Organic Decaf English Breakfast Black Tea

A great decaffeinated version of the British favorite! This organic and Fair Trade Certified Decaf English Breakfast Black Tea is made from a flavorful blend of organic Indian tea. Because this organic loose leaf tea is decaffeinated using a state-of-the art carbon dioxide (CO2) decaffeination process, the rich and coppery flavor of the organic black tea comes through nicely. Also, CO2 decaffeination does not involve the use of harmful chemicals, so the resulting product is simply a healthy cup of organic decaf tea with most of the caffeine removed (and no chemical overtones)!

Ingredients: organic Indian black tea

Serving Size: one level teaspoon per 8 oz cup of water

Staff Perspectives

Aubrey Says: Our fullest-bodied decaffeinated tea!

Jeremy Says: A great alternative for the caffeine-conscious English Breakfast lover.

We at Arbor Teas firmly believe that tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. With that being said, here are some recommendations to get you started, but please remember you can make adjustments based on your own personal taste.

There are three main considerations when brewing tea: quantity of tea, water temperature and steeping time.

Quantity of tea: one level teaspoon per 8 oz cup of water

Water temperature: use water that has been heated to a full rolling boil (212° F)

Steeping time: 3-5 minutes

Tip #1: Use fresh water whenever possible - water that has been sitting in your kettle overnight may impart a flat or stale taste to your tea. Be careful not to boil your water for too long. Over boiled water can sometimes impart an unwanted taste.

Tip #2: Keep in mind that brewing your tea for too long can extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves, so steeping time matters! For a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea.

Learn more from our How To Guides on how to brew loose leaf tea, how to make iced tea, and how to make tea lattes. And don’t forget to check out our Eco-Brewing Tips, too!

How to Brew Loose Tea

How to Make Iced Tea

How to Make Tea Lattes

Eco-Brewing Tips

 

Arbor Teas uses the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) method for all of its organic decaffeinated teas. We feel that this is the safest form of decaffeination, while retaining the greatest flavor and health benefits. According to “tea technologist” Nigel Melican, tea decaffeinated using the CO2 method retains 92 percent of its polyphenols (!) compared to tea decaffeinated using the ethyl acetate process which only retains 18 percent. (Reference: “Caffeine and Tea: Myth and Reality” by Nigel Melican. February 6, 2008, http://chadao.blogspot.com)

There are five significant components found in all tea from the plant camellia sinensis: essential oils, which are the source of tea’s delicious flavor and aroma; polyphenols, which are antioxidants that provide the tea’s brisk flavor and many of its health benefits; phytonutrients, which are small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids including L-theanine (a very rare molecule that has been found in only three sources including camellia sinensis!) ; enzymes; and methylxanthines, which are a family of alkaloids that include caffeine. Each of these components work differently in the human body and a full description is best left to a medical journal. However, recent research exploring the potential health attributes of tea is leading many scientists to agree that tea, may contribute positively to a healthy lifestyle.

For a more in-depth discussion of Tea and Health Benefits check here.

For a more in-depth discussion of Tea and Caffeine check here.

Tea Health Benefits

All About Caffeine

 

British Afternoon Tea

Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, is credited with the origination of afternoon tea in the early 1800s. In Anna's day, lunch was served at noon, with dinner often put off until well into the evening. As the story goes, Anna decided that a light meal over tea in the late afternoon would be the perfect solution to her between-meal hunger pangs. Given Anna's social stature, the concept took off among the upper class, proving to be an excellent social venue. The term "high tea" is actually owed to England's working class, who transformed the afternoon tea into their primary evening meal, serving much heartier fare such as meats, cakes, bread and pies. "High" tea is a reference to the table the working class sat at while taking their tea - tall in comparison to the low, delicate tables at which the gentry took their lighter, more formal tea. Queen Victoria introduced the English to the Russian custom of adding lemon to their tea after visiting one of her daughters in Russia - before that, the English took only milk with their tea.

For information on other traditions or to submit your own tea tradition visit our Tea Traditions section.

Tea Traditions