Tea Blog

If you are like many others, you may be wondering what the difference is between aged oolong tea and the regular kind. Well, like wine, some things just get better with age. This is something you can’t truly appreciate until you taste the smooth beverage on your lips for the first time. You will quickly understand why many tea connoisseurs will not even entertain the idea of drinking a tea that is not aged, because there is just no comparison.

What is So Special About Aged Oolong Tea?

If you think you are going to go into your local grocery store and pick up some aged oolong tea to impress your guests at your next dinner party, think again. This tea is rare, but well worth the effort of ordering it. It traditionally has an exotic and complex taste that is smooth and even pleasantly sweet.

Most oolongs that are being prepared for aging are first roasted to a specific degree to determine a moisture content that is acceptable to begin the storing process. Then, it is inspected every few years and re-roasted very carefully to remove any moisture, so flavors are retained. It is a lengthy and dedicated process, which is why the flavor gets better with age.

If you have tossed around the idea of finally trying an aged variety, you will discover firsthand why this tea is deemed more desirable.

While National Iced Tea Month (June) has melted away, there’s no time like summer to keep sipping on the most refreshing beverage around. As Austin, Texas natives, we know no scorching afternoon is complete without an icy glass of premium Zhi Tea by our side as we lounge by the pool or seek shelter indoors.

Plus, this month marks the 61st anniversary of Alice in Wonderland’s original film release, and we’re thinking that’s as good of an excuse as any to throw a very merry unbirthday tea party with all your favorite organic iced brews and best buddies. So find your best party hat, and nab Zhi Tea’s cold steeping kit while the summer’s still hot.

Today, we’re sipping iced Fredericksburg Peach tea from mason jars in that oh-so-Texas style, but we’ve got four other options when we’re all peached out. The cold steeping kits come with Classic Black, Hibiscus Mint, White Blueberry, and Cherry Sencha too; we just can’t get enough of those summery flavors – what about you?

Some tea drinkers are adventurous; they go out of their way to try something new every time they order. However, the vast majority tend to stick to one variety. They may venture away occasionally and try something slightly different, but they quickly return to what they are comfortable with. If this sounds like you, then you are probably also feeling that it is time you lived on the edge a little and tried a flavor completely different than what you are used to. Of course, the biggest challenge is deciding which one of the many tempting flavors we have here at Zhi Tea you should try. We have two words for you: coconut tea!

Why Coconut Tea?

You may be wondering why you should try coconut tea as opposed to the countless other flavors. If record high temperatures don’t tempt your taste buds for something tropical, then there are actually other reasons as well.

This popular new flavor is not just delicious, it is healthy. Why buy a tea with artificial flavor, sugar and syrup when you can enjoy a phenomenal cup of organic tea that offers the same great benefits as other varieties?

This evocative black tea is good for your heart and actually helps to protect your teeth and bones because it contains a specific class of polyphenols.

Think of the tea cocktails you can make with it! You can chill it and add fresh fruit for a punch or even add it to your banana smoothie in the blender. This is a versatile tea you will want to make a permanent flavor in your collection.

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Most restaurants don’t really give much thought to the iced tea that they serve. This is pretty surprising considering statistics show that it is the most ordered beverage for spring and summer. If you are brewing tea from large tea bags or using syrup varieties from a gun, you may want to consider offering your patrons a little higher quality product.

Most restaurant owners and managers are not even aware that you can order quality teas at a wholesale level, but you certainly can! You probably take great pride in offering an exceptional roast of coffee, especially to the breakfast crowd; don’t your tea drinkers deserve the same? After all, tea is quickly becoming the new coffee, as the vast majority of the population looks for easy ways to live a healthier lifestyle.

The Iced Tea You Serve Can the Key to Your Success

Competition is stiff these days. Sure, you have exceptional food and fantastic service, but is there a WOW factor that makes you stand out from others? Is your restaurant name being brought up in conversation around the water cooler or at yoga later or at the spa on the weekend? When your patrons appreciate that you offer a high quality iced tea, it will! What a powerful yet effortless marketing tool a simple beverage can be!

Get ready for Zhi Tea’s Super Summer Iced Tea Giveaway! It’s your chance to snag a whole bunch of premium organic tea goodness for free!

Every order in July is entered to win:

• One ForLife Mist cold-steeping iced tea filter jug

• Two 24oz. eco-friendly Zhi Tea to-go cups

• One each of our five iced tea kits. Every kit contains four 1oz. filter pouches.

Flavor Varieties: Cherry Sencha • Hibiscus Mint • Classic Black • Pure Peach • White Blueberry

$100 value! Includes free shipping. Winner will be notified August 1st.

08/01/12 UPDATE: Congratulations to our winner, Terry from Texas! Enjoy your iced tea and stay cool!

Green Tea Gifts – Perfect for You!

Who says that you can’t buy green tea gifts for yourself? Is it only acceptable to buy a gift basket or enroll someone else in a tea club for a special occasion? Don’t you deserve to do something healthy and enjoyable just for you? If you are looking at the beautiful variety of green tea we have available here at Zhi Tea and feeling a little guilty that you want to order yourself something, you can join the club. You may be surprised at how many people come here shopping for someone else but end up buying for themselves instead.

Buy Green Tea Gifts for Someone Else and Add a Club for You

Zhi Tea can essentially be your one-stop shopping place for everyone in your life. When you are buying green tea gifts for someone else, why not add a monthly club for yourself to enjoy?

You can choose a six- or 12-month cycle, and every month you receive a new tin with a different flavor. These are not tiny servings either; our tin holds as many as 50 cups of tea. Just a few of the mouthwatering flavors you may get to enjoy include Moroccan Mint, Jasmine Green, and Cherry Sencha. Just imagine how much you will enjoy that satisfying cup of tea after a long hard day. It is better than dessert, and better for you!