BRIGHTEN THE MIND
flavour profile: a brisk, strong tea with tangy citrus notes
ingredients: Tanzanian black tea grown in the Usambara region
Important Update
This tea is experiencing a change in appearance due to climate change. Harvests are also smaller than usual, so larger sizes are not currently on offer.
Extremes of weather & changes to rainfall patterns put stress on plants. Tea plants respond in a variety of ways. In the case of TANZANIA GOLD, it is causing the raw leaf material to become more fragile, which leads to a crumbling effect during manufacture.
This tea deliberately undergoes a controlled cutting method during manufacture, which creates a bold, rich, zesty taste that would otherwise not occur. If this step were eliminated, the tea would not taste nearly as delicious! However, for now, the tea develops a more powder-like finished product, rather than the tiny granules that used to result.
We have updated the photo so you know what to expect.
The good news is that the flavour of this harvest is full & rich, & quite similar to what is usual for this tea. However, the leaf material is definitely finer.
Weather continually impacts tea & it is difficult to predict in what ways. Future harvests may return to a more normal look, or they may result in differences to the taste.
We will continually update you here so that you know what’s brewing with this tea!
Please note that as tea is a food product, we cannot accept returns or exchanges. We recommend purchasing a smaller quantity to see how you like it.
While climate change is creating challenging times for tea farmers, we are proud to continue to support eco-friendly tea production.
It’s more important than ever, as eco-friendly, organic methods have a lower carbon footprint & result in harder plants (which are more likely to survive in difficult conditions).
We also support:
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the protection & proliferation of tea biodiversity & the use of heritage & native varietals of tea plants (instead of cloned plants & monoculture, which is what the majority of the tea industry uses).
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small producers, artisanal craftsmanship & ethical tea production, which translate to higher wages, stable incomes & better working conditions for workers.
Brewing Instructions
Pour 2 cups of water over 1 tsp. of SILK ROAD premium quality, organic loose tea. This may not seem like a lot of tea but SILK ROAD teas are incredibly fresh & flavourful, which means that you don’t need very much in order to produce a delicious cup of tea. Using any more tea leaves can result in a cup of tea that is too strong.
- herbal tea bring water to a full, rolling boil | steep 7-10 minutes
- wellness tea bring water to a full, rolling boil | cover & steep 7-10 minutes
- green tea bring water to just before the boil begins | steep 1-3 minutes
- black tea bring water to a full, rolling boil | steep 2-5 minutes
- white tea bring water to just before the boil begins | steep 3-5 minutes
- oolong tea bring water to the boil | steep 5-7 minutes
Sizing Information
Loose teas are sold in refillable tins to preserve the tea’s superb flavour, freshness and nutrients. Normally, we encourage you to bring your empty tins into our shops to refill. However, this is currently on pause due to COVID-19. We’re delighted to offer another eco-friendly, low-waste way to re-use your tins!
Brown bag refills are available when you purchase tea in-store and online. Simply select “refill” to receive your tea in a brown bag refill. Immediately transfer the tea to the original tin it came in, once the brown bag refill is home or has arrived in the mail. Brown bags are 100% recyclable, compostable, biodegradable and made of post-consumer recycled paper.
CAN I STORE TEA IN THE BROWN BAG REFILL? No, it is a short term method for transport only and is not suitable for storing. It will not maintain tea’s freshness, nutrients and flavour. It does not protect against exposure to air, liquid or moisture. Air exposure causes nutrient & flavour loss; liquid/moisture causes tea to mildew. As soon as you get home from the shop, or when it arrives in the mail, transfer tea immediately into Silk Road tins - they are designed to preserve the tea.
ABOUT TEA SIZES Refer to the above chart - our loose teas are sold by volume, not weight.
