Brewing the perfect office cuppa

Teabox, which offers premium teas from India online, says that different types of tea have to be treated differently. 

"Tea is mostly water, so the quality of water you use makes all the difference. Overboiling the water may cause loss of oxygen and as a result, the flavours don't infuse that well. Oversteeping can also result in loss of flavours and make your tea very bitter," said Kaushal Dugar, CEO, Teabox.

The company has a handy guide to brewing the perfect cup of tea:

Source: Teabox.

Dugar said fans of tea and consider investing in two accessories that help them brew better tea, a tea steeper and a tea timer. Teabox does not stock these items, but they can be found online such as at Amazon.

"Making a cup of tea with loose leaves becomes immensely easier with a tea steeper," Dugar explained. "It lets your tea steep in and filters the leaves as you pour yourself a cup. Cusinart's steepers are pretty good."

Tea timers are essential to ensure that tea is steeped right, he continued. "Kuchenprofi's sand timers are elegant and practical," he added.

Read the Teabox story here.
Teabox talks about choosing the right cup of tea for the office here.

Choosing the right tea for the office pantry

Everyone has tea in their office pantries, often the three-in-one premixed powdered sachets, or plain teabags. While these are convenient to store and easy to use, with much variety available at the supermarket, Teabox, a startup that sells premium teas from India online, says that there can be a downside to powdered teas or those in teabags.

Source: Teabox website.

"Tea dust is the remnants after the production of tea. It is the lowest quality of tea, lacks all the rich flavours, tastes and aroma of the tea. This is what goes into tea bags," explains Kaushal Dugar, CEO of Teabox.

He added that such teas would have negligible nutrition quotient. Asked what teas he would recommend from Teabox, he suggested considering Teabox's Afternoon Collection or Lunchtime Collection. 

"These have moderate caffeine levels, just right to push through the slow afternoons. They also go well with food," he said. 

The Afternoon Collection consists of 22 tea samples, including 

Avongrove (Summer) Darjeeling Organic Black Tea, 2014 Gopaldhara Wonder (Spring) Darjeeling White Tea, and 2014 Upper Namring Exotic (Spring) Darjeeling Green Tea. The Lunchtime Collection consists of nine samples, including Darjeeling Special (Autumn) Blend Green Tea, 2014 Okayti Marvel Organic (Spring) Darjeeling Black Tea and 2014 Darjeeling Imperial Blend (Spring) Oolong Tea.

The way tea is stored can matter, too. Dugar shared that tea can lose its essential flavours and aroma if stored improperly. "Storage for teabags does not really matter, since the tea dust doesn't produce such a flavourful cup anyway. But loose leaf tea needs to be properly stored, since exposure to air is the biggest threat to freshness. The tea needs to be in an airtight container, in a dark, cool and dry place," Dugar said. 

Read the Teabox story here.

Teabox cuts tea supply chain to bring fresher teas to market

Kaushal Dugar's family has been in the tea industry for over 70 years. The CEO of Teabox, which was started in 2012, says the company was started to change things. 

Source: Teabox. Dugar.

"Entrepreneurship has always been my passion," he said. "Tea is a US$90 billion industry and despite India being the second-largest producer of tea, it isn't as popular as (tea from) Japan and China. This industry has been stuck with practices introduced 200 years ago."

Dugar explained that tea is traditionally sold in auctions after harvesting and processing. "From there, it takes almost five months and changes many hands before it reaches the customer. By this time, the tea loses all its freshness and flavour," he said. 

"I saw opportunity to give fresh tea to tea-lovers, straight from the source. And that is what I do with Teabox. One half of our team lives in Siliguri, Darjeeling, the heart of the tea gardens. We acquire the tea within 48 hours of production and ship it to our customers within a week. Fresh teas, from planter to customer – simple and hassle-free."

The startup has already attracted the attention of Accel Partners, one of the biggest investors in Silicon Valley, and a backer for Dropbox and Facebook. Teabox secured funding of US$1 million, and has not looked back since. 

Teabox currently stocks over 100 single-estate teas, the largest collection available. The company has shipped over 6 million cups of tea to date, and has a customer base that spans 74 countries.

"Aroma and tasting notes of the tea are described as akin to a fine wine or scotch. The year of picking, year of packing and various certifications such as 'USDA organic' and 'Fair Trade' are displayed so the users can make educated choices," Dugar said.

A visit to the Teabox website shows the level of detail that Teabox invests in each description. The 2014 Dooteriah China Special (Summer) Darjeeling black tea, S$9.81 for 100g, is said to be "A long and firm finishing tea... The dry leaves give off a woody scent with a hint of spice. Contrastingly, once brewed, the aroma is sweet, reminiscent of peaches and caramel. This character is followed through in the taste of the liquor, whose body is medium and possess just the right strength."

Steeping instructions are precise: the water should be at 90 to 100 degrees Celsius, and this tea should be steeped for four to five minutes.

Teabox also runs a monthly subscription programme called Fresh Beginnings, through which subscribers receive five new teas every month along with stories, anecdotes and information regarding tea.

"Tea without the cream and sugar is a very healthy beverage," Dugar noted. "Tea is high in antioxidants, which bind with free radicals in our body and eliminate them. When accumulated over time, free radicals are believed to cause cell damage and aging. Green tea and white tea are also rich in catechins, which have been shown to decrease the adverse effects of stroke, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases."

Teabox specialises in tea from India, which is known for black teas, unlike Japan whose matcha (powdered green tea) sets the standards for green teas, and China, which Dugar said "produces the last word in white teas". "Indian teas are brisk," he said. "Their flavours are explosive and pronounced, unlike their other Asian counterparts which are considered mild and delicate."

Dugar shared that there are three major tea-producing regions in India:

Teas from Darjeeling are considered the 'champagne' of teas. "With their light, delicate flavours and refreshing taste, they are a favourite among tea connoisseurs and novices alike," Dugar said.

The state of Assam produces the largest volume of teas from the country. "Assam teas are known for their brisk body and malty taste, making a great stand-alone breakfast tea. The Assam CTC* is also a favourite for making tea blends," Dugar added.

The Nilgiri district in South India produces lesser-known but excellent teas. "The black teas from this region are described as 'intensely aromatic', with a smooth finish," Dugar commented.

*'Crush, tear, curl' is a method of tea production.