Hemp Tea

A box of 25 hemp tea bags, each containing 2000 mg of dried hemp. Hemp tea is caffeine free and contains no THC, and the brand describes the hemp as organic. It brews like any herbal tea: boiling water, a few minutes, longer for a stronger cup. If you want a gentle evening drink made from the hemp plant rather than a measured supplement, this is the format.

The taste is grassy and herbal, somewhere between green tea and a hay meadow. It needs no milk or sugar, though you can add either, and one bag makes a pot or can be reused for a second cup.

What it is

Hemp tea is the dried leaves and flowers of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), cut and bagged like any other herbal infusion. Industrial hemp is bred to contain almost no THC, which is why the tea has no psychoactive effect and is sold as a food. Each bag holds 2000 mg, which is 2 g of plant material, a generous bag by herbal tea standards.

It is worth being clear about what hemp tea is not. It is not CBD oil in a bag. The cannabinoids in hemp are fat soluble and only partly pass into hot water, so the amount of CBD you get from a cup is not measured and is far smaller than a drop of 10% oil. The brand states the hemp weight per bag rather than a CBD figure, and we follow that. People choose hemp tea as a drink they enjoy in the evening, not as a way of taking a set amount of CBD.

Because the cannabinoids are fat soluble, some people add a splash of milk or a teaspoon of coconut oil to the cup. The brand simply says no milk is necessary, and plenty of people drink it plain.

This is a Herba Store UK own-label tea, from the CBD range the shop started with.

How to brew it

Brew it like camomile. One bag in a mug or a small pot, freshly boiled water, three to five minutes. Leave it longer if you want a fuller, more herbal cup; a short steep gives something light and green. It brews to a pale green-gold.

• One bag per pot, or per mug for a stronger cup
• 3 to 5 minutes, longer for more flavour
• Reuse the bag for a second cup if you like
• No milk or sugar needed; honey, lemon or a splash of milk all work
• 25 bags per box; £12.99 works out at about 52p a bag, less if you reuse

Keep the box closed in a dry cupboard away from strong smells, because dried hemp picks up aromas from coffee and spices stored next to it.

What's inside

• Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), 2000 mg per tea bag
• No THC
• Naturally present cannabinoids including CBD, as stated by the brand
• Organic, as stated by the brand
• Caffeine free

Hemp is not related to the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), which is why there is no caffeine. The leaves and flowering tops are what carry the plant's cannabinoids and terpenes; the terpenes are responsible for the grassy, slightly citrus smell when the bag hits hot water.

Who it's for

People who want a caffeine free evening drink and are curious about hemp without wanting a measured supplement. It suits the hour before bed, a mid-afternoon break when you have had enough coffee, and anyone who already drinks camomile, rooibos or mint and wants something different. It also suits people who have tried CBD oil and did not like the format; a cup of tea is a different experience altogether.

If you want a known amount of CBD per cup, the Easy Green CBD tea bags state approximately 10 mg per bag. If you want nothing to do with hemp but like a caffeine free brew, the whole soursop leaves are the other herbal tea on our shelf.

Pairs well with

For a hemp tea with a stated CBD figure, compare the Easy Green CBD tea bags, 30 pack. For a measured CBD format, the 1000 mg full spectrum CBD oil is where most people start. For another caffeine free herbal brew, see the whole dried soursop leaves. Hemp tea sits on both the CBD products shelf and under teas and drinks, alongside our mushroom coffees and cacao.

Frequently asked questions

What is hemp tea?

Dried leaves and flowers of industrial hemp, bagged for brewing like a herbal tea. It is caffeine free and contains no THC.

Does hemp tea contain THC?

No. The listing states no THC. Industrial hemp is grown to contain almost none.

How much CBD is in a bag?

The brand states 2000 mg of hemp per bag rather than a CBD figure. The CBD that passes into a cup is unmeasured and far lower than a drop of CBD oil.

Can I reuse a bag?

Yes. The brand suggests one bag for a pot, or reusing it for more than one cup.

If you are weighing tea against oil, capsules and gummies, our guide CBD formats compared explains why tea is the loosest format and what that means in practice. Herbastore ships this product from the UK, with free UK shipping on orders over £40. Orders are packed by Herbastore UK, so if you are buying from more than one of our brands everything arrives together.