Why These Three Teas are Perfect for Fall

A lot of people get a bit sad when summer turn into fall. I have the opposite reaction. As obvious as it sounds, it is about the change. I love the crisp air, the colors of October and slightly slower pace. And, with a new season comes new food, and most importantly, new teas to drink every day. People ask me what to drink during the different times of day. My answer always is “depends on what mood I am in.” But, after thinking about it, I am pretty consistent during each season.

Summer is for iced tea, but fall is Chai time!

Pumpkin, cinnamon and warm gingersnap cookies, there is a reason why people eat these things in the fall - all have a bit of spice to them. Tea is no different. That is why I start with a warm cup of Chai in the morning. Chai gives me a little kick that I always need when I first wake up. And, as a black tea, it has the most caffeine, which is always nice when you need to get your day started.

Then I move on to something green

While the caffeine in black tea is nice, I can’t drink more than 3 or 4 cups of it a day or I get jittery. So to help keep me perky without twitching, I switch over to green tea. Green tea has about 1/3 the caffeine as black tea, so it is the perfect afternoon tea after drinking copious amounts of Chai. With the fall, I tend to like roasted flavors. And the best green tea with a roasty flavor is a Chinese Dragon Well. Dragon Well is the most popular tea in China and for good reason. It is a naturally sweet green tea with a flavor that reminds me of grilling veggies on an open charcoal grill. Add in a few notes of walnut and it makes for a wonderful tea to drink on a crisp autumn day.

To chill out, I drink Hojicha in the evening

In keeping with the same roasted theme, I drink a Japanese Hojicha after work. Hojicha is a tea where they literally roast the stems until they almost become caramelized. It has a flavor of roasted nuts with a finish of a burnt sugar like you would find in caramel. The best thing about this tea is it has almost no caffeine. This allows me to relax and wind down after a busy day.

Summary

Fall is my favorite time of year. Embrace the changes around you and enjoy the spirit of the season. Spicy, roasty and carmel are wonderful tea flavors to match the changing leaves and the approaching holidays.

photo: www.flickr.com/photos/freedomiiphotography/30834227034