Tea Gschwendner
Pop quiz... what is the most consumed beverage in the world behind water? The answer is tea! If this answer surprises you, it’s because in the U.S. tea ranks behind both coffee and soda pop. Think of it like soccer, all over the world people are crazy for it! In the states it’s less popular than the WNBA. What does this mean? Should we all start sipping tea and kick soccer balls? I say stick to baseball and give this tea thing a try! German based company “Tea Gschwendner” is offering nearly 300 varieties of tea to Chicagoland! Wait a minute, Germany means beer and sausage right? Surprisingly the Bavarians are quite passionate about tea and are the #1 tea processors in the world! Unlike the isle of tea bags you see at the grocery store, tea at Tea Gschwendner is sold similar to coffee beans. Loose leaf tea offers higher quality, better taste, and better retention of antioxidants than traditional tea bags do. In fact the bags are made up primarily of tea “dust”, which is essentially the broken bits left over from the tea leaves. Think loose leaf is intimidating? Vice president Joe Capp is passionate about educating consumers about their tea and stores even have their own sommelier.  Personable and knowledgeable about all things tea, these ambassadors of tea will help guide you toward a blissful tea experience. To truly decide what tea is right for you, you have to both smell and taste the tea. With nearly 300 varieties on hand from white, green, black, rooibos, oolong, and herbal teas, your sommelier is you best friend! A couple favorites of mine were the Gyrokuro, a green tea that is creamy and with a slight spinach note, the Formosa Oolong Taifu is earthy and thankfully devoid of the grassy nature many oolongs are known for. The State street location has been around for 5 years now and was actually the first in the U.S. While most of Tea Gschwendner’s locations are across the globe, tea lovers will be happy to know that slow and steady growth is planned and that amazing tea will soon be easier than ever to attain. So whether you drink tea for its antioxidants, relaxation, or are simply new to tea, a name that we all should get to know is “Tea Gschwendner”! Locations Retail & Tea2Go  1160 N. State Street Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 932-0639  Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10AM to 7PM Sundays 10AM to 6PM  Retail & Tea2Go  1624 South Randall Rd Algonquin, IL 60102 (847) 458-8501  Store Hours: Mon-Sat 11AM to 7PM Sun 11AM to 6PM