Stories Behind the Blend: Trailblazer Blend
Some of our family's favorite memories have been made outside. We've spent countless days hiking trails together, camping in the woods, and exploring the wild places around us, and over the years, the sights and smells of those adventures have become deeply familiar. For Caleb, one of his favorites has always been the smell of fresh cedar boughs. There is something about that crisp, woodsy scent, mixed with cool air, earth underfoot, and maybe a little campfire smoke that immediately takes us back to the trail. When we began dreaming up Trailblazer, we wanted to see if we could capture that feeling in a cup.Â
Deep, smoky, spiced, and unmistakably woodsy, Trailblazer Blend is unlike most of our other seasonal teas. Customers have described it as "campfires and warm blankets in a cup," and we can't think of a much better description. Rather than leaning into the sweeter flavors we often associate with autumn, this blend takes its inspiration straight from the woods, bringing together smoke, spice, evergreen, and a touch of sweetness.
Building a Forest in a CupÂ
Creating Trailblazer meant figuring out how to translate all those familiar scents and experiences into flavor. We started with black tea and added a small amount of Lapsang Souchong, a traditionally smoked tea known for its powerful smoky flavor. Straight Lapsang Souchong can be intensely smoky, so we use just enough without allowing it to take over the entire cup.Â
From there, we began adding ingredients inspired by what we encounter along the trail. Juniper berries, red cedar, and balsam fir give Trailblazer its distinctive evergreen character, while persimmons bring in a little sweetness. Cinnamon, ginger, coriander, black pepper, and spearmint add warmth and complexity, creating layers of flavor beneath all those smoky and woodsy notes.Â
And then there is pumpkin which may seem like an unexpected addition to a blend inspired by the trail. You probably won't encounter many pumpkins growing beside your favorite hiking path, but sometimes an ingredient earns its place because of what it does for the blend. Pumpkin helps soften and round out some of Trailblazer's sharper flavors, bringing everything together without turning it into a traditional pumpkin-spice tea.Â
The finished blend became just what we had hoped for: a tea that reminds us of the outdoors during fall. It's the crisp cool air and evergreens passing by as boots tread the ground towards the smell of that evening campfire.Â
Inspired by the Trails We LoveÂ
Our connection to these wild places goes beyond the time our family spends hiking and camping in them. From the beginning of Piper & Leaf, we've worked with our local North Alabama Land Trusts as we've learned how to sustainably forage native plants for our blends. Through that relationship, we've developed an even greater appreciation for the work that goes into caring for and preserving the natural places we get to enjoy.Â
When we created a tea so directly inspired by the trail, we knew we wanted it to give something back to those places, too. That's why a portion of the profits from Trailblazer goes toward supporting our local land trusts and the work they do to preserve these wild places.Â
For us, it makes Trailblazer about more than creating a unique cup of tea. It's a celebration of the trails that have given our family so many memories and a small way to help care for them so that other families can make memories there, too.Â
Blaze Your Own TrailÂ
Trailblazer is a seasonal release, so it only comes around for a limited time each year. Maybe you'll tuck a few sachets into your backpack for your next camping trip, brew a pot after a chilly afternoon hike, or simply curl up under a blanket at home and let the smoky, evergreen aroma transport you somewhere a little wilder.Â
With black tea, warming spices, evergreen botanicals, and just enough Lapsang Souchong to bring a campsite to mind, Trailblazer was made for chilly afternoons, evenings around the fire, and adventures that call for a thermos of something warm. Whether you drink it deep in the woods or curled up under a blanket at home, we hope each cup carries a little bit of the trail with it. Â
Trailblazer BlendÂ
Deep, smoky, and spiced, Trailblazer Blend is reminiscent of fireside tall tales, embellished with evergreen and earth. This caffeinated seasonal blend comes packaged in our hand-printed muslin bags with nine pyramid sachets, ready and waiting for your next adventure.Â
Ingredients: Black Tea, Cinnamon, Lapsang Souchong, Persimmon, Ginger, Juniper Berries, Red Cedar, Pumpkin, Coriander, Black Pepper, Spearmint, Balsam FirÂ
For the perfect cup, brew Trailblazer at 212°F for 3.5 minutes.
