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FREE STANDARD US SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $40

FAQ

When do orders ship?

When you place an order with us our highest priority is sending you the freshest tea possible. You deserve it, and so do our world class tea producers and their teas. If you place an order online, it will ship out the next business day. We utilize USPS Priority Mail or FedEx depending on your order weight. We have flat rate shipping tiers of $5, $10 or $15.

USPS Priority Mail does not guarantee a certain delivery time, but is good at hitting the delivery times provided by the map. Generally, if you live within the continental United States you will get your order within three days. 

We can also ship internationally and rush ship orders through FedEx (by request and at additional cost).

 

Return Policy:

We will happily replace your product with another selection should you not enjoy your purchase. Any merchandise bought from our website can be returned to our headquarters within 30 days for a full refund, not including the cost of return shipping. Please note our cafes cannot accept returns for online purchases. For more individual assistance on this, please email us at info@firepot.com.

 

Are all teas Fair Trade Certified?

If a tea can be Fair Trade certified, we will offer it as Fair Trade Certified. In some cases, like with our Genmaicha, we can’t offer it as Fair Trade because Fair Trade does not pertain to developed countries like Japan. 

In addition, certain ingredients like the elderberries and ginger in our Hibiscus Elixir are not Fair Trade certifiable, making the blend itself un-certifiable.

Our focus is to purchase the highest quality tea directly, and through the most ethical and sustainable means.

 

How should I store my tea?

We recommend keeping your tea in a cool, dry space out of direct sunlight and in the packaging it comes in or another re-sealable container. Exposure to oxygen, moisture, or extreme temperatures will affect and/or degrade the quality of the tea.

 

Does tea have an expiration date?

Tea does not expire, but since it is an agricultural product it does have a descending level of freshness once it is processed. As freshness decreases, layers of complexity and flavors become lost. 

Each one of our teas is harvested seasonally, so we buy fresh teas each season. Current season teas will always taste the best, so we recommend buying tea at least once a year.

 

How should I steep my tea?

We recommend open vessel steeping so that the tealeaves can fully unfurl in the steeping process. We also provide exact tea weight, steeping time and water temperature parameters for each tea.

You can also use any open vessel (a French press, a teapot without a strainer, a canning jar) to steep your leaves. It is useful to also have a thermometer, a teaspoon or a scale and a timer on hand when steeping tea.

For more in depth instructions you can reference the Firepot Steeping Guide, or the parameters listed with each individual tea description.

 

How many times can I re-steep my leaves?

We provide a recommended number of infusions for each of our teas, but this is ultimately up to you. Subsequent steepings usually result in less flavorful infusions, but in some cases -- our Iron Goddess of Mercy, for example, they can bring out exciting new flavor profiles. Experiment to find your preferences!

 

How do I check water temperature without a thermometer?

Water boils at 212° F, and cools by about 5° per minute when left uncovered. So if you want to reach a temperature of 180° let boiling water stand for about 6 minutes.

Additionally, at 1000 feet (305 meters) above sea level, the boiling point drops by 2°.

 

What is the layer of sediment on the bottom of my chai concentrate?

The layer at the bottom of the glass bottle is the freshly milled organic spices we use to make our chai. The sediment adds to the texture and flavor of the chai. Simply shake the bottle for a few seconds each time before you use it to incorporate everything and you’ll be able to enjoy our perfectly balanced sweet and spicy chai to the very last drop.

 

What material are your tea sachet bags?

Our tea sachet bags are NeoSoilon®, a 100% PLA mesh filter made from 100% non-GMO sugar cane.  

PLA (polylactic acid) is a polymer resin made by the lactic fermentation of glucose which is derived from corn starch. Tea bags made with Soilon® are see-through and have good extractability. The tea bags are made from 100% non-GMO sugar cane. It is the best packing material for organic tea, allowing for completely certified organic tea products.