ARC Tea Pairings
ARC Tea Pairings
Each tea in the lineup — how to brew it right.
Every tea in the ARC lineup is loose leaf. That means you control the steep — no bag to pull, no timer built in. These are the methods that get the most out of each one.
Caravan Masala Chai → Stovetop Simmer
Chai is not a steep — it's a simmer. Add Caravan to a pot with half water and half whole milk. Bring it to a low simmer over medium heat for 4–5 minutes. Don't boil it hard. The spices need sustained heat and fat to release properly. Steep it in water and you'll get half the flavor.
Add a small amount of sweetener while it simmers if you want it traditional. Filter into the cup through a fine strainer. This is the best cold-morning tea in the lineup.
DD-24TEA Black Tea → Standard Steep
No special technique. 200–212°F, 3–4 minutes. It's a no-frills black tea built to work when you need it to work. The name tracks. Steep it, drink it, move on.
Gen T Genmaicha → Cold Brew
Genmaicha is green tea blended with roasted brown rice. The toasty, nutty character makes it unusually good cold-brewed. Add loose leaf to cold water at a 1:30 ratio, seal, and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. The result is smooth, mellow, and slightly sweet with a grain note. This is the most approachable green tea in the lineup.
For hot brew: 165–175°F, 2–3 minutes. Never boiling water on any green tea.
Greyhawk Earl Grey → Classic Steep
Earl Grey is a black tea scented with bergamot oil. Steep at 200°F for 3–4 minutes. Drink it straight and the bergamot comes through clearly. Add a splash of milk and it softens into something more traditional. Either way is correct.
R&R Jasmine Green → Short, Gentle Steep
Jasmine green tea is delicate. Maximum 170°F. One to two minutes. Not three. Over-steep it and you lose the jasmine and get bitter green tea — the opposite of the point. This is the tea you make when you actually want to slow down.
Jasmine green can be re-steeped once. Add 30 seconds to the second steep. The floral note fades but the base tea holds.
Rescue Gunpowder Green → Strong, Re-Steep
Gunpowder green tea is rolled into pellets that unfurl when steeped — you can see it happen. It brews stronger than most greens. 175–180°F, 2–3 minutes. Unlike most teas, Rescue holds up to two or three steeps. The second steep is often better. Add 30 seconds per subsequent steep.
The rolled format has a practical history — it was used in the field because the compact shape preserved freshness longer than loose leaf. The name is not arbitrary.
Reveille New York Breakfast → Morning Workhorse
Breakfast tea is a hearty black blend — high caffeine, robust, built for the morning. Steep at 200–212°F for 3–5 minutes. Add milk if that's your preference. This is the tea that functions the way coffee does for most people — it gets the day started. Reveille. The name is doing its job.
If you're choosing between a strong coffee and a strong tea in the morning, Reveille is the honest tea answer. It won't replace a MOAB, but it's not trying to.