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://www.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 love the Cinnamon Apple!!!
Yay! I love the white tea!
I love Celestial Seasonings! My all-time favorite is Country Peach Passion, and I really want to try the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride
I love the peppermint tea!
I’d love to try the Bengal Spice tea. Sounds like it is right up my street. Sweet and spicy teas are my favourite!
I love the pumpkin spice and the chai tea! Yummmm!! What a fun trip!
I like the gingerbread tea! I always stock up on it during the holiday season so I can have it year round!
Candy Cane Lane… all the way!
Sugar cookie sleigh ride!
I’ve never tried bengal spice and would love to! My favorite is probably peppermint.
Wow I’d love to try the flavors in the holiday tea sampler!! Especially since the weather is starting to get cool!!
I love the sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
At my house we love using our giant mugs and mixing Country Peach Passion and Black Cherry Berry. I will be on a mission to try Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
I love their Cinnamon Apple Spice and would love to try to Bengal Spice!
My wife loves every single tea she has ever tried. She would love this.
Bengal Spice Herbal Tea sounds amazing!!!!!!
Awww I love everything in this gift set. As a non-coffee drinker, my favorite tea flavor is usually Chai Tea, although I do love Candy Cane Lane during the holidays.
Ohhh tough call- I think sugar cookie! It’s so unique!
I love Candy Cane Lane and Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride. So good!
I love, love, LOVE Candy Cane Lane tea!
I am such a sucker for teas that taste like the holidays in a cup! It’s such an instant mood booster for me!
So I’d definitely want to try the Bengal Spice blend. Sounds so yummy!
Sleepy time all the way! I would love this giveaway, what a perfect collection of goodies for the colder weather:)
I would love to try the Candy Cane Lane!
I recently discovered the Celestial Seasonings cinnamon apple spice and fell in love! I am dying to try more of their holiday flavors! 🙂
Gingerbread Spice – sounds like Christmas in a cup!!! What a fun trip!
I love Candy Cane Lane, and I always stock up on it when it’s on sale around Christmas!
I love the Indian Chai Spice tea.
I love Sleepy Time but you intrigued me with new Bengal Spice.
I’ve always loved Mandarin Orange Spice but I think I need to try the Bengal Spice, sounds so good! What a great giveaway!
Sleepytime Extra for me and the bf! Not only does it taste amazing but it gives us both that extra kick to send us right to sleep 😉
I have loved every celestial seasonings tea I have tried!
Green Tea is my favorite afternoon pick me up at work!
I love me some Sleepytime tea but I must try those holiday flavors asap!
Definitely the sweet harvest pumpkin…but I’m also sold on the bengal spice!
I love sleepytime tea..really helps with my insomnia!! Can’t wait to try the holiday teas..especially the nutcracker suite!
I would love to try the Bengal Spice Herbal Tea!!!
I would love to try the Candy Cane tea!!
I recently just go into drinking tea, I am in LOVE. I would love to try the Bengal Spice Tea…. 🙂
I love the Sweet Zinger Iced Tea. Celestia teas have always been great no matter what I’ve tried.
I would love to try Candy Cane Lane and the Bengal Spice – actually all of the teas sound amazing!
I love Sleepytime!
Ummmm I would just like to try them all!! I’m a huge tea fan. The Bengal spice sounds yummy!
What a great trip! I LOVE Celestial Seasonings. My favorites are Sleepytime and Peppermint.
I love their Bengal Spice tea!! Yum!!
I scour the stores around Christmas so I can buy Gingerbread Spice in bulk!
Since becoming pregnant I have replaced much of my coffee drinking with tea. I’d love to try the bengal spice!
Gotta love the classics, Sleepytime!!!
I REALLY want to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin tea. I love all things pumpkin, so I am thrilled to know that one of my favorite tea brands carries something pumpkin! 🙂
I love Celestial Seasoning’s Bengal Spice tea! It’s one of my all-time favorites. I often drink it when I am trying to cut back on my excessive coffee consumption.
the pumpkin spice tea is one I would love to try!