If you’re a tea drinker, you’re going to want to try Cusa Tea. It’s a premium instant tea that’s perfect for when you’re on the go, or just relaxing at home What makes it special? It tastes like real tea, not instant tea. No bag, no steeping, but also no harsh chemical flavors. When I first tried a sample, it didn’t immediately impress me. Because it tasted just like tea. It wasn’t until I found it was instant, and could be enjoyed just about anywhere, that I realized Cusa was on to something.
Even as a child, I have always enjoyed a good cup of tea. That carried over into my adult life, and as my taste buds matured, so did my choice of teas. I would seek out specialty stores and Asian markets for the good stuff, much like beer snobs visiting microbreweries. Today, my favorite is a selection of loose teas an acquaintance brought back from Nepal. The ritual of preparing a cup is a solemn one, as once it’s all gone, it cannot be replaced. If I could find a more easily obtainable tea of similar taste and quality, I would be quite happy.
Which brings me to Cusa Tea. Jim Lamancusa takes his tea a bit more seriously than I do. He lived in Asia for more than two and a half years, and had his share of tea while there. After visiting shops and plantations across China and India, I think he knows a thing or two about tea. Fifteen years later, while steeping a bag of tea on a backpacking trip, he had an epiphany. The world needs a premium instant tea that tastes like brewed tea.
Had he asked me, he would have gotten no argument. But it took nine months of experimenting to find a process that resulted in a tea he could be proud of. One which most people, upon first tasting it, remark “This doesn’t taste like instant tea”. That’s because it’s high-quality tea, extracted via a gentle method. Cusa starts with organic tea grown and dried far from pollution sources. This is important, as the tea is sun-dried outdoors in plantations across Asia. Cold Steeping Technology and vacuum dehydration retains the flavor of the original tea, without any chemical undertones. The result is crystals that dissolve quickly in hot or cold water.
My variety pack included Oolong, Green tea, English Breakfast, Lemon Black, and Mango Green. Packed in 0.04 ounce (1.2g) sticks (tubes with easy-tear tops), each is good for about 8 ounces of tea, depending on your preference. Warm your mug or cup (if you can), pour in the crystals, and add water to suit your desired strength. Hot tea is ready in seconds, cold takes about half a minute to fully dissolve. What you’ll be enjoying is a cup of instant tea that is just about indistinguishable from its bagged or loose counterpart. The flavors are clean, refreshing, and fragrant. If you must know, I’ve ordered the list at the beginning of this paragraph from my most to least favorite. But they’re all great.
Though I still start many days with a cup of coffee, tea is so much more. A nice mint tea can calm an upset stomach. Tea with a bit of lemon and honey is soothing. There is an endless supply of herbal teas for relaxing, energizing, or calming. Flavors to complement almost any meal, or for enjoying after. Plus, you can drink it hot or cold. While Cusa is currently limited to five flavors, they are all winners. The fact that you can slip a few into your backpack, daypack, purse, suitcase, or desk drawer is a bonus. It’s not like tea bags are terribly inconvenient, but they’re not exactly convenient either. As a bonus, it looks like Cusa Tea has a shelf life of about two years, which is long after loose or bagged tea becomes unpalatable.
Cusa teas vary from 42mg to 79mg of caffeine and 190mg to 465mg of tea polyphenols per serving. No sugars, additives, fillers, or preservatives. Each 10 serving box retails for $9.99. They also offered some gift box sets for the holidays, so check out their website for more details and availability. Cusatea.com
A special thanks to Cusa Tea for providing their variety pack for this review. I’ve enjoyed them with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And I think you will too.