You and Me, Coffee and Tea offering its own line of teas

You and Me, Coffee and Tea is getting its own line of tea.

Owner Andy Salmons announced that the 10 varieties of loose-leaf tea would be unveiled at a special event Saturday at the Main Street location.

Salmons said he and his employees tasted more than 140 varieties of tea to find the 10.

“We have green tea, oolong and a variety of herbal blends,” Salmons said. “There is something for everybody.”

Salmons said the loose-leaf tea differs from the tea bags in that it is typically a higher quality.

“The loose leaf has the chance to open up so you get a better flavor,” Salmons said.

Salmons said to celebrate the launch there will be a one-day sale in which the bags will be available at a 25 percent discount off of the regular retail price of $9.

In addition, the store will be the site of a tea party between 6 and 8 p.m.

“We will be brewing up samples of the tea and giving them out for free,” Salmons said.

Employees will also be giving lessons in the proper way to brew a cup of tea.

“Brewing tea really takes concentration,” Salmons explained. “You have to get the water to the correct temperature and steep the tea for the right amount of time.”

Because fewer people are familiar with using loose-leaf tea, Salmons said the tea balls into which the tea is placed would also be available for sale at the store.

Salmons said while coffee is the heart and soul of his business, he elected to go with tea because the quality of the leaves makes a huge difference in the taste.

“The key to a great cup of tea is to get some really great tea,” Salmons said. “We worked directly with an importer to select the best teas.”

Salmons said with You and Me, Coffee and Tea being within a few weeks of celebrating five years in business, it was the ideal time to release the product.

“Nov. 4 will be five years since we opened the doors,” Salmons said. “We are in the midst of planning a big celebration.”