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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Bengal Spice is my all time favorite tea and you are right, almond milk makes it even more amazing. I’d love to try that Sweet Harvest Pumpkin as well! Yum!
Sleepy time!
I would love to try the Bengal Spice!
I’d absolutely love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin tea–I love all things pumpkin, but have never had pumpkin tea!
I love their seasonal teas! My favorite is candy cane lane around the holidays!
Tea is so yummy! My two favorites are Chai and Earl Grey – always love trying new ones, especially the seasonal ones 😀
We love sleepytime tea! Lately we have been drinking the wellness one to hopefully ward off the sickness that seems to be going around. My husband is the one who actually loves this tea the most. He religiously drinks it every night before bed. I hope I win!
I’ve had the Bengal spice before and have also loved it!
I would LOVE to win the givaway! I love teas and have been drinking this brand since I was little. Such comfort. I would love to try the Bengal!
Thanks for the chance to win!
The Bengal Spice sounds so good! I usually go with the Chamomile or Earl Grey.
I would love to try the Caramel Apple! Sounds yummy!!!
My favorite Celestial Seasonings tea is a tie between Lemon Zinger and Sleepytime.
I’ve heard amazing things about Bengal Spice; it’s next on my list to try
My family loves Sleepy Time Tea – except we always pronounce it “Slippin’ Time” and I can’t remember where that came from!
I love the sleepy time tea! It’s part of the regular nightime routine in my house. However, I have been eyeing the Bengal Spice and would love to try it!!
I have a celestial seasonings tea daily!! I love it most in the Fall because the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin is my absolute favorite! I will have to pick up the Bengal Spice and try 🙂
Earl grey with milk and honey 🙂
My favorite is Sleepytime but I’d love to try the cinnamon apple spice. I never drink coffee, but drink tea almost daily so the tips on tea preparation will really come in handy for making better tea – thanks!
My favorite is candy cane lane! Cannot wait until it is available again…my stock from last year has been depleted. The pumpkin spice sounds delicious too. I love anything pumpkin!
Candy Cane Lane! Christmas time in a Cup!
I would love to try the Bengal spice as I love the spicy flavors of chai tea!
My favorite Celestial Seasonings is Sleepy Time and Wild Berry! I would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
(Up until my next grocery trip) I’ve only tried Sleepytime tea. I can’t wait to try Bengal Spice! It sounds delicious and I’m all about natural sweetness. I think the holiday flavors also have my name on them. I love that Celestial’s products don’t contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives. Well done Celestial Seasonings!
Caramel Apple Dream sounds like heaven in a cup! I can picture myself sipping on it while at work – I might even share with my coworkers 🙂
I would love to try Celestial ‘s Ginderbread Spice Tea. Tis the season!
I’m usually pretty simple and stick to Green Tea but the Cinnamon Apple Spice sounds delicious!
I’m only about 45 minutes from Boulder! I definitely need to check out the tour! I hear their holiday teas are amazing, so I’d definitely love to try those out!
Annica
http://www.lifemodifier.com
Gingerbread Spice! So comforting
I would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
What great picks for your giveaway! I love the Bengal Spice–I get my chai flavors without the caffeine 🙂 I also enjoy their Wellness line of teas. Thanks, Julie!
My favorite is the nutcracker sweet!
I love cranberry apple zinger- yum!
I love the Bengal Spice tea!
love their holiday flavors! especially candy cane lane and gingerbread
I am a huge fan of everything pumpkin so I would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
The candy cane lane sounds delicious!
I am a huge sucker for the special holiday teas. My favorites are probably a tie between the Gingerbread Spice and Sugar Cookie Sleighride. I stock up on Gingerbread Spice when it is out for Christmas in hopes that I will have enough to last until the next year (never happens). This year they have a new Cranberry Vanilla tea that is super tasty, too.
I love to try the Bengal Spice!
The sleepy time tea is a staple in our household and I have enjoyed it since my childhood days!
The Bengal and Gingerbread flavors sound incredible! A few new flavors to add to my mix!
Thanks to you and Celestial Seasoning for the giveaway 🙂
I’d love to try the Nutcracker Sweet or the Gingerbread Spice. Yumm!
My favorite is Candy cane Lane definitely! But I want to try the sweet harvest pumpkin. I love pumpkin everything!
Candy Cane is my favorite! I often buy extra so I can drink it all year.
I did that tour when I ran the boulder to boulder 10k back in May. Loved it. Favorite Peppermint would love to try the one the little girl named Nutcracker.
I would love to try the pumpkin tea! That sounds so delish!
My favorite flavor is Honey Vanilla Chamomile. My favorite way to unwind after my daughters go to bed is with a mug of tea!
I love Candy Cane Lane!!
LOVE their peppermint tea!
I’d love to try the Caramel Apple Dream! That sounds amazing.
I would love to try the new cinnamon apple flavor!