Tea Tasting

Sunday, November 1-st, 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 warming and comforting teas:

• Mi Lan Xiang Dan Cong Oolong – translates as Honey Orchid Aroma, this is one of the ten main fragrance types of the Dan Cong tea tree, famous for its ability to mimic different flavors. Mi Lan Xiang is one of the most acclaimed Dan Cong teas. It possesses the fragrance of irises and orchids and a honey-sweet taste. Dan Cong teas are a Chaozhou-native type of oolong tea that grows on Phoenix Mountain (Fenghuang Shan) in Guangdong, China.

• Sun-dried, Wild Shai Hong Black Tea – This tea comes from old trees growing in the wild at an elevation of over 2,000 meters in the National Nature Reserve in Lincang, Yunnan. The decomposing wild fruits and fallen leaves give sufficient nutrients to the trees growing in this soil for hundreds of years. In symbiosis with other native plant species in the region, the ancient trees grow for decades without trimming. Shai Hong (晒红) means sun-dried. Unlike most black teas, which are finished in heated dryers, this tea is spread out on bamboo trays and dried under the sun. Low temperatures gradually draw moisture from the leaves, allowing them to retain more of their natural aromatics and sugars. Sun-drying gives the tea a bright, honey-floral character and keeps the tannins soft and rounded. Instead of the typical malty notes, you get a clean profile with a naturally occurring fruity sweetness. Shai Hong's gentle drying leaves the leaf's natural enzymes intact. Because of this, it acts as a "living" black tea – instead of fading over time, it ages and evolves, developing even deeper, thicker, and sweeter notes year after year.

• Tibetan Tea Ya'an Zang Cha – Ya'an Dark Tea is called "Tibetan Tea" because it was traditionally produced for the Tibetan people, who have, for centuries, relied on fermented tea. Life on the Tibetan Plateau is harsh; the local diet is heavy in meat and dairy and lacks fruits and vegetables, making Hei Cha an essential part of daily life. Fermented tea aids digestion by helping to break down fats, provides essential nutrients, and, when boiled with yak milk, provides warmth and protein. In return for tea, Tibet supplied China with warhorses – a trade that was once extremely important for both parties. This exchange of tea for horses made Hei Cha vital not only culturally, but also politically. This Ya'an Zang Cha Tibetan tea from Sichuan is made from the local small-leafed tea bush variety. The region falls in the "golden belt" – a line that stretches around the 30º Northern latitude parallel. This area's unique combination of microclimate, soil, and precipitation creates a fine terroir, and the world's highest-quality tea comes from it.

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:)