Off the Beaten Path - A Paradise Tea from the Sunshine Scattered Jungle
To harvest this tea, the villagers must go upstream, cross the river at some point, and climb up the hills and mountains by foot, 5 or 6 hours by foot....
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The Right Way To Brew a Great Cup of Shu Pu-erh Tea
Shu puerh tea undergoes a fermentation process which creates that unique shu flavor profile. While sheng puerh tea in general creates a stronger sensation, shu puerh in general is mellower...
The Five Criteria for Discerning Shu Puerh Quality and Taste
The quality of puerh tea in the marketplace has varied wildly, especially for shu puerh, more so than any other types of tea, so it would be beneficial to exercise...
3 Fun Facts You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Pu’erh Tea
In continuing with our series of articles on pu’erh tea, today we will present to you the five things you (probably) didn’t know about pu’erh. 1. Pu’erh Tea is...
Video: How to Properly Break Off Leaves From a New Tea Cake
Learn how to properly and safely break off the leaves of a new tea cake through this helpful instructional video featuring Victoria of Meimei Fine Teas.
The Joy of Tasting a Pu'erh: Lao Man'E Ancient Tree, Sheng
Last week, we discussed what to expect when you venture into the exotic territory of pu’erh tasting. Unlike other forms of tea, it is pu’erh that usually has the most...
Enjoying the Process: The Four Stages of Pu’erh Tea Tasting
Pu’erhs are one of the most complex kinds of teas out there, and with that complexity comes tremendous joy that tea drinkers can expect over a testing session. Unfortunately, many...
Caffeine and Your Tea: Myths and Misconceptions
There are a surprisingly large number of people with caffeine sensitivities. Even when exposed to low amounts, these people will experience the effects from it, suffering from sleep disturbances or...
Meet the Legendary “Mother of All Teas”
Nestled more than 2200m high in the mountains of the Fengqing region of Yunnan province is a small village by the name of Jin Xiou. But in spite of its...
Understanding Pu-erh Tea and Appreciating the Importance of Terroir
Many pu-erh tea drinkers have become familiar with Menghai county and the tea factories in that region. The name itself is practically synonymous with “high-quality,” a reputation earned from the...
What is Orange Shu Puerh (Gan Puer Tea) and Why Should You Be Drinking It?
It has unfortunately become commonplace to associate shou or ripe pu’erh with earthier flavors and smells, ranging from musty basement to forest floor. Part of the problem lies at the...
What is Teng Tiao Cha (“Rattan” or “Vine” Tea), and What Makes It So Unique?
Last week, we introduced you to Mengku pu’erh, discussing the important characteristics typical of Mengku teas. There is, however, an outlier to this group, a puerh so unique that it...
Pu’erh You Should Know: A Brief Introduction to Mengku Pu’erh
Mengku is one of the four major pu’erh production areas in Yunnan province, and though its fame skyrocketed in the early aughts with some excellent marketing by Shuangjiang Mengku,...
Puerh Tea Benefits - What You Need to Know about the Next Big Superfood
If you haven’t yet heard of puerh, pronounced poo-are or poo-air, you’re missing out on one of the most popular forms of tea in the world. Given its incredible shelf life, complex flavor...
The Difference between Sheng Puerh and Shu Puerh
Pu-erh is a unique form of tea that defies inclusion in the common categories of white, green, oolong, and black. Depending on its age, you might find it more...
How Can You Get the Most Out of your Pu-erh?
Pu-erh is beloved by tea enthusiasts worldwide. The pressed cakes, often wrapped in eye-catching packaging, come in a medley of beautiful colors, and the range of exotic, complex flavors...
Meet the Intoxicating, Enchanting Long Yuan Mark, a slightly-Roasted Raw Pu-erh tea
Ever heard of a fire-roasted puerh? This gem hails from the Bulang Mountains in Meng Hai, Yunnan, made available from a highly respected puerh producer. The first production run...
Do You Really Need to Preheat Your Mug or Teapot?
It’s really easy to get complacent when it comes to daily routines. We’ll leave our freshly laundered clothes lying around an extra day or two; we’ll worry about our kitchen...
Are You Waiting Too Long to Resteep your Tea?
On each of our tea journeys, we discover our own unique ways of preparing tea. Some of us prefer the gaiwan to the teapot, oolong to white tea, or unsweetened...
What You Need to Know About Commercial Grade Tea
We’ve all been there. Whether you’re visiting a hip, local neighborhood for some window shopping or you’re strolling down the aisles in the grocery store, inevitably, you will find some...
What You Need to Make Pu Erh Tea Like a Pro
We’ve spent the last few weeks extolling the virtues of pu erh, addressing some common misconceptions, and providing some advice for picking out good teas while avoiding bad ones. Inevitably,...
What Makes for a Good Pu Erh Tea? Three Things You Should Know
Imagine that your interest in pu erh is piqued. You’re now browsing a selection and trying to figure out what to purchase. How do you make up your mind? Should...
How to Store Pu-Erh Tea and What to Do About Aging It
We’ve discussed some tea storage tips in the past (see tea storage 101 and tea storage 201), but we also noted how Pu-erh storage is a little different from the...
What Is Pu'Erh Tea and What Does It Taste Like?
Turning to pu erh for the first time can be overwhelming, confusing, and even intimidating. What is it supposed to taste like? What are you supposed to do with the...
An Ode to Tea Horse Road: Why Nobody Should Forget This Ancient Trading Route
The year was 641 AD. A Tang dynasty princess named Wen Cheng was set to marry a Tibetan king, Songsten Gampo. Inaugurating this new marriage was a gift that the...
The Secret of Pu-erh Tea: Metamorphosis
The idea of metamorphosis has long fascinated people. The Roman poet Ovid composed over fifteen books featuring two hundred and fifty poems on the topic. In our earliest science classes,...
Making Tea? This is the Most Important Thing to Have - Part I
One of the most exciting elements of being a loose leaf tea drinker is the beauty of the entire tea drinking experience. And if there’s any one thing that can...
A Beginner’s Guide to Loose Leaf Tea
Loose leaf tea makes for some incredible cups of tea, especially if you know what you are doing. So many people, used to the convenience of bagged tea, let these...
The Colors of Our Teas – A Quick and Friendly Guide to Tea Types
Tea comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors, ranging from the ethereal and mysterious Moonlight White tea to the rich and earthy Lao Liu Bao dark tea. To...
That One Tea Steeping Trick : Leaf Agitation
Today, we’re going to look at a step that might be more even neglected than the water pouring, and that is agitation. If you have ever observed any of the...
Thanksgiving's Blessings and Nature's Great Gift
What was once one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States next to Christmas has become an increasingly discussed subject of controversy. Most of us are familiar with...
The Perfect Tea Gift Guide: Eight Exceptional Gift Ideas for the Tea Lover in Your Life
It is hard to believe, but the Holiday Season is almost upon us, officially starting in one week on Thanksgiving. While it is a season to be celebrated with good...
Five Must Have Pu’erh Teas for the Collector
Pu’erhs are wildly popular today and for good reason. They have incredible shelf lives when stored properly, they taste even better as they age, and the flavors are complex...
Ranking the Top Three Teas to Help Keep you Warm
Not many people enjoy frigid temperatures, but there’s no denying that it brings some exciting smells, flavors, foods, and drinks. So with colder weather finally beginning to settle in, we...
How to Make the Switch from Coffee to Tea
For many Americans, coffee is a part of one’s daily morning routine. Whether one opts for more fine control over the process by using the pourover method, finds comfort in...
What Is Pu’erh Tea and Why Is It So Captivating? (Part II)
There is no denying that the flavor of pu’erh tea is very unique and complex. If you have had experience with it before, you have probably noticed that every brand...
What Is Pu’erh Tea and Why Is It So Captivating? (Part I)
Pu’erh tea has been increasingly growing in popularity in the United States every year. In fact, you just might say “Pu’erh is the new black!” But what exactly is it...
The World of Natural Flavored and Scented Teas
Last week, we looked at some of the problems with flavored teas in the tea market. Between questionable additives, use of inferior teas, unnatural or overpowering flavors, and inflated pricing,...
Flavored and Scented Teas - What You Need to Know
While many of us new to the world of tea often find ourselves first attracted to flavored tea, there is no denying that such teas can present a multitude of...
What is Dark Tea?
For those new to tea drinking, it often comes as a surprise to learn that there are categories of tea beyond green and black teas. Thanks in no small part...
Victoria's Tea Sourcing Trip 2017 - Fengqing, Yunnan Pt. II
Not only is the 3,200 year-old puerh tree located in Fengqing, Yunnan, but it is where you can find other majestic and breath-taking sights as well. In the second week...
Victoria's Tea Sourcing Trip 2017 - Fengqing, Yunnan
Recently, Victoria traveled to Fengqing, Yunnan to see a 3,200 year old puerh tea tree, said to be the oldest puerh tree. This particular tree made its rounds across the...
How Tea is Made
Sometimes when we see the price of high-quality tea, we wonder whether it’s worth it. We think the taste speaks for itself, but that’s not the only thing that’s taken...
Tea Spotlight: Jingmai Mangjing Ancient Tree Loose Leaf Gu Shu Puerh
Last week, we discussed what makes puerh tea unique and mentioned some of the health benefits one might enjoy from adding puerh to one’s daily tea drinking rituals. ...
Pu'erh Tea Fundamentals: What Is Pu'erh Tea and Why is it Special?
Puerh tea originated in the Yunnan Province in China, somewhere around the 4th Century. In fact, it derives its name from Pu’er City, which is located in southern Yunnan Province....
The King of Puerh Tea Lao Ban Zhang
Greetings from the Lao Ban Zhang village, the home of the renowned "King of Puerh" tea! Victoria's current tea trek has taken her to Bulang Mountain, Yunnan province, where...