My mom likes drinking her chai clear.
Now, I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with that (there isn’t) or that everyone should drink tea the way that I do (tastes are tricky, and chai purists would probably kill me). However, I tend to find that most chairs just aren’t right without milk and sugar.
Admittedly, I don’t make chai properly according to traditional rules. I preference is to brew in water and then add milk and sugar as with other teas, rather than making it as a proper milk tea.
In deference to my mom, I had this clear first. It seems nicely steeped, but the spices (cinnamon seems to be the predominant one I taste) were just begging for the sweetness and creaminess that milk and sugar would offer. Indeed, with a splash of milk and a scant teaspoon of brown sugar, the tea came into its own, adding the right richness and fullness to enhance the tea.
I’m not saying that it’s an absolutely perfect blend, but I do enjoy this tea from first scent (strong, you could almost get high off of it) to last sip.
