Who we are
Hi, I’m Manasi (the Master brewer). I’m a life-long learner and serial entrepreneur, and I don’t use either of those terms lightly.
I’m a professional Dentist, a Counsellor, a health educator, a health promotion officer and an occasional café designer. I credit my endless curiosity and a happy, ‘I-don’t-know-what-I-want-to-be-when-I-grow-up’ feeling to enhance my life and hopefully enrich yours too, with The Brew Story.
One of my most enduring interests has been food and drink. I will never tire of looking at, learning about, cooking and sampling piquant dishes and beverages from around the world.
During these happy food adventures, I spotted a gap in the market. I could count just one or two times that I found authentic Indian spiced tea in Melbourne. So, we decided to offer you to be a part of our tradition and share our family recipes prepared in our family kitchens for ages, to be easily made and enjoyed in yours.
Vision
To revive the beauty and tradition of tea drinking, where we pause our busy lives and sit down to enjoy that delightful cuppa. To bring to Australia and its people the ancient Indian richness of Ayurvedic wisdom which utilizes the power of naturally beneficial food ingredients for greater health and wellbeing.
To bring health, spirituality, and counselling all together in your cuppa.
Mission
To introduce true chai culture, where we all consciously enjoy the flavors and benefits of authentic Indian spiced tea.
To share with you our delicious, all-natural high-powered nuts and healing spice blend that packs a powerful flavor and nutrition punch in one single teaspoon. We have enjoyed the health benefits of the Spiced Almond Latte in Indian households for ages and we think now you could, too!
Our Pillars
Quality
Our products are made with the freshest possible ingredients, sourced from the most trusted tea and spice vendors. This helps us create high quality blends that have the right flavor, aroma, color and feel.
Tradition
The chai kettle is a rich melting pot. In it, the British tea-time ritual meets Indian spices and hospitality to create an experience that celebrates the best of both worlds. Whether accompanied by scones or samosas, tea is one delightful tradition.
Authenticity
We are all about creating authentic brews and unforgettable experiences. No imitations here! By supplying authentic Indian spiced tea and masala latte mix, we unlock the true medicinal powers of these ingredients.
Community
We love bringing people together over fragrant cups of our Chai and Masala Brews. Bound by a love and appreciation for quality, we seek to foster a community that finds the joy in spending a few minutes each day to savour a cup of perfection.
Growing up with Chai
In every Indian household, tea time is as much about the drink as it is about the rituals surrounding it. There is no set recipe for chai or masala latte, certainly not written ones. Every household has their own recipes, passed down through generations of children watching their mothers and grandmothers brewing tea and blending spices.
There is no season for chai. Even at 4pm on the hottest day of the year, if someone offers you chai, you say, yes! Good times, bad times, chatting with the family, sitting alone by your window; chai is drunk for its own sake.
Too late in the day for that caffeine kick, but still need a shot of energy? Or simply too young for caffeine? That’s when the rejuvenating and healthy masala latte steps in, with its smooth and rich taste. As a mother of a boisterous three-year-old, I know what gives her the healthy energy boost to bounce around all day long! The delightful taste of the Masala Brew added to her morning Weet-bix just makes that morning rush hour a bit easier and less fussy!
Moving to Australia
More than a decade ago, a new bride was packing to move to Australia to join her husband. He was amused that her biggest concern about this life-changing move was whether she’d be able to find proper tea and spices in Melbourne. He was then a bit alarmed when she seriously told him that their marriage pretty much depended on this. He said, “Yeah, I’m sure you’ll find it all here. I mean, it’s just tea and spices.” She decided not to trust this one bit, and packed her own tea leaves and whole spices. (Yes. She was that person at airport customs!)
As you may have guessed, this is a true story. I don’t take my chai lightly. I still remember, when it was time for my flight to land, thinking to myself, ‘God, I hope quarantine passes my tea and spices!’
While this may sound completely ridiculous to some, it wasn’t just about having access to authentic Indian spiced tea in Melbourne. It was about having a piece of my culture and tradition with me while I made Melbourne my new home.
Chai experience in Australia
The chai latte! Sigh.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice enough drink. But it is not authentic chai. It simply isn’t. Where there should be a rich golden-brown color, there is a mild, apologetic beige color. Where I crave the rich aroma of freshly-pounded ginger and cardamom pods, I get a mild whiff of processed spices, and a dusting of cinnamon powder (which was ground into powder God knows when!).
However, thanks to an adventurous palate that is exposed to various cultures, Australians have been demanding authentic chai, and I couldn’t be happier to share my family recipe, with moderations to up the health quotient.
That’s my doctor-self. Don’t mind her. Always excited about how she can make food that is scrumptious and good for you.
Missing Masala
During those early years in Melbourne, there weren’t many Indian grocery stores around. After I ran out of my stash from India, I briefly contemplated making do with the tiny spice packets available at the supermarkets, so that we wouldn’t have to drive miles to find authentic tea leaves and spices.
But I just couldn’t get myself to settle. There’s just something about chai and masala; they’re worth fighting for! So, we’d make the long journey to find the right spices, just like people have done for centuries before us.
At The Brew Story, we decided that we wanted to make these ancient, healthy Indian spiced blends available to everyone. The less time you spend hunting for the right chai and spices, the more time you have for that leisurely cup of Chai Brew or Masala Brew.
Chai snob?
Anything but!
Chai making and drinking, with all its surrounding rituals, is one of the most warm and inclusive experiences there is. And it’s one that I love to share. What I am particular about, is getting it right. A proper Indian Chai tradition is as social and pleasurable as it is therapeutic and beneficial. As with every aspect of life, getting the balance right is what unlocks the brew’s goodness.
If you have tried the turmeric latte and thought it was good, you will find masala latte even more delish and nutritious.
Our proprietary Chai Brew and Masala Brew have been carefully crafted with layers of complex flavors, so that you feel that perfect balance with every sip. So much so that I firmly believe that my blood is positively healthy due to the equal proportions of red blood cells, chai and spices in it!