Author Archives: admin

Tea lovers around the world are pretty terrific people, in my humble opinion.  I have found tea drinkers to not only be kind and very self aware, but also very concerned about their impact on the environment.  A major concern of many tea drinkers over the years has been what their tea bags are doing to the environment.  They may be practical and handy for a quick cuppa’ tea, but what happens to the bag when you’re all finished sippin’ away? According to the Tea Association of the United States, Americans consumed approximately 3 billion gallons of tea last year, 65% of which came from tea bags.   If the average cuppa’ tea is about 14 ounces and uses 1 tea bag, then quick math tells us that tea drinkers across the states used approximately 17.8 billion tea bags last year … Continue reading →

Tea and the great outdoors have a long history together.  Heinrich Harrer, world renowned mountaineer, nailed it when he said, “Tea is surely the king of all drinks.  It helps against the cold, it helps against the heat, against discomfort and sickness, against weariness and weakness.”  As Harrer and his colleagues made the very first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger in Switzerland, tea warmed their bellies and their souls along their journey. A true passion for all things wild and natural is what leads two leaves and a bud tea company to donate 1% of annual sales from Alpine Berry tea sachets to the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) – the premier teacher of outdoor skills and leadership. With stimulating aroma and the distinct fruity flavors of hibiscus, blackberry, and citrus, Alpine Berry Tea is a perfect … Continue reading →

This week, two leaves and a bud announced that we’ve recently received verification from the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit collaboration of manufacturers, retailers, distributors, farmers, seed companies, and consumers dedicated to the shared mission of ensuring the sustained availability of non-GMO natural and organic products.  By becoming officially verified by the Non-GMO project, tea connoisseurs can feel confident that when they’re drinking their favorite two leaves and a bud tea, they’re only consuming a natural product that has gone through the rigorous third-party verification of GMO avoidance practices. This is some exciting news, right?  Except, you may be asking, “What the heck is a GMO?” A GMO is a genetically modified organism that is created through gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology (also known as genetic engineering).  This technology allows DNA from one species to be injected into another species in a … Continue reading →

Living in the mountains of Colorado, the opportunity to attend a High Tea doesn’t happen that often, unless you count sipping a cuppa’ tea at elevation as qualifying for a High Tea.  This strikes me as a little unfair, as the Roaring Fork Valley (where I live and where two leaves and a bud is based), is an absolute Mecca for foodies – with numerous farmers’ markets, food festivals, wine and spirit tastings, and other events happening all year long.  There certainly is not a shortage of great dining and drinking establishments, nor is there a shortage of locals or tourists who are ready to converge upon them.  It is rather surprising that High Teas aren’t a little more common in our area, especially since the locals and visitors here have excellent taste when it comes to craft teas. When … Continue reading →

Being relatively new to the tea industry, I’m learning all kinds of things about tea that I never knew before.  Prior to starting here at two leaves and a bud, I knew what teas I liked and what I didn’t care for, but I never really concentrated on the individual flavors in my cup.  Now that I’m learning more and more about tea, I’m finding that I am recognizing the citrus or honey tones or the floral finishes and appreciating the delicate characteristics in a quality tea.  Often, when we are confronted with a certain flavor or scent, it conjures up fond memories of a place or time in our past.  For me, the smooth and nutty notes of Gen Mai Cha made me think of an Asian chicken dish I had years ago.  Having heard that tea can be … Continue reading →