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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Christmas Cookies!!
I have a huge obsession with tea! I love their green tea, I drink it every morning! I would love to try the Harvest Pumpkin!
I love their seasonal/holiday teas! They always get me into the spirit!
hmm I love any chai tea! But green tea is my go-to. For herbal tea, I prefer the basics.. just any sort of fruit flavor works for me 🙂
I’d love to try the holiday tea 🙂
I love to follow dinner with a cup of their Lemon Zinger herbal tea, but the kombucha sounds like it would be an interesting product to try. I love tea, so I’m definitely thinking about a visit to Colorado… lol
I love Celestial Seasonings Acai Mango Zinger.
hands down the Pumpkin flavor is my favorite!
My favorite at the moment is Tension Tamer. My husband and I drink it after the baby is asleep to unwind 🙂 Yup, we are party animals haha. I would love to try that Caramel Apple flavor you mentioned though!
I live in Florida. I toured Celestial seasonings when I was a teenager. My aunt lives in Boulder and she took us there when we visited her. I remember loving their honey. Don’t know if they still have it but at the time they had a strawberry honey. I put it on everything!
I want to try the Bengal spice tea!
Hi Julie!
I usually curl up with a cup of Sleepy Time Extra before bed, but I’m intrigued by the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin. It seems like a fitting choice for the fall. Plus, I think I’d like to make my own tea infused cocktails with Candy Cane Lane.
I have a tendency to hoard the Candy Cane Lane flavor (I may or may not have a box in my desk right now) because it is definitely my favorite. Can’t wait to try the sweet harvest pumpkin flavor!
Ah! I love Celestial Seasonings. We did the tour when we were in Boulder in March. Unfortunately we didn’t plan travel time very well so we were super rushed and didn’t really get to sample much. I am actually in love with the Half and Half iced tea bags that they make– perfect to brew and keep in the fridge. Yum yum yum.
My favorite is Sleepytime lemon jasmine! I would love to try candy cane lane tea, I love peppermint!!
Sugar cookie sleighride!
The sweet harvest pumpkin looks awesome! I love anything pumpkin this time of year 🙂
I love their green teas and chai!
I have never tried Celestial tea, but I’m thinking the Caramel Apple Dream…might be a dream! Gonna have to pick some up!
I would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin. It is Pumpkin season!
I’d love to try Bengal Spice! I did not know it existed, but now I’m very intrigued to see what it tastes like!
That Kombucha is my absolute favorite! I’m also excited for the holiday tea flavors like gingerbread and mint green tea.
Hello! I LOVE celestial tea. It’s soo good! I recently bought the Cinnamon Apple Spice and loved it (so did everyone at work) 🙂 I would love to try the Caramel Apple Dream and the Candy Cane Lane. Holiday flavors are the best!
My daughter and I are BIG Sleepytime Tea drinkers. We have a cup before bedtime to settle us both down. I always have at least 3-4 boxes of Celestial Seasonings tea in the pantry. I haven’t seen the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin in stores here in PA yet, I’d love to try it!
Bengal Spice is also my favorite! I actually noticed last night that I only have 2 bags left, so I definitely need to get some more. 🙂
I would love to try the Bengal Spice
I love tea! I have never quite gotten into coffee so it’s tea for me. I would love to try the candy cane lane. I love their peppermint tea!
Reading your post reminded me of how many yummy flavors Celestial Seasonings has. I think Sleepytime is my all time favorite but now I really want to try that pumpkin blend.
I love sleepytime tea. I drink a cup every night.
I love Sleepy Time extra! I also would love to try the bengal one 🙂 Thanks!
Candy Cane Lane!
I want to try that Sweet Harvest Pumpkin so bad… the tour looked like a lot of fun!!!
I can’t wait to try Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!!!
I would love to try the Caramel Apple Dream! That sounds wonderful! I’m really into apple this fall.
My fave is the sleepytime tea with honey!
LOVE cinnamon apple spice but any of the holiday ones sound delightful too!
We’re loving Goodnight Grape at our house right now for two squirley little girls who enjoy it before settling down for bedtime!
The mom in the house is loving Honey Vanilla Chamomile. But you can never go wrong with mint or lemon!
I love love love candy cane lane tea!!!
i’d love to try the sleepytime tea or the sweet harvest pumpkin 🙂
Raspberry Zinger or SleepyTime Vanilla sound good
My favorite is the holiday Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride. Love the buttery flavor!
i love sleepytime.. And candy cane lane sounds like my favorite candy cane tea from trader joes so I’d love to try that!!
I’d love to try the Candy Cane Lane tea! Drinks with a mint taste are delicious.
Candy Cane Lane is definitely my current favorite–I stocked up last Christmas and still have some in my desk!
Would love to try Bengal Spice. Never seen it before, but sounds right up my alley!
I love the peppermint tea most of the year. But in the fall I love Sweet Harvest Pumpkin. I’m so glad they came out with a pumpkin flavored tea.
I just LOVE Celestial Seasonings! So jealous, the tour looks like so much fun! Candy Cane Lane and Honey Vanilla Chamomile are my favorites…I usually don’t like chamomile teas, but this one is awesome!
I would love to try all of those holiday flavors. I am so such a picky tea drinker, but those look good!
Apple spice and sleepy time are my favorites.
would you believe that i’ve never tried their holiday teas!? i need to TRY THEM ALL asap haha and the mug in the giveaway looks so awesome! somehow i have a collection of mugs… haha cant help it
My favorite Celestial Seasonings teas are the Blueberry and Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride 🙂