Our Chai

Chai is one of the oldest drinks in history. Chai, meaning tea, is made from aromatic spices boiled with loose black tea before blending with milk and sweetening with sugar or jaggery (made from raw sugar cane). Ah but Chai is much more than this. With its own unique brewing tradition involving a bit of theatre Chai becomes an..experience.  You see, after boiling the brewer stretches or aerates the chai by pouring it from a height with a large ladle or transferring to jugs and pouring from jug to jug. This ensures the spices and tea are well mixed and brings a frothy surface to the chai. The chai is then strained into a large kettle and poured. 

At Chai Crew, finding the correct ratio of spices to balance with the sweet has been challenging and satisfying, involving many months of testing and tasting. Think of it like an orchestral performance, too much ginger can drown out the green cardamom, not enough sweet and the chai’s song falls flat. We wanted to create a Chai recipe that would bring people back for more, that would satisfy existing Chai drinkers and that would convert new chai drinkers. That’s why before serving we always taste!

The Chai Wallah

Chai is India’s most loved drink. Its brewed by Chai Wallahs, roadside tea vendors, who are part of the ebb and flow of daily life in every village, town and city all over India. At the Chai Wallah stand everyone feels welcome and barriers break down. As the Chai Wallah performs his magic, boiling and pouring, conversations flow between customers who may be strangers but who nonetheless feel welcome and accepted as they share a cup of chai together. The experience ‘Chai..Sutta..Chronicles’ referring to the shared conversations held daily over a cup of chai.

At Chai Crew we want to replicate the Chai Wallah experience. As we welcome new customers and say hello to returning customers we love to chai and chat with you. The soothing comforting flavour of our chai has become a symbol of hospitality and connectedness in our community. At Chai Crew we are bringing you joy in every cup of Chai.

Origin of Chai

Chai has a history as rich and diverse as its complex flavours. The practice of ritualistic tea drinking originated in China and from there the practice spread. In India Chai is steeped in ancient Ayurvedic tradition because of the healing qualities of the warm spices of ginger, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Chai is India’s most beloved drink, its also part of the customs and traditions of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Malaysia. Its commonly drank in South Central Asia, Iran, parts of Africa and even some parts of Europe. Chai is now a worldwide drink that is a symbol of hospitality.