**I was not paid in any way for the following review. I was sent a sample of the product I am reviewing only. The opinions are my own, honest evaluation of the product.**
I’m so excited to share this review and giveaway with you!
I was first introduced to BourgeaTea about six months ago through my tea reviews at TeaViews. I was sent my first sample of BourgeaTea – it was their White Peach tea and I was very impressed with the mix of white teas, along with the lovely peach flavor. It became my main iced tea this summer! Since then, I’ve been able to sample quite a few of the teas offered at BourgeaTeaand every one has been a high quality pleasure filled tea!
BourgeaTEA was started in 2008 by Chris Bourgea as a way to provide quality tea to the students of his university campus. Chris was unsatisfied with the tea of the local coffee café and began an initiative to find the best loose leaf tea, specifically for the people around him. He began to make tea bags by hand and sold them to the local café and to a growing group of fans around his university campus. Now he sells to multiple cafés, to individual tea drinkers, and online. But BourgeaTEA has never lost the vision of challenging the way people think about tea and its emphasis towards college students and living well. The vision of the company is to change the persona of tea from its stigma as a drink for older ladies in fluffy hats and young girls at tea parties to its splendor as an amazing, flavorful resource for all those who need something spectaculicious to drink. (taken from the BourgeaTea website)
Interestingly, though I, a seasoned tea drinker, find BourgeaTea‘s selections to have incredible flavor with high quality blends – I have an even stronger testimony to Chris Bourgea’s vision and success. I also received a sample of the Citrus Green Tea to review for TeaViews, which I enjoyed very much. But my family was raised on black teas, and green teas have never been a favorite. I’d love for 
them to drink green tea, but have never pushed it because they weren’t really interested. One day, my son, who is almost 18, came to me with a bag of tea in hand asking if he could have some. It was BourgeaTea‘s Green Citrus. I casually said “Sure” and told him how to brew it. He went off and made himself a cup and loved it! Chris Bourgea successfully turned my college age son into a green tea drinker! ******* I wouldn’t even know where to start if I had to tell you what my favorite BourgeaTea was. So instead, today I’m going to tell you about the tea they are offering to one lucky reader – Masala Chai. Did you know that if you go and order a “Chai Tea”, you are really ordering a “Tea Tea”? Yes, the word Chai means tea! Masala is a unique blend of Indian spices, so Masala Chai is a wonderfully spiced tea! There are as many Masala recipes (spice mixtures) as there are Indian families – but they all include some ginger and cardamon and usually cinnamon, cloves and other spices! A good Masala Chai also includes a strong Indian black tea base. Milk and sugar or honey is usually added. Here is BourgeaTea‘s description of their Masala Chai:
Masala chai – even the words conjure up images of fresh, golden spice: dry cinnamon, cool cardamon, and potent ginger. Blended into a strong full-body premium Ceylon black tea, it gives the Masala Chai a robust and spicy flavor, the impression of which is like drinking a warm, crackling fire on a cold, rainy night.
Truly, this is the perfect season for a good Masala Chai. If you win this giveaway you will receive a full tin of this tea that you can use to keep yourself warm this winter, or give as a lovely Christmas gift! I received a tin of BourgeTea‘s Masala Chai for this review and 
was thrilled when I opened the tin! The leaves of the tea are large and dark – the sign of a good Ceylon tea (one of my very favorite teas!) I also quickly saw pieces of dried ginger, and other spices mixed in the tea. The scent that drifted out of the tin made my mouth water! I brewed it as a normal tea – using water that had just come to a boil and brewing it for no more than 6 minutes. I added some milk and honey to it and it was a wonderful cup of tea! Then, after viewing a YouTube video showing how an Indian family makes their masala chai, I decided to try the technique with BourgeaTea’s Masala Chai. This is now my favorite way to drink it! I choose the mug I will drink my tea from, and fill it about 3/4 with water. I heat this in a saucepan until it begins to boil and I add 2 teaspoons of tea to it. I let that simmer about 2.5 min. While it’s simmering I heat about 3/4 of the mug full of milk in the microwave. When it’s warm, I add it to the simmering tea, and add my sweetener – honey or sugar. Without stirring it, I let it come to a rolling boil and quickly pull it off the stove as it foams up. I put it back on the burner and do this 3-4 times and then pour the tea through a strainer into my mug. It makes a fantastically rich, spicey cup of Indian tea! I love it! ***** So how do YOU win a tin of BourgeaTea Masala Chai? It’s so easy! All you have to do is visit BourgeaTea‘s website and leave a comment on this post telling me one other tea you’d like to try! Be sure your email address is entered so I can contact you if you win! AND… you can get extra entries too! You can do any or all of these. Leave a separate comment for each one you do! ~Tell me something about Chris Bourgea that I didn’t tell you in this post (Hint: you can find all kinds of information on the website and on his blog) ~Follow BourgeaTea on Twitter and tell me your twitter name (if you already do – that counts – leave a comment with your twitter name) ~Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect (if you already do – that counts – leave a comment!) ~Subscribe by email to my blog - see the left hand sidebar – and receive my blog directly to your email (if you already do – that counts – leave a comment!) ~ Subscribe to my newsletters – either through the sign up on the sidebar – or when you follow with Google Friend Connect (I don’t send out very many newsletters – only when there is a special giveaway or other special news concerning my blog or The Creators Palette) ~ “Like” BourgeaTea on Facebook (if you already do – that counts – leave a comment!) ~ Follow me on Twitter and tell me your twitter name in the comment (if you already do – that counts – leave a comment!) ~ Tweet about this giveaway using the example here (or write your own). Please leave a link to your tweet in your comment. You can get one entry per day for each new tweet! Example Tweet: WIN Masala Chai from @BourgeaTEA Visit Melanie’s Journey blog from @CreatorsPalette to enter http://tinyurl.com/2cejha3 #giveaway #win #tea GIVEAWAY ENDS at 9:00 Pacific Time November 21. Winner will be confirmed and announced Monday November 22. Giveaway is only open to US residents Comments will be checked for accuracy before winner is chosen. Winner will be chosen by random using the WordPress “And The Winner Is” from among all qualifying comments. NOTE: I did not receive any payment for this review and giveaway. I did receive one tin of Masala Chai to review and was surprised with a tin of Green Citrus tea bags for my son. All the views expressed here are my honest opinions. I thank BourgeaTea for sponsoring this wonderful holiday time giveaway.
I am lucky enough to attend college with Chris, so I have easy access to his teas. I have had indeed had most of them, but not the Chocolate Lust – I’m so looking forward to it!
My other entry -
Something about Chris Bourgea?
He wears awesome shoes.
I have not had the opertunity to try any of tea that Chris makes but I am very eager to the Vanilla Rooibos.
I also attend college with Chris. I have yet to try his TWLOHA inspired tea. It goes to a good cause and the title has nothing to do with how it tastes so I am curious.
Something about Chris. He owns some pretty sweet flannel shirts.
I am most interested in trying the Lucari Chai! Please enter me in the contest!
PS: How are you doing, Melanie?
I would like the Sample packs.
Chirs has a tv show called TeaShow TV
I follow on GFC
I’d like to try their White Peach tea.
I’m following on google!
Thanks for having this contest!! I’ve never had BourgeTea’s teas, but am most interested in the TWLOHA tea (and will probably be ordering some soon!). This is a beautiful charity that helps so many…and to be able to help them with tea is awesome.
There are several that look interesting but probably the Feliz Cumpleanos is the one I’d most like to try.
teawench at gmail dot com
I follow Bourgeatea on Twitter: @Teawench
I also ‘like’ them on FB
I am following you with GFC. Or I hope I am…I’ve started having issues with it. :-S
I think I’d also want to try the Green Kyoto Cherry
I do Follow BourgeaTea on Twitter (amazonv)
I “Like” BourgeaTea on Facebook
I am following you on twitter
The Kyoto Cherry Blossom is something I would like to try.
Following you on Twitter (pricelessteam).
Im a Google Connect Friend.
Im a Facebook fan of Bourgea Tea (Priceless Writers).
Yummmm, I love Chai and would love to win this tea. I would also love to try the Lucari Chai.
I’m definately going with the ‘Feliz Cumpleanos’ since that is the ONLY one I have never heard of, so obviously have never tried.
I friend BT on FB (stephanie christmann)
Although Chai is my favorite tea which I drink all the time – I would like to try their Darjeeling Tea. Having visited India a few times – every home you walk into they immediately bring you tea! Now you have to learn how to pour the tea and boiled milk back and forth from pitcher to pitcher – which is done in South India
I think its interesting that Chris wants to continue to focus changing college kids view of teas and that he blends special teas for charitea. Awesome! Thanks for a shot at some yummy chai. Happy Thanksgiving.
Ironically enough, the Lucari Chai that annoyed everyone by staying on the Steepster Select page for weeks on end is the tea that I think I’d most like to try.
Something about Chris Bourgea, hmm? Well he’s studied the fine art of tea at the American Tea Masters Association and was the youngest graduate in May ’09.
I would really love to try the White Peach. I missed it when it came up in the sample list.
A thing not listed about Chris. How about how he really listens to comments in the tea reviews that he receives.
I am following BourgeaTea thru twitter
@shaiha_
blogbaby(at)comcast(dot)net
I am following you thru GFC
blogbaby(at)comcast(dot)net