Ivan-Chay

Ivan-chay is a traditional Russian herbal tea made from the leaves of the fireweed plant (Epilobium angustifolium), also called willow herb, which grows abundantly across Siberia and northern Russia. Before Chinese tea arrived via the caravan trade in the 17th century, ivan-chay was the everyday tea of the Russian people. The leaves are hand-gathered in summer, fermented (oxidised) for 12 to 24 hours, then dried, producing a dark, fragrant leaf that brews into a caffeine-free infusion with a mild, fruity, slightly floral flavour. In the 19th century its mass production centred on the village of Koporye near St. Petersburg, giving it the alternative name 'Koporye tea' (koporsky chai), and Russia exported ivan-chay to Europe as 'Russian tea' before the upheavals of the early 20th century ended the trade. Forgotten under the Soviet preference for Georgian and Indian black teas, ivan-chay has seen a revival since the 2010s as a local, caffeine-free alternative.

A light, golden-amber infusion with a mild, fruity, slightly floral flavour, no bitterness and no caffeine. Warm and soothing, with a whisper of dried fruit and meadow flowers.

The technique involves gathering, fermenting and drying fireweed leaves. The leaves are harvested in July and August when the plant is flowering. They are lightly bruised or rolled to break the cell walls (which releases the enzymes), then packed into a container and left to ferment at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, during which the leaves oxidise, darken, and develop their characteristic fruity aroma. The fermented leaves are then spread thin and dried in a low oven (50 to 60 degrees C) or in the sun until completely dry. The dried leaves are stored airtight and brewed like regular tea, steeping 5 to 10 minutes. The fermentation is the key step; without it the tea is grassy and thin.