Loose leaf chai tea blend with dark tea leaves, cardamom pods, and spice pieces scattered on white background, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.
Brewed chai tea in glass mug with cinnamon sticks and star anise beside black canister, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.
Chai loose leaf black tea in a black metal canister with gold label band, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Organic Black Tea | Bold & Spiced | High Caffeine

Organic Masala Chai Black Tea

Blended in Oregon Spicy Sweet

Assam black tea blended with whole ginger root, cardamom pods, cinnamon bark, cloves, and star anise. The Chai made for milk, honey, and a 10-minute simmer.

Ingredients: Organic Black Tea, Organic Ginger Root, Organic Cardamom, Organic Cinnamon Bark, Organic Nutmeg, Organic Cloves, Organic Star Anise.

$19.00 USD
$19.00 USD
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Size: Tea Refill
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About Chai

The Chai made for milk, honey, and a slow simmer.

Organic Assam black tea from Northeast India, blended with whole ginger root, cardamom pods, cinnamon bark, cloves, nutmeg, and star anise. The spices are whole, not ground, which means the essential oils stay intact until the simmer releases them. The result is a golden, creamy cup with real ginger heat, cinnamon sweetness, and the malt-forward body of Assam. No concentrate. No sugar. You control the sweetness.

Why the stovetop matters.

Masala Chai is a decoction, not an infusion. The traditional method simmers the tea and spices in milk and water together, which extracts the fat-soluble compounds in the spices that hot water alone leaves behind. The milk fat carries the cardamom and cinnamon oils. The slow heat softens the ginger bite. The honey integrates as it dissolves. A 10-minute stovetop simmer produces a different drink than a 5-minute steep, richer and rounder.

The quick version still works.

Short on time, steep 1.5 teaspoons in 8 ounces of boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain. Add honey or maple syrup. Top with steamed oat milk or whole milk. It won't have the full depth of the simmered version, but it still delivers the ginger-forward warmth and the spice complexity. A 7-minute Chai latte that tastes closer to the real thing than any café syrup.

Organic Ingredients
  • Organic Black Tea
  • Organic Ginger Root
  • Organic Cardamom
  • Organic Cinnamon Bark
  • Organic Nutmeg
  • Organic Cloves
  • Organic Star Anise
Tasting Notes

Aroma: Warm cinnamon and cardamom, with a sharp ginger edge. The cloves and star anise sit underneath, adding depth without dominating.

Flavor: Ginger heat leads. The cinnamon sweetness follows. The Assam base holds the cup together with a malty, full-bodied richness that stands up to milk.

Finish: Lingering warmth. The cloves and star anise leave a tingling, spiced note on the tongue.

Why You'll Love It

Masala Chai, the street-stall tradition: The drink traces to the chai wallahs of India, the street vendors who simmer tea, milk, sugar, and spices together in large pots and serve the cups steaming hot. The ritual is social: the cup is offered as hospitality, the making of it is loud and theatrical, the drinking of it slows people down. The same tradition holds in homes across India, where the afternoon chai break is as fixed as the clock.

The warming spices, the Ayurvedic logic: Ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves are all classified as "warming" in Ayurvedic herbalism, meaning they stimulate circulation and metabolism. The tradition calls this stoking the "Agni", the digestive fire. Modern herbalism recognizes ginger and cinnamon as carminatives, herbs that ease gas and settle the stomach. The spice blend was never just about flavor; it was functional.

Why whole spices: Ground spices lose their volatile oils within weeks. Whole spices keep those oils locked in until the heat releases them. The cardamom pods crack open. The cinnamon bark softens. The ginger root releases its oleoresin. The result is a cup with depth and complexity that a powder or syrup cannot replicate.

Loose leaf chai tea blend with dark tea leaves, cardamom pods, and spice pieces scattered on white background, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Chai

$19.00 USD
$19.00 USD
What's inside

Key ingredients

The botanicals at the heart of this blend, and where in the world they're traditionally grown.

Black Tea

Camellia sinensis

Assam, India & Yunnan, China

Ginger

Zingiber officinale

Cochin, India & Shandong, China

Cardamom

Elettaria cardamomum

Kerala, India & Guatemala

Cinnamon Bark

Cinnamomum verum

Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Nutmeg

Myristica fragrans

Banda Islands, Indonesia & Grenada

Cloves

Syzygium aromaticum

Maluku Islands, Indonesia

Star Anise

Illicium verum

Guangxi, China & Vietnam

Black Tea

Camellia sinensis

A fully oxidized tea leaf with the caffeine to wake you up. Bold and malty.

In the cup

Black tea is the most oxidized of the true teas. The leaves are left to darken fully before drying, which deepens the color and the flavor into a brisk, malty cup with the body to stand up to milk. It also carries the most caffeine of any tea, the reason it is the classic morning brew. Most comes from Assam and Yunnan.

Traditionally grown in Assam, India & Yunnan, China

Shop Black Tea teas

Ginger

Zingiber officinale

Warming and peppery, long used to settle the stomach after a meal.

In the cup

Ginger is the spicy underground stem, or rhizome, of the ginger plant, used fresh, dried, or crystallized. It brings sharp, warming heat and a touch of natural sweetness. Ginger has been a digestive staple across Indian, Chinese, and Western traditions for thousands of years, most often as the cup after a heavy meal.

Traditionally grown in Cochin, India & Shandong, China

Shop Ginger teas

Cardamom

Elettaria cardamomum

Floral and warming, long used to freshen the breath and spice a chai.

In the cup

Cardamom is the seed pod of a plant in the ginger family, picked green and dried whole. Crack one open and the aroma is floral, piney, and a little citrusy, complex in a way few spices match. It is the signature note of South Asian chai, and the pods are chewed after a meal to freshen the breath.

Traditionally grown in Kerala, India & Guatemala

Shop Cardamom teas

Cinnamon Bark

Cinnamomum verum

Sweet, woody warmth with a natural sweetness, no sugar needed.

In the cup

Cinnamon is the inner bark of a tropical tree, peeled and dried until it curls into quills. Ceylon cinnamon, the kind from Sri Lanka, is delicate and sweet rather than fiery. It brings cozy, woody warmth to chai and spiced blends, plus a natural sweetness that lets you reach for less sugar.

Traditionally grown in Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Shop Cinnamon Bark teas

Nutmeg

Myristica fragrans

Warm, sweet, and nutty, the spice of cozy seasons.

In the cup

Nutmeg is the seed of a tropical evergreen, grated for its warm, sweet, slightly nutty spice. Once so prized that wars were fought over the islands that grew it, today it is the comfort note in eggnog, baked goods, and spiced tea. A little brings depth and a cozy, holiday warmth to a chai or dessert blend.

Traditionally grown in Banda Islands, Indonesia & Grenada

Shop Nutmeg teas

Cloves

Syzygium aromaticum

Intense, sweet-spicy warmth. A little goes a long way.

In the cup

Cloves are the dried flower buds of a tropical evergreen, picked before they open. They carry one of the most intense flavors in the spice rack, sweet, warm, and almost tingly, thanks to their natural oils. A clove or two deepens a chai or a holiday blend. They have also long been chewed to freshen the breath.

Traditionally grown in Maluku Islands, Indonesia

Shop Cloves teas

Star Anise

Illicium verum

A star-shaped pod with bold, sweet licorice warmth.

In the cup

Star anise is the striking eight-pointed seed pod of an evergreen tree, named for its shape and prized for its bold, sweet, licorice-like flavor. A single pod perfumes a whole pot. Essential to Chinese five-spice and to a proper chai, it brings a warming, aromatic depth that lingers on the finish.

Traditionally grown in Guangxi, China & Vietnam

Shop Star Anise teas

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TeaAssam, India

Organic Masala Chai Black Tea

Simmer slow. Sip golden.

Caffeine: High
8.0 oz
Water
212°F
Temperature
1.5 tsp
Leaf
5 min
Steep Time
Re-Steep · Up to 1×
For the full decoction: simmer 1.5 teaspoons in 1 cup water and 1 cup milk for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. Add honey while the pot is still warm. The milk fat extracts the fat-soluble spice oils that water alone leaves behind.
1
Cup

Craft Your Cup

A few notes from our teamakers.

Traditional Stovetop Masala Chai
Add 1.5 teaspoons of Chai, 1 cup water, and 1 cup whole milk (or oat milk) to a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain into mugs. Stir in 1 teaspoon of honey per cup while the chai is still warm. The slow simmer extracts the full depth of the spices and creates the creamy, golden cup that defines the drink.

Iced Chai with Oat Milk
Brew double-strength: 2 teaspoons in 8 ounces of boiling water, steep 6 minutes. While the tea is still warm, dissolve 1 tablespoon of honey into the cup. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Pour over ice and top with cold oat milk. The ginger and cinnamon stay bright when chilled, and the sweetness integrates better when dissolved hot.

Chai-Spiced Oatmeal
Grind 2 tablespoons of the Chai blend into a coarse powder using a spice grinder. Stir the powder into your oatmeal as it cooks, along with a drizzle of maple syrup and a handful of chopped walnuts. The ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom infuse the oats as they simmer. Top with a splash of milk. Breakfast that tastes like the Chai you did not have time to brew.

Loose leaf chai tea blend with dark tea leaves, cardamom pods, and spice pieces scattered on white background, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Your Questions About Chai, Answered.

Is this Chai spicy?

Yes, with a real ginger bite. The heat is traditional and noticeable, balanced by the sweetness of cinnamon and the creaminess of cardamom. It reads as bold and warming, not overwhelming. If you prefer a milder cup, use less leaf or steep for 3 to 4 minutes instead of 5.

Do I need to add sweetener?

The blend is unsweetened, which means you control the sweetness level. Most people add honey, maple syrup, or cane sugar to taste. The sweetness rounds the ginger heat and brings out the cinnamon. Start with 1 teaspoon per cup and adjust from there.

Can I make this without a stovetop?

Yes. Steep 1.5 teaspoons in 8 ounces of boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain. Add your sweetener, then top with steamed or frothed milk. The flavor will be lighter than the simmered version, since water alone does not extract the fat-soluble spice oils the way milk does, but it still delivers the warmth and spice complexity.