Top 10 Teas For Sourwood Honey
July 13, 2023
by Natasha Nesic
Maybe a tree with a puckered face, or an angry grandma bent over her gnarled cane as she pours you a pot of tea to make you feel better after you might have fallen out of that sour, pucker-faced tree.
Sourwood, however, has a bit of different lore around it.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, Sourwood has a lot to offer not just in terms of history and method for storytelling, but it knows how to dispense an apothecary of potential health benefits as well!
Native to the North American region (which explains why it might sound unfamiliar to our European, Asian, African, Arctic, and South American friends on different continents!), sourwood has been used historically to alleviate digestive issues and thirst—super interesting, right?
When its leaves are brewed in a tea, the sour taste is useful for brave mountaineers who need fast hydration. (Because you never know who else has been in the nearby water! Making tea is a great way to ensure that you’re going to be safely boiling your water to sanitize it when you’re out in the wild.)
Speaking of having a wild cup of tea to enjoy, did you know also that Adagio Bees’s Sourwood Raw Honey goes amazingly with many different kinds of tea?
The secret lies in its absolutely unique flavor profile. If you’re used to thinking of honey in general as a one-note instrument of adding sweetness to your dish or drink, then think again! Rather than being sour or giving grandma vibes the way its name could imply, you are in for such a treat. This honey will teach you all about accents like maple and star anise, adding a spicy undertone that the reviewers on Adagio are going wild for—no pun intended!
Here are some of the best teas to try with this flavor-forward personality of a condiment:
1. Arabica Lemon Turmeric
If you’re going to have a tea with an earthy touch like turmeric in it, then the sourwood is going to uplift it and play along with the lemon for fun. (Less honey is more here, we’re back to being subtle again.)2. Speedy Recovery
If you’re out there mountaineering or taking advantage of the glorious summer weather to go hiking with your friends, then being able to get hydrated and recovered between treks is super important! Fun related fact: if you look at how dextrose and other sweeteners are often included in commercial electrolyte drinks, then that means that honey can be a form of electrolytes that offers a more natural alternative.3. Breathe Well
If you’re going to be breathing heavy, then you want to be breathing well, right? This and other herbals on this list are going to do well with having less honey in the cup because they already possess a lot of inherent sweetness.4. Jump Start
Spice, meet more spice! This tea and honey compliment each other so well, they could form their own Mutual Admiration Society. (You know the feel—when you enjoy someone and both of you appreciate each other so much that it’s a nonstop conversation of compliments going back and forth between the two of you.)5. Moringa
Okay, this is one of those herbal teas that doesn’t abide by the inherent-sweetness assertion that we made before. But that’s why adding honey is so valuable! The mild flavor of these leaves are a perfect backdrop to let the sourwood accents take center stage.6. Arabica Chai
If you’re used to traditional teas as well as traditional examples of honey, then it’s always going to benefit you to keep trying new things. And Adagio’s selection of Arabica teas is definitely in the new-thing category! That’s why they’re making an appearance in multiple places on this list.7. Arabica Earl Grey
The pinnacle aspect of a good Earl Grey—and oh, this one is good!—is its delicate bergamot essence. Sourwood honey makes an amazing addition to bring this out!8. Arabica Mocha
Okay, last of the Arabica family for this list, but it had to be included because of the power of that mocha! It’s so sultry and comforting, and adding a sultry honey like this only adds to its impact in the cup.9. Casablanca Twist
Did you think we would stay on herbals forever? This black blend does so amazingly well with a sweetener like sourwood that we can’t miss it, and neither should you! Give it a shot if straight-up unflavored blacks have been the usual in your repertoire and you can’t wait to try something new.10. Maple Crème Oolong
Last but certainly not least—if you’re going to have a maple-flavored honey, then you have to try it with a maple-flavored tea to feel how well they stick together! (Get it? It’s a honey joke. Okay, we’ll stop. It was worth a shot!)What are your favorite teas to pair with sourwood honey?