What is Hemp Tea?

 

Hemp Tea Guide

What is Hemp Tea?
A Complete UK Guide.

Hemp tea is dried hemp flower brewed as a loose-leaf tea or infusion. It contains CBD and other naturally occurring cannabinoids, is legal in the UK, and has nothing to do with getting high. This is everything you need to know — what it is, how it's grown, how to brew it, and how to choose the right strain.

Legal in the UK Lab tested No psychoactive effect EU-approved cultivars

What Hemp Tea Actually Is

Hemp tea is dried hemp flower — the bud of the hemp plant — that you brew like a loose-leaf tea. The plant is Cannabis sativa, the same species as marijuana, but a completely different variety. Hemp is grown specifically to contain very low levels of THC (the compound responsible for psychoactive effects) and higher levels of CBD and other cannabinoids.

When you brew hemp flower in hot water, you get a herbal infusion that contains CBD, terpenes, and other plant compounds. The flavour varies considerably by strain — some are earthy and woody, others are citrusy, floral, or sweet. The experience is closer to a speciality herbal tea than anything else.

It won't get you high. The THC content in compliant UK hemp tea is below 0.2% — independently verified on every batch we sell. That's the legal threshold in the UK, and it's not enough to produce any psychoactive effect.

How Hemp Tea is Grown and Graded

The way hemp flower is grown has a significant effect on its quality, appearance, cannabinoid content, and price. There are three main growing methods, and they're used as the primary grading system in the UK hemp market.

Grade Growing Method What to Expect
Premium Indoor Grown under controlled LED lighting indoors Dense, well-trimmed buds. High terpene content. Strong aroma. Highest CBD levels. Premium price.
Greenhouse Grown in a greenhouse with natural and supplemental light Good structure and aroma. Slightly lighter than indoor. Mid-range price, strong value.
Outdoor Grown outdoors under natural sunlight More rustic appearance. Good flavour profile. Lower price point. Often sold as shake or loose trim.

Premium Indoor is the top tier — and what most serious hemp tea drinkers gravitate towards once they've tried it. Greenhouse is a strong middle ground that offers good quality at a more accessible price. Outdoor and shake are ideal if you're brewing larger volumes or want to experiment with different strains without committing to a higher spend.

Strain Types and What They Mean

Hemp tea strains are named varieties of the hemp plant, each with its own terpene profile — the aromatic compounds that give each strain its distinctive flavour and smell. Unlike cannabis strains, hemp strains are not categorised by their psychoactive effect (there isn't one). Instead, the differences are entirely about aroma, flavour, and appearance.

The traditional indica/sativa/hybrid classification is largely marketing in the hemp world — what matters more is the specific terpene profile of the strain you're buying. Here are the broad flavour families you'll encounter:

Earthy & Woody

Classic hemp character. Deep, natural, and grounding. Strains like Primera and Charas sit in this category.

Citrus & Fruity

Bright, zesty, and aromatic. Lemon, orange, and tropical notes. Popular with people new to hemp tea.

Floral & Herbal

Delicate, aromatic, and refined. Lavender, rose, and herbal notes. Often greenhouse-grown varieties.

Sweet & Dessert

Vanilla, cream, and baked notes. Strains like Biscoff sit here — unusual and distinctive in the cup.

Not sure where to start? The Pick N Mix bundles let you try multiple strains at once without committing to a full bag of each. It's the quickest way to find what you actually like.

How to Brew Hemp Tea

Hemp flower brews like any loose-leaf herbal tea. The main things to get right are water temperature and brewing time — too hot for too long and you'll extract bitter plant compounds that overpower the flavour.

Basic Brew Method

  1. Use approximately 1–2g of hemp flower per 250ml cup
  2. Heat water to 80–90°C — not a full rolling boil
  3. Place flower in a tea strainer or infuser
  4. Steep for 3–5 minutes
  5. Remove the strainer and drink as is, or add honey or lemon to taste
To Extract More CBD — Add a Fat

CBD is fat-soluble, not water-soluble. Brewing in water alone extracts the terpenes and some cannabinoids, but adding a small amount of fat significantly increases CBD extraction. A splash of whole milk, oat milk, or a small amount of coconut oil or butter works well. Add it to the cup before or after brewing.

Hemp tea can also be cold-brewed overnight in the fridge — use cold water, the same amount of flower, and steep for 8–12 hours. The result is smoother and less bitter, with a lighter colour. Good for summer or if you prefer a milder flavour.

How to Store Hemp Tea

Hemp flower degrades when exposed to light, heat, air, and moisture. Stored well, it keeps its aroma and potency for several months. Stored badly, it dries out, loses terpenes, and starts to taste flat within a few weeks.

Factor What to Do Why
Light Store in a dark container or dark cupboard UV light degrades cannabinoids and terpenes rapidly
Air Airtight container — glass jar with a seal is ideal Oxygen dries the flower out and oxidises compounds
Heat Room temperature or below — away from radiators Heat accelerates terpene evaporation
Moisture Dry environment — not the fridge unless sealed properly Moisture causes mould. The fridge introduces condensation if not airtight.

A dark glass jar in a kitchen cupboard is the practical answer for most people. Keep it away from the cooker and out of direct sunlight and it'll stay fresh for months.

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