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 love sleepytime. End most of my days with it!
Would love to try any or all of the teas in the Holiday Sampler Pack, especially the Candy Cane one!
Sleepy time tea is the best 🙂
Bengal tea sounds awesome! Can’t wait to try.
I looove any of the Sleepytime teas…it amazes me because they actually work! I would love to try any of the holiday flavors because once fall hits, I am a holiday-flavored beverage junkie 🙂
My favorite by far is definitely Sleepy Time! I try to make a habit of drinking it nightly and my hubby loves to drink it when he’s feeling a bit under the weather. I’m super interested in trying the Harvest Pumpkin since I am for sure a pumpkin spice addict!
Thanks for sharing your tea brewing tips as I too have been doing it all wrong!
So glad that you got to enjoy our beautiful state!! You should come back for a longer visit next time. My favorite is the candy cane tea, yummy!! Love the tour and the mint room!
I love the sleepy time tea!!
Sweet Harvest Pumpkin sounds delicious! At this time of the year anything pumpkin is yummy!!!
I adore the Sleepytime tea!
Candy cane lane sounds amazing! But right now I can’t pass up anything with pumpkin. So – I choose both!
I just purchased the Harvest Pumpkin and Carmel Apple. They are SO delicious! Please pick me!!!
My husband and I both drink Sleepytime in the evenings on a pretty regular basis….lately with a bit of honey to help us tame a sore throat! We live fairly close to Boulder, so have been on the Celestial Seasonings tour before – lots of fun!
Ohh what a wonderful trip! I love the Sleepytime Vanilla tea!!
I would love to try the Carmel Apple Dream you mentioned! I can be rather picky about my tea, but it sounds like that has just the perfect mix of flavors! YUM!
Raspberry Zinger is my favorite tea of theirs.
I definitely want to try the Candy Cane Lane! I like anything holiday related.
Amazing! It’s like a dream come true! Celestial seasonings is my favorite tea! I love the holiday ones (nutcracker sweet and candy cane lane the most!) and drink the herbal zingers on a daily basis to keep me warm at work!
So fun! I live about an hour from Boulder and have not done the tour yet! Definitely adding it to my must do list. I love many of their teas but haven’t tried the apple one that you mentioned! I love teas that help satisfy my major nighttime sweet tooth 🙂
I’d love to try caramel apple dream or pumpkin spice! Yum!
the sugar cookie tea is amazing!
Candy Cane Lane tea is out of this world delicious to me! Unsweetened, sweetened, with milk, or cream….it is excellent and definitely my favorite!! I wish a candle existed that captured the aroma! 🙂
Amazing Giveaway!!! I am a lover of all things tea! And I have to agree with you – Bengal Spice = mind blown. New favorite tea!!!
I love, love Bengal Spice!
My favorite tea would have to be the lemon zinger! Wakes me up every time!
I’d love to try the Caramel Apple Dream, that flavor sounds amazing!
I’m with you on the candy cane lane favorite!!
Still love the sleepy time tea after all these years 🙂
A little ‘extra sleepytime” would be great to enjoy in the early mornings after working night shift (HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS EXISTED)! But anything pumpkin always has my vote!
My favorite has always been Nutcracker Sweet with a splash of vanilla soy. It definitely tastes like Christmas in a cup. The soy milk help cuts the bitterness of the black tea although admittedly Nucracker Sweet is pretty mild as far as black teas go.
I want to try the bengal spice tea so ably!
*so badly hahaaa
My favorite Celestial Seasonings tea is the Tension Tamer tea. The combination of ginger, ginseng, and chamomile makes for a super soothing cup of tea that smells freaking amazing 🙂
I’m in love with their Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride flavor. I tried it last year and went out and bought two more boxes so I could have it year round!
Looking forward to trying the Bengal Spice tea soon–sounds great!
I love the candy cane lane as well!
I like the harvest pumpkin a lot!
I guess you won’t ship to Europe, so don’t include me. However, I do want to leave a comment saying that my boyfriend absolutely LOVES Country Peach Passion. Celestial Seasonings teas are kind of hard to get over here, but I hope to bring some home from my next trip to the US.
I would love to try Nutcracker Sweet! It sounds so good and the story behind it is just too cute! 🙂
Lemon zinger
I want to try the honey vanilla white chai tea.
I’d love to try the Candy Cane tea this winter!
Hmm now you have me curious about the Bengal Spice Tea! I’ll pick that up next time I am at the store
Yay giveaway! I obviously loved this post because I am a full time tea lover! I have never heard of this brand before (I’m frorm Greece,no wonder) so i’m now overwhelmed by this factory and the awesome flavors! The one that catched my eye though is the caramel apple dream! Sounds delish 🙂
I would love to try the Bengal Spice … sounds right up my alley.
I’m dying to try Bengal Spice after hearing your description.
Hi Julie,
What a neat experience!
I would love to try the Celestial Seasonings Holiday Tea Sampler Pack (Candy Cane Lane, Gingerbread Spice, Sweet Harvest Pumpkin, Nutcracker Sweet).
I love CandyCane Lane, too! Can’t wait to see it on the shelves.
they have a great one called tummy tamer which is packed with ingredients to aid digestion.
I’d love to try any of the holiday teas!!
I love anything spicy and I can’t wait to try the Bengal Spice. Just looking at it I never would have picked it up to try without your review. Thank you!!
I wold love to try the Bengal Spice!