ABOUT ELI TEA BAR
Eli Tea is a modern tea café and specialty shop with a flag ship store in downtown Birmingham, Michigan. We specialize in loose leaf tea (aka good and proper tea). Every day, we brew hundreds of cups of tea - hot, iced, tea lattes, bubble tea and even offer raw kombucha on tap. Our collection of 100 teas are ethically sourced from around the world including some American grown herbals like lavender and mint. All of the loose leaf teas are also available for purchase in bulk from our tea wall. My goal is to offer our customers a modern tea experience by supplying good natural tea, brewed to order, in a casual well designed environment. On any given day you will meet a wide variety of customers in our shop from students studying to tea aficionados stocking up on some of our exotic tea blends. Whether you’re a seasoned tea lover or new to tea, I welcome you to come in and experience a good cuppa tea.
MANIFESTO
I have thought about these four concepts - earth, time, skill, and user - in the selection and creation of Eli Tea teas. It is embodied in the Eli Tea mantra of “Thoughtful Tea”. The total experience of brewing tea is transformative, for your choice of tea is an offering of your personality. You may have made this choice either consciously or subconsciously, but regardless, your tea selection serves as a display of your personality and your inner life philosophy - the qualities that people will identify with and connect with.
As you can see, the magnitude of the story of tea can be quite deep, and I'm sure I will expand my thoughts on this at a later date. I reflect on these concepts in the creation of Eli Tea teas, especially in prioritizing the use of domestic herbals. After reading this I hope you will think a little about the story behind tea the next time you brew tea, especially when you brew Eli Tea.
Brew tea, make friends,
DETROIT'S TEA TIME
Tea can take you anywhere. The Himalayas. The Hawaiian Islands. The Horn of Africa. And right back home. Every cup is a journey. Every sip, a step forward. And wherever you end up, it all starts in Detroit.
What better place to celebrate the land, people and culture of tea than a city known for creativity and community? What better place from which to visit foreign lands than the land of opportunity, itself? Right now, it's not just Detroit's time. It's Detroit's tea time. The only question is, where do you want to go?
The timing was perfect - Detroit was making a comeback fueled by a desire to redefine and reignite the city. We manifest this same spirit in every cup of tea we brew. Today, Eli Tea offers over 50 types of tea and herbal infusions in a modern and inviting atmosphere.
Here are no tea bags, rather, we brew each cup of tea from loose leaf to order. Eli Tea also sells loose tea in bulk, both online and in stores. All of our teas are free of artificial ingredients and flavors. Our specialty brews are made from scratch and sweetened with cane sugar or honey only. We can also make milk substitutions with any brew and are happy to create a custom blend just for you
Tea Gardens and Suppliers
Eli Tea sources from both domestic and international tea gardens. American tea gardens are only in their early stages, but we look forward toward working with and supporting these domestic gardens. International tea gardens and suppliers are carefully selected. When examining any supplier Eli Tea takes into consideration the social and environmental responsibility of our suppliers.
Please contact Info@eliteabar.com for allergen concerns or other questions about our product quality. .
Organic? Family Farm?
I drink the same tea you drink and prioritize the use of organic, pesticide-free products whenever possible. Worker rights of tea garden workers are also very important for me in the creation of holistic products. We double check tea gardens country of origin certificates for worker welfare and growing conditions for our imported teas.
Eli Tea is also a founding member of FoodLab Detroit and is committed to better our bottom lines of people, planet, and profit as we grow.
Product Safety & Quality?
Eli Tea Bar is a fully licensed and insured facility for food service and production. A ServSafe certified staff is always in the facility when processing of packaging. The tea's are sealed in an air tight, light tight, food grade, Mylar bag or tin. Exposure to oxygen and light can resulted in unwanted oxidation. Eli Tea teas have a recommended shelf life of 1-2 years the exact date will be labeled on your product
Some Eli Tea products contains nuts and are packaged in the same facility. Separate packaging equipment is used for products containing nuts however air born nut contamination may be possible (since they are packaged in the same facility).
Sustainability Initiatives
Although Eli Tea is a young company, staying planet friendly is always on our mind. This includes everything from the sustainable banana paper used on the Eli Tea tins to packaging materials.
Minimizing Eli Tea’s carbon footprint is an ongoing process and we hope to refine and reduce our carbon foot print as time goes on.
