There’s nothing quite like sipping your favorite hot drink on a brisk winter day. Many of us are quick to brew a cup of our usual selection at the start of the workday, whether it’s coffee, hot cocoa, or tea. Tea is a popular beverage that is enjoyed all over the world and not just recently – tea has been a favorite drink in various cultures for centuries. Hot or cold, sweetened or unsweetened, tea is definitely a staple in the office. There are many different ways to prepare tea and be creative with your own brew in the breakroom.

If you are more of a coffee drinker, don’t worry! Just take a look at our previous blog, here. 

While tea is often brewed plain with a sweetener added, many cultures around the world add a little something extra. British Milk Tea is the long-standing practice of adding milk or cream to a sturdy black tea like Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea. A.H. offers a selection of strong black tea brands including Bigelow, Tazo, Lipton and Twinings. We even carry decaf black tea, green tea, and herbal teas for those who prefer non-caffeinated products. Don’t have milk on hand? Try adding some liquid half & half creamer from the coffee bar instead. A.H. offers Nestle Carnation Half & Half creamer cups for convenience. Add a bit of sweetener if you like, and you’ve created a simple but game-changing cup of British-style milk tea. 

Hong Kong-inspired milk tea is similarly created by brewing a strong black tea (Lipton is a popular black tea brand you might find in your breakroom). Here is the secret – just add a bit of sweetened condensed milk and/or evaporated milk to suit your taste. While this type of milk is not something you would typically find on your breakroom countertop, condensed and evaporated milk is easy enough for you to pick up at the store in cans. It has a longer shelf life so you can keep it on-hand for the days you want to try something different with your tea. 

Like other teas, Chai Tea is available in loose form or in tea bags. It is a wonderfully spiced tea no matter how it is prepared. If you enjoy Chai Tea, be sure to add a touch of milk or non-dairy product of your choice to fully experience this spicy tea blend. Adding a milk product can help cut the mild bitterness associated with strong black teas and offer a more mellow brew.

Don’t forget that any tea can become iced tea with refrigeration and a bit of time! Just brew your favorite tea and store it in your fridge to chill. Alternatively, you can create cold-brew tea by adding your tea bags to unheated water. You can leave your covered container outside to steep under the sun (traditional Sun Tea) or even in your office fridge. These methods will take additional time compared to brewing tea with hot water, but some say it results in a milder taste.

To jazz up your usual drink whether it is a black tea, herbal tea, green tea, or anything else, consider adding a bit of lemon juice or trying honey instead of sugar just to switch things up. Honey is a wonderful addition to tea and can subtly change the flavor in a pleasing way. There are even different types of honey that have their own unique flavor profiles. Honeys are particularly used to compliment herbal and floral tea blends.

Whether you select a soothing cup of tea or a tea with a kick of caffeine to help you through your busy workday, it can be nice to add a bit of variety to your drink. With a little creativity, you can tweak your tea recipe to perfection.

If your goal is simply to stay hydrated in the office, be on the lookout for our next blog where we go over ways to add a twist to plain drinking water.

For decades the office breakroom has been the place for employees to get their daily dose of caffeine. Many employees visit the coffee brewer for a cup of Joe to start their day off right. Some people drink their coffee black while others prefer to lighten it up with cream or sugar. Everyone has their favorite way to prepare their morning brew. Still, while the walk to the office breakroom might be the same day in and day out, there are many ways to spice up your usual beverage of choice with a little creativity.

We are all familiar with the standard powdered creamer and sugar available in most breakrooms. Zero-sugar sweeteners are a popular product as well. A.H. offers products like Truvia and Stevia in the Raw. If your breakroom provides individual liquid flavored creamers, these can be an easy way to change up the flavor. Traditional flavors include French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Crème, and Vanilla Caramel while quirky seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Spice or Peppermint will add some flare. Liquid creamers aren’t just suitable for coffee alone; they pair very nicely with hot chocolate too!

There are several coffee-based drinks you might be able to create at the office depending on what supplies are available. 

Iced Coffee is a simple way to make your caffeine fix more suited to hot summer days. Brew your favorite coffee, let it chill if you have time, and pour over ice. For an even better experience, make your own coffee ice cubes ahead of time by freezing leftover coffee. Coffee ice cubes won’t water down your drink like plain water ice cubes can. 

Another easy drink to make in the break room is a mocha-style beverage. Mocha drinks combine the usual caffeine kick of coffee along with our love for chocolate. Simply add milk (or milk substitute), coffee, and hot chocolate to suit your taste. An iced mocha-style drink can offer a twist to this popular beverage. 

Additionally, you can make latte or cappuccino inspired drinks. With the help of a small, inexpensive milk frother, froth up some warm milk. Simply pour it over your finished coffee and enjoy. 

If your breakroom is equipped with a blender, create some blended drinks. Popular items are frozen hot chocolate (blend ice and hot chocolate), frozen frappe-type drinks (blend ice and coffee), or even frozen mocha-style beverages (blend hot chocolate, milk, and coffee with ice). 

Interested in trying a trendier coffee drink? Give Dalgona Coffee (essentially “whipped coffee”) a go. Add 2tbsp instant coffee, 2tbsp sugar, and 2tbsp hot water to a bowl. With a whisk or small milk frother, whip the mixture until fluffy. Pour over 1 cup of milk sweetened to your liking, stir, and taste!

Relatively new to the coffee experience is cold brew coffee. The cold brew process allows ground coffee to steep in room-temperature water for 12 hours or more. This process minimizes the chemical changes that produce the acidity and bitter flavor found in hot coffee. Cold brew coffee is rich, flavorful, and stimulating yet smoother and milder than regular brewed coffee. If you would like to make this offering available in the breakroom, just call us to get you started. 

A.H. also provides coffee and other hot beverages from a fully contained, vend coffee machine. Decaf or regular? Perhaps a Half-Caf coffee? No problem! Add in your preferred levels of sweetener and creamer with the push of a button. You can even select drinks like English Toffee, Amaretto, Caffe Mocha, or Cappuccino. There are so many variations available to try from one of our vending coffee machines. 

Keurig machines can be found in many breakrooms. The combination of various blends from different manufacturers offers hundreds of unique items that are individually brewed from these brewers. This system allows customers to easily try a variety of hot beverages.

A.H. offers a wide selection of coffee equipment designed to brew your perfect cup. From drip brewers to popular single cup machines including Keurig, pod, and gourmet bean-to-cup machines, A.H. has the perfect solution for your breakroom.

What if coffee isn’t really your style? Not to worry! Be on the lookout for our next blogs which will cover tea and water.