English Breakfast Decaf

A full bodied tea with a cup tending bright, a traditional orange pekoe black tea.

HEALTH PROPERTIES:  High in anti-oxidants

INGREDIENTS:  Decaf black tea.

CAFFEINE LEVELS:  Medium

TEA SOURCING:  India.

ETHICS:  Ethical Tea Partnership and GMO free

THE STORY OF ENGLISH BREAKFAST DECAF

Today the habit of tea drinking is inexorably linked to England despite the fact that the British were fairly late on the tea scene in historical terms.  Tea was far more popular in other European countries, before the British caught on to the habit. Tea was first brought to England via Holland on Dutch ships. As tea grew to become an 'in' beverage, the British government became quite incensed that a nation as tiny as the Netherlands could control the shipment of tea to the UK. In 1651 the British government passed the Navigation Acts, which forbade the importation of any products on non-British ships. Traders and Dutchmen, being resourceful, continued the trade in the usual manner but for one little wrinkle - the tea was transshipped in Holland onto British ships!

Early in British life tea was known as a health beverage and claimed all sorts of curative powers. In the 1650's, Garway's Coffee House proclaimed that:
"Tea makes the body active and lusty. Tea is declared to be the most wholesome;
preserving perfect health until extreme Old Age"

Afternoon tea was the invention of Anna, wife of the seventh Duke of Bedford in England. At the time custom dictated only two planned meals per day: a hearty breakfast and a late evening dinner. Anna in an effort to ease the mid-day "sinking feeling", began instructing her servants to prepare tea and cakes in the late afternoon. Thus began a fashionable habit, which still exists today.

Britain is steeped in tea history. Think of: High Tea, the Brown Betty, American War of Independence, Opium Wars, The Boxer Rebellion, Clipper Ship races from Fuzhou, China to Portsmouth UK, the Earl of Grey, and English Breakfast blends.

LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE Co2 DECAFFEINATION METHOD

Many companies use a chemical solvent based process to decaffeinate their teas.  Not us.  We thoroughly scrutinize our decaffeinated teas to ensure that they stand up to Canadian Quality specifications. All of our decaffs are processed using the Co2 Process. which does not involve a chemical solvent. Also, using naturally occurring Co2 in a circulation process which carefully uses high pressure and temperature to extract the caffeine, the distinct character of the tea is retained in the cup. The CO2 binds to the caffeine molecules and extracts them from the tea leaving behind all the natural proteins that give tea its flavor. It also leaves many of the polyphenols and antioxidants intact There is a slight change in the character of the tea due to the process, but the end result is an uncompromising cup of tea with no chemical overtones.

We use high quality tea as the base for decaf tea to ensure a strong flavoury cup that is bold and satisfying. We pick the best teas that will retain their character under Co2 decaffeination processes. Infused with natural bergamot flavour, this is the perfect all-day black tea. If you are sensitive to caffeine or just trying to cut back, this decaf blend allows you to enjoy your favorite black tea without adding to your caffein intake. Brew a cup - you will not be disappointed.

BREWING INSTRUCTIONS

BREWING INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOT TEA: Infuse one slightly heaping teaspoon for each 8 ounce cup with boiling water for 3-7 minutes.

NUMBER OF CUPS: 15-20 cups from each 50 grams of tea, with a single use of the leaves.  Loose leaf tea is traditionally infused 3 times, with a different flavor profile following each infusion.  Accordingly, each 50 gram bag can make up to 60 cups of tea.