It's All About Tea

Today we are exploring a popular topic of debate: pu-erh tea caffeine content. Pu-erh is one of the most controversial tea categories out there. Many people believe that pu-erh is particularly high on caffeine. And among those many, some assume that the darker the tea, the more caffeine it contains. Perhaps it is because darker brews of tea resemble the highly caffeinated culprit coffee? Though we know that the freshest, youngest green teas often have higher caffeine content. While it's true that pu-erh is an excellent energizing tea, is it that high in caffeine? And does the color of the brew matter? (Read more)

In the somewhat intricate world of tea ceremony, there exists a debate: incense or no incense? 

Personal preference aside, we decided to go deeper into why exactly incense can be burned during tea ceremonies. After all, this is a long tradition that has holds its roots in Buddhism and has made its way into the traditional tea ceremony. (Read more)

We all love a cup of hot frothy matcha tea. 

The best thing about it is — as long as you have all the right utensils, it's super easy to make at home. For a small fraction of what you would be paying at a cafe, you can whisk yourself up a cup of hot matcha, iced matcha, matcha latte, or even a matcha cocktail!

So what are the five indispensable tools that any matcha lover needs? (Read more)

Gong fu translates as right effort. We wish to emphasize just that. While there are specific steps generally taken during a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, they are by no means the only right way of brewing tea. It is indeed about your own right effort, your own way of honoring the tea. (Read more)

As much variations as there are within tea categories, it is the same with teaware. It is to no surprise that there is an ideal teapot or gaiwan for each type of tea there is. Many find these through experimenting on their own, while some knowledge is more widespread. However, in general there are a few things that are best to keep in mind when choosing the right teaware for a particular type of tea. Whether it's for gong fu or more casual tea drinking. (Read more)