As a big herbal tea drinker, I’ve never really seen the point of decaffeinated tea blends. If I want tea in the evening, a delicious cup of spearmint or chamomile hits the spot like nothing else. But if I am totally honest, the real reason I am hesitant to try Two Spoons Tea Decaf is because I had a pretty horrendous experience with decaf tea in the past.
I’m talking chemical flavour that can’t be washed out kind of horrendous.
But, I owe it to my readers to go in with an open mind. So here we are. My full Two Spoons Tea Decaf Blend review, complete with tasting notes, brewing method, and links to try this decaffeinated black tea for yourself.
Two Spoons Tea Decaffeinated at a Glance
Izzy’s Rating
- Blend: Black tea from Africa, decaffeinated to 0.2%
- Flavour: Smooth and light black tea, pleasant but subdued
No chemical flavour here! The tea is effortlessly smooth and satisfying, though the flavours are too light to hit the spot (they give it a gentle tickle instead).
Full Review – Decaf Black Tea Blend
- Type: Tagged biodegradable tea sachet (square “pillow”)
- Tea: Decaffeinated black tea
- Origin: Africa
- Flavour Notes: Smooth, light black tea
- Aroma: Muted black tea, brisk, hints of earth and malt
- Milk or Lemon: Milk, to taste
- Where to Buy: Two Spoons Tea
It smells like tea but muted. There’s not much else to say at this point. The aroma from the dried tea leaves is quite faint with just a hint of briskness giving it a clean edge. Let’s see if a good steep in hot water can bring it to life.
After brewing according to instructions (see below for how I did it), the aroma deepens a little with notes of earth and malt… but it’s still pretty subdued. I guess this is a side effect of the decaffeination process. At least the colour is quite vibrant – a red-tinted rich brown colour, clear and enticing.
I always try my tea without milk first, but in this case, adding a little milk really helped to bring it to life. The flavour is smooth and light, no bitterness whatsoever, and nothing astringent to catch on your tongue.
It’s unmistakably a good cup of tea, but there’s still something subdued about the flavour. At least there are no chemical notes! I had no trouble enjoying this tea to the last sip.
How to Brew Decaf Tea
There’s really no difference in the method for brewing caffeinated and decaffeinated tea – treat it just like your normal cup of black tea. I brewed for 3 minutes in freshly boiled water, then added a splash of soy milk. You can use any milk you like.
If anything, you want to brew for longer rather than shorter to help brighten the cup and add some strength where the decaffeination process has leached out the flavour.
Add sugar if you like. Serve with biscuits (I’m currently on an oatmeal cookie binge) or with breakfast. As it is decaffeinated, you can drink it at any time of day – the trace of caffeine left in the tea leaves won’t keep you up at night.
Why Two Spoons Tea?
Two Spoons Tea are a small British brand with a tasty range of teas. They have the traditional teas like Earl Grey, Breakfast tea, and this decaffeinated tea, as well as more unusual blends and herbal options.
Speaking of herbal options, do you know the difference between caffeine-free tea and decaffeinated tea? I wrote a full decaf vs caffeine-free article to explain the difference between the two and how it impacts flavour, brewing times and health benefits.
Two Spoons Tea Decaf Blend contains black tea from Africa. Yes, that’s quite an unspecific origin! I imagine that tea leaves from various African countries are collected and blended together before decaffeination.
After the decaffeination process, there’s approximately 0.2% of the original caffeine left. So, if a typical cup of black tea contains around 50mg of caffeine, this decaf blend should contain around 0.1mg of caffeine. You won’t even feel it.
Summary
You can buy Two Spoons Tea Decaf Blend directly from the Two Spoons Tea official website. It’s currently available in square pillow tea sachets (made from a biodegradable plant-based material rather than plastic) but not loose leaf format.
At the time of writing, there’s free shipping in the UK on orders over £25 and you can save 10% by subscribing for regular deliveries of your favourite flavours.
Tea Recommendation
I usually drink herbal tea in the evening, but recently I have been drinking a new functional beverage instead. Soothe is a ‘G Spot’ drink that’s made with nootropics, L-Theanine and herbs to help you relax in the evening without any sugar or caffeine. So, if you fancy a light and fizzy drink instead of a cosy decaf blend at the end of the day, check it out!
