🍃Free shipping over ₹999 · Estate-direct from the Nilgiris since 1994
Forest Brews Tea Company
Estate CTC blended in-house with whole ginger, cardamom, clove, and black pepper. No flavour extracts — real spices only.
Our masala blend starts with estate-grown CTC dust — the same leaf we supply to Brooke Bond — and layers on whole dried spices ground coarsely in our factory: green cardamom from Idukki, dry ginger from Wayanad, cloves and black pepper from the Malabar coast.
The blend formula was fixed by our grandmother in 1999 and has not changed. We resist the trend toward "exotic" additions — no rose, no saffron, no cinnamon-forward shortcuts. The result is a deep, warming chai that holds up when you add twice the milk you intended.
Unlike supermarket masala teas that use identical CTC with sprayed "chai flavour," every batch here is physically blended and quality-checked by nose before packing. The spice ratio shifts slightly by season depending on the ginger crop, but the character stays consistent.
Origin
Kaircombai CTC + Karnataka / Kerala spices
Grade
CTC + Spices
Weight
200g
Brew Temp
Simmered in milk
Steep Time
4–6 minutes simmer
Five dimensions scored 0–100 from our cuppers.
Brew Guide
Boil 100ml water. Add 3g blend. Simmer 2 minutes. Add 150ml full-fat milk. Simmer 3–4 minutes until colour deepens. Strain, sweeten with jaggery or sugar.
Temperature
Simmered in milk
Steep Time
4–6 minutes simmer
Select a brew style and number of cups — we’ll give you exact quantities.
Full-fat milk: 300ml — add after initial water steep. Total liquid per cup ≈ 250ml.
South Indian Kadak — Method
Simmer leaf in water first, add 150ml full-fat milk, simmer again. Strain firmly. Sweeten with jaggery. Thick, dark, strong — the classic canteen cup.
Best masala chai outside India, full stop
I have tried every masala chai available in Dubai, including the premium ones from specialty stores. Nothing comes close to this. The cardamom and ginger balance is exactly right — present, warming, but not aggressive. I carry three pouches every time I visit India.
My Malaysian friends all want the recipe — I just send them the order link
My building has a weekly Sunday breakfast where I make masala chai for 12 people. Since switching to Forest Brews masala, I get requests from the Malaysian and Indonesian neighbours who had never understood why Indians make such a fuss about chai. Now they understand.
Strong and warming — exactly what chai should be
Good masala blend, real spices, no fake flavouring. The pepper note is distinct which I love but may surprise people expecting a purely sweet blend. Would be five stars if the 200g lasted a bit longer in my household.
My go-to when I visit India — always bring back two pouches
I travel to Chennai regularly for business and this masala chai is now on my must-buy list alongside basmati and filter coffee. The spice blend is confident without being overpowering. My Kuwaiti colleagues who try it are baffled that Indian spiced tea can taste this good.
