Brewing Chai - Considerations

It’s difficult even to think the word “chai” without picturing the chaiwallah (tea vendor) serving up cups of spiced tea to travellers reaching out train windows to receive their cups in exchange for a few rupees as the train pulls out of the station. The small short-lived unglazed cups are happily disposed of when empty by being dashed to the ground and already the travellers are anticipating their next cup when the train pulls into the next stop.

Chai - the generic word for tea in India - in America refers to spiced tea similar to that drunk mainly in northern India. It is also referred to as masala chai. In northern India it is typically made from machine processed leaf tea (ctc process), spices including cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, and others, sweetener, and whole milk.

By now most tea drinkers have at least heard of chai. The popularity of chai in America may relate to marketing. As general interest in tea gained, chai became an appealing addition to coffee shops because milk could be added as it is to a latte. Also, the extra steps to prepare made it more of a chore and more desirable to buy in a shop.

Time considerations also prompted production of ready-to-drinks bottles and boxes, liquid concentrates, tea bags and powdered mixes. All this product manufacturing was accompanied by a great deal of promotion. So little by little more and more tea drinkers and coffee drinkers have been exposed to chai.

Chai is a good tasting fun drink and many interesting variations are being developed. We offer several mixtures for brewing your own chai. These include one with black leaf tea, one with green tea and ginseng, and another that has an organic herbal base and organic spices. We also have a delicious Kashmiri blend, one with a cinnamon emphasis and a chocolate chai. Go to our teas page and click "chai". A good cup of chai is a great change of pace, a nice way to experiment, and a pleasant surprise.