Tea Manufacturers
Tea is steeped using dried leaves from tea plants, and as with all things organic - fresh is better. Quality manufacturers know the sources of their products intimately, and will have quality controls in place. Generic brands that you find in store might not even know who their cultivators are, and will only focus on getting the lowest cost so that they can present their customers (you) with the lowest price. This might lead to them buying tea leaves that other manufacturers have rejected, or were sold at a discount because of their age. Higher end brands like "Two Leaves And A Bud" not only know the region their teas come from, but have been there and dealt directly with the growers and cultivators of the tea leaves. Their intimate connection allows them to make demands as to the quality of dried leaves and buds they'll accept, and ultimately will give you a better tasting cup of tea.
Freshness
Much like coffee, tea has a limited shelf life in terms of flavour. While it can sit on shelves for months or years without being physically changed, it will gradually lose its' flavour. When you purchase a tea from a supermarket or retailer that just isn't as flavourful as a Cafe, you can count on the fact that you've purchased something that has gone stale.
The expiry date on the teas are often a couple months longer than they really should be in order to help the retailer get rid of the teas even when they're not at the peak of their flavour. In order to get fresh teas, you'll have to find a brand of tea like Two Leaves who accurately label their expiry date.
What's The Deal With Organic?
Tea can be certified organic through a couple of respected organizations in the U.S. and Canada. The organic certification varies from one to another, but it generally means that about 95% of the product must be grown and processed according to organic certifications. The end result is that products contain less additives and chemicals, and deliver a truer, fuller taste.
In terms of tea, this means that the farmers are limited in the types of pesticide and fertilizer they use. Not only is it a healthier choice, but ultimately those chemicals don't get a chance to destroy the plant's naturally occurring chemicals and degrade the taste.
The combination of selectively sourced tea leaves, that get to you while still fresh (instead of sitting on shelves for months) and are grown and processed according to organic certifications help you get the best quality tea in terms of taste and health benefits.
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