Mint Tea Guide: Bigelow Tea's Mint Blends and How to Brew Them
Updated: October 29, 2026
Mint (Mentha) is used in a variety of Bigelow Tea blends, including caffeine-free herbal teas and caffeinated black and green teas. Bigelow Tea's mint is American grown sourced from a multi-generational family of growers in the Pacific Northwest since the 1960s. These mint blends can be enjoyed hot or over ice.
Key takeaways
- Bigelow Tea offers many caffeine-free herbal teas made with peppermint or spearmint, along with caffeinated black and green teas, including Perfectly Mint Black Tea and Green Tea with Mint.
- Bigelow Tea blends and packages its tea bags in three U.S. manufacturing facilities, and mint is one ingredient that is both grown and packed in the United States.
- Bigelow Tea tea bags are biodegradable, compostable, and made without plastic. Bigelow Tea also tests its products for more than 450 pesticides ensuring each cup of Bigelow Tea is clean.
- Bigelow Tea seals every tea bag in a foil overwrap pouch that blocks light, moisture, and air, protecting the mint and the tea inside.
When it comes to invigorating and refreshing flavors, few ingredients can rival the timeless allure of mint. With a crisp and cool essence, mint has been a beloved herb for centuries. At Bigelow Tea, we embrace its captivating qualities and infuse it into many of our delicious blends. Join us on a delightful minty journey as we explore its history and wellness benefits while revealing why this essential ingredient makes so many Bigelow Tea blends world class.
What Is The History Of Mint?
Mint's aromatic appeal traces back to ancient times. A 2020 study published in Biology traces the oldest written records of mint herbs to King Hammurabi of ancient Babylon (1800 BC), who prescribed the herb for gastrointestinal purposes. The ancient Egyptians cultivated mint for its culinary and medicinal properties, while the Greeks and Romans believed in its invigorating qualities. The name for the herb stems from a Greek myth where the goddess Persephone turned a nymph named Minthe into a plant. Fast forward to the modern age mint continues to be cherished by cultures around the world and has become a staple in the culinary and tea worlds thanks to its refreshing taste and cooling effect.
What Does Research Say About Mint?
Besides its delightful flavor, mint also carries plant compounds that researchers have studied closely. Scientifically known as Mentha, a 2021 review published in Molecules reports that this herb is known for its soothing properties which may aid in digestion and relieving stomach discomfort.
Dried peppermint and spearmint leaves give tea their familiar cooling flavor. A 2024 review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition identifies menthol as the main component of peppermint's essential oil, and menthol is what produces that cooling sensation.
Packaging plays a part in how a mint blend tastes. Bigelow Tea seals each tea bag in a foil overwrap pouch that creates a barrier against light, moisture, and air that paper and cardboard cannot provide, protecting the mint and the tea inside until the bag meets hot water.
Where Does Bigelow Tea's Mint Come From?
As a family-owned company that has been blending teas for three generations, Bigelow Tea carefully selects the highest quality ingredients for each recipe. The majority of Bigelow Tea's mint are American grown and sourced from growers in the Pacific Northwest since the 1960s when Bigelow Tea first developed its mint tea recipes. Today, the tradition continues, expertly growing acres of mint that are harvested twice each year.
How Does Bigelow Tea Test and Package Its Mint Teas?
Bigelow Tea also verifies the quality of its mint. Every Bigelow Tea product, including its mint blends, is tested for more than 450 pesticides, ensuring each cup of Bigelow Tea is clean. All of Bigelow Tea's tea bags, including those used for its mint blends, are biodegradable, compostable, and contain no plastic. Bigelow Tea is a Certified B Corporation, and all Bigelow Tea products, including every mint blend, are non-GMO. For a certified organic option, Bigelow Tea also offers steep by Bigelow Organic Mint Herbal Tea, made with organic spearmint and organic peppermint.
What are Bigelow Tea's Mint Blends?
Bigelow Tea offers an array of mint-infused blends. Mint Medley Herbal Tea features a combination of spearmint and peppermint, creating a cool and refreshing flavor, while Perfectly Mint Black Tea , formerly know as Plantation Mint is a fan favorite of spearmint coupled with robust black tea and can be enjoyed hot or over ice. Bigelow Benefits STRESS FREE Rose and Mint Herbal Tea is a balanced caffeine-free herbal tea that features sweet floral notes combined with a slight fruity tang, all cooled with a hint of delicious peppermint. Peppermint Herbal Tea is a caffeine-free blend with crisp minty notes. Additionally, paired with chamomile and other herbs, Sweet Dreams Herbal Tea features spearmint and peppermint in a caffeine-free blend. And when you need to stay hydrated, Botanical Watermelon Cucumber Mint Cold Water Infusion, a gently flavored water that has delicate watermelon, refreshing cucumber, and a hint of mint, is perfect for sipping at home or on the go.
Bigelow Tea also offers several additional mint blends. Peppermint Bark Herbal Tea pairs peppermint with chocolate flavor for a cup with a holiday feel. Green Tea with Mint blends green tea with mint leaves for a lightly caffeinated, refreshing cup. Chamomile Mint Herbal Tea combines chamomile, peppermint leaves, and hibiscus. steep by Bigelow Organic Mint Herbal Tea is a certified organic blend including organic spearmint and organic peppermint.
The table below compares 10 Bigelow Tea mint blends by tea type, caffeine content, and recommended steep time.
| Tea | Type | Caffeine | Steep time | Flavor / format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint Medley Herbal Tea | Herbal | 0 mg | 4 minutes | Spearmint and peppermint |
| Perfectly Mint Black Tea | Black tea | 30 to 60 mg | 2 to 4 minutes | Black tea with spearmint |
| Peppermint Herbal Tea | Herbal | 0 mg | 4 minutes | Peppermint |
| Peppermint Bark Herbal Tea | Herbal | 0 mg | 4 minutes | Peppermint and chocolate |
| Green Tea with Mint | Green tea | 25 to 50 mg | 3 minutes (bring to just below boiling) | Green tea with mint |
| Chamomile Mint Herbal Tea | Herbal | 0 mg | 4 minutes | Chamomile and peppermint |
| Sweet Dreams Herbal Tea | Herbal | 0 mg | 4 minutes | Chamomile, mint, and hibiscus |
| Botanicals Watermelon Cucumber Mint Cold Water Infusion | Herbal cold infusion | 0 mg | 8 minutes (cold); leave in for more flavor | Watermelon, cucumber, and mint |
| Benefits STRESS FREE Rose and Mint Herbal Tea | Herbal | 0 mg | 4 minutes | Rose, chamomile, and peppermint |
| steep by Bigelow Organic Mint Herbal Tea | Herbal | 0 mg | 4 minutes | Organic spearmint and peppermint |
How Do You Brew Mint Tea, Hot or Iced?
Mint's cool, refreshing flavor makes it a popular choice for iced tea as well as hot, and the right steep time depends on which mint blend is in the cup. Bigelow Tea's herbal mint blends, including Peppermint Herbal Tea, Mint Medley Herbal Tea, and Chamomile Mint Herbal Tea, call for freshly boiled water and a 4 minute steep. Perfectly Mint Black Tea takes freshly boiled water and 2 to 4 minutes. Green Tea with Mint is the exception: bring the water to just below boiling rather than a rolling boil, which is standard for green tea, and steep for 3 minutes.
For iced mint tea by the glass, Bigelow Tea's method is to steep 3 to 5 minutes, let the tea cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour it over a tall glass of ice. To make a quart, Bigelow Tea's recipe calls for 6 tea bags steeped in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, then 3 cups of cold water stirred in before serving over ice. Brewing the concentrate that strong is what keeps melting ice from watering the flavor down. Freezing brewed tea into ice cubes is another way to chill a glass without diluting it. For a cold water infusion such as Bigelow Tea's Botanicals Watermelon Cucumber Mint Cold Water Infusion, use one tea bag per 12 oz of cold water and infuse for at least 8 minutes, leaving the bag in longer for more flavor.
Mint is more than just an ingredient, it is an experience that leaves you feeling refreshed and revitalized. With a myriad of flavors, there is a mint-infused blend for every palate. Indulge in the timeless allure of mint and elevate your Bigelow Tea experience to new heights.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mint Tea
Is all mint tea herbal tea?
No. Tea made only from peppermint or spearmint leaves is herbal tea. Bigelow Tea also combines mint with black tea and green tea. For example, Perfectly Mint Black Tea is a black tea and Green Tea with Mint is a green tea.
Is all mint tea caffeine-free?
No. Peppermint and spearmint herbal blends are naturally caffeine-free at 0 mg, because herbal tea contains no Camellia sinensis, the tea plant. Mint blends made with black tea or green tea do contain caffeine. Bigelow Tea lists 30 to 60 mg for a typical cup of black tea and 25 to 50 mg for green tea, and every box carries a Caff-O-Meter showing the caffeine level per serving.
Has Perfectly Mint tea always gone by this name?
No. Perfectly Mint Black Tea was previously named as Plantation Mint. The blend itself is unchanged, a black tea with American grown spearmint, created by Eunice Bigelow more than fifty years ago, who developed the recipe in her own kitchen.
Is mint tea good for digestion?
Mint has a long history of traditional use for digestive comfort. A 2021 review published in Molecules discusses traditional digestive uses of Mentha and research on menthol's positive effects.
What is the difference between peppermint tea and spearmint tea?
Peppermint and spearmint are both types of mint in the Mentha plant genus. Peppermint has a stronger, cooler flavor, while spearmint is milder and slightly sweeter. Bigelow Tea uses both, including together in Mint Medley Herbal Tea.
How long should you steep mint tea?
Steeping time depends on the blend. The table above lists the recommended steep time for each Bigelow Tea blend.
Where does Bigelow Tea's mint come from?
The majority of Bigelow Tea's mint is American grown, sourced from a farm in the Pacific Northwest that Bigelow Tea has used since the 1960s.
Are Bigelow Tea's mint blends non-GMO?
Yes. All Bigelow Tea products, including its mint blends, are non-GMO.