Origin Story

There's a common belief that blended tea is nothing more than tossing a bunch of low-grade tea, some fruits and flowers, and "fake flavoring" into a bowl and slapping on a hefty price tag. Let me assure you, that couldn't be further from the truth. 

Blended tea is like a culinary masterpiece, where bad ingredients yield bad results, no matter how skilled the chef is. Just as a great tomato can transform into a sublime experience with a dash of good salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, blending has the power to turn ordinary ingredients into something extraordinary.

Blended and flavored tea plays a crucial role in the very existence of the tea industry itself. This aspect is often overlooked by tea industry veterans. Blends serve as the financial engines for many tea companies, even purveyors of the highest quality, single-origin teas. Blended tea has paved the way for increased availability of tea and has raised the overall standard of quality in the industry.

I challenge these misconceptions and embrace the world of blended and flavored tea. I recognize that this craft goes beyond simply mixing ingredients—it's an art that brings together different flavors, aromas, and textures to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Blended tea invites a world of endless possibilities.

I'm here to share my passion for blended and flavored tea through my book, Spill The Tea: Unveiling The Mysteries Of Blended, Flavored, And Herbal Teas.

When I first entered the blended and flavored tea industry 10 years ago, I struggled to find reliable information on the subject. It wasn't that people were hiding secrets, but rather that the information was often scattered across many sources, not presented in a coherent format, or existed only verbally, passed down from master to apprentice. I knew there was an opportunity for a comprehensive resource that could help explain the nuts and bolts of blended and flavored tea, so I decided to create it myself, and that's how Spill The Tea came to be.

I reached out to my network of tea lovers, industry veterans, entrepreneurs, and curious hobbyists and collected their questions. It was inspiring to see that all these groups had similar questions about blended and flavored tea. And so, I systematically built chapters based on the common threads: flavoring, ingredients, supply chain, certifications, and economics. You can see my original list of questions in the Google Sheets file below.

With the help of key subject matter experts who graciously donated their time to share their views, Spill The Tea provides a comprehensive insider's guide to the blended and flavored tea industry. This book isn't about teaching you how to blend tea per se, but it will teach you about the nuances, lexicon, systems, and how to navigate this complex world.

Spill The Tea is a valuable resource for those who are interested in this side of the tea industry. Whether you're a curious hobbyist, an entrepreneur with a bright idea in tea, or a tea professional with a desire for continued education, this book is for you. I invite you to grab a copy of Spill The Tea and start your journey of discovery. The book is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.