Tea Tasting

Sunday, October 18th, at 1pm

2202 Ave X, Brooklyn, New York

Every other Sunday, while the shop is closed, we set aside a couple of hours to brew and share tea with new and old friends, and you're invited :)

It's a casual, friendly tea tasting where we try 3 different teas (see below). It will be either new arrivals, old favorites, or fresh samples. We will take time to explore their origins, how they were made, and what we're tasting. It's not a class or a lecture – just tea, conversation, and a chance to slow down and enjoy the moment :)

We like to keep it small – there are only 6 seats available, so if you're planning to come, it's a good idea to reserve your spot in advance. The price is nominal, just to offset our costs.

So, if you're free on this day and want to try some good teas with good people – join us. We'll be here, kettle on :)

This time, we will be tasting deeper-oxidized oolongs:

• Bug-bitten Red Oolong – Red Oolong is a heavily oxidized and moderately roasted oolong tea. The tea leaves are bug-bitten – another technique used in Taiwanese oolong production. The tea garden is kept organic to attract insects. When leafhoppers nibble on the tea leaves, the plant's natural defense mechanism releases terpenes that ooze a honey-like aroma, which attracts natural predators of leafhoppers, which scares the bugs away. Furthermore, the plant sends sugars to the bitten areas to promote rapid recovery, creating a remarkable sweetness in the final product.

• "Frozen Summit" Dong Ding Oolong – One of the most well-known Taiwanese teas is Dong Ding Oolong. Dong Ding, which translates as "Frozen Summit", is the name of the mountain on which the tea grows. This Dong Ding Oolong is made using a traditional method that involves roasting the tea at a low temperature for several hours. The result is a comforting, toasty taste with multiple complex layers of flavor and aroma.

• GABA Oolong – GABA is Gamma-Aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating muscle tone, calming nerves, improving sleep, and balancing moods. In the 1980s, Japanese scientists found that letting tea ferment for 6 to 10 hours in a nitrogen-rich / oxygen-free environment results in GABA in the tea leaves rising ten times higher than the original. Many people claim that GABA tea helps them achieve clarity and a peaceful state of being. In terms of taste, GABA translates into a pleasant sourness. This tea comes from one of the oldest oolong gardens in Chiang Rai province, Thailand.

If you can't make it this time but want to stay updated about our future tea tastings, then subscribe to notifications to stay in the know. We hope to see you next time:)