Review: Shanti Chai & Co Original Chai Blend
Thank you to Shanti Chai & Co for sending me a free sample!
Hey everyone! Hope all of you are staying home and healthy during this crazy time. Being home all day has allowed me to get a lot of things done (both blog related and non-blog-related tasks).
I know it’s been a while since my last review, I’m trying to mix in so many different things I’m working on for you guys so there’s lots to come.
I thought it was time for another review, and I am so excited for this one! This is the Original Chai Blend from Shanti Chai & Co.
Shanti Chai & Co is based in Ladysmith, on BC’s Vancouver Island and founded in 2017.
Using organic spices and tea, they aim for a balanced, truly authentic, indulgent and delicious chai experience.
The package I was sent also came with a cute little brochure, it says, “…We realized it was necessary to keep the tea and spices separate, to allow for proper brewing. This allows the spices to simmer, the milk and sugar to be added, and finally the tea to steep at the very end”.
This is really interesting, because the technique described involves a three step process where you add the tea last (most chais have you add the tea first) and also the spices and tea are in separate packages. *More on that technique in a bit.
As soon as you open the package, you can smell the spices and already I could tell it was gonna be good.
Here (picture below) we can see the separate package for the spices.
The spices as you can see are as whole as possible, with the a few exceptions (the cinnamon and dried ginger are split into smaller pieces).
I like seeing this because I know that I’m getting the real flavor out of these ingredients, as opposed to when they’re ground up and you can’t tell if other things have been added to it.
On that note, the size of the spices make it a little hard to measure out a level teaspoon when making the chai. This is pretty much my only complaint though!
Time to discuss the technique and actual process of brewing. As I mentioned earlier, this chai is a 3 step process but don’t worry: in total I believe this took me only 10ish minutes (probably a little less).
The first stage is adding the spices to water and letting them simmer. Step 2 is to add your milk and sweetener of choice.
I found that with this blend, the best alternative milk was the Chobani's Plain Oat Milk. This paired perfectly with the flavors in the chai and gave that thicker texture that every chai needs.
Speaking from personal experience, not every milk alternative works with every chai blend, it’s all about pairing the right one’s together. Of course, many use normal cow’s milk, but I just thought I’d give my two cents to the dairy free community with this recommendation. It works so well together!
(In the future I will be writing a post about my favorite alternative milks to use in chai, so keep an eye out for that!)
As far as sweetener goes, the package recommends sugar but I found that my favorite sweetener to use with this blend is maple syrup. Make sure it’s 100% pure!
(In my tastings of this chai I used grade A syrup, but you can use any grade you like, as long as it’s 100% pure and nothing else is added)
For the amount of sweetener, I kept it the same as stated in the instructions, which was 2 teaspoons.
The third step is to let it all come together and sit for about 4 minutes over heat.
I love that the instructions even include how to create a natural froth!
Personally when making this I prefer it hot, but it can be served over ice if you’d like.
Now time for the most important aspect…. the taste test.
I’ve got to say, this is in my top 3 favorite chais so far. It’s not a super spicy chai (although they recommend adding a little more spice if that’s your liking) but at the same time it’s not muted.
A lot of chais I try are very subtle, where you can barely taste anything at all. In many cases the ratio is off and it just tastes like milk or cinnamon.
This chai is great because while it isn’t burn-your-tongue spicy, it still has that “chai” flavor. I think this is because you simmer the spices first, allowing them to have more time to release their oils and flavor, then add the tea last.
Overall, it is an indulgent and full-bodied chai. The technique and the maintained quality of the spices (kept as whole as possible) is to thank for the delicious end result.
I love this and wish that every cafe near me sold this. It’s great as an all around crowd pleaser, and a good everyday chai. I will be buying more of this in the future!
I highly recommend to anyone who’s looking for a good chai that is rich in flavor. Not watered down or muted at all, Shanti Chai & Co delivers on their promise of an “indulgent and balanced” chai.
To shop the mug I used in these pictures, it’s absolutely awesome and adds to the chai experience! I got it from amazon, and it’s linked below.
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