Like beer? You’ll love these teas.
Conviviality. “Let’s meet for a drink.” Both drinks bring people together. It is said beer and tea are two beverages that have changed the world. Similarly, enjoy each hot or cold, garnished or not.
Both come in many shades.
Both traditional.
The ancient Sumerians (present-day Iraq), began fermenting beer from barley at least 6,000 years ago. It became the defining drink of Mesopotamia.
Do we dare say tea has been around forever? Originally consumed as medicine, tea became a daily drink in China around the middle of the third century. It likely found its way to Europe and west through traders along the Silk Road. Around the world, countries have created both tea and beer ceremonies and rituals. Octoberfest in Germany…
There is a rich variety in both, and many flavors and styles to love.
These black leaves pack a big, blackened flavor in this intensely smokey brew. Like so many bold flavors out there, smoked teas are a love-it-or-hate-it kind of deal. The velvety, thick taste of pine smoke glides across the palate, leaving an aftertaste of smoldering pitch. To understand this tea, think barbecue, campfire, bonfire… and then take it a step stronger from there.
Notes of muscat grape highlight this black tea while hints of honey come forward. Honey Mead Black Tea honors two ancient beverages: Mead, the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage, and tea, another of the world’s oldest beverages. Sip this tea and celebrate the complementary oppositions in life: old and new, light and dark, sweet and savory.
The single ingredient has a smooth autumnal character and roasty flavor. The aroma of the dry leaf is earthy, and that comes through in each sip as well. Roasting the leaf gives it a sweeter tone, almost a malty caramel note, which balances the leaves’ natural astringency. This brew is invigorating, warm and rich.
