Steaming cup of deep red Chai tea on a white coaster, with loose leaf tea and branded pouch displayed on a light surface, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

The Tea Journal

Deepen your connection to the leaf. Explore expert guides on organic ingredients, the science of steeping, and the stories behind our Oregon-blended teas. Your resource for sipping with intention.

Two glass mugs of creamy pumpkin spice tea on a wooden plate with cinnamon sticks, star anise, and small pumpkins in warm evening light, by Yerba Buena Tea Co.

The Best Teas for Fall: A Cup for Every Hour of the Season

From the first pot of pumpkin spice tea to a caffeine-free evening chai, here's how we'd pour your way through fall, one hour at a time.
A rich amber cup of organic red rooibos tea being poured into a glass mug, with loose red tea leaves and a tea infuser, by Yerba Buena Tea Co.

What Is Rooibos Tea? A Complete Guide to the Red Bush

Rooibos grows in one small corner of South Africa and nowhere else on earth. Here's what it is, how it's made, why it has zero caffeine, and how to brew it well.
Customers browsing the Yerba Buena Tea Co. booth of organic loose leaf tea tins at an Oregon farmers market in the Willamette Valley.

Loose Leaf Tea in Oregon: Why the Pacific Northwest Brews Different

Oregon's tea story: Stash, Tazo and Smith Teamaker all started here, one Salem farm grows real tea, and where to buy organic loose leaf across the state.

A brewed cup of Good Night organic herbal sleep tea by Yerba Buena Tea Co.

The Best Tea for Sleep: 7 Ingredients That Actually Work

The best teas for sleep, ingredient by ingredient: what chamomile, kava, valerian, lavender and more actually do, how fast, who should skip them, and which blend to try.

A glass mug of brewed organic yerba mate beside a Yerba Buena Tea Co. Clean Energy tin

Yerba Mate vs Yerba Madre: What Changed (And What Didn't)

Guayaki rebranded to Yerba Madre in May 2025. Here is what changed, what stayed the same, and how organic loose-leaf yerba mate fits in.

Iced tea with lemon slices in a tall glass surrounded by fresh citrus on a bright white surface, from Yerba Buena Tea Company.

How to Make Iced Tea with Loose Leaf Tea (The Fast Way + Cold Brew)

Make smooth iced tea from organic loose leaf two ways: the fast hot-brew-and-chill method for same-day tea, plus overnight cold brew. Ratios, times, and tips.

Kava plant growing outdoors alongside dried kava root pieces and ground kava powder prepared for traditional beverages.

Is Kava Safe? Side Effects, Liver Health, and How to Use It Wisely

Is kava safe? For most healthy adults, yes, in moderation, with caveats worth knowing. Here are kava's real side effects, what the liver research actually says, and who should skip it.
Organic green tea beside a journal of new year intentions, part of a simple morning tea ritual, by Yerba Buena Tea Co.

New Year, New Rituals: 3 Ways to Reset Your System (Without Starving)

Ditch the impossible resolutions. Three simple tea rituals for the New Year: gentler mornings, calmer digestion, steadier focus.