ElderBlu: a tea (and more!) company in Western Michigan, both known for blueberries and sunsets! Our interview with ElderBlu's owner and a sampling of some ElderBlu blends

ElderBlu, a tea company in Western Michigan, features blueberries and sunsets

Western Michigan is known for its remarkable sunsets on Lake Michigan as well for being a region rich in blueberries. It's no surprise, then, that a tea company from that area would have blends that reflect such notable features. Among some of its unique teas, EdlerBlu has "Blueberry Mornings" and "Michigan Sunset" - but that's not all.

Beautiful sunset on Lake Michigan on one of our many visits to the western side of our state

I came across ElderBlu last month in Frankenmuth. The Christmas store was selling tins of "Cuppa Christmas", a chocolate-mint, black tea from ElderBlu. I was impressed with its natural ingredients and genuine taste - as opposed to some artificial flavorings that can be overbearing or cloying.

I reached out to ElderBlu this month and, over email, had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing ElderBlu owner, Rick VanderKolk. 

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BTS:  How long has ElderBlu been in business?

Rick V.:  ElderBlu Farms is about two years old, as is the ElderBlu trademark, and is an offshoot from three generations of blueberry growers in West Michigan, starting with my grandfather, Arnell, in the 1950s.  I was raised on the family farm learning broad knowledge of blueberry varieties, farming practices, the health benefits of blueberries, and just the overall blueberry farming culture.  A few years ago, I began taking some of our blueberries and creating blueberry concentrate, blueberry salsa, jam, syrup, and other items.  And while that was great, I wanted to explore other fruits and herbs;  due to their reputation of helping with immune support (reminiscent of the reputation blueberries enjoyed for decades) a deeper exploration into elderberries began, and ElderBlu was born.  

BTS:  What made you want to start a tea business?

Rick V.:  Personally, whenever I prepared tea, it was for a particular health-related purpose:  as a sleep aid, treating a sore throat, or soothing an upset stomach.  If it tasted good, all the better.  

BTS:  Many of your tea blends have health benefits. This is important to you because. . . ?

Rick V.: Because of that background, when we develop new products, it is usually with health & taste in mind, so the health aspect is driven by the established reputations of the respective ingredients- mugwort, passion flower, chamomile for sleep;  turmeric, ginger, et al for inflammation or stomach issues, and so on.  Many people find our teas because they've been researching individual ingredients before finding us.  

BTS:  What additional information about EdlerBlu would you like to share?

Rick V.:  There are surprises along the way.  I had no idea, for instance, our Deep Dreams Mugwort Tea would become a favorite. It took months of experimenting to get that blend just right.  

I love product development!  One of my main goals is to find ways of introducing these unique blends to the non-tea drinking world.  Among other things, that has meant getting creative on the form and brewing process; for example, we've been testing different types of filters to see what works as a pour over or single-serve version.  While a traditional 10-15min steep is usually preferable, a few blends do pretty well with our single serve filter.  The hope is that people will love the introduction, from something like a single serve, and want to explore other brewing methods.  

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Here at BTS, other than Cuppa Christmas, we've recently sampled three more ElderBlu teas:  Michigan Sunset, Blueberry Mornings and Dreamsicle.  We enjoyed them all.

Dreamsicle, flavors of creamy orange ice cream

Dreamsicle:  An herbal tea blend that includes orange, apple and rosehip pieces, sunflower, hibiscus and safflower petals as well as organic vanilla. It will remind you of that yummy, creamy-orange popsicle - but not in an overpowering way. We could taste the citrus and vanilla notes, but just to inhale the loose tea is a treat. (I'd love to have a potpourri of this!).

Blueberry Mornings, black tea and berries

Blueberry Mornings:  This is a black tea with an addition of blueberries, apples, hibiscus, cornflower petals, elderberries, currents and raisins. This blend packs a punch of berry flavor, rich in color and, with the caffeine that comes with the black tea, this is a great way to start your day.

A  cup of Michigan Sunset brings to mind the calming effects of sunset on Lake Michigan

Michigan Sunset:  If you've ever witnessed a sunset along Lake Michigan, you its beautiful as well as calming.  Michigan Sunset herbal lives up to its title - a calming blend that includes among other ingredients: chamomile, rooibos lemon balm, anis, cinnamon and orange peel.  We could definitely detect the citrusy-cinnamon flavors. With or without your camp chair parked on a Lake Michigan beach as the sun goes down, this is comforting way to end your day.  (These came to us in tea bags).

Instructions for brewing are on each tin.

We'll be sampling other ElderBlu products and sharing them in future blogs. They also have teas available for Keurigs and - yes(!), even coffee!

Currently ElderBlu products are available on their website or Amazon.

Product review disclaimer: I received one or more of the product or services mentioned above for free or a discounted price.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.