It's All About Tea

"Washing tea" ( or rinsing tea) is a well-known expression for everyone who enjoys drinking loose leaf tea in a traditional way – f.ex. Gong Fu Cha style. We call "washing/ rinsing" the act of pouring out the very first brew of tea. Its purpose is to literally "wash" the tea leaves.

Washing tea has become an essential step in the tea ritual. Some people go to the extent of "washing" even the most gentle and delicate teas, like green tea. What good does it bring, though? And is it really necessary? Let's find out what stands behind the custom of washing tea. (Read More)

Following up from last time, here’s the second part of our blog post, dedicated to storing and aging Pu-erh tea. We talk about the phase of transitioning from wet to dry Pu-erh. We explore the advantages of dry over wet storage and give an answer on whether wet storage is good or bad after all.

You will learn the two essential factors that guarantee effective storage for your tea cakes. You will also understand how the shape influences the storage. Finally, you will learn the best ways to store tea at home, depending on its shape and quantity. Let’s dive in! (Read more)

Pu-erh is among the most fascinating and controversial topics in the world of tea. Today, we will discuss a major aspect of the Pu-erh tea production cycle: aging, or storage.

There are two primary schools of thought: wet storage and dry storage. Let's explore their differences and the way they affect Pu-erh tea quality. You will learn the nitty-gritty of both ways to store your tea and how it affects pu-erh tea's quality and transformation. (Read more)

In this chapter of "Tea with friends: the story of..." we sit down to chat with Vincent Liu. A startup entrepreneur, Vincent has returned from the US, where he finished his education, back to his roots in China to follow his newfound passion for Chinese tea. 

During the process, he managed to tour several famous tea-producing regions, introduce local artisan teas to the public, and create the world's first tea app! (Read more)

Spring must be the favorite season for tea fans! It's the long-awaited moment when new tea hits the market! After the cold and tedious winter months, everyone can't wait to sip fresh spring tea and is ready (and willing) to pay the price for it! So what makes the early spring tea so desirable? Let's explore the geographical, historical, and economic factors behind it! 

After a long period of dormancy and stagnation, the plant finally wakes up under the spring chime. The nutrients are rushed to the newly sprouting buds and tender leaves to stimulate the plant's growth. The abundant rainfall and rising temperature make the spring tea fresh, tender, and flavorful. So much so that early spring tea can be ten times more expensive than the one picked later in the year. So, where does this difference come from? (Read more)