honey bear iced tea

Putting the Tea in the Honey…

When the folks at Zen Bear Honey Tea craft their golden teas, they are guided by a mantra…  Honey first.  That’s right, when producing their gently infused teas they reverse the order of things by putting the tea in the honey. That process translates to their popular all-in one tea blends. Effortless to prepare, the only requirement is a cup of hot water!

In Oriental medicine, honey is hypotonic, meaning it draws out. It is this property of honey which makes it the perfect medium for drawing out the herbal essences and the energies of spices, and imbuing itself with their qualities.

Based in Bath, Maine, Zen Bear came into fruition as a result of years of study of the healing powers of herbs and honey by a certified Acupuncturist and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. His explorations of the qualities of herbs, and their effect on the body and mind led him to create a group of golden taste treats that bring delight as well as the benefits of honey and selected blends of herbs.  Made with pure honey and herbs, Zen Bear Teas are the perfect quench for these muggy days of August here in the Boston area – particularly refreshing after a long run or as you roll up your mat at the finish of a hot yoga practice.

“We are often asked where we get our honey for our Zen Bear Honey Tea products… All of our honey comes from farms in the Aroostook Valley of northern Maine, nestled along the Canadian border of New Brunswick.  Here’s how a typical day goes for us when we pick up our honey…

We leave our home on the mid-coast of Maine early in the morning. We head for the town of Houlton on the Canadian border, arriving around noon. From there, we continue north on Route 1 – yes, you can still go north from here! – for another hour to the Aroostook Valley. The signs tell us we’re in Amish country, something new for Maine. Once at the farm, we load our pickup truck to the max with around 1,500 pounds of honey and then head for home,” explain Frank and Lisa Ferrel, Zen Bear founders.

And, here’s how (simply) the product works…  Pick you favorite blend from their six flavors, add a teaspoon of Zen Bear to hot water, give it a stir, ice it in a tall rocks glass and voila!  No steeping, no adding sugar.  The perfect balance of herbs and honey in a matter of moments.  Top selling flavors this time of year are Enlighten-Mint, Qi Chai (pictured below) and Radiant Rose.

zen bear honey tea boston yoga

And, as the evenings begin to cool off, simply ditch the icing step and enjoy the beverage in your favorite mug.  The perfect touch of warmth as you squeeze out the last drops of summer gathered around the fire pit come September!  Zen Bear Honey Teas are available throughout assorted New England Farmer’s Markets, at specialty shops like City Feed and Supply in Jamaica Plain, or through their website.  Keep current with Zen Bear on Facebook.