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 would like to try Celestial Seasonings black tea.
I love the sleepytime tea!
The sleepytime vanilla is one of my favorites for relaxing at the end of the day. I have been wanting to try the holiday flavors for a long time, but I can not find them in stores near me.
I love the Sleepytime Tea! It is a staple!
Lemon Zinger is my fave!
Oh please oh please pick me! I want to be a tea drinker so badly, but I am overwhelmed by the options every time. Thanks for an opportunity to have some hand-picked flavors if I win!
I have loved the seasonal teas for years but am now going to make a mug of green tea following your instructions.
Sleepytime tea is one of my favorites!
I love all things pumpkin and I’ve never had pumpkin-flavored tea, so I would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
I love tea! Especially when it starts getting colder. I would love to try the Holiday sample pack! All of them sound delicious!
I’d love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin tea, especially as it’s now October and officially autumn!
my husband loves the raspberry zinger, it supposedly helps with naturally lowering blood pressure too!
would love to try any of these, especially with the holidays coming up already (can you believe it?! time flies!)
anything minty is always a win 🙂
My absolute favorite is the SleepyTime Tea! It was the ONLY thing that would put me to sleep when I was pregnant so I drank at least one cup a night. & would send the husband out on emergency runs when we were out 😉
Sweet Harvest Pumpkin for sure!
Green tea please!
I really want to try the Sweet Coconut Thai Chai. It sounds like such an interesting combo! I live close to Boulder and will DEF have to check out their factory!
I would LOVE to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!!
My coworker and I discovered the Bengal Spice and Cinnamon Apple Spice last fall when we were trying to kick our daily PSL habit (darn you Starbucks right downstairs!) I fell IN LOVE with the Cinnamon Apple Spice and while it makes most sense to drink it in the fall, let’s be real, I drink it all year round 🙂
i am a fan of chai-esque teas, so i would lvoe to try bengal spice (even though i believe it is herbal)
I would love to try their Bengal spice tea!! The only one I’ve had is their green tea-delish!
My grandma drank Bengal Spice so that’s my tea now too 🙂
I would love to try Candy Cane Lane!
I would love to try the sleepytime extra tea. I have had the regular sleepytime but I am wondering what the extra oomph or ingredient is added to make it “extra”. Any chance they covered that in the tour?
I would love to try the Candy Cane Lane tea! It is a perfect time of year for tea 🙂
My favorite is green tea. I drink it every day.
I think the Candy Cane or Bengal Spice would be worth a try. Something about the Holiday season makes me want to drink tea!
oh my gosh, gingerbread spice? fingers crossed.
Chai tea is my favorite, but reading this post makes me want to try the pumpkin one, and the gingerbread one, and the sugar cookie one! so many teas to try; good thing the weather is getting colder now so its just the right season to have a tea wish list 🙂
My mother used to drink wild berry zinger all the time when I was younger and I used to love drinking it with her. So that’s my favorite. I’ve been wanting to try candy cane lane for awhile now but have never been able to find it!
Love the Cinnamon Apple Spice, but would love to try the Caramel Apple! Anything that boasts maple flavoring is my jam. Thanks for the opportunity, Julie!
I love Sleepytime tea!
The Holiday pack sounds amazing. I’m a big fan of Holiday flavors as well. Now that it is getting chillier my nightly ritual includes a cup of tea 99% of the time, my go-to tea usually being something minty. 🙂
I love Sleepy Time tea, and would love to try the Bengal tea you mentioned!
I’d love to try the Candy Cane Lane or the Bengal Spice tea!
I love any minty/spicy teas and am already in love with your Yogi Tea Egyptian Licorice Mint recommendation.
Celestial Seasonings needs to make a Sleepytime for Sadie Tea!
I’m with you…Candy Cane Lane is so good. Lately though, Sleepytime is my go-to in the evenings to unwind.
Hi Julie!
My absolute favourite Celestial Seasonings tea is Candy Cane Lane!! I always stock up before they take it off the shelf for the season! I’d love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin tea… I don’t think we have that one in Canada yet, but it sounds amazing!!
🙂
I’d love to try the Gingerbread Spice, with honey! Appreciated the tips for preparing a cup of tea!
Sugar cookie sleigh ride is my favorite tea ever. I always make sure to stock up during the holidays because I drink it year round.
i love candy cane lane!!!
Where to start – I love drinking the Sleepytime Tea to help me relax before bed. But now I want to try the Bengal Spice…and the Candy Cane Lane….and the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin…..and…… 🙂
This tour looks awesome – I converted from tea to coffee while I was in grad school but now that I’m finished, it seems I should switch back over to tea! Thanks for sharing your pictures!
Definitely the candy cane lane, although all the holiday teas look amazing!
I would love to try all of the holiday teas, they sound fantastic!
candy cane lane all the way!
my favorite tea is sugar cookie sleigh ride!
Ok, this Bengal Spice is looking really interesting! Thanks!
I love the Sleepytime tea, but would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
Love sleepy time!!
When I was in college a bunch of people in my dorm would have tea time in our hand painted mugs. I always brought the apple cinnamon tea! So good!!
I want to try the chai tea and the sleepy time tea. Also some of the fruit ones sound good too!