Spiced Chai Tea

Chai tea is actually a slightly redundant term, as the word chai means "tea" in Hindi. The beverage that most Americans enjoy as chai tea would be more properly called masala chai, which means spiced tea. The combination of spices used produces a distinctive and exotic aroma, as well as a sweet, rich flavor.

Spiced chai tea is typically made with a strong black tea as the base, as the combination of spices would overwhelm a weak tea. That said, most people do not feel the need to use a particularly expensive or hand processed tea. Ordinary CTC tea will give you a substantial flavor and infuse quickly. Equally important is a powerful sweetener: though sugar can be used, honey is generally preferred and the quantity should not be scant, as the sweetener is necessary to bring out the flavor in the spices.

The Flavors in Spiced Chai Tea
The third essential ingredient of spiced chai is a creamer. Whole milk is the most popular as its richness complements the power of the other ingredients, but many people use skim milk, soy milk, or non-dairy creamer for health reasons or because of lactose intolerance. Then there are several other spices used to round out the flavor.

Chai is made with some combination of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom. While some people like to make their own chai from scratch, others take advantage of mixes that simplify the processes with perfectly blended spices. If you want high quality chai tea, gourmet and free trade coffee, and all the essential equipment for perfect brewing, Casteel Coffee can provide it at competitive rates. For more information, send us an e-mail at info@casteelcoffee.com.