Breakfast blends
Breakfast blends are often the first kinds of teas people are introduced to, whether they grew up drinking name-brand teabags like Lipton or have ordered tea at restaurants or cafes. Breakfast blends tend to incorporate a variety of different types of black tea, primarily hearty black teas from India like Assam and Nilgiri, as well as other types of black tea from Asia and Africa.
Common breakfast blends include English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast. We also offer a custom breakfast blend dubbed Star of India, which combines three different black teas from the Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri regions of India for a brisk and balanced breakfast tea. These teas are generally robust enough to be enjoyed with milk and sweetener, making them an accessible, traditional option for those new to the world of tea.
English Breakfast Black Tea
Our English Breakfast is an aromatic blend of Ceylon, Assam, and Tanzanian black teas. English Breakfast has a classic rich, malty taste that goes well with milk and sugar.
Irish Breakfast Black Tea
Our organic Irish Breakfast makes a rich cup of tea that’s sure to get you going in the morning. This stout, robust blend of Assam, Ceylon, and Tanzanian teas creates a full-bodied, malty tea that pairs well with milk and sugar. A good strong cuppa!
Star of India Black Tea
Star of India highlights three of India's premier tea-growing regions: Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri. This balanced blend combines the rich and malty flavor of second flush Assam, the fruity and nuanced flavor of Nilgiri, and the floral, slightly nutty flavor of first flush Darjeeling for a beautiful coppery-colored tea that is similar to a breakfast blend.
Fruity teas
Fruit-forward flavored teas are another great option for people looking to drink more tea. These loose leaf teas contain fruits and flavors that appeal to a wide range of palates, and are tasty without tasting artificial or overwhelmingly sweet.
Fan-favorite fruity teas include Summer Romance Black Tea, Mango Pear White Tea, and Lychee Purple Tea. If you enjoy sweet and fruity flavors, these teas are a great option for beginners. Fruity teas also make great iced tea during the warmer summer months!
Summer Romance Black & Green Tea
Let this magical blend carry you away like a summer of love. Sweet papaya, strawberry, black tea, and green tea come together in this sweet, fruity, intensely aromatic blend. Summer Romance also makes an excellent iced tea!
Mango Pear White Tea
White Peony tea leaves combine with mango, apple, and pear for a delicate, fruity tea with tons of flavor. Mango Pear is delicious hot and also makes an excellent iced tea.
Lychee Purple Leaf Tea
Lychee Purple combines purple tea leaves with lychee, apple, and pineapple for a fruity, tropical tea with a hint of sweetness.
Dessert teas
Vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, caramel… if you have a serious sweet tooth, these dessert teas are sure to hit the spot! Whether you’re looking for a dessert drink without the extra calories, or just want to indulge in a sweet treat, dessert teas are a popular option with beginner tea drinkers.
Teas like Coco Loco Black Tea, Vanilla Rooibos, and Caramel Pu-erh are all fan-favorites. We use no additional sweeteners or artificial flavors in our teas, so rest assured that you can sate your sweet tooth while enjoying only the best healthy, high-quality loose leaf tea.
Coco Loco Black Tea
Coco Loco blends organic black tea with organic shredded coconut and organic cacao nibs for a rich, chocolate-y, and naturally sweet tea. This aromatic black tea is smooth, decadent, and delicious.
Vanilla Rooibos Herbal Tea
Our Vanilla Rooibos is rich and sweet, with a full body and a smooth finish. This delicious and decadent tea is great on its own or with a splash of milk and sweetener, and makes a perfect after-dinner cup.
Caramel Pu-erh
This dark, rich tea combines the sweet decadence of caramel with the earthy depth of flavor of an aged pu-erh to create something akin to dessert in a teacup. Smooth and full-bodied with a naturally sweet finish, Caramel Pu-erh is supremely cozy—perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. Excellent with a splash of milk.
Herbal teas
Colloquially called “tea", herbal teas aren’t actually made from the camellia sinensis tea plant. Instead, they’re made from a variety of different herbs, flowers, and spices, and are sometimes referred to as herbal infusions or tisanes.
Whether you’re looking to wind down with a caffeine-free cup at the end of the day, or are interested in herbal teas for their many soothing and medicinal applications, these teas are a common entry into the world of tea. Popular herbal tea blends include spicy-sweet Atomic Gold Herbal Tea, soothing Lavender Lullaby Herbal Tea, and fruit-forward Blueberry Pomegranate Herbal Tea.
The herbal tea category also encompasses Roobios, which is a pleasantly sweet, naturally caffeine-free herb native to South Africa. Rooibos tastes somewhat similar to black tea, but without the caffeine, and is packed full of antioxidants and other health benefits. Some of our best-selling Rooibos teas include Rooibos Chai, Earl Grey Rooibos, and Honeybush Hot Cider.
Tea samplers
Not sure what kind of tea to try? Tea samplers can be a great way to explore a wide variety of different teas, and to introduce you to different tea types and blends. We often recommend sample packs to beginner tea drinkers to help them get a sense of what kinds of tea they might enjoy. Once you make your way through a sample pack, you can then purchase your favorites in a bigger size!
Tea Sampler Gift Pail
Twenty different teas, all beautifully packaged in a cheerful metal pail – a nice gift for someone who enjoys sampling several teas! Each tea sampler gift pail includes 20 flavors in individually prepared tea bags, ready for steeping.
Tea Sample Six-Pack
Our tea samples are individually handmade by spooning our luxury loose leaf tea into an unbleached tea filter bag. Each tea bag makes 12 oz. of brewed tea (enough for a mug or small teapot).
How to prepare tea
If you’re new to loose leaf tea, you may be wondering exactly what you need in order to prepare the perfect cup. Luckily, preparing tea is a breeze once you get the hang of it.
The basics of tea preparation are pretty simple: heat up some water to the correct temperature, steep tea leaves for the right amount of time, then remove the leaves and enjoy. We offer a variety of different products that help you prepare tea quickly and easily, including “make your own teabag” tea filters, tea infusers, measuring scoops, tea timers, and more. For more information about brewing tea, check out our handy guide to preparing the perfect cup.
Tea and your palate
As with many other culinary niches, what teas you’re drawn to will in large part depend on your palate. Just like cheese, wine, chocolate, or pretty much any other type of specialty food, some people prefer big, bold flavors, while others prefer subtler tastes. You may be initially drawn to fruity or sweet, earthy or herbal.
As you learn more about tea and experience different kinds of loose leaf tea, your palate may also change. While flavored and herbal teas are often many people’s entry into the tea world, some tea drinkers come to prefer unflavored, classic loose leaf teas over time. You may also find yourself developing an affinity for a particular type of tea, and may want to begin to explore higher-end tea options.
Many people prefer different types of tea depending on the time of day, the season, or how they’re feeling. Some teas offer medicinal properties when it comes to treating sore throats, colds, digestive issues, and other common maladies. Tea drinkers may also prefer highly caffeinated teas in the morning, and low caffeine or caffeine-free herbal teas in the afternoon and evening.
Ultimately, what kind of tea you choose to drink is entirely up to you! Feel free to experiment with adding milk or sweetener, drinking tea hot or iced, and exploring different kinds of tea types and blends. There’s really no wrong way to drink tea - a good cup of tea is a cup that you enjoy sipping!
FAQs about tea for beginners
Is loose leaf tea better than tea bags?
While there’s not right or wrong way to enjoy a cup of tea, loose leaf teas tend to be much more flavorful than teabags. The tea leaves used in loose leaf tea is also of a higher quality, while tea bags tend to be made from whatever is left over after loose leaf teas are processed and packaged.
What’s the best tea for people who don’t like tea?
Fruity, sweet, and herbal teas are all great options for people who don’t usually like tea. If you’re trying to expand your own palate or are a tea lover trying to introduce friends and loved ones to the magic of great tea, there are plenty of options to choose from.
How do you start drinking tea?
You don’t necessarily need any special equipment to start drinking tea. All you need are some tea leaves, some hot water, and something to brew your tea in. This can be a tea pot, tea infuser mug, or even a simple tea filter and your favorite cup.
If you’re new to tea, it’s a good idea to experiment with different types of tea in order to find your favorites. Our tea sample packs are a great option for beginner tea drinkers to explore the world of tea.
