Custom Blend” />
Why Create a Custom Blend?
I find that starting my day with a warm cup of coffee or tea helps me feel refreshed and ready to take on the day’s tasks. However, standard blends from the grocery store often leave me crashing later in the morning. Creating my own custom blend allows me to craft a drink that provides sustained energy without the mid-morning slump.
A custom blend gives me control over the ingredients, strengths, and flavors. I can select energizing ingredients like green tea, yerba mate, and guarana and balance them with soothing ingredients like roasted chicory and cinnamon. This flexibility allows me to create a perfectly personalized beverage.
Selecting My Ingredients
When creating my invigorating custom blend, I carefully research and select several key ingredients:
Green Tea
Green tea contains caffeine as well as L-theanine, which works synergistically to provide alertness and focus without jitteriness. I find that green tea’s clean flavor mixes nicely with other ingredients.
Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is a traditional South American tea that offers a nutritional profile similar to green tea. It gives me a nice sustained energy boost. I enjoy yerba mate’s earthy, herbaceous notes.
Guarana
Guarana is a rainforest vine native to the Amazon. Its seeds contain guaranine, which is chemically similar to caffeine. Guarana delivers an extra kick on mornings when I need some extra energizing power. It has a mildly bitter, fruity taste.
Chicory Root
Chicory root adds great flavor to a blend with its caramel and mocha notes. As an added benefit, it promotes digestive health. I find chicory balances some of the stronger energizing ingredients.
Cinnamon Chips
Cinnamon adds warmth to any blend. But more than just flavor, cinnamon stabilizes blood sugar levels, which helps me avoid crashing later in the morning. I add just a pinch to round out my custom blend with its sweet spiciness.
Creating My Custom Blend
With my ingredients selected, I use the following procedure to create my custom blend:
-
Measure out the dry ingredients in the desired proportions. I prefer a 3:2:1:1:1 ratio of green tea to yerba mate to guarana to chicory to cinnamon.
-
Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly to integrate the flavors. This allows me to adjust any ingredients to tweak the flavor balance.
-
Store the finished blend in an airtight container away from heat, air, light, and moisture. Properly stored, my custom blend stays fresh for 2-3 months.
When I’m ready to prepare my invigorating blend, I follow the standard instructions for making tea or instant coffee using anywhere from 1-3 tablespoons of blend per 6-8 oz cup depending on my desired strength.
I sometimes enjoy experimenting by adding a splash of milk, nut milk, or lemon to change up the flavor profile. I have also iced this blend for a refreshing lift on hot summer mornings.
My custom energizing blend has truly enhanced my mornings with sustained energy, delicious taste, and peace of mind from knowing exactly what I’m drinking. I’m excited to continue tweaking and perfecting it to keep powering through my most productive and fulfilling days.
