As a bartender, I have the opportunity to attend many spirit and industry training sessions, learning more about each category and the specific history and method behind each brand. Last Wednesday, I got to do something different: a tea tasting!
Pictured below is the new (to Nottingham) boutique tea store: Bluebird Tea Co. Started up by Mike and Krisi when they were students in this city, they grew their brand and now have several stores across the country with the latest addition being this one in Nottingham - where it all began.
Bluebird isn't like other tea shops, they specialise in 'tea mixology' to create blends of tea suitable for everyone's tastes - even those who are caffeine free (more on that later). I was invited to an industry opening, where we could sample and learn about tea, and boy did I learn! All the staff were super knowledgeable and you could tell the passion for the product and the brand had translated down through from Mike and Krisi to the whole team.
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| *Image from Nottingham Post, credit to Angela Ward |
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| Grace and the full range of tea blends |
We were welcomed with tea cocktails (seen below), followed by lots of samples, demonstrations, and plenty of chit chat about tea. Here are some things I learnt:
- White tea exists!
- White and green tea leaves are easily burnt, the easiest way to avoid this is to add a splash of cold water to your cup before adding water from the kettle. *Bonus tip from me, don't "boil" your kettle until it switches off - as soon as you can here it simmering, your water is hot enough to brew and you save energy/electricity too!
- Matcha green tea has more caffeine than coffee, but has a slower energy release (so a bit like having porridge for breakfast instead of sugary cereal).
- There are special bamboo whisks for making matcha tea, which help fully dissolve the powder.
- Rooibos tea is from a different plant, and technically doesn't contain caffeine (although it does contain a similar stimulant). This means that you can brew it for longer than other types of tea without worry of over-brewing.
- Raspberry leaves - found in a few of their blends; such as Blue Raspberry and Enchanted Narnia - are great for aiding digestion, and easing stomach cramps.
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| An earl grey cocktail, and instagram cards with full recipes/instructions on the back! |
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| Ellie brewing up a cup of Enchanted Narnia, which was as magical as it sounds |
The store itself was both modern and cosy, with books about tea around for those who wish to sit in to read. Bluebird will be running blending workshops in the near future, with spaces filling up fast! Click
here to book yourself a place.
And finally, onto the purpose of my visit. I now have a fantastic collection of tea blends to play with, and incorporate into my own mixology. Watch this space for more tea cocktails! At the moment I'm brainstorming something for a tea based alternative to Irish Coffee...
