It's All About Tea — non-asian teas

We first met Petr online, in a tea forum discussion about oxidation and fermentation. His posts stood out: clear and grounded in real experience, combined with deep knowledge of theory. Petr has spent years studying tea, making it, teaching it, and guiding others into the reality of tea production.

One of the regions where he has invested time and energy is Georgia. Today, when people think of tea-producing countries, Georgia isn't usually at the top of the list. But Petr saw both history and opportunity there. His involvement has grown from trading tea to restoring overgrown gardens, setting up a tea project, and introducing both locals and visitors to the full range of what Georgian tea can be.

We've asked Petr to share his own story of how he became involved in Georgia's tea industry – its people, challenges, and unexpected turns. It's a mix of history, travelogue, and firsthand insight into a tea culture in transition. (Read more)

In our previous posts, we explored how tea penetrated countries from Morocco through Russia to Iran. We witnessed the birth and evolution of those countries' unique tea cultures and how they intertwined and influenced each other. Today, we round up our round-the-world journey in Turkey to explore the local tea heritage and traditions around tea.

Let's start with a unanimous fact – Turkey crowns the Top 10 list of tea-drinking countries in the world (based on per capita consumption)! It's hard to imagine tea entered this country a mere century ago. Yet, tea culture in Turkey has a long and rich history. Since its introduction, tea has become an important part of Turkish daily life. Today, it is an integral part of the social culture. Serving and drinking tea together is also a way of showing hospitality. It is common for Turkish people to offer tea to guests as a sign of goodwill and being welcome. (Read more)

Tea is probably the most popular beverage in Iran. The tea tradition in Iran has a rich history. Today, tea is a definite winner against coffee in terms of both popularity and consumption. Numbers state that Iran is in the World's top 4 tea consuming countries, with a 1.5kg annual per capita consumption. As for coffee, it stays outside of the World's Top 30. However, it wasn't always this way.

Being at the crossroad between established tea-drinking nations such as Russia, India, and China, Iran took its time before forging its own tea culture and tea-drinking identity. Let's explore the journey of tea in Iran! (Read More)

In an earlier blog post, we witnessed the beauty of tea rituals outside of China. Today, we continue to explore the path of cha in near and distant lands. In today’s post, we’ll set on a journey to the vast Russian planes.

Russia’s connection to Chinese tea is ingrained into the local culture in a way so profound few other countries can compare to it. As its territory changed through the ages, so did the cultural landscape, influenced by the lands and people the empire included during its different periods. Chinese tea was ubiquitous to the point of being considered a national drink in pre-Soviet Russia. Its history started with the establishment of the Silk Road and has been ongoing ever since. (Read more)

Last time we traveled to the cradles of tea culture – China and Japan. We learned about the local tea experience and how it changed with time.

Today, our path takes us to more near and distant places to explore their relationship with tea. We’ll witness the vital role tea plays in the social culture and customs of the local people in Portugal, the Netherlands and Morocco. (Read more)