Genmaicha: This Japanese tea is made with a combination of green tea and roasted brown rice. It has a full, nutty flavor. It is also called “popcorn tea,” because the rice kernels pop during the roasting process, though the name also describes the aroma aptly. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 1 minute.

Jasmine: Jasmine tea is generally made with a green tea base, which is scented with jasmine flower blossoms. It is a highly fragrant tea with a subtle sweetness. Most Jasmine tea is produced in China, though it is also grown in Okinawa. Brew: 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 1 minute.

Herbal Teas

Red Rooibos: Rooibos or red bush tea is not a “true” tea but an herbal brew made from a plant native to South Africa. It is caffeine-free, and since it contains magnesium and calcium, it may even help you sleep. The flavor is strong and reminiscent of vanilla. 1 tsp per 6oz water, steep for 3-5 minutes.

Yerba Maté: Though not technically a “true” tea, yerba maté has been used as a herbal pick me up in South America for a long time. It has a strong, slightly bitter, vegetal flavor, similar to coffee. Brew: 2 tbsp to 16oz of water, steep 4-6 minutes.