Loose Leaf Tea

[gillumhouse]

We offer only loose-leaf teas and it's a big part of our offering. We use two "zojirushi" hot water heaters (set at different temperatures) so that we have no waiting for brewing to start. It still takes a few minutes to brew a pot ... and we brew many pots a day. Guests face our our wall of tea: http://briarrosebb.com/tea.html. This has gotten us some free word-of-mouth marketing as guests recount their tea experience at the Briar Rose as they move across the state. Our tea budget is in excess of $100 a month..

Brendan,
I absolutely love your wall of tea! Your success with offering your guests quality loose leaf tea is inspiring, and definitely helps attract business during these rough economic times.
I do have a couple questions, though. Several people have commented that the fear of dealing with loose leaf tea has caused them to stay away from it (and potentially lose out on the word-of-mouth marketing success that you have seen). How do you successfully handle the "mess" of having guests interact with your tea wall?
Have you found more success with offering guests pots of tea or by serving in individual quantities with something like a one-pot? You say that your current budget for loose leaf tea is $100/month - how many pounds of tea are you/your guests consuming a month?
I have researched a novel approach that I believe would allow B&B owners to create their own loose leaf tea display while completely eliminating the mess of cleaning mesh filters. Would this make it more palatable to those that hate cleaning up messes (like me!)?
.

I had a hutch built to hold my teas - most are loose leaf. I have T-sacs and infusers and use custard cups as a place for the used tea bag/infuser to be put.. I encourage by the cup so they can try more varieties. If they find one they like, by doing a 90 degree turn, they MIGHT find that tea in my gift shop. I have sold a lot of tea.

 

[Morticia]

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker.

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.
I have an electric kettle to boil the water. No, I don't have loose tea as that requires a LOT of space to have the same variety as I have in plain old tea bags from the store. Plus, with loose tea, you have to buy in bulk to keep the cost down. THEN you have to store it all.
Forgot to add that this method works by the cup or pot.

 

[muirford]

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker.

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.
I have an electric kettle to boil the water. No, I don't have loose tea as that requires a LOT of space to have the same variety as I have in plain old tea bags from the store. Plus, with loose tea, you have to buy in bulk to keep the cost down. THEN you have to store it all.
Forgot to add that this method works by the cup or pot.
.

Our guests can't seem to see the trash can right next to the buffet where the tea/coffee setup is. When we come out in the morning to refresh the coffee there'll be 8 empty mini-moos, a few empty packets of sweeteners, tea bags and foil pouches - stacked up on the silver plate for the used spoons. I have little vintage tea bag holders so sometimes the trash is stacked up on there.
I use the Stash foil-wrapped tea bags and like them - I am a tea drinker, also, and never drink coffee but even I rarely brew loose tea for myself. I have a little individual teapot with a mesh strainer insert that works perfectly for that.

 

[Morticia]

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker.

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.
I have an electric kettle to boil the water. No, I don't have loose tea as that requires a LOT of space to have the same variety as I have in plain old tea bags from the store. Plus, with loose tea, you have to buy in bulk to keep the cost down. THEN you have to store it all.
Forgot to add that this method works by the cup or pot.
.

Our guests can't seem to see the trash can right next to the buffet where the tea/coffee setup is. When we come out in the morning to refresh the coffee there'll be 8 empty mini-moos, a few empty packets of sweeteners, tea bags and foil pouches - stacked up on the silver plate for the used spoons. I have little vintage tea bag holders so sometimes the trash is stacked up on there.
I use the Stash foil-wrapped tea bags and like them - I am a tea drinker, also, and never drink coffee but even I rarely brew loose tea for myself. I have a little individual teapot with a mesh strainer insert that works perfectly for that.
.

Our guests can't seem to see the trash can right next to the buffet where the tea/coffee setup is. When we come out in the morning to refresh the coffee there'll be 8 empty mini-moos, a few empty packets of sweeteners, tea bags and foil pouches - stacked up on the silver plate for the used spoons. I have little vintage tea bag holders so sometimes the trash is stacked up on there.

Ditto here. One day I found all the 'trash' in the sugar bowl. It was empty so it must be the trash container, right?

 

[Tony]

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker.

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.
I have an electric kettle to boil the water. No, I don't have loose tea as that requires a LOT of space to have the same variety as I have in plain old tea bags from the store. Plus, with loose tea, you have to buy in bulk to keep the cost down. THEN you have to store it all.
Forgot to add that this method works by the cup or pot.
.

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.

That's a good idea. Although I would prefer to fill the tea into the bags myself and have it all out for the guests rather than they do it themselves and risk spilling.
I'd like to try this product too, but at 15 units for $11 it's pretty pricey - http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=634360

 

[Morticia]

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker.

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.
I have an electric kettle to boil the water. No, I don't have loose tea as that requires a LOT of space to have the same variety as I have in plain old tea bags from the store. Plus, with loose tea, you have to buy in bulk to keep the cost down. THEN you have to store it all.
Forgot to add that this method works by the cup or pot.
.

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.

That's a good idea. Although I would prefer to fill the tea into the bags myself and have it all out for the guests rather than they do it themselves and risk spilling.
I'd like to try this product too, but at 15 units for $11 it's pretty pricey - http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=634360
.

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.

That's a good idea. Although I would prefer to fill the tea into the bags myself and have it all out for the guests rather than they do it themselves and risk spilling.
I'd like to try this product too, but at 15 units for $11 it's pretty pricey - http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=634360

If you're filling the tea bags yourself, then offer a set 'tea time'. Otherwise you'll be filling teabags at all hours. At least you would be around here. I hear the kettle at all hours! Unless you ask in advance who wants what when, how will you know how many teabags to make up? At that point you may as well have store tea bags!
I agree on the price point for this product. I can imagine what it would be like to have a group sit down with this tea, take a sip and dump it. Ouch. At least my friend with the tea shop has that built into the price. As many types of tea as you would like to try, no problem, it's built in. But a B&B doesn't price that way.
Tea drinkers in the house can use up a 20 pack of tea bags in a weekend. When the tea is close to $1/serving, that adds up!
Edited again to add that coffee is about $.75/pot. That's good for, usually, 4 guests. Tea bags at $.75 are good for ONE guest, one cup.

 

[gillumhouse]

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker.

do you see? briar rose has a sink. it's not that i hate cleaning up messes, there is no place in the common area where guests make their own tea that they can rinse tea balls after dumping the used leaves here.
ps i am a big tea drinker

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.
I have an electric kettle to boil the water. No, I don't have loose tea as that requires a LOT of space to have the same variety as I have in plain old tea bags from the store. Plus, with loose tea, you have to buy in bulk to keep the cost down. THEN you have to store it all.
Forgot to add that this method works by the cup or pot.
.

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.

That's a good idea. Although I would prefer to fill the tea into the bags myself and have it all out for the guests rather than they do it themselves and risk spilling.
I'd like to try this product too, but at 15 units for $11 it's pretty pricey - http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=634360
.

If you have a trash can nearby, then allow guests to select the loose tea and put it into tea bags. I work at a tea shop in the winter and that's how she does it. They throw the tea bag out. Other than the mess created putting the tea into the wide-mouth bags (no different really than filling a mesh tea ball, except maybe a tad easier) it's no different from regular tea bags you would have to disopose of.

That's a good idea. Although I would prefer to fill the tea into the bags myself and have it all out for the guests rather than they do it themselves and risk spilling.
I'd like to try this product too, but at 15 units for $11 it's pretty pricey - http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=634360

If you're filling the tea bags yourself, then offer a set 'tea time'. Otherwise you'll be filling teabags at all hours. At least you would be around here. I hear the kettle at all hours! Unless you ask in advance who wants what when, how will you know how many teabags to make up? At that point you may as well have store tea bags!
I agree on the price point for this product. I can imagine what it would be like to have a group sit down with this tea, take a sip and dump it. Ouch. At least my friend with the tea shop has that built into the price. As many types of tea as you would like to try, no problem, it's built in. But a B&B doesn't price that way.
Tea drinkers in the house can use up a 20 pack of tea bags in a weekend. When the tea is close to $1/serving, that adds up!
Edited again to add that coffee is about $.75/pot. That's good for, usually, 4 guests. Tea bags at $.75 are good for ONE guest, one cup.
.

I have a small crock for trash on the hutch with the T-sacs and infusers and I have a measure for getting the correct amount of tea for weak, regular, or strong from 1 cup to a pot.

 

[user 26]

that is funny - guests cannot find the trash. but you are right. i would find tea bags and sugar packets and stirrers and things all over the place ... but not in the two wastebaskets in the library, one next to the water dispenser and end of counter, nor in the wastebasket at either end of the buffet table in the breakfast room. i am not sure why guests appeared to be searching at eye level for the trash instead of looking towards the floor. maybe they expected waist high trash cans?

 

[muirford]

that is funny - guests cannot find the trash. but you are right. i would find tea bags and sugar packets and stirrers and things all over the place ... but not in the two wastebaskets in the library, one next to the water dispenser and end of counter, nor in the wastebasket at either end of the buffet table in the breakfast room. i am not sure why guests appeared to be searching at eye level for the trash instead of looking towards the floor. maybe they expected waist high trash cans?.

I have thought about that - a tall kitchen trash can, but I've always thought they were too obtrusive. We all know our guests don't read - maybe they just don't see, either!
I may look for a nicer looking tall trash can - it would be good to have one beside the buffet and upstairs on the back porch - both places collect a lot of trash.

 

[YellowSocks]

Dh has decided to be health conscious and is trying to switch from coffee to tea. We may be going the loose tea route very, very soon. He's already ordered himself some speciality teas online.
=)
Kk.

 

[Morticia]

that is funny - guests cannot find the trash. but you are right. i would find tea bags and sugar packets and stirrers and things all over the place ... but not in the two wastebaskets in the library, one next to the water dispenser and end of counter, nor in the wastebasket at either end of the buffet table in the breakfast room. i am not sure why guests appeared to be searching at eye level for the trash instead of looking towards the floor. maybe they expected waist high trash cans?.

that is funny - guests cannot find the trash. but you are right. i would find tea bags and sugar packets and stirrers and things all over the place ... but not in the two wastebaskets in the library, one next to the water dispenser and end of counter, nor in the wastebasket at either end of the buffet table in the breakfast room. i am not sure why guests appeared to be searching at eye level for the trash instead of looking towards the floor. maybe they expected waist high trash cans?

What I've seen at other inns is a countertop trash. Be it a cereal bowl or whatever. THAT'S what they're looking for. Like at Starbucks, either a hole in the countertop to drop stuff thru or something on TOP of the counter. I may get one of those little silver bullet cans for the countertop!

 

[gillumhouse]

that is funny - guests cannot find the trash. but you are right. i would find tea bags and sugar packets and stirrers and things all over the place ... but not in the two wastebaskets in the library, one next to the water dispenser and end of counter, nor in the wastebasket at either end of the buffet table in the breakfast room. i am not sure why guests appeared to be searching at eye level for the trash instead of looking towards the floor. maybe they expected waist high trash cans?.

that is funny - guests cannot find the trash. but you are right. i would find tea bags and sugar packets and stirrers and things all over the place ... but not in the two wastebaskets in the library, one next to the water dispenser and end of counter, nor in the wastebasket at either end of the buffet table in the breakfast room. i am not sure why guests appeared to be searching at eye level for the trash instead of looking towards the floor. maybe they expected waist high trash cans?

What I've seen at other inns is a countertop trash. Be it a cereal bowl or whatever. THAT'S what they're looking for. Like at Starbucks, either a hole in the countertop to drop stuff thru or something on TOP of the counter. I may get one of those little silver bullet cans for the countertop!
.

Use a small crock on the counter.

 

[Penelope]

For Christmas last year, my dh bought me a tea pot that has a tea leaf ball attached to the lid. You fill up the tea ball with loose tea, pour the water over the ball and immerse the ball into the pot via putting the lid on the pot. I love it. You can get special order teas at a place right down the road from me called "C-ME Brew". They also do specailty roast coffee. I can't get enough tea in the winter time...keeps me warm!!!