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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Right now it’s everything pumpkin so I’d love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
I love the bengal spice! I also just picked up one of their sleepytime teas that has antioxidants in it that I’m excited to try! Also, dieing to try the sweet pumpkin one!
I would love to try the gingerbread spice!
I’d love to try the Harvest Pumpkin tea!
LOOOOOVE the Candy Cane Lane tea as well! I totally hoard it around the holidays so I can enjoy throughout the year.
I already love Candy Cane Lane, but you have piqued my interest with the Bengal Spice. Sounds delish!
Candy cane lane!
I adore sugar cookie sleigh ride!
I love the sugar cookie tea!!!!!
I love their berry flavored teas, but am eager to try their holiday flavors! YUM.
I would love to try the Bengal spice! Yum 🙂
Red Zinger is my absolute favorite Celestial Seasonings tea. I love it!
I love sleepytime tea but all of these flavors sound delicious. I will definitely be adding them to my list to try!
I have this problem where I want to try all the teas!!! It’s still in the 80s here but hopefully it will feel more fall like soon so that I can justify buying more tea!
I love all of the sleepy time teas. I’m a big tea drinker, but only in the evening so I need decaf!
I cannot wait to try the Bengal Spice! It sounds amazing! I’m a long-time fan of sleepytime tea. 🙂
I enjoy a cup of hot spiced chai tea!
The Honey Vanilla Camomile is delicious!
I would looooove to try sugar cookie!
Sleepytime is the best! I have it every night!
The Candy Cane one sounds delicious, I would love to try that out! I love their Sleepytime Tea- its a part of my nightly routine to drink a cup before bed!
I love Nutcracker Sweet! And what a cute story about how it got its name!
Peppermint tea is my all time favorite!!!! I normally only drink tea in the fall/winter and the peppermint always hits the spot!
I would love to try their Chai tea or the holiday varieties!
I love Celestial Seaonings Green Tea – it’s my favorite green tea of all the brands I’ve tried. I’ve also always loved the illustrations on the packaging.
I love tea, I drink it all day!! I love all kinds of herbal teas & would love to try new flavors 🙂
I would LOVE to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin tea. That sounds amazing since I try to consume everything pumpkin this time of year. Thanks for sharing your experience! 🙂
I always love the sugar cookie tea, but I am dying to try that pumpkin spice one!
I love sleepy time tea!
I would love to try anything pumpkin flavored!!
I’ve tried the sugar cookie tea and loved it!
And they all sound so good I would love to try any of them!
I went and visited their HQ a few years ago, it was so much fun. I LOVE the Harvest Pumpkin and Nutcracker Sweet – actually I drink almost all of their seasonal flavors. I’ve never tried their Bengal Spice though, surprisingly; sounds yummy!
Oh this trip looks like so much fun!! I LOVE their Sleepytime tea – it’s a staple in my nighttime routine! I’ve been dying to try some of their holiday flavors like the Pumpkin Spice!
I would love to try the herbal Lemon Zinger tea!
BENGAL SPICE <3
Sleepytime has been a long time favorite of mine. My husband and I enjoy a cup together every night while chatting about our days.
I love tea!! It depends on the time of day, but lately I’ve loved a mug of the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride at bed. MMM.
How fun! I love all of the holiday teas 🙂
I love Gingerbread Spice! Anything “gingerbread” for that matter gets me every time! This is the cutest bundle of fall-inspired things!
I’d love to try the caramel apple!
The Bengal Spice tea is my most recent favorite! They had it in my new office and I quickly drank through whatever was left in the box….
I am a huge mint fan and would love to try the candy cane flavor!
Right now I am loving the Celestial Seasonings Cold Brew teas. The flavor of today is Raspberry Iced Black Tea!!
Cinnamon Apple Spice sounds right up my alley, I would love to try that. Sitting for tea after meals is a tradition in my family, it’s so calming and wonderful to enjoy the time together!
This whole post makes me jealous! I love their Blueberry tea the most. My mom always buys a box for me when I go home to visit 🙂
I’d like to try some sort of Chai
I would love to try the Bengel tea you recommend!
Sleepytime is my absolute favorite, especially if I’m sick! I would love to try the pumpkin spice flavor. I think the fun holiday flavors would help me drink more tea – I tend to forget about it for some reason!? Haha
I love the Sleepytime Vanilla, but I really want to try the Nutcracker Sweet! What a great basket you put together!
The sweet harvest pumpkin and caramel apple teas sound amazing!