It’s time for a recap of my trip to Boulder, Colorado with Celestial Seasonings!
![Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Bear_thumb[8]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Bear[6].png "Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Bear_thumb[8]")
I’m excited to share all of the fun with you today! And, at the end of this post, you will find a pretty stellar giveaway packed with items I picked out just for you guys (including some of my favorite teas, a super cute Anthropologie-esque mug, a tumbler, tea kettle, adorable potholder and more). Let’s get to it!
Visiting Celestial Seasonings
Thursday of last week was jam-packed with all things tea! Our morning kicked off with breakfast at the hotel before our group of bloggers hopped in a car and headed to Celestial Seasonings’ headquarters, located on Sleepytime Drive. How appropriate, right!?
Those of us from out of town got a kick out of the adorable prairie dogs that greeted us from the fields as we drove onto the property, but even their cute little faces couldn’t top the welcome we received from the Celestial Seasonings team.
All of the employees greeted us on the front lawn with signs and smiles. It made us feel very welcome and we made sure to thank everyone for their enthusiastic greeting! (Just FYI, Celestial Seasonings offers a free factory tour in Boulder every day of the week!)
Of course we all were especially excited to meet the Sleepytime Bear!
![Celestial Seasonings Bear_thumb[2]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Bear[4].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Bear_thumb[2]")
The famous Sleepytime Bear has a cat named Chamomile and I did my best to convince him to get a dog, too, even though I’m pretty sure Sadie wouldn’t touch that bear with a ten-foot pole. She’s not exactly the bravest little creature.
After our warm welcome, it was time to warm our bellies with all the tea we could drink. I’m pretty sure I went to the bathroom every 30 minutes when I was there because I did not stop drinking tea. I loved trying so many new-to-me flavors, including Sweet Harvest Pumpkin (sweetened with a little stevia – so good!) and Cinnamon Apple Spice.
![Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour_thumb[6]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour[6].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour_thumb[6]")
During the tasting, I truly did not try one tea I didn’t like, but there were two big standouts that quickly claimed the top prize in my eyes.
First place went to Bengal Spice herbal tea.
This fragrant tea tasted like the holidays in a cup and was incredibly flavorful thanks to cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. I was shocked to hear it wasn’t sweetened since it definitely has a sweet flavor. I also think it would be fabulous with a splash of almond milk. I made sure to buy two packs of this tea before we left.
Second place went to the Caramel Apple Dream herbal tea that included quintessential autumn flavors such as apple, cinnamon and maple. (I picked up a box of this one, too!)
Following the tea tasting, we were ushered into the main tour room where we learned more about the company’s beginnings and the direction they hope to go in the future. Founded in 1969 by Mo Siegel, Celestial Seasonings came to be when Mo and his friends decided to bring the blended herbal teas they made in the Colorado mountains to health food stores. The company continues Mo’s passion for herbal tea and many of the ingredients used in their teas come from the same farmers Celestial Seasonings has used for upwards of 30 years.
After learning a bit about the company, we were off to the next activity, but not before I quickly snagged a bottle of Celestial Seasonings kombucha.
![Celestial Seasonings Kombucha_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Kombucha[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Kombucha_thumb[1]")
I drank a bottle of the super green tropical blend and thought it was great. I am rather picky when it comes to kombucha since I’ve tried my fair share of kombucha I have not enjoyed, so I was happy to love this one!
And then it was off to do some more tea tasting, only this time we learned a bit about the brewing process. I clearly had a lot to learn because I always leave my tea bags in my mug when I make myself a cup of tea which is a big no-no.
Here are a few single-cup brewing tips for the most popular kinds of tea:
- Green Tea: To brew a great cup of green tea, place one tea bag in your cup. Pour very hot (just at the brink of boiling) water over the tea bag. Cover and steep 3 minutes. Remove tea bag and add lemon and/or sweetener if desired.
- Chai Tea: Place one tea bag in your favorite mug. Fill with 3/4 cup boiling water. Steep for 4 to 6 minutes. For authentic chai taste, remove tea bag and fill mug with 1/4 cup hot milk or dairy substitute. Sweeten to taste with sugar or honey.
- Black Tea: Place one tea bag in your cup and pour boiling water over it, cover and steep 3 to 5 minutes, depending on desired strength. Remove tea bag. We recommend adding honey to sweeten.
- Herbal Tea: Place one tea bag in your favorite cup. Add boiling water and let steep 4 to 6 minutes. Sweeten if you desire – we recommend honey!
Another quick tip: Squeeze the tea bag before removing it from your cup. Why? Tea leaves can absorb up to seven times their weight in water and compressing the bag enhances color and flavor.
Following our tea tasting, we sat down to a lunch that included fresh salads, salmon and sweet treats before it was time to slip into our marshmallow suits and head off on the factory tour.
![Celestial Seasonings Tour_thumb[10]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Tour[10].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Tour_thumb[10]")
![Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour_thumb[2]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour[6].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour_thumb[2]")
During the tour, I chatted with our guide about the holiday teas which are some of my all-time favorites. (I’m looking at you Candy Cane Lane!) He told me that the inspiration behind their Nutcracker Sweet tea came from an 11-year-old girl on one of their factory tours. She was a ballerina and said they should make a holiday tea and call it “Nutcracker Sweet.” This eventually led to more favorites like Sugar Plum Spice.
![Celestial Seasonings Holiday Teas_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Holiday Teas[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Holiday Teas_thumb[1]")
No trip to the Celestial Seasonings factory is complete without a visit to the Mint Room, so we made sure to spend some time in the incredibly aromatic space where all of the mint is stored before we were done.
![Celestial Seasonings Mint Room_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Mint Room[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Mint Room_thumb[1]")
Our day at Celestial Seasonings concluded with a happy hour that included tea-infused cocktails.
My favorite was the Until Next Time cocktail made with vodka, chamomile simple syrup, lemon juice, egg whites and strawberry puree. It was fantastic!
![strawberry tea infused cocktail_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/strawberry tea infused cocktail[3].jpg "strawberry tea infused cocktail_thumb[1]")
And now it’s giveaway time!
Before we said goodbye to our friends at Celestial Seasonings, we were each given a gift card to use in the Tea Shop toward a giveaway for our readers. I obviously wanted to include some of my favorite teas, but I also added a few extra things that I hope you love!
![Celestial Seasonings Giveaway_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Giveaway[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Giveaway_thumb[1]")
This giveaway includes:
- Celestial Seasonings Holiday Tea Sampler Pack (Candy Cane Lane, Gingerbread Spice, Sweet Harvest Pumpkin, Nutcracker Sweet)
- Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Herbal Tea
- Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra Tea
- Alba Botannica Hawaiian Body Cream
- Alba Cherry Lip Balm
- WoodWick Candle in Bakery Cupcake (This smells amazing!)
- Festive Mug
![Aroma Gourmet Electric Kettle_thumb[1]](https://i2.wp.com/pbfingers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/AromaGourmetElectricKettle_thumb11.jpg "Aroma Gourmet Electric Kettle_thumb[1]")
- Aroma Gourmet Electric Digital Kettle
- Celestial Seasonings Tumbler
- Celestial Seasonings Teas with Altitude t-shirt
- Cute Potholder with Embroidered Towel
To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below telling me about your favorite Celestial Seasonings tea or the kind of Celestial Seasonings tea you’d love to try!
I will randomly select a winner on Friday morning. Good luck!
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I love candy cane lane. Now I want to try Bengal spice too.
I love Bengal Spice too! Such a warm flavor!! What a lovely-sounding trip 🙂
I love the fruity flavor teas they have! Especially the peach and blueberry. That pumpkin flavor may be next on my list to try though!! Looks amazing!
my favorite tea is the zinger!
Sweet Harvest Pumpkin. I love anything pumpkin.
Harvest pumpkin is awesome 🙂
I LOVE a cup of the Sleepytime Extra tea before bed!
I’d love to try the Bengal Spice!
What a fun trip! Candy Cane Lane is a favorite of mine, too, but I’ve had my eye on the caramel apple, and that Bengal Spice sounds so nice 🙂
I love Sugar Cookie Sleighride & I drink it all year! I would love to try the Bengal Spice!
Harvest pumpkin! That Bengal spice sounds great. I love anything that smells or tastes like the holidays.
Sleepytime vanilla is my favorite!
Bengal spice is my favorite, but I am thinking I need to give Harvest Pumpkin a try!
Are you kidding, choose just one tea??? I would love to try the kombucha you talked about, but the Sleepytime sounds pretty amazing, since I seem to be getting very little of it lately! Great blog and give away!
My favorite is the peppermint I’m actually currently drinking it right now this give away would be absolutly perfect !!! I’m currently trying to loose some lbs and tea is such a great aid pick me!!!
I typically prefer pretty plain tea – good ole green or black!
I would love to try the sleepy time teas soon since I tend to have a bit of trouble getting to sleep some nights!
sleepytime vanilla is my favorite but I would love to try the pumpkin one! also- those cinnamon honey sticks looks delicious!!
I miss living in Boulder. I would stock up on all my favorite teas especially Harvest pumpkin.
I absolutely must try the pumpkin tea! This trip looked like so much fun 🙂
Candy Cane Lane is one of the best teas during winter. I always stock up for a few months!
I love the country peach iced or hot!
sugar cookie sleigh ride is my absolute favorite! but bengal spice sounds very interesting!
sugar cookie sleigh ride is my all time favorite although sleepy time reminds me of my childhood!
I’d love to try Candy Cane Lane or Chai! I love tea and always enjoy trying new flavors!
I love peppermint tea, but everything in the giveaway looks incredible!!
i love bengal spice!!! i would love to try the pumpkin one though! I LOVE Pumpkin!
Sleepy time vanilla is awesome and really helps me sleep!
Wow I love there tea! I would love to try the pumpkin or apple !!!
I love the Peppermint Tea, but I would love to try the Sweet Pumpkin Harvest!
I love the tension tamer! Not only does it taste great, but it actually relieves my stress. I’ve been wanting to try the Bengal spice… May need to make a trip to the store 🙂
Harvest Pumpkin sounds heavenly! I’ve never tried pumpkin spiced tea before so this would make a great addition to my fall treats! 🙂
I love their vanilla sleepytime tea!
Sleepytime is the best! I even got my husband to drink it. 🙂
I absolutely love the Sleepy time extra tea! It is so calming and always puts me right to bed…but some of those holiday teas look amazing! I am going to have to try them!
I love the pumpkin!
I have to try that Sweet Harvest Pumpkin you pictured above!!!
Definitely want to try Sweet Harvest Pumpkin! Tis the season!!
The Bengal Spice sounds amazing! I am a huge tea drinker, and this tour sounds so fun! Glad you had a good time, Julie!
I love Bengal Spice! I also love the classic Sleepytime tea.
I have always loved the Honey Vanilla Chamomile and the Peppermint for tummy aches, but I’d love to try the Bengal too!
I would love to try the pumpkin spice tea! It looks delicious and I love all things pumpkin 🙂
I would love to try the Caramel Apple Dream herbal tea!
Sleepytime will forever be my favourite tea! But sweet harvest pumpkin sounds nice too 🙂
I can’t wait to try Bengal Spice! Yum:-)
I have tried and love the Nutcracker Sweet and Sweet Harvest Pumpkin! With your description of the Bengal Spice, you’ve peaked my interest!!!
Hi Julie!
I love their green tea. A nice warm mug at night relaxes me, and knowing I’m putting something healthy into my body makes it taste that much better!
Jessica
sugar cookie sleigh ride is hands down my favorite tea ever!!
I love the Bengal spice!
Bengal spice sounds amazing! I love making earl grey simple syrup for cocktails too – definitely worth a try 🙂