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 am swooning over that holiday sampler pack!! I would love to win for that alone 😉 I think the candy cane lane (or gingerbread… or pumpkin) would be my top must-try flavor!
I love the Peppermint flavor. Not only does it calm my stomach, but it’s so festive!
My brother got married in Boulder, CO a couple of years ago (on top of a mountain! It was gorgeous!) and we took the celestial seasonings tour while we were there for the week. It was so much fun! Your post brought back lots of good memories!
I would LOVE to try the holiday tea selections! I’ve never seen any of these before in stores and they sound delicious. A good cup of tea can get you into the cool-weather Fall and Winter spirit 🙂
I love Sleepytime Tea! Why does it seem to work and be the perfect wind down to the day every time!?
Raspberry or lemon zinger- but I love sleepytime too!!!
I always drink the mint tea in fall and winter after lunch at work! It does such a good job of warming you up!
I LOVE the Gingerbread Spice during the holidays and Wild Berry Zinger is so yummy too!!
i would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin !!! 🙂
My favorite of theirs right now is sugar cookie sleigh ride, probably because it feels like a treat since it is only seasonal. Try brewing it and then making your oatmeal with it, it’s delicious!
I would love to try the pumpkin or nutcracker sweet flavors. I have never seen those in stores by me. There are so many flavors I have never tried, but I feel like all the stores I go to always carry the same staple flavors, not all the fun ones!
I would absolutely love to try that pumpkin flavor!
I love their sleepytime herbal but I would love to try the pumpkin!!!
My absolute favorite Celestial Seasonings tea is Sleepytime. I have the best memories of my mom making this for me when I was younger and had a cold. There is just something so cozy about it 🙂
What a fun trip! So happy you got to go!
I love Bengal spice and would love to try the pumpkin one!
My husband and I have been working our way through Breaking Bad before bed, so I’d like to try the Sleepytime tea so I can maybe have some nightmare-free nights 🙂
I love the Sleepytime tea, but I would love to try the different holiday flavors as well!
I would love to try harvest pumpkin!
The Caramel Apple Dream sounds delish!
I love the Bengal Spice – it’s hard to find in stores though! I’d love to try the candy cane one.
Not sure if this is open to Canadians< but just in case… Sleepytime is my absolute favourite and Candy Cane Lane is the best in December! What a fun trip!
I love their Chai Tea flavor!
I absolutely love the Celestial Sleepytime Tea. I have always struggled to fall asleep at night and the Sleepytime tea really does do a great job of relaxing me to the point of falling asleep. The holiday flavors look amazing as well!
Pumpkin would be delicious! 🙂
A) I LOVE YOUR SWEATER… where is that from!? B) my favorite is sugar cookie!!!
I would love to try anything from the Holiday Tea sampler! Also that Bengal Spice sounds fantastic.
Sounds like such a cool experience, especially for tea lovers 🙂
Nutcracker Sweet sounds delicious! I love reading your blog, randomly found it when searching for peanut butter recipes and I love it! Thanks!
I love their green tea. It has such a nice, smooth taste and is not bitter at all. Pretty hard to come by with many other green teas.
I can’t believe I haven’t tried Bengal Spice yet! For some reason, the box just didn’t scream ‘tasty tea’ to me, but now I will definitely try it out. I am a big tea drinker, and Celestial Seasonings is one of my favorites. Coffee makes me too jittery, so I reserve it as a special treat. I have all the sleepy time varieties from Celestial in my pantry at home, and I keep all my caffeinated teas at work for long meetings.
The electric tea kettle would make my year! The only time I use my microwave is to heat up tea since boiling takes a while and I’m incredibly impatient. I bought my parents a coffee maker with a hot water dispenser, and I wanted to get the same one for myself but don’t really have the counter space.
Where did you find that little potholder and towel? So cute.
Holiday teas are right up my alley! However, chai tea is my true love!
Sleepy time is the best!! I’d love to try the holiday pack
I got the gingerbread tea in my stocking last year and it’s delicious!
I love any of the seasonal flavors!
Right now I’m loving the cinnamon apple spice!
I would love to try the sweet harvest pumpkin.
i’d love to try the nutcracker sweet! that story is too cute & that she made such an impression on them that they would do that is incredible! yum! there green tea is also my favorite, but I’d love to try them all 🙂
I want to try the Bengal Spice. I love teas with cardamom in them. I also enjoy their sleepytime tea in the evenings.
Honey Vanilla Chamomile is sitting on my desk right now…….LOVE!! I must try the caramel apple, that sounds divine!! The mugs look to cool for school another must on my desk. Thanks for the brewing tips, I have been doing it wrong too!!!!
I love the sweet harvest pumpkin tea!!!
The Caramel Apple Dream sounds fantastic. I’d love to try it!
I was lucky enough to go to undergrad in Boulder, and during that time fell in love with Cinnamon Apple Spice. I’m currently in Florida, but nonetheless at least one box of Celestial Seasonings is with me at all times.
would love to try the nutcracker sweet. thanks for the awesome giveaway!
The Bengal Spice sounds amazing! And the mint room! I did not know that existed. Adding “Plan trip to Boulder!” on my to do list
I would like to try the Bengal Spice!!
Candy Cane Lane is my favorite too! I like spicy teas, so I’d love to try the Bengal Spice. One of the few flavors I haven’t tried!
I love the Bengal Spice, too.
The Sweet Harvest Pumpkin looks great!
Chai tea is my favorite, but I would love to try the Bengal spice!!
Just before reading this post, I finished a cup of Sleepytime Tea 😀 I would love to try the Bengal Spice herbal tea, and smell that candle! Thanks for the opportunity Julie!
There’s just something I love about a cup of Sleepytime sitting on the couch on a cold winter night.
MY Favorite Celestial tea is Green tea, however I am dying to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!!!