Tea With Intention - Gunpowder

Blending tea has found its place in my evenings. Every few days, I prepare enough to last a couple of days ahead. Out here, where the dry air quietly pulls the moisture from your body, staying hydrated isn’t optional—it’s essential. Water, tea, fresh juice… it all counts.

Last night I put together a gunpowder blend that I enjoy sipping while journaling and sitting still. I’ve been calling it Gunpowder Selah (סֶלָה).

There’s a second version too, without caffeine—Selah Quiet.

At some point, after everything comes together, it stops tasting like separate parts. It isn’t dull. It just softens into something more settled.

Clicked Read More for the blend

Just life, Sipped slowly.

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Gunpowder Selah (סֶלָה)
40 oz / 5 cups

Ingredients
5 tsp gunpowder tea
3 tsp osmanthus fragrans
2 tsp globe amaranth
1 tsp dendrobium candidum
Small pinch of burdock root
Tiny pinch of stevia leaf (optional)

Brewing

Cold brew (slow)
Combine with 40 oz cold water
Refrigerate 6–8 hours
Strain

Flash chill (my usual)
Heat water to ~170–180°F (don’t boil)
Use 20 oz water
Steep 2–3 minutes
Strain
Pour over ice to reach ~40 oz

Gunpowder holds up well this way—it stays smooth instead of turning sharp.

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Notes on the Blend

Gunpowder tea forms the base—steady, without pushing too hard.
Osmanthus softens it, light and faintly apricot.
Dendrobium smooths the edges.
Globe amaranth adds more presence than flavor.
Burdock grounds it—you’d notice if it weren’t there.

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Selah Quiet
Non-caffeinated companion (40 oz / 5 cups)

4 tsp dendrobium candidum
3 tsp osmanthus fragrans
2 tsp globe amaranth
1–2 tsp tulsi (holy basil)
½ tsp burdock root
Optional: 1 tsp lotus leaf

No stevia—let the natural sweetness carry it.

Brewing

Water: ~185–195°F
Steep: 5–7 minutes
Re-steep: yes

Let it sit a minute before drinking. The aroma matters more here.

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