Tea Blog

Name: Decaf Pumpkin Spice

Brand: Stash Tea

Type: Black tea, flavored, decaffeinated

Form: Paper tea bags, individually wrapped

Review: Pumpkin Spice flavored teas and coffees are always a big hit this time of year, and Stash’s version brews up hot and spicy. Even better, it’s decaf so it won’t add to your pre-holiday jitters.

While I am no fan of decaf tea, and the black tea used in this blend is fairly weak, the other flavors, including nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and pumpkin spice flavor definitely make their presence known. The clove, not unexpectedly, dominates the blend, though it is easy enough to discern the other flavors. The body of this tea is very light, probably due to the decaf tea, so while this can make a nice pick-me-up in the afternoon or at the end of the day, it may not satisfy your need for a rich, creamy drink, unless you decide to add milk.

Pumpkin Spice decaf would make a great hostess gift or addition to your holiday tea selection: It’s included in Stash’s Gold Box Gift Set, a beautifully packaged set of nine different flavored teas that could also make an awesome Secret Santa gift.

Preparation Tips: Use boiling water for this tea, and give it a fairly long steep: Check it at 3 minutes and take it up to 5 if you have to. Decaf tea, sadly, isn’t the most flavorful tea, so you’ll want to give the other flavors awhile to develop. Try some honey and milk for a creamy pumpkin pie flavor.

Caffeine Tip: This is a decaffeinated tea, not a caffeine free tisane. The amount of caffeine in “decaffeinated” coffee and tea varies from brand to brand and batch to batch, so if you are medically restricted from using caffeine, talk to your doctor about whether drinking decaf tea is a good idea.

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