The Journal
How chai is
actually made.
What goes into the pot, why it matters, and how to get it right at home. Written by the people who blend it — not summarised from somewhere else.
Craft & method
How to make cardamom chai (elaichi chai) at homeCardamom chai, or elaichi chai, is black tea boiled with milk and green cardamom. How we make it on the stove, the quick way in a mug, and over ice.October 25, 2026 · 3 min read
Convenience & concentrate
Why chai is made with Assam CTC, not the tea you would drink plainCTC is crushed, torn and curled — a leaf processed for strength rather than subtlety. It is what most chai in India is made from, and there are good reasons for that.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Choosing & gifting
Bags, loose leaf, concentrate or mix: which chai is actually bestWe make one of these, so read this with that in mind. Here is an honest account of what each format does well, what it costs, and when ours is the wrong answer.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Convenience & concentrate
How to make chai concentrate that keeps five daysA strong decoction you make once and pour for five days. Two ways to do it — with loose leaf, and with the tea bags already in your cupboard.October 24, 2026 · 4 min read
Choosing & gifting
Chai gift ideas for anyone who loves chaiChai gift ideas by who you are giving to: the right tea, cups that outlast it, a homemade concentrate, and how to tell if a chai gift set is worth buying.October 24, 2026 · 4 min read
Convenience & concentrate
How to make a chai latte at home, without a syrupHot, iced, or dirty. You do not need a steam wand and you certainly do not need a bottle of sweetened concentrate — you need a decoction and a jar.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Craft & method
The six spices in our masala, and what each one is doingCardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove and black pepper. Not a fixed recipe — there is no such thing — but here is what each contributes and how it goes wrong.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Craft & method
Why your chai tastes bitter, thin, or curdles — and the fix for eachFive things go wrong when people make chai at home. Each has one cause and one fix, and none of them is the tea's fault.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Craft & method
Chai tea vs chai latte: what the cafe is actually selling youThey are not two versions of one drink. One is tea boiled with spice and milk; the other is usually a sweetened syrup in steamed milk. Here is how to tell, and what to ask for.October 24, 2026 · 4 min read
Craft & method
The chai to water to milk ratio, and how to find yoursOne to one is where to start. Then adjust in one direction at a time — and know which lever changes what, so you are not guessing.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Craft & method
Does chai have caffeine? Yes — and less than your coffeeChai is black tea, so it has caffeine. How much depends on the leaf, the dose and the boil. Here are the actual numbers, and where the spices fit in.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Choosing & gifting
Masala chai vs cardamom chai: which one you actually wantOne is a full spice blend, the other leads on a single spice. They suit different moments, different milks and different times of day.October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
The pillar
What masala chai actually isNot a flavor, not a latte, not a powder. Masala chai is a method — black tea and whole spices boiled with milk — and the method is the whole point.October 24, 2026 · 5 min read