Tea Tour Detours at Celestial Seasonings

This article appeared in Boulder Lifestyle Magazine in June 2013.

Tour the largest specialty tea company in the United States—Celestial Seasonings. The aromas of milk thistle from France, Egyptian hibiscus flowers, Madagascar vanilla, Guatemalan lemongrass, chamomile from Mexico and spearmint from Oregon mingle in the air and flood every breath. What began in 1969 as a few passionate visionaries gathering wild herbs and brewing herbal infusions has grown into a worldwide demand for teas fancifully named Sleepytime, Emperor’s Delight and Mint Magic.

Tea was discovered by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C. when a tea leaf floated into the cup of hot water he was drinking. Today, tea is the second best-selling beverage and Celestial claims to serve over 1.6 billion cups of tea annually. Celestial’s botanical purveyors travel to the ends of the earth to meticulously source more than 150 ingredients from 35 countries, and the U.S. Rigorous quality controls, ethical and sustainable farming practices and enduring relationships with farmers insure the high-quality teas Celestial Seasonings is known for.

Linger in the tea room and enjoy complimentary hot or iced teas while viewing memorabilia from Celestial’s early days; including the sewing machine used to stitch the original muslin tea bags. A gallery of whimsical, original artwork evokes visions of dancing elephants, tigers on magic carpets, tea-sipping koala bears, and sugar plum fairies. The playful artwork blends seamlessly with the carefully researched words of wisdom which complement the unique flavors and aromas of the tea within the box.

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The tour takes visitors directly onto the production floor where state-of-the-art equipment transforms fresh botanicals from the field into handcrafted tea blends. The tour includes an invigorating stop in the peppermint room which is a feast for every sense. Peppermint’s intense natural menthol aroma requires it to be isolated so other delicate botanicals don’t absorb its flavor. The powerful scent clings to visitors long after the tour ends. Peppermint’s sister, spearmint, resides down the hall for similar reasons.

Sleepytime tea, with spearmint and chamomile, has been Celestial’s best-selling tea for 41 years. Chamomile tea—long known for its calming properties—is second and peppermint tea is Celestial’s third best-selling tea. Common to these three chart toppers is that none of them are really tea as they don’t contain tea leaves. They’re actually herbal infusions although we tend to call anything in a tea bag, tea. In addition to herbal teas, they also make caffeinated and decaffeinated tea in dozens of flavor combinations.

Celestial continually researches culinary trends and new ingredients to create inventive flavor combinations like Moroccan Pomegranate Rooibos Tea, Lemon Ginger Herbal Tea and Peach Blossom Green Tea. Though Celestial gathers green, black and white tea leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant, the majority of tea uses green and black tea leaves. White tea leaves are highly prized; they’re picked in early spring when fresh and tender and due to their rarity are used in only a few blends.

The tour ends at the bustling gift shop where tea can be purchased at a discount and the lovable Sleepytime bear adorns many mementos. Browse an assortment of teapots, tea cups, high-quality apparel, specialty honey items and natural body care products.

Bring a picnic lunch of your own to enjoy outside or dine in at the Celestial Café featuring fresh, nutritious breakfast, lunch or grab-and-go options. A delicious entrée special is offered daily, along with an assortment of items from the grill and soup and salad bar.

Celestial Seasonings is located at 4600 Sleepytime Drive in Boulder, CO. The free 45-minute tour is designed for ages five and up and is well marked to ensure visitor’s safety. Tours leave on the hour Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., excluding major holidays. Reservations are required for large parties or special events and can be made by calling 303.581.1202. Miss the tour? Visit Celestial Seasonings for online discounts and begin an adventure today.