It's All About Tea — tea processing

We all know the basics of quality loose leaf tea standards: Don’t buy tea in tea bags and make sure that the tea leaves are not just dust. However, there are so many standards that go into tea picking and production. While these standards also vary by tea type and variety, there are a few that hold true to most loose leaf teas. (Read more)

We couldn’t think of a better time to introduce this post to you. With the chilly weather outside, there’s nothing lovelier than the smell of roasted tea spreading throughout our lodgings. In a few simple steps, you can have your own roasted green tea — Hojicha at home, plus enjoy the wonderful scent of the tea. (Read more)

Smoky Lapsang Souchong (Zhengshan Xiaozhong) is an acquired taste, much like a ripe pu-erh is. Some people love its deep campfire notes and the warm, comforting feeling the tea provides. Others find these roasted notes too strong and may have unwanted associations with food when drinking the tea. Luckily, for the latter, there is Non-smoky Lapsang Souchong. (Read more)

In China, fermentation is a vital part of the food culture. Sauces and condiments, tofu, pickles, wine, and even nuts. You will find at least one fermented ingredient on every dinner table in China. It is no wonder that fermentation made its way into China's extensive and well-developed tea culture. (Read more)

Tea brews can have so many beautiful color schemes: oak brown, amber orange, jade green, honey yellow… and the list goes on. 

As we’ve already learned, the color of the tea doesn’t always correspond with the tea category. In the west, we are mostly used to ordering a black tea and receiving a dark brown, almost black tea brew. When it comes to Chinese black teas (red teas), the color of the brew can vary from a darkish umber brown to a light golden liquid. 

So what are some of the things that influence the resulting color of the tea brew? (Read more)