All of our Decaffeinated Teas are available in either two ounce (2 oz) or four ounce (4 oz) quantities and have been decaffeinated using the superior CO-2 process. All teas are offered in cut and sifted form, which means that it is loose and resembles dried leaves, and they are presented in air-tight tins to preserve freshness and flavor.
It is important to store tea leaves away from air, light, moisture and odors from other foods. It is best in a cool dry place in an opaque and airtight tin. Refrigeration is not recommended.
First, a word about the decaffeination process: It is often said that the finer and higher-end purveyors of tea employ the carbon dioxide method (CO-2), which ingeniously uses elementary principles of transition states to make a better-tasting, healthier, decaffeinated tea. Essentially, moistened leaves are placed into a sealed chamber and flushed with carbon dioxide. Pressure within the chamber is then increased until the carbon dioxide transitions from gas to liquid and the liquidized carbon dioxide soaks into the leaves and binds with caffeine. After a time, the carbon dioxide is decanted, the leaves are dried and - in some systems - the gas is reclaimed. When the process is complete, all that is left is a decaffeinated tea with remarkably whole leaves that retain the beneficial polyphenols. Best of all, there is no chemical residue whatsoever.
Whether you choose Decaffeinated Black or Green Teas, we recommend that you click back to the Black Tea and Green Tea pages for a little background about each of these individual teas - two of only four true teas from the Camillia sinensis tea plant - and how and why they are so different in their processing, preparation and, ultimately, taste.
Each type of tea requires its own unique brewing procedure to draw out its characteristic delicate nuances or strong flavors or even medicinal qualities; and so we’ll now address the best methods of preparing your Green Decaffeinated Teas. You already have your tools at the ready (if not, please click back to our main tea page).
After you have selected your Decaffeinated Teas from the list below, the following steps will guide you through the preparation:
Assuming that you have already pre-heated your teapot (or cup) by swirling boiling or nearly boiling water around in the empty pot and then pouring it off, we will now put the proper amount of tea leaves into the pot – using one level teaspoon of tea per eight-ounce cup of water as a guide – although some old-timers like to add an extra spoon or “one for the pot.” It’s all a question of taste.
It is also considered important to brew tea in a vessel that matches the quantity one is preparing. Brewing a single cup in a large teapot will never taste quite right because there is too much room for the heat to dissipate if the pot is only partially filled with hot water; this is the time for a smaller teapot or a covered cup.
Now for the water:
When steeping Decaffeinated Green Tea, heat the water to steam - but not to the boil. If your water does come to the boil, remove the kettle from the burner and allow it to cool for one minute. When it comes to Green Teas, the key point is not to brew delicate Green with boiling water. Lower temperatures help protect against bitter taste; however, longer steeping will extract more antioxidants in Green Tea. But remember, the longer you steep, the more bitter your tea will be. Now it’s time to pour the water over the tea and steep your Green Tea for only about two-to-three minutes at 165-180 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it steep; do not stir. Add more tea leaves to produce a stronger brew. Watch the clock, not the color, as many teas brew to a quite light color. Never reheat your brewed tea.
Finally, it’s time for you to sit down, relax and sip your tea. Delicious? Relaxing? Just what you needed: The Perfect Cup of Tea and You!
These are guidelines for reference only. Experimentation will yield the perfect cup of tea. |
Green Flavored Teas 
