Pique — Taste the Newest Revolution in Tea
A new way to enjoy tea.
Pique will definitely pique your interest and taste buds.
Imagine brewing a cup of tea — without any loose leaves or tea bag involved.
Pique makes it possible with its genius tea crystals.
Simon Cheng, who grew up in Hong Kong and California, founded the San Francisco company. A lifelong tea aficionado, he wanted to find a better, more convenient way to enjoy a cup of tea.
So, he brewed tea, then removed the leaves, before distilling it into crystals that are packed into individual one-cup packets.
Just pour the contents into a cup, pour in hot water — and voila! It’s ready to drink instantly — without the need to steep, or fish out a tea bag and figure out a place to deposit or dispose of it.
Mint Sencha green tea crystals on the left; Earl Grey tea crystals on the right.
Plus, think how easy it is to store one of the packets in your purse, carry-on, desk drawer or camping backpack to enjoy tea anytime the mood hits.
I had a chance to try a sample of the tea, which comes in five varieties: Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Jasmine, Sencha, and Mint Sencha.
Now, if you’re like me, the whole notion of powdered tea probably has you setting the bar low from the get-go.
The surprise is the incredible quality of these teas, which you notice from the very first sip. That’s because the company wisely chose to source from the Bay Area’s Roy Fong, a renowned tea master for more than three decades, and owner of Imperial Tea Court in San Francisco and Berkeley.
The Earl Grey is a smooth, robust black tea suffused with bergamot. The English Breakfast is full-bodied, strong black tea that will stand up to milk and sugar. The Jasmine is an intensely floral yet relaxing sip. The Sencha is a vivid, clean-tasting green tea, while the Mint Sencha adds a breathy fresh note without overtaking the natural grassy quality. There’s a lovely purity in flavor to all of the teas.
Pique Tea Crystals are available online through a subscription service that allows you to pick whatever flavors and frequency of delivery you like.
For instance, if you drink one cup a day, you can get a shipment every 12 weeks for $4.85 per week. If you drink three cups per day, you can get a shipment every four weeks for $14.50 per week.
Just when you thought there weren’t any new things to discover in tea besides newfangled bags or unusual blends, along comes Pique to blow your mind.
More: Take Five with Roy Fong
Hmmm, in a way this is like the old instant coffee. I’m curious to see if the flavor really reminds one of a freshly brewed cup of tea. I wish they’re available retail so you can just try a few instead of committing to a subscription.
That’s brilliant for traveling, but I guess I’m still old school. I like to brew my own at home. 😉
I’m intrigued and am wondering how the processing affects the health benefits.
Deborah: I asked Pique’s founder Simon Cheng your question. He said the health benefits are retained in the crystals, probably even more so than with other teas. That’s because, he says, he starts with high quality tea, using whole leaves, brewing them shortly after harvesting without high temperatures to retain their freshness and natural nutrients.
Interesting product! But spike some questions to me about its naturalness. Is flavour externally added to the composition in powdered form? does it pick up moisture like usual instant tea? any stabilizers to arrest microbiology?
Hello!
I’m curious what the difference is between your bergamot English breakfast tea and your earl grey- especially because earl grey is unusually infused with bergamot.
Thank you!
Emily
Hi Emily: You’ll need to ask the folks at Pique that particular question. Here’s the contact info for the company: https://www.piquetea.com/pages/contact-us