Tea and Caffeine

Caffeine occurs naturally in tea. A mild stimulant, it accounts for tea’s reputation as a beverage that clears the mind and lifts the spirit.

The more oxidized the tea – as in black tea – the greater its caffeine content, as demonstrated in the caffeine chart below. Green tea and 100% White Tea, which are not oxidized, have less caffeine per cup than black tea. In between we have oolong tea, which is semi-oxidized and has about half as much caffeine as black tea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something Interesting to Consider…
The smaller the leaf, the stronger the extraction of caffeine. Using comparable amounts and steeping times, a tea bag filled with cut leaves will release more caffeine per cup than full-leaf tea.

(Courtesy of The Republic of Tea)

Magic

We saw this nice guy sitting on our bench this weekend waiting for some magic to happen.
Jokers, Sorcerers and Magicians all prefer Thirstea.

What is herbal tea?

Although many devoted tea-drinkers find great pleasure in sipping these aromatic cups, “herbal teas” are not officially teas. In the world of tea, only teas made from the Camellia sinensis plant is considered real tea.

Rather, “herbal teas” are single or blended infusions of leaves, fruits, bark roots or flowers of almost any edible, non-tea plant. In Europe, herb teas or blends are commonly known as tisanes.

Something Interesting to Consider…
Within the herbal family is the wonder herb rooibos or Red Tea. Known for its high levels of health-boosting polyphenols and flavonoids, Red Tea is a South African herb cultivated only in the mountains and valleys of the Cedarberg region near Cape Town. Sip and you’ll taste a faintly sweet cup with a mellow character and no bitterness.

Caffeine
Herbal teas are mostly caffeine-free. However, certain herbs such as Yerba Maté contain caffeine.

Steeping is Easy

• Heat fresh, filtered water to a rolling boil.
• Add one teaspoon of herbs or one tea bag per six-ounce cup – the size of a traditional tea cup rather than a mug.
• Pour the water over the herbs and infuse.
• Steep herbs 5-7 minutes for herbal tea bags as well as full-leaf herbal teas.
• Experiment to find your favored steeping time. Enjoy Sip by Sip.

(Courtesy of The Republic of Tea)

Brooklyn Flea Blog

Thanks to Brooklyn Flea for the shout out on their blog.
We have a booth there every saturday and sunday now.
Stop by and say hi!
http://www.brooklynflea.com/2010/09/jess_bites_fleathirstea.html

What is Rooibos (Red Bush) Tea?

What is Rooibos (Red Tea)?

Naturally caffeine-free, Red Tea (or rooibos) steeps an aromatic, amber-hued cup. Sip and you’ll taste a faintly sweet, mellow character, low in tannins with very little bitterness.

Some call Red Tea a wonder herb, with good reason. On top of its super polyphenols and flavonoids, which limit the effects of free-radicals in the process of aging, Red Tea contains zinc and alpha hydroxy acid, both of which contribute to healthy skin.

Something Interesting to Consider…
Red Tea has antispasmodic properties to help calm digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting, heartburn and stomach ulcers. We advise sipping it often, for its flavor and for a healthier life.

Caffeine
This herbal blend is naturally caffeine-free.

Steeping is Easy

• Heat fresh, filtered water to a rolling boil.
• Steep tea for 5 to 7 minutes.
• For iced tea, double the amount of tea bags used, steep as above and pour over a generous amount of ice.
• Experiment to find your favored steeping time. Enjoy Sip by Sip.

(Courtesy of The Republic of Tea)

Raw Green Rooibos.

Raw Green Rooibos from The Republic of Tea is the same as classic red rooibos but is processed in a way that leaves the enzymes and natural antioxidants much more in place and leaves the tea with many of the nutrients that can get lost in processing. Some people could say otherwise but this tea actually has a flavor that reminds me of a lighter bodied black tea like a darjeeling. However it comes in several flavors like mango chilli and black currant cardamon for those who like something on the wild side. This is a great tea when you want something late at night in place of a cocktail, coffee or black tea without having to drink something caffeinated or alcoholic. An earthy well rounded tea with light and  subtle notes of peach and tobacco. Now available by package in several flavors and  by the cup hot or iced.

We’ll be closed for labor day.

We will be closed on labor day, however we will re-open on tuesday.
Andrew, one of our customers was nice enough to get us some U.S Open tickets so we're going to head over there during the day.
So we'll be back tuesday and In the mean time, please check out this amazing guy who stacks eggs into insane mosaic art.
Cheers!
-Thirstea

http://equilibrant.blogspot.com/2009/11/egg-stacking-this-man-stacks-eggs-into.html