Kolkata Chai Co Decaf Masala Chai

Not if you make it with this blend. Kolkata Chai's Decaf Masala Chai is specifically designed so you can enjoy chai without the caffeine keeping you up. Multiple reviewers mention drinking it past 8pm and having no trouble sleeping. If you're making a chai latte at a coffee shop, though, most use caffeinated chai — so this at-home decaf version is a much better choice for nighttime.

Here's a tip straight from reviewers: the instructions on the bag suggest about 3 teaspoons per cup, but multiple people found that's way too strong. Start with 1.5 to 2 teaspoons and adjust from there. Simmer the loose leaf blend in a mix of water and milk (roughly equal parts) for 5-10 minutes, strain, and sweeten to taste. The flavor is bold and concentrated, so a lighter hand gives you room to find your perfect strength.

The bag says 20 cups from the 4.23 oz package. However, there's a catch: the recommended 3 teaspoons per cup is considered too much by many reviewers. If you follow their advice and use 1.5-2 teaspoons instead, you could stretch it to 25-30 cups, which actually improves the value proposition quite a bit. Experiment to find your sweet spot.

This blend really shines for a few specific groups: evening tea drinkers who want authentic chai past 8pm without sleep disruption, caffeine-sensitive people who miss real chai, and chai enthusiasts who enjoy tweaking their brewing process. It's also surprisingly beginner-friendly since you control the sweetness and strength. It's less ideal if you want a quick, no-fuss steep — this rewards the stovetop simmering method and a bit of recipe experimentation.

This is literally what it's made for. Reviewers highlight the evening and nighttime use case as one of the top reasons they buy it. Multiple people confirm they drink it past 8pm with no sleep disruption whatsoever. If you've been missing your chai ritual because caffeine keeps you up, this blend is designed to solve exactly that problem.

Traditional chai uses a strong black tea base blended with masala spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom — which is exactly what Kolkata Chai Co uses here. The difference is this blend swaps in decaffeinated black tea, so you get that authentic chai flavor profile without the caffeine. Reviewers specifically praise it for tasting like real, traditional chai rather than a watered-down decaf imitation.

Absolutely — the bold, concentrated flavor makes it a great base for chai lattes. Brew it a bit stronger than usual (use the full recommended amount or simmer longer), then add steamed or frothed milk. Since there's no added sugar, you can sweeten it exactly how you like — honey, vanilla syrup, or plain. The concentrated spice notes of ginger and cinnamon come through even with extra milk, which is key for a good latte.

Starbucks chai lattes use a pre-sweetened, caffeinated chai concentrate — a completely different product. Kolkata Chai's decaf blend is loose leaf with no added sugar, giving you full control over sweetness and strength. Flavor-wise, reviewers describe this as more authentic and traditionally spiced, with prominent ginger and cinnamon notes. It takes more effort to prepare than ordering at Starbucks, but the trade-off is a more genuine chai experience, zero caffeine, and no hidden sugars.

Yes, actually. While it's praised by chai enthusiasts, the decaf aspect removes the caffeine timing concern for newcomers, and the no-added-sugar formula means you can ease into the bold spice flavor at your own pace. Start with less tea than recommended (1.5 teaspoons), add plenty of milk, and sweeten to your liking. You can gradually reduce the milk and sweetener as you develop a taste for the masala spice profile.

One reviewer noted that the spices can rise to the top of the bag, leading to uneven distribution. A simple fix: give the bag a good shake before each use to redistribute the spices and tea leaves. This ensures you get a consistent blend of masala spices in every scoop rather than getting all spice at the top and mostly tea at the bottom.

The best results come from simmering the loose leaf blend on the stovetop rather than just steeping it. Combine water and milk in a saucepan, add 1.5-2 teaspoons of the blend (less than the package suggests — reviewers found the recommended amount overpowering), and let it simmer for several minutes. Strain into your cup and add your preferred sweetener. This isn't a quick steep-and-go tea — it rewards the stovetop method with a rich, concentrated flavor.

Regular chai typically has less caffeine than coffee — usually around 50mg per cup compared to coffee's 95mg or more. But this particular product is decaffeinated, so it has virtually no caffeine at all. That's actually the main selling point: you get authentic masala chai flavor without any caffeine. Reviewers specifically love that they can drink it in the evening or at night without it affecting their sleep.

Since this is a decaf masala chai, it's actually a great option for daily drinking. You won't have to worry about caffeine building up throughout the day or disrupting your sleep. Reviewers mention drinking it as part of their daily evening routine without any issues. The blend is all-natural with no added sugar, so you're in control of what goes into each cup.

A good range is 5-10 minutes at a gentle simmer — not a rolling boil. This gives the spices time to fully release their flavor. Since Kolkata Chai's blend is already quite concentrated and bold, you might find that 5 minutes is plenty, especially if you're using the full recommended amount of tea. If you use less tea per cup (which many reviewers prefer), simmering a bit longer can help extract more flavor.

This decaf blend is particularly well-suited for daily drinking since there's no caffeine to worry about accumulating. The masala spices — ginger, cinnamon, and other traditional chai spices — are generally considered beneficial in moderate daily amounts. There's no added sugar in the blend, so your daily cup is as healthy as you make it with your choice of milk and sweetener. Reviewers describe it as part of their daily evening ritual.

Chai spices like ginger and cinnamon have their own health benefits on top of what tea provides — ginger is known for soothing digestion, and cinnamon can help with blood sugar regulation. This particular blend is all-natural with no added sugar, which is a plus. One reviewer even mentioned it helped with a headache as an alternative to caffeinated tea. That said, 'healthier' depends on what you're comparing it to and what you're looking for.

For this blend, you'll want both. The traditional method — and the one that brings out the best flavor here — is to simmer the loose leaf in a combination of water and milk. Start with water to let the tea and spices bloom, then add milk and continue simmering. Some people do a 50/50 split, others go heavier on milk for a creamier cup. The concentrated, bold flavor of this blend stands up well to plenty of milk without getting washed out.

Traditional masala chai spices offer a range of benefits: ginger aids digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties, cinnamon may help regulate blood sugar, and black tea provides antioxidants. With this decaf version, you get those spice benefits without caffeine's effects — no elevated heart rate, no sleep disruption, no afternoon crash. One reviewer even reported it helped relieve a headache without needing caffeinated tea.

This decaf chai eliminates the biggest health debate point — caffeine. You're getting the antioxidants from tea leaves plus the anti-inflammatory properties of spices like ginger and cinnamon, without the jitters or sleep disruption that coffee can cause. One reviewer even noted it helped with a headache as a caffeine-free alternative. Of course, what you add matters — loading it with sugar will offset some benefits — but the base blend itself is all-natural with no added sweeteners.

With Kolkata Chai's decaf blend, here's the approach that works best based on reviewer feedback: Add 1.5-2 teaspoons of the loose leaf blend to a small saucepan with about half a cup of water. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for a few minutes. Add half a cup of milk (dairy or non-dairy), return to a simmer for another 3-5 minutes, then strain into your mug. Add honey, sugar, or your sweetener of choice. The blend has no added sugar, so you control the sweetness completely.

Interestingly, one reviewer specifically mentioned that this decaf blend helped cure a headache — comparing it favorably to the caffeinated version for that purpose. The warming spices, particularly ginger, are traditionally associated with headache relief. It's not a medical claim, but it's a real customer experience worth noting if you're looking for a soothing, caffeine-free option when a headache strikes.

The spices in this masala chai blend — particularly ginger and cinnamon — are traditionally used to support digestion. Ginger is well-known for soothing the stomach, and chai spice blends have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries partly for digestive benefits. Since this is decaf, you also avoid the stomach acidity that caffeine can sometimes cause, making it a gentler option for your gut than caffeinated chai or coffee.