My earl grey appears to leave a residue on my containers. Is this normal?  This is perfectly normal.  We use a very high-grade natural flavoring oil to make our Earl Grey. This oil can leave a harmless residue.

What teas make the best-iced tea?  The great thing about our premium teas is that literally any tea can be used for making fabulous iced tea. Many of our customers tell us iced teas made with our flavored black teas are among the best they’ve ever had!

What kind of tea goes into a tea-bag?  Unlike many tea companies that pack tea bags with low grades of cast-off tea, TeaShopStop.com offers you premium tea in our teabags.  The grades we use are typically CTC (Cut, Tear & Curl), PF (pekoe fannings), dust grade and BP (broken pekoe) grades.

Can tea be safely stored in glass jar containers?  Absolutely.  It is a common myth that tea needs to be stored in opaque containers. In fact, we store all of our teas for tasting in glass jars.

What sorts of tea are used as the base for flavoring tea?  To bring value to our customers and give them as many tea options as possible, we use a multitude of teas for flavoring.  Black Ceylon teas, Sencha style green tea, green gunpowder teas, white teas, the list goes on. Unlike some tea companies that use low quality teas as a base, we offer only top quality teas that taste fantastic even on their own.

What are your natural flavorings made of?  Our natural flavoring oils are made from high quality fruit extract.

Is there caffeine in Rooibos?  No.  Rooibos is deliciously caffeine free.  It is high in health giving antioxidants.

Does green tea have caffeine?  Yes.  Green tea has caffeine.  Green and black teas come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, and as such both have caffeine in their chemical makeup.  Studies appear to indicate that some green teas may have less caffeine than black teas. Research also indicates that green tea has less caffeine than coffee.

What water temperature should I use for black tea?  Green tea?  Black tea should be brewed using water that has come to a rolling boil: 100ºC / 212ºF.  Green tea should be brewed using water that has not reached the boiling point. A lower temperature ensures that all the nuance of green tea comes shining through! 80-90ºC / 175 – 195 ºF.

Can I use your matcha to make ice cream?
You can, but it is important to follow the guidelines below:
• Our matcha is unpasteurized and as such contains natural enzymes.
• Before adding our matcha to dairy, it is important to add boiling water to your matcha to create a paste. This paste can be safely added to ice cream.

Does tea have an expiration date?  Our teas are Flavor Sealed in specially made vacuum packed bags. As such, unopened tea has an exceptionally long shelf life of around 15 – 20 years. Interestingly, tea is a sterile product and as such is not prone to bacterial degradation.  Browse through our tea storage cannisters and add shelf life to your tea.  TeaShopStop.com also has glass jar containers, and various sizes of storage products.