Teakoe’s fizzy teas are available at food service and retail outlets throughout the Rocky Mountain region. (Photo: Teakoe Tea Company)
Teakoe Tea Supply Company is Longmont’s locally loved tea-maker. The community tea brewery processes Teakoe’s famous fizzy tea, as well as fresh-brewed iced tea mixes and whole leaf hot teas.
But the idea for well-sourced teas to support a natural lifestyle all started back in founder Pete Jokisch’s college days. As a hard-charging lacrosse player, Jokisch counted on tea as an inexpensive complement for his sport and health routine.
The problem was, none of the teas he tried tasted good. When Jokisch went on to play professionally he decided to take tea into his own hands, formulating blends that combined flavor with functionality. Tea that tastes good remains the cornerstone of Teakoe.
Sourcing & sustainability
In addition to big flavor, Teakoe is known for its premium sourcing and sustainability practices. The brand partners with three of the top U.S. specialty importers known for bringing in organic and sustainable teas, herbs and spices from all over the world. An origins map on Teakoe’s website pinpoints souring for all of its teas, fruits, honey, spice, botanicals and more.
Once the raw ingredients come to Longmont, they’re carefully crafted at the tea brewery — no powders, added sugar, artificial flavors/sweeteners or other junk often used to make commercial teas fit the modern American palate. Jokisch wanted to blend his teas to nourish the mind and body, especially since tea is something people conceivably consume daily.
His scratch-brewing staff has over 30 years of combined experience within beverage and flavor development. Better yet, Teakoe uses recyclable bags and cans as well as compostable tea bags, and offsets with wind energy at the brewery.
Tea types & tastes
So what are those flavors people from Colorado and around the world have come to count on? Teas are teed up in three collections: fizzy, iced and hot. Canned fizzy teas come in seven flavors like orange ginger punch, minty pear and pineapple mate. Fresh-brewed iced tea packets range from pomegranate lime to mango passionfruit to Teakoe “organic signature,” an unsweetened black tea. Whole-leaf hot teas, featuring black, green, herbal, white and yerba mate blends, come in interesting flavor combinations like chamomile lavender, bergamot fennel and creme earl grey.
Teakoe’s fizzy teas are available at food service and retail outlets throughout the Rocky Mountain region. All the brand’s three styles of self-described “better-for-you beverages,” are available online, although popular flavors do sell out fast. Try individual flavor blends, build your own mixed-teas box or get samples straight to your door with a subscription. To learn more, visit teakoe.com.
By Julie Kailus | Longmont Magazine
