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Whether it’s loose leaf tea you prefer or a teabag, artisanal or mass produced, you can maximize its potential with a few simple steps: Water quality: The water is the very vehicle for the tea leaves to infuse into and form the liqueur, and therefore its importance cannot be overstated. Spring water is best for tea, and the next best option is mineral water. Never use water that is completely stripped of its minerals, like desalinated water, because the compounds in the tea need the presence of minerals in the water to bind to. However, also be wary of using...

Those of you who have ordered from us must've noticed the sticker sealing the paper in our boxes that reads Cha Qi. We gave no explanation with it because we wanted everyone to Google it, but a few of you have asked so we've decided to do a little write-up. When you ask someone in the tea community to explain what Cha Qi is, and how you can tell when you're experiencing it, you'll often be met with a pause, followed by 'you'll just know'.  In the tea community, the term Cha Qi is often used to describe teas that...

Like many things, the history of tea begins the first time it was recorded, but what we can be sure of is of an untold story long before man started putting pen to paper. It's also worth keeping in mind that just because something is written down, doesn't necessarily make it true, and we know just that to be very true in today's day and digital age. Sometimes people record incorrect information based on a Chinese Whisper (pun not intended), and sometimes events take place beyond the radar of the pen (or keyboard). Real history is usually made when and...

What IS tea?   What is this magical elixir of life that also happens to be the second most consumed beverage in the world, right after water itself? Spoiler alert: it's not Coca Cola.   Put succinctly, ALL tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant. It is essentially all one single plant species that can be further broken down into two subspecies : Camellia Sinensis Sinensis (small leaf) , and Camellia Sinensis Assamica (large leaf). Over time, hundreds, if not thousands of varietals have emerged, but all are essentially the same plant. Herbal 'teas' are not actually teas in the...