Our TEAm's Tea Routines

It’s no secret that we at Sips by have a bit of an obsession with tea. Like most of the world, it’s our favorite drink, but tea also acts as a daily ritual for many of us, grounding us in the present. In the words of Staci Brinkman, our founder, “Today, tea allows us to slow down, and connect more deeply with what's right in front of us. As a ritual, tea can be experienced as more than just a beverage — it can serve as a path to self-care and mindfulness.”

Everyone’s tea journey is different. For some people, a tea routine can be meditative, for others, it can jump-start their day. No matter your taste preferences or lifestyle, tea can be a wonderful and useful addition to your daily life. Read on to hear some of our Sips by TEAm’s tea routines, so you can get ideas for incorporating tea into your life, or just get to know us a little more. So sit back and sip alongside us as we share our tea routines.

Sips by is a personalized tea discovery subscription. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Members receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscription service.

STACI, Founder & CEO

"Before I started Sips by, tea was my favorite mindfulness practice. Before I incorporated tea as a mindfulness practice into my life, I just knew that it made me feel really good every time I drank it.

From boiling the water to appreciating the packaging, tea is a complete mind-body experience for me. It's a pathway to relaxation and balance. I do breathwork while the water is heating, and later have my cup of tea while working. It's a nice mind-break, and makes my life more calm, grounded, and peaceful.

I regularly enjoy loose leaf dark roast oolongs, smooth golden tippy tea, and subtly sweet black teas during cold weather. When it's warmer weather, I enjoy green tea with lemongrass and a hint of mint or an iced hibiscus tea. Either way, I'm enjoying several cups throughout the day.

Basically, tea is life."

ØIVIND, Co-Founder & CTO

"I usually drink tea while working. It gets me into the zone, and is way better for my body than the coffee I drank in my past life.

I mostly drink oolong and black tea, but I'll mix in some green now and then. I love oolong's combination of smoothness and relatively high caffeine. Lately I have been drinking a lot of Earl Grey, both oolong and black. For me, I prefer hot tea all year around. I use an automatic tea maker that heats the water, steeps the tea, and then pulls out the leaves at just the right time to make sure the tea always tastes awesome."

Can't work without it!"

MELANIE, Head of Product

Q: What teas do you regularly enjoy?

A: "I start off most mornings with green tea - my favorites recently have been shade-grown Japanese green teas including matcha, kabusecha, or gyokuro - their L-theanine content in combination with the caffeine wakes up my mind and gets me focused, and I also love their vibrant, vegetal, umami flavor. In the afternoon, I typically enjoy oolong or puerh. In the evening, I go for caffeine-free herbal teas such as peppermint tea, a turmeric spice blend, or a sleep tea blend with lavender and valerian."

Q: How do you make your tea?

A: "I typically steep my tea hot, even in the summer! Sometimes to switch it up, I’ll make a matcha latte by blending oat milk, matcha, honey, and MCT oil in my milk frother. I’ve also tried cold-brewing green tea overnight, and it was super refreshing and delicious in the morning - a good option to take with some ice on a morning hike or outdoor activity when it’s hot outside."

Q: What are your favorite tea time activities?

A: "I tend to sip on tea all throughout the day, no matter what I’m doing! But I always make sure to have some tea in the morning as I start working, and also before I go for a run or do yoga. One of my favorite ways to start off a weekend morning is to do a little gongfu tea ceremony - I find it very meditative and balancing."

Q: What does your tea routine mean to you?

A: "Tea has played a huge role in my life ever since I was introduced to “real” tea in high school. To me, tea means wellness, mindfulness, and connection. It has the power to make you feel a certain way, not only through the beneficial compounds found in the tea leaves or ingredients (there is a tea for almost any way you want to feel!), but also simply through the ritual of how it’s prepared. Tea is also a great way to connect with others - I’ve met many wonderful people through tea, and love sharing tea with friends!"

KATIE, Customer Support Associate

"I'm a simple person, I just brew and drink! I start my day with pure black teas in the morning (though I can drink them at any time and be happy), and in the afternoons I'll do either green, white, or oolong. Asheville Grey or a simple English Breakfast is usually my regular go-to. Tea is an all-day, any-activity joy for me! I drink it in the mornings when I'm writing before work and will drink it throughout the entire day; it's basically my water. Tea has been a regular part of my life since high school. I was never really a coffee person, and when my mom's friend introduced me to a favorite tea of hers, it started a healthy habit that would make my days adulting so much better. Now my husband complains because I've taken over the entire bottom shelf of our pantry with tea and I keep shamelessly adding to it."

BRE, Senior eCommerce Manager

"I reach for tea during the day any time I need a moment to slow down and reconnect with myself. I'm admittedly new to the tea scene and still figuring out what my rituals look like, but I really love looking to tea as an antidote to daily stress. Lately I've been obsessed with Black Metallic by August Uncommon and Lavender Earl Grey by  Rainy Day Tea Co."

SYDNEY, Content Marketing Strategist

"Lately I've enjoyed making a cold brewed green tea in the afternoons (highly recommend Tropic of Capricorn by August Uncommon) or drinking a rooibos tea before bed while reading a book to wind down (my favorite is Vanilla Bliss by Tea Kitten!). Making tea is a calming ritual I look forward to and the wellness benefits are a bonus! I love how tea makes me feel energized & refreshed when I need it, or calm & relaxed."

IZZY, Social Media Manager

"In the mornings, I like black teas like Earl Grey or English breakfast tea with a splash of milk, so I have an extra kick before work. When I have the time and am up to it, I’ll brew matcha instead. When I'm getting ready for bed, I like herbal teas, usually while reading a book or watching Netflix. Jasmine tea is one of my favorites to drink with a meal or with family! 

Tea is basically part of my entire day! It helps give me a boost while I’m working and relaxes me when I want to sleep. I typically don’t go a single day without a cup of tea."

HANNA, Content Writing Intern

"Tea was always a staple in my household. Spiced black tea would always greet guests, as a way to gather together, an excuse to enjoy each other's company. Even though I always associated tea with family and community, I didn't really start drinking it until I left home for college. I'd brew a cup of masala chai whenever I missed the comfort of home, and gradually I started exploring new types of tea. Now I still go for a chai blend in the mornings, but I also enjoy a refreshing green tea in the afternoons, or a calming herbal tisane to de-stress at night. And thanks to my Sips by box, I've discovered amazing fusions of my favorite teas, like Rose Chai by Oregon Tea Traders, or surprisingly delicious blends of teas I usually avoid, like this chamomile-based Miraculously Relaxing Mint by MentaliTEAS. Nowadays, tea is a fun and healing part of my everyday."

Interested in trying these teas and others? Subscribers receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscriptions.

About Sips by: We’re a female-founded and led startup that makes discovering tea fun, personalized, and affordable. The Sips by Box is the only multi-brand, personalized tea subscription box. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Based out of Austin, Texas, we are adept at savoring a hot mug even when it’s seasonally inappropriate.