Yes, you can. A big pot of chai is one of the easiest ways to take care of a room full of people, whether it’s a Diwali get-together, a Thanksgiving dessert table, a game-day afternoon or a book club on a cold evening. It makes the house smell wonderful, it’s easy on the budget, and everyone can add their own milk and sugar.
Scaling chai up from one mug to a whole pot raises a few practical questions. Here are the common ones, with a recipe card you can save.
The batch chai recipe card (about 8 cups)
Makes: about 8 mugs · Pot: a wide, heavy-bottomed pot with plenty of headroom, so there’s room for it to foam up
You’ll need:
- Water: about one mug per serving, minus a little to leave room for the milk
- Loose organic pure black tea, about a spoonful per mug, or the same amount of the ready-spiced pure and organic chai
- A couple of small pinches of pure and organic chai masala if you’re using plain black tea; taste before adding more
- Milk, a generous splash per mug, or more for a creamier pot
- Sugar or your usual sweetener, served on the side
Steps:
- Bring the water to a boil in the large pot.
- Add the tea and lower the heat to a steady simmer. Give the leaf a few minutes to turn the water deep amber.
- If you’re using plain black tea, stir in the chai masala now.
- Pour in the milk and bring the pot back up over medium heat. Stay close, because a big pot of milk can foam over quickly.
- When it rises, turn the heat down and let it settle. Taste it, then adjust the spice or milk.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a warm carafe or a clean pot.
Which tea is best for a party-size pot?
It depends on how you like to host:
- You like to tune the spice level: use plain organic pure black tea plus pure and organic chai masala. A 1 lb bag of Hometown Blend organic pure black tea yields about 150 to 200 cups, depending on brewing strength, so one bag covers several gatherings.
- You want one scoop and done: use pure and organic chai. The organic pure black tea and spices (cardamom, ginger, pepper, Ceylon cinnamon, cloves, star anise and more) are already blended. An 8 oz bag makes about 75 to 100 cups.
How much chai should I plan per guest?
Plan on one to two cups per person. Some guests will want a refill, and others will just want half a cup with dessert. For 10 to 12 people, making the recipe card above one and a half times is usually about right. It’s better to brew a second pot partway through than to hold a huge pot warm for hours, because fresh chai tastes brighter.
Can I make batch chai ahead of time?
Yes. Make the tea base earlier in the day and add the milk when your guests arrive:
- Simmer the tea (and masala) in water as in steps 1 to 3, using a little less water.
- Strain the concentrate and keep it covered in the fridge until the party, the same day.
- Before serving, warm the concentrate, add the milk and bring the pot back up.
Your stovetop stays free for food, and the milk tastes fresh instead of stewed.
How do I keep chai warm for a couple of hours?
Hold it gently. Don’t keep it bubbling. An insulated carafe works well, and so does a slow cooker on its “warm” setting or a pot on the lowest burner. Stir now and then so a skin doesn’t form. If the chai sits long enough to taste flat, a splash of freshly heated milk will perk it up.
Can I serve iced chai to a crowd?
Absolutely, and it’s great for warm fall afternoons in the Bay Area. The pure and organic chai label says it can be brewed as hot tea, iced tea or a chai latte. Make a strong concentrate (the usual amount of tea with less water), strain it, chill it, and set out a pitcher of it with cold milk and a bucket of ice. Guests fill a glass partway with concentrate and top it with milk. For an unspiced iced option, our guide to cold brewing organic pure black tea lets you make a big jar the night before.
Myth-busting: three things hosts worry about
“Chai for a crowd needs a store-bought concentrate.” Not true. Loose leaf, water, milk and a pot are all you need, and you decide how sweet it is.
“More simmering makes it stronger.” Longer simmering mostly makes it bitter. For a bolder pot, add a little more leaf.
“Everyone will want it sweetened the same way.” They won’t. Keep the pot unsweetened and put sugar, honey or a non-dairy milk on the side so guests can make their own cup.
A simple chai station setup
- The carafe or warm pot of strained chai
- A small pitcher of warm milk for anyone who wants a creamier cup
- Sugar and a spoon, plus a small dish of chai masala for anyone who likes extra spice
- Mugs, and a tray to catch drips
- A handwritten card that says what’s in the pot
Plan your pot
Hosting starts with the right pantry. For a pot you can season to taste, pick up the $25 Tea + Chai Masala kit, which pairs a 1 lb bag of Hometown Blend organic pure black tea with a 3.5 oz pouch of pure and organic chai masala. If you’d rather measure one scoop and go, choose pure and organic chai. Either way, you’ll have plenty left for everyday cups too. Our guide to the best organic tea for mornings has ideas for the leftovers.
— the DipSomeTea team