Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about Our Tea

What are your packaging options?

Our loose teas typically come in three sizes: Sample (3-5 servings), Standard (2-3.5 oz), Medium (7-8 oz) and Bulk (14-16oz). All of our pouches have foil lining and they are resealable for optimum freshness.

What is the shelf life of tea?

Tea doesn't go bad if stored in a moisture-free environment. However, over time it will diminish in flavor. We generally recommend consuming tea within one year of purchase to ensure that you drink them when they are at their freshest and best.

Is your tea organic?

At Short and Stout Tea, we prioritize the quality and taste of our teas above all else. We carefully source our teas from trusted suppliers who prioritize quality and sustainability, ensuring that each cup you brew is exceptional. While we recognize the value of organic certification, it is not our primary focus as we believe that the true measure of a great tea lies in its quality and flavor.

After visiting many tea farms, we also found that organic certification can be prohibitively expensive, often accessible only to large corporations. Many small, family-run tea farms cannot afford the certification despite practicing environmentally friendly and sustainable farming. For us the overall experience of the teas as well as preserving the tradition is more important. We choose to support these smaller producers to maintain the rich diversity and heritage of tea cultivation over an official organic label.

What is natural flavor vs artificial flavor?

Natural flavors are derived from real food sources, such as fruits, herbs, spices, and other plant materials. These flavors are extracted through methods like distillation, cold pressing, or fermentation to capture the essence of the ingredient without adding synthetic chemicals. A good example of natural flavor used in tea includes oil of bergamot in Earl Grey.

Unfortunately, there are limits in nature for flavoring, which means that not all flavor varieties are available in the form of "natural flavorings". Artificial flavors, on the other hand, are created in a lab using chemical compounds that replicate the taste of natural ingredients. However, whether artificial or natural, we generally ensure that only approved, high-quality nature-identical flavorings are used in our flavored tea blends.

Can I resteep loose tea?

Absolutely! Many types of loose tea can be resteeped, especially whole leaf green, oolong, black and pu-erh teas. Multiple infusions make loose tea even greater value! Read more about multiple infusion teas here.

How is loose tea different from tea bags?

Whole leaf teas consist of larger, intact leaves that retain more of their essential oils, which contribute to the tea’s aroma and richer flavor profile. These oils are often lost when the leaves are broken down for bagged tea, resulting in a more astringent and less complex flavor. Read more here.

Questions About Your Order

What’s your shipping policy?

We offer a flat rate shipping of $5.99 within the contiguous U.S. All orders over $65 ship free. To learn more about our shipping policy, click here.

How long will it take for my order to arrive?

Depending on your address and when you place an order, it may take up to 10 days before you receive our delicious teas. Please note that we currently ship only from Wednesday-Saturday via USPS from our tea lounge and shipping time can range between 3-5 business days from when we ship your order.

What’s your return policy?

If you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason, please send us an email at shortandstouttea@gmail.com so we can assist you. If your order arrived damaged, please include a photo. To learn more about our refund policy, click here.

Do you offer subscriptions for extra savings?

Yes! Subscribing to your favorite tea is an easy way to save cash and ensure you never run out. Learn more about subscriptions here.