It’s been a little while since we did an “Ask Mike Anything” blog, and we thought, "What better time to bring this series back than right before the holidays, when everyone's feeling extra mushy?”
Before we start, I just want to say that I, along with everyone at Harney & Sons, love engaging with our community. You all sent such interesting and unique questions, and we can tell you’re truly passionate about our tea. We wouldn’t be here without all of you, so I just wanted to share how thankful we are for those who sent in questions and compliments (and even those who didn’t!). We hope you all have a lovely holiday season.
Let’s get into it!
What’s a good tea to “start” with for someone wanting to try tea?
Our most popular tea (and a great place to start) is our Hot Cinnamon Spice. Another great traditional tea is our Earl Grey Supreme. Then you can experiment from there.
What’s your favorite and least favorite tea? Is there a tea that you only drink hot or only iced?
Emily, I love almost all of our teas. My favorite would be our oolong tea, Li Shan, from Taiwan. Least favorite? How about my “least most” favorite? I’d have to say, maybe Black Cask Bourbon from Japan.
We do have some teas that work well when iced since they don’t cloud. They are in the Fresh Brewed Iced Teas section on our website. Everything else is great hot.
Hi Mike! Do you find that you gravitate to different teas as the seasons change? When the temps fall, I find myself looking for my favorite Harneys oolong and black teas instead of my warm-weather favorite jasmine and green teas. Thank you, and happy autumn!
Thanks Lynn, change is good. At my house, we drink Risheehat 1st Flush Darjeeling during the heat of summer and some great Chinese teas like Bi Lo Chun. Now, because the weather’s cooled down, we’re drifting back to Assams and Supreme Breakfast.
How would you rate your customer service? Is the customer always right? Is the customer right anytime?
Well, coming from the world of hospitality, I would say the customer is right 99.9% of the time. Sometimes we do find them to be wildly incorrect; however, that is a rare occasion. Our staff follows these rules.
Can we get the flavor printed on the paper tab on the tea bag, please?
Thanks for this polite suggestion. We used to put the flavor on the tag of the teabag, so we did think it was a good idea. Sadly, it proved very difficult to keep the system working and not run out of this or that, so we switched back to one tag for all.
Which tea would pair best when introducing 6th-grade students to ancient Arkadia?
Mary Ann, my 6th grade teacher, did not teach me about Arkadia, so I had to look it up…I see we’re talking about a part of Greece. Given that, how about an herb, not a tea? I’d recommend Greek Mountain Herbal.
Will you consider offering Okinawan shell ginger tea at Harney & Sons?
Jean, thanks for the tip. I see that it is for us older folks, so I’ll consider it.
I love many of your teas, particularly the Wedding Tea, and enjoy drinking tea throughout the day, but I struggle to handle the caffeine. Since most of my favorites contain caffeine, is there a way for me to reduce the level myself?
Kristen, sorry that you’re having caffeine problems. The best way to avoid caffeine is to drink herbals or decaf teas. Since Wedding Tea is made with white tea, it does have caffeine. An old tip that does reduce caffeine (but does not eliminate it) is to brew the tea for a few minutes, then toss that brew and start over again. Caffeine keeps coming out of tea for 8 minutes, so it is not completely effective.
Since you’ve ventured into literary teas like Little Women and Agatha Christie, have you ever thought about steeping something darker, I’d say, a Gothic-inspired blend for Bram Stoker or Mary Shelley?
Gavin, I will bring it up to my son Emeric.
Is your tea available in Canada?
Judy, we are happy to help our friends up in Canada. Teo at Premium Teas outside of Toronto can assist you.
Hello, I am in the process of potentially purchasing a coffee shop. I would like to offer iced and hot tea. Is there a wholesale site I can purchase from that sells your teas?
Kristine, we’re glad you’re taking the plunge! Please call us at our Call Center and they can assist you. Lisa Prindle, lprindle@harneyteas.com, runs it. Good luck!
Do y'all use plastic in any of your teabags? This is becoming an important question because I drink a lot of tea.
Our teabags are made from paper, so the answer there is NO. Although most of our sachets are made from sugarcane, [the exception is] Hot Cinnamon Spice. So, the answer is some do and some don’t.
Please note that we offer loose teas and premium filtration tools to make brewing a breeze. Let me know if I can assist: michael@harneyteas.com.
Would like to know your thoughts on Gaba Oolong. There is a medical debate as to whether gaba actually crosses the brain barrier, but I find it very relaxing.
Kevin, as you mentioned, the Gaba Oolong verdict is still out. As long as you find it useful (and many do) please keep enjoying it.
Is the iced tea pitcher still available?
Sorry, we don't offer it anymore.
I’m a huge fan of jasmine and florals, so I’ve tried them all over the world. Why is your Dragon Pearl Jasmine better than everyone else’s?
Thank you, Sam, I’m glad you appreciate our insistence on great-tasting Dragon Pearl Jasmine. Our Chinese friends take early season white tipped tea from the Big White tea plants in northern Fujian Province and hand roll them between their fingers. Those big white buds are why they taste sweeter. Later in the year, the rolled pearls are sent to Guangxi in southern China and are scented with jasmine flowers several times, making for a lovely, sweet, and floral tea. With the trade disputes between China and the US, there might be supply chain disruptions. So buy early!
Do the sachets you use for your Hot Cinnamon Sunset tea contain plastic?
Bob, Hot Cinnamon Sunset sachets use a material that would be considered plastic; however, we offer loose teas and premium filtration tools to make brewing a breeze. Let me know if I can assist: michael@harneyteas.com.
Hi Mike, wondering how the tariffs are affecting your business. Thinking that the 50% on imports from India could be particularly difficult. Would love to hear your thoughts on how you are dealing with this situation. (And hoping my fave organic Assam and Darjeeling teas won’t be making a big jump in price!)
Teri, don't get me started! Yes, tariff taxes that are paid by Harney & Sons (and not the country of origin) are affecting us. And much more than I thought back in April. We are getting in some special Assams and Darjeelings, but carefully watching the other teas from India.
Unfortunately, yes, a 50% tariff tax will affect the pricing. Sorry!
I am fairly new to tea. I enjoy black and green teas. I have heard from some that you shouldn't steep the tea very long or you will get a strong (builder’s tea) cup. Are the steeping times recommended on the tea good to use? Should I go shorter? Or just experiment until I find one I like to get the best cup? I mostly drink hot tea.
It’s always nice to hear from another Michael! Black teas can handle boiling water and steep for 4-5 minutes. Green teas are more fragile, so less heat and less time. I would steep a Chinese green tea for 3 minutes using 175º F water. Japanese green teas would need even less time and less heat. Glad that you are learning about teas, Michael.
