It's All About Tea

Nowadays, boiling tea is often seen as a way to spoil perfectly good tea leaves. However, if done right, this method of brewing tea deserves much more credit than it gets.

Boiling tea leaves is the most ancient method of making tea.
Back in the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907), when tea culture was gradually at its rise, tea leaves were boiled for prolonged periods. Sometimes they were cooked together with different spices. Different kinds of herbs, roots, fruits, and even chili and scallions weren’t uncommon accompaniments to tea leaves. (Read more)

Cha Gao literally translated means tea paste. However, the substance is not at all pasty and is more like a solidified rock, which dissolves in hot water. Although it is a form of instant pu-erh, it is not a low quality product. In the Qing Dynasty Cha Gao was produced only for the elite class. Although the production methods were mostly abandoned after the Qing Dynasty, it is slowly being revived. Drinking Cha Gao provides you with a concentrated amount of all the usual pu-erh tea benefits. (Read more)

There is one thing that almost everyone learns first when getting into the world of loose leaf teas — dump out the first brew! This is when we pour hot water over the tea leaves we are about to brew, and immediately pour it out before getting to drink it. It can also be referred to as “rinsing” your tea, “washing,” or “blanching” it. (Read more)

For any tea enthusiast out there, an essential part of the tea discovery journey is visiting an authentic tea house. In a Chinese style tea hut, we can experience tea the way it has been traditionally enjoyed for centuries. Whether you’re a seasoned drinker, or someone just getting into the vast world of tea, it is important to know about some of the etiquette of tea drinking when you are visiting a tea house. (Read more)

In our previous article, The Aromatic Dancong Oolongs, we’ve focused on what is Dan Cong (Fenghuang) Oolong, and the various single varietals that exist within this tea category.  

This time we will take a look at the intricate history of this indeed well-known aromatic tea, as well as the processing methods. 

Even if you haven’t yet had a chance to try this wonderfully fragrant tea, learn all about it together with us! (Read more)