Why some of our brews suggest honey, and what to do if you are strictly vegan

The blend recommendations are written for the maximum readership. If you are strict, the substitutes are obvious and just as good.

The Vegan Teahouse is a vegan tea house, in that nothing we sell or blend contains animal product. But several of our brewing notes mention honey as an accompaniment, and we have been asked more than once whether this is a contradiction. It is not. The brewing notes are written for the maximum readership. If you are strict vegan and honey is off the table, the substitutes are obvious.

Maple syrup is the closest one-for-one for chamomile and lavender brews. The viscosity is similar, the sweetness profile is close, and the slight smoke of darker grades complements the floral structure of those brews better than honey does.

Agave is too thin and too neutral for most herbal brews, though it works for the lemon-balm and peppermint cups where you want sweetness without character.

Date syrup is the dark horse. It pairs particularly well with mullein and yarrow, where the brew is structurally bitter and benefits from a sweetener with caramel and dried fruit notes underneath.

Brown rice syrup is the slowest of the bunch, not as sweet, useful when you want body without sugar. We use it ourselves in the kahurangi blend at the workshop.

None of this is rocket science. The point is the brewing notes were written for the broadest possible audience and the vegan substitutes are everywhere if you look. Pick the one that fits the cup. Or drink the brew unsweetened, which is what we do at the bench most days.

You will find our mullein leaf on the shelf, weighed loose and tasted at the bench before it goes in the tin.