How to choose tea

Start with how you drink it: a strong cup with milk, something light and caffeine-free in the evening, or a café-style latte made from powder. Here is what each part of the range does.

Black tea: English Breakfast and Earl Grey

Black tea is the everyday cup that takes milk well. English Breakfast is a straight black blend. Earl Grey is black tea flavoured with oil of bergamot, a citrus peel oil, and Twinings has sold it since 1831. Try Twinings Earl Grey, English Tea Shop Earl Grey or English Tea Shop English Breakfast. Brew with water at 90 to 98°C for 3 to 4 minutes, then take the bag out before adding milk.

Green tea

Green tea is made from leaves that have not been oxidised, so it tastes lighter and more vegetal than black tea. Water just off the boil can make it bitter. Aim for about 80°C and 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the tea. English Tea Shop Green Tea comes in boxes of 20 bags.

Herbal and wellness infusions

Herbal infusions such as English Tea Shop Peppermint and Calm Me are made from herbs and fruit rather than the tea plant, and plain herbal infusions contain no caffeine. Wellness blends such as Energise Me and Shape Me vary, so check the ingredients if you are avoiding caffeine. Follow the brewing time on the pack.

Chai and matcha lattes

Arkadia is a family-owned Melbourne company, founded in 1997, whose drinks are used in more than 15,000 cafés. Its chai is built on a black tea base. For a hot chai latte, mix 3 to 4 heaped teaspoons of Chai Spice or Vanilla Chai with a splash of hot water, then add 250 ml of steamed milk. Matcha Latte Original and Strawberry take 2 to 3 teaspoons in 180 ml of hot water or warm milk, and both work iced. The 1 kg tins of Chai Spice and Vanilla Chai suit offices and cafés.

Tea gifts

For a gift, the Twinings Tea Chest 6 blend and 12 blend hold a selection of Twinings teas in a presentation chest. The English Tea Shop Organic Luxury Collection comes in a white tin. English Tea Shop Christmas collections and advent calendars appear here in season.

Tea for the workplace

Tea ships with your coffee in the same order. Delivery is a flat $9.95 under $200 and free over $200, and orders placed by 3pm Melbourne time on business days are dispatched the same day. Offices can apply for a business account for B2B pricing on coffee, up to 25% off RRP, and you can browse office coffee machines as well.

FAQs

What are the main types of tea?

The main types you will find here are black, green and herbal. Black tea, such as English Breakfast and Earl Grey, is fully oxidised and strong enough to take milk. Green tea is not oxidised, so it tastes lighter and more vegetal. Herbal infusions such as peppermint are made from herbs, fruit or flowers rather than the tea plant. Chai is spiced black tea, and a matcha latte is made from powdered green tea.

How long should you steep tea?

Black teas such as English Breakfast and Earl Grey need 3 to 4 minutes in water at 90 to 98°C. Green tea is gentler: use water at about 80°C and steep for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the tea, or it can turn bitter. For herbal and wellness infusions, follow the time on the pack. Use freshly drawn water, boil only what you need, and take the tea bag out before adding milk.

Does tea have caffeine?

Black and green tea contain caffeine, but less than coffee. Twinings puts strong black teas at about 60 mg a cup, against roughly 100 to 170 mg for instant coffee. Plain herbal infusions such as peppermint contain no caffeine. Some wellness blends include green tea or other ingredients with caffeine, so check the label if you are avoiding it.

What is Earl Grey tea?

Earl Grey is black tea flavoured with oil of bergamot, the oil pressed from the rind of a citrus fruit. That gives it a bright, citrusy, slightly floral taste. It is named after Charles Grey, the British Prime Minister, and Twinings began selling the blend in 1831. Brew it for 3 to 4 minutes. It can be drunk with or without milk.

How do you make a chai latte from powder?

Put 3 to 4 heaped teaspoons of chai powder in a cup and add a splash of hot water. Stir it into a smooth paste, then top it with about 250 ml of steamed milk and whisk until glossy. Heat the milk gently and do not let it boil. For an iced chai, dissolve the powder in a little hot water, let it cool, then pour it over ice with cold milk. Dairy, soy, oat, almond and coconut milk all work.

Is matcha latte powder the same as pure matcha?

No. A matcha latte powder such as Arkadia Matcha Latte Original is a ready-to-mix blend for making café-style lattes. Arkadia describes it as smooth and creamy with light green tea notes, and a good starting point if you are new to matcha. Arkadia sells pure ceremonial-grade matcha separately to cafés. To make a latte at home, mix 2 to 3 teaspoons of the powder with 180 ml of hot water or warm milk.