The Historic Teas Once Found on Every Colonial Table
Opening Steep
Long before modern tea menus listed Earl Grey, Matcha, or Chai, the most familiar tea names in America were very different. In the 18th century, colonial households spoke of Bohea, Congou, Souchong, Hyson, and Singlo—teas imported from China and woven into daily life across the colonies.
These names once appeared in merchant ledgers, shipping manifests, household accounts, and the cargo lists of the Boston Tea Party. Today, many have faded from memory, yet they tell an important story about taste, trade, and the culture of tea in early America.
To understand colonial tea culture is to understand that tea was not simply consumed—it was chosen, discussed, served, and valued.
What Tea Names Meant in Colonial America
Unlike many modern branded blends, historic tea names often referred to origin, leaf style, processing method, or quality level rather than a trademarked recipe. A shopper in 1770 might ask for Bohea or Hyson much as someone today asks for black tea or green tea.
These teas arrived through global trade routes stretching from China to Britain and onward to colonial ports such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston. Once unloaded, they entered homes across the colonies, where tea had become one of the most important social beverages of the age.
The names may sound unfamiliar now, but at the time they were common household language.
Bohea – The Tea of the People
Bohea was the most widely consumed tea in colonial America and made up the majority of the tea destroyed during the Boston Tea Party. The name derives from the Wuyi region of Fujian Province, China, one of the great historic tea-growing areas of the world.
Bohea was an accessible black tea enjoyed across social classes. It was smooth, mellow, and lightly roasted, making it suitable for daily drinking. For many colonial families, Bohea was the dependable tea of the household table.
Its modern spirit is reflected in classic Chinese black teas such as Keemun Black Tea, known for a balanced cup with gentle richness.
Bohea reminds us that the tea most associated with revolution was also the tea most associated with ordinary life.
Congou – The Merchant’s Choice
Congou comes from the word gongfu, meaning skill, effort, or disciplined craftsmanship. Rather than describing one exact flavor, it referred to carefully made teas valued for consistency and quality.
Congou appealed to merchants, professionals, and households that appreciated finer goods. It reflected the rising sophistication of colonial consumers who were increasingly aware of origin and craftsmanship.
Today, the spirit of Congou lives beautifully in Wu Yi Shan Rock Oolong Tea. Grown among mineral-rich cliffs in Fujian Province, this tea offers gentle roast, woody depth, and warming complexity.
A figure such as Thomas Jefferson, known for cultivated taste and global curiosity, would have appreciated teas of this character.
Another similar tea to enjoy is the Duchess Breakfast.
Souchong – Harbor Smoke
Souchong was among the boldest teas known in colonial America. Often associated today with smoky styles such as Lapsang Souchong, it carried a memorable aroma created through traditional drying methods over wood fires.
Its character made it distinctive in a world where many teas were subtler. In active port cities, where merchants, sailors, and craftsmen gathered, Souchong’s strong personality would have stood out.
Modern drinkers who enjoy depth and drama in the cup often find Souchong especially compelling.
Hyson – The Patriot’s Green
Hyson was one of the most prized green teas of the colonial era. Brighter and often more expensive than common black teas, it was admired for freshness, elegance, and lively character.
Hyson became popular enough that it was sometimes taxed more heavily due to demand. Household records suggest that George Washington purchased green tea, helping cement Hyson’s reputation as a tea of distinction.
Today, its legacy continues in teas such as Young Dragon Hyson Green Tea, which offers a robust cup with a mild sweet lemon note.
Hyson represented taste, aspiration, and refinement—qualities much admired in the age of enlightenment.
Singlo – The Quiet Cup
Singlo was a lesser-known green tea, but it still played a role in colonial tea culture. Lighter and gentler than Hyson, it likely served as an everyday green tea enjoyed in domestic settings.
Its modern reflection can be found in Zhen Mei Green Tea, also known as Chun Mee or “precious eyebrow,” with curved leaves, subtle sweetness, and a soft toasted finish.
Where Hyson represented prestige, Singlo represented quiet routine.
Why These Forgotten Names Matter
These tea names matter because they reveal how developed tea culture had already become in colonial America. Consumers distinguished between black teas and green teas, common grades and finer grades, bold cups and delicate cups.
Tea was not a novelty. It was part of life.
These names also remind us that the American story was tied to global exchange. Long before independence, colonial tables were already connected to Chinese mountains, British trade networks, and Atlantic shipping routes.
Every cup carried a world with it.
The Boston Tea Party and Tea Memory
When colonists destroyed tea in Boston Harbor in 1773, they were not rejecting an unknown commodity. They were sacrificing teas they knew intimately—teas they brewed at breakfast, served to guests, and shared in conversation.
That is part of what made the act so powerful.
The Boston Tea Party was not merely about taxation. It was about giving up something familiar in pursuit of something greater.
Taste Colonial Tea Today
Though the old names are less common now, their traditions still live on in modern teas. To honor that history, Churchill’s Fine Teas created the Founders’ Liberty Tea Collection – 1773 (Preorder NOW), featuring modern equivalents inspired by the five historic teas of the Boston Tea Party alongside two Liberty Tea blends inspired by colonial America.
Included in the collection:
- Historic tea narratives
- Guided tasting experience
- Premium gift presentation
- America 250 commemorative storytelling
It is a chance to experience the flavors that once filled colonial cups.
Perfect For
- Tea lovers and collectors
- American history enthusiasts
- Museum-quality gifts
- America 250 celebrations
- Those who enjoy stories steeped in meaning
Final Pour
Bohea, Congou, Souchong, Hyson, and Singlo may sound unfamiliar today, but once they were household words. They lived in kitchens, parlors, and conversations across colonial America.
To remember their names is to remember that history is often shaped not only by laws and battles, but by the daily rituals people cherish most.
Sometimes the story of a nation begins with what is poured into a cup.
Discover Your Own Global Tea History Ritual
At Churchill’s Fine Teas, we celebrate the enduring traditions of tea, storytelling, and meaningful moments shared across generations. Explore our historic collections, globally inspired blends, and stories drawn from the tea cultures of England, China, India, Japan, Türkiye, Africa, South America, and beyond. Discover elegant teaware and gifts crafted for those who appreciate culture in every cup. Visit us in Cincinnati or click here to explore our Tea Stories Collections and The Journal.
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