Tea Blog

For many of us, tea is a word that can be tossed around rather loosely, used to describe a wide range of plant-based infusions prepared by steeping leaves in hot water.

In the strictest sense, however, “tea” properly refers only to beverages derived from the Camellia sinensis plant.

This category alone encompasses thousands of varieties, but when you include tea “cousins”—herbal infusions and tea-like beverages—the range becomes even broader.

One such beverage that has gained significant attention in recent years is kombucha, a fermented drink often made with tea and a culture of yeast and bacteria.

While bottled kombucha has risen in popularity, some companies have reconsidered their involvement. For example,

this report on Honest Tea’s decision to step away from kombucha production

explains some of the challenges associated with the category.

Another beverage attracting attention is guayusa, an herbal infusion from South America that is similar to

yerba mate, a traditional South American caffeinated herbal tea
.

You can learn more in

this introduction to guayusa and its growing popularity as an alternative tea beverage
.

Innovations are also taking place with traditional teas. For instance,

this feature on green tea blended with Hawaiian noni fruit

explores how producers are experimenting with new flavor combinations.

If you’ve ever had trouble choosing between coffee and tea, you might find interest in

this look at cascara, a tea-like beverage made from dried coffee fruit
,
which offers a hybrid alternative between the two.

Make sure to stop by William’s blog,

Tea Guy Speaks blog featuring commentary on tea culture and unique tea beverages
!

[Editor’s note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]

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