Sikkim temi green - 12h cold brew

I don't drink Decaffeinated normally, but this is a very nice tea to have in the afternoon. Not overly sweet, just enough to enjoy on it's own

I could add milk, but this is nice as is

I simply love how my new cup makes my Gyokuro look.

Prepared in my shiboridashi: 3g, 40ml, 40oC 2.5min; 45oC 1min; 60oC 1.5min; 70oC 1.5min; 80oC 2min x 2; 90oC 2min, 90oC 3min.

Gyokuro Kyotanabe Tezumi Gokō. Pictured is the second infusion.

We are making our (nearly) annual visit to Charleston. These have included a visit to the Tea Plantation Garden. Bill Hall, the last of the two founders, died in 2022. He lived on the property and reportedly exerted significant control over how the tea making and growing were conducted. After his death we noticed what appeared to be a decline in the state of the plants - more weeds than normal growing in and even over several of the blocks of tea plants - and the visitors center. I put it down to lack of proper management or maybe loss of interest by Bigelow, the owners.

Glad to say that this year’s visit was great. There is a new person in charge of the growing operation. Word was that they are attempting to rejuvenate the plants by severely cutting back the bushes to about half their original height (4-5 foot height to about 2 feet) This is causing the middle of each bush to regrow into more dense vegetation. This lower and middle mass of greenery is the factory that supplies the energy for the new shoots to form on top (my understanding). The farm has plants grouped in rectangular blocks. It seemed like about half the blocks had been cut back. The ones that have had time to grow back really look great - thick and green vegetation. We also heard that they have replaced their old harvesting machine that sheared off the top of the bushes including new growth, old growth and weeds for a more modern harvesting machine. We did not see this and do not know how it “picks” tea.

The gift shop also seemed better stocked and brighter. During our visit last year it was kind of dark like they didn’t have all the lights on to save money. In addition to the gift store tea themed Knick knacks, they now offer “loose leaf” tea in a pouch. We fell for it and bought some in the hope was a more orthodox loose leaf tea. I did take the factory tour this visit and did not see any rolling machines or really any changes from previous tours. Their manufacturing process is a form of crush-tear-curl. I suppose they could do smaller batch processing in another building (??). I have not enjoyed previous samples of their tea (you can test the more mature leaves). Hoping the changes being made translate into better tea.

kept seeing black sesame matcha pop up on cafe menus this fall, so I finally tried making one at home this weekend — black sesame paste blended into the milk, then matcha poured over ice on top. It comes out this moody dark grey-green, very Halloween without any food coloring.

Honestly? Way better than I expected. Nutty and toasty, not too sweet, and the sesame actually stands up to the matcha instead of getting buried by it. My one regret is I went a little heavy on the paste the first time and it got gritty — second glass with less paste was the sweet spot.

Anyone else making spooky-season drinks at home? I'm curious what dark drinks people are doing — black cocoa matcha, butterfly pea color-change stuff, anything that actually tastes good and not just looks good for a photo?

Fresh vs. dried , an October experiment. This is another in my “Will It Brew?” series, exploring wild plants through the lens of tea, broth, and flavor. Thanks for following along!

Found

Northern Ohio, USA, late October.

Most of the leaves are turning colors or falling now, but the little mulberry sprouts growing in the shade still have some healthy green leaves.

I have dozens of mulberry trees available to me, so gathering leaves is hardly a challenge. I take whichever healthy-looking leaves catch my eye, from whatever branches happen to be handy. At this time of year, that generally means the small, shaded growth.

ID Notes

Mulberry (Morus species) is a familiar tree around here, and its leaves can be surprisingly variable. Some are heart-shaped or oval, while others have several lobes, sometimes even on the same tree.

The leaves generally have toothed margins and prominent veins.

I'm using leaves from my local mulberries rather than selecting and documenting a single tree for this experiment, so I'm not claiming a particular species for every leaf in the pot.

Gathering

I choose healthy green leaves, avoiding the ones that are yellowing, damaged, or looking ready to fall.

In summer, there's no shortage. By late October, you may have to look a little harder. I find the best ones in shady spots where new growth has stayed green. Look for a mulberry stem shooting up in a wooded edge area, or a protected tree out of the frost. 

Drying

While I drink the tea of fresh leaves all season long, I also dry mulberry leaves for winter tea and store them in jars once they're completely dry. I've already put away more than half a gallon this year just by grabbing a few now and then all season long.  It's one of the pleasures of having so many mulberry trees that I can make a pot of tea, or gallons of iced tea, without worrying about the cost of every cup.

Preparation

For this experiment, I brewed two versions. Fresh, late-season green mulberry leaves, and mulberry leaves I'd dried earlier in the season. Both were prepared as ordinary hot infusions. 

Fresh I used about five leaves, a small handful for a large cup of tea. I tore the leaves and poured over just boiled water. It steeped for four minutes, and I added a tiny amount of stevia. 

Dried I used about two tablespoons of loosely crumbled leaves, poured over just boiling water, and steeped it five minutes. It also was sweetened with a tiny bit of stevia. 

Fresh Leaf Tea

The fresh leaves produced a clear, bright yellow-green tea. The flavor was mild and naturally a little sweet smelling, and there was a little fruitiness to the taste. Just a suggestion of pear, like the flavor you notice when eating a perfectly ripe pear that isn't especially sweet. It is pleasant and delicate.

Dried Leaf Tea

The dried leaves made a slightly more muted, straw-colored infusion. The flavor was slightly different from the fresh tea.  Still mild and sweet smelling but it reminded me of sweet hay, in the best possible way. Like summer, dried. There's something comforting about that flavor, particularly when you're drinking it in autumn and know winter is coming. It's still mild, still unobtrusive, but genuinely pleasant. It would be easy to say this tea is boring, but it is really just pleasant and delicate. 

Flavor Notes

Fresh: Mild, softly fruity, with a suggestion of pear. Like a lightly fruity green tea. 

Dried: Gentle, sweet hay, warm and summery. Green tea adjacent. 

Neither is strongly flavored and for me, that’s part of the appeal. Mulberry leaf tea is not a tea that announces itself from across the room. You can enjoy it without thinking about it, but if you stop and pay attention, there's something mild and lovely there.

Cold Infusion: For fresh leaves, I start by pouring over boiling water and then after a bit of a steep, I add cold water and sweetener. For dried leaves I just let the dried leaves steep in cold water in the fridge overnight, then sweeten. It makes a mild tea my family enjoys. 

Blending

One of my favorite uses for mulberry is calming down more assertive teas. I don't particularly enjoy grape leaf tea by itself, but a tea that is half grape leaf and half mulberry, with a little lemon peel, makes a fresh summer drink.

Ginger can be aggressive on its own. But a little ginger peel with mulberry, a fraction of a cinnamon stick, and a black peppercorn? Very nice, especially in the colder months.

Mulberry gives these blends a mild foundation without competing with everything else. Somehow it holds it all together.  It's a supporting actor that makes the rest of the cast look good.

Verdict

Will it brew? Absolutely.

Best as: An everyday hot tea, an inexpensive-by-virtue-of-being-free iced tea, or a gentle base for other herbal blends.

Would I try it again? I drink it regularly and have half a gallon of dried leaves waiting for winter, so I think we've answered that question.

Flavor strength: Mild.

It tastes remarkably like inexpensive generic green tea. Specifically, the Walmart store-brand green tea bags. I realize this sounds like faint praise. It isn't meant to be. Sometimes I want a cup of tea that doesn't demand my attention. I'm reading a good book, dipping a crispy cookie into my cup, and I don't want a botanical fireworks display interrupting a particularly interesting chapter. Mulberry is excellent at being that tea. 

Mulberry leaf tea is the millennial greige of teas, and I mean that affectionately. It's not the belle of the ball, but a sturdy, agreeable, proficient dancing partner. It's pleasant company, doesn't demand much, and can happily dance all evening. Ok, I think I have tortured those metaphors enough, but I hope you get the idea. Mild, pleasant, plays well alone or with others. 

A Note on Safety

Mulberry leaves have a history of use as tea, particularly white mulberry (Morus alba) in East Asian traditions. My tea is made from a mixture of locally growing mulberries, rather than leaves collected exclusively from positively identified white mulberry trees. As with any foraged plant, positive identification matters, and the species and plant part should be checked before making an infusion. This is a description of my own preparations and tasting experiences, not a medicinal recommendation.

If you're looking for a fresh local tea before autumn finally closes the door, have a look at your mulberry trees. There may still be a few good green leaves waiting for you.

okay! i have visited (almost) all of the places that were recommended to me and now I will try to give my honest review of each and what i had there. Rishi (my little sculpted doll) came with because he's my pocket tea expert.

Slide 1: White Peony loose leaf and an almond tea biscuit at Casa de Chá "O Poejo" in Sete Cidades.
A beautiful setting, delicious loose leaf white tea (grown right in the area!), and extremely friendly employees. you can tell they are passionate about tea! This was my favorite place we went, and i even went back a week or so later for more white tea and orange pie (slide 7).

Slide 2: Gorreana Green at O Roberto in Ponta Delgada.
They are very new! I purchased some Moaçor biscuits in their storefront and the chocolate ones might be my new vice. Mercifully you can buy them online. The tearoom is cute and peaceful despite being in the center of town, and offers a standard taste of the local Gorreana teas. My only real gripe here was the dribbly teapot lol. Staff were extremely good conversationalists and we talked tea for a bit!

Slide 3: Pekoe and a black tea/bergamot/cocoa biscuit at Cha Gorreana in Maia.
The big plantation on the island! the factory smelled so so good. It was by far the busiest of all the places but it was really special for me, since it is the first tea plantation I have ever visited! Standard friendly service, lots of little biscuits, and best of all - free cups of black or green tea for visitors. I enjoyed walking through the rows of tea bushes too ^^. Went back several days later and got a butter cookie with my free tea (slide 6).

Slide 4: Broken leaf black and coconut cake at Cha Porto Formoso... in Porto Formoso.
This place straight up looks abandoned from roadside, we passed it twice trying to find the new location. It's not though! Go down through the gated path and there's a cute tree lined walkway to the teahouse at the bottom of the hill. We watched a short 5min documentary on this much smaller but very lovely plantation, and then got complimentary cups of tea. Service was quiet but kind, and we all but had the place to ourselves.

Slide 5: Cold brew white peony tea, locally smoked lapsang, and oolong (pictured) at Chalet da Tia Mercês in Furnas, courtesy of Azores Essentials.
This one requires advanced booking! Got to try some local cheeses, jams, and other treats with a lovely selection of teas from the island. Our host was very knowledgable and informative, and gave us a history of the islands before we had our tea. Mind you, it was altogether a three and a half hour ordeal, so if you have a tight itinerary make sure you leave plenty of time for this. It was all and all a great experience, and I am glad we did it.

Slide 8: First pluck black tea at Terra Verde in Ponta Delgada.
Almost didn't make it here! Service was very accommodating and the setting was cozy. Once again, we had the place to ourselves. I will say, i had to ask for a different teapot, as the first one I received left some mysterious grit floating in the tea (which was big loose leaf and definitely not the culprit) but they were great about it and no harm was done. They had the cutest little tea timer on the table, which was useful. Tea was good and i am glad i got to try it!

Slide 9: Masala chai and samosa at Saffrron in Ponta Delgada (honorable mention!)
No idea why this place was dead at dinnertime. Service was great, and after two weeks of exploring Azorean cuisine, the food and drink here were comfortingly familiar. The tea's masala had very different flavors to the kind I am used to, but it was delicious! We ate outside, and the warm food with the cool night air was so refreshing. Highly recommend.

If you have any specific questions about the teas, I will try to answer!

I just held an informal tea themed meetup in Bangkok, with the point here being which teas we tried, and how it works out presenting a range of different teas. I wrote a blog post describing them, but I'll add a little on it here, so people who don't want to click through can cover parts of the same ideas.

It focused mostly on tea from Thailand and Vietnam. We tried a Thai Oriental Beauty oolong, Thai (Wawee area) black tea, Vietnamese Y Ty origin black tea, Thai (Wawee) sheng (basically pu'er), Vietnamese Y Ty sheng, a 2004 Dayi / Taetea purple label 7542 sheng pu'er, and a Fu hei cha, the kind that includes golden flowers fungus (jin hua).

Of course the idea was trying a number of different teas. It worked well doing repeating sub-themes like that, comparing black tea versions, and different sheng, to see how those can vary, at least in two examples. It's a big jump trying young and aged sheng (the Thai and Vietnamese versions were all from this year), so in that case it was about contrast.

Oriental Beauty is really complex and approachable, naturally tasting like honey, citrus, and cinnamon, so that's a good place to start. Fu hei cha--usually Fu zhuan or Fu brick, but this was pressed in a cake form--is kind of unusual, and also really approachable, so it's an interesting way to end. It tastes like yeasty fresh bread, with some dried fruit input. The well-aged sheng (stored in Bangkok, so 22 years is awhile) was an anomaly, unlike all of the rest.

https://teaintheancientworld.blogspot.com/2026/10/thai-and-vietnamese-black-tea-and-sheng.html

Every time I have friends over for tea I end up stuck on the same thing. Do I just brew something I like and pour it for everyone, or let each person pick what they actually want?

For a long time I'd make one pot of whatever I was into and split it between everyone. Then I started noticing a couple of friends would barely touch their cup. One can't stand certain scents, and another just doesn't like what I like. Nobody said anything, the cups just stayed full lol

I have way too much tea at home to put it all out, so now I keep a variety set around for this. I've got the Osulloc Premium Tea Collection right now, which has a bunch of different flavors, and I just put the box out and let everyone grab what they want.

Still feels a little lazy as a host though, so I keep going back and forth on it.

And in the third picture is that rust in the neck/spout?

Someone gifted me this with no English on the packaging. I know it's definitely some kind of Chinese green tea based on the look and the fresh taste, but the wiry shape is throwing me off.

The soup is incredibly clear and pale. The wet leaves are gorgeous little green needles. My best guess is some kind of high-grade Maojian, but what do you guys think? Also, any brewing tips for this specific style? (Currently using 80°C water in a gaiwan).

I’m new to drinking tea and recently discovered ‘Cream of Earl Grey’ which I’ve found on davidstea: https://davidstea.com/products/organic-cream-of-earl-grey-tea

I’m basically addicted to it. I drink about 1liter / day, always with a little splash of milk.

1) Can you folks recommend a tea that’s similar in taste but decaf, so I can enjoy it in the evening?
2) Based on this being my favourite tea, what other teas should I try? Looking to try other fantastic flavours .

hi all!

i’m usually an iced coffee person. I really like sweet coffees and sugary drinks, but I’m trying to move towards teas and less towards the super sugary syrups and stuff.

I see a lot of people who love tea and I’ve always tried to get into it, but it wasn’t sweet enough for my liking, and I really like gourmand, bakery/treat flavored things.

I’m starting to have issues with postnasal drip, as well as allergies, so I’ve been resorting to drinking hot tea, but I want tea that is enjoyable in flavor as well, and not something that I have to force myself to drink.

For my sweet and sugary people, what is your favorite tea flavor? I love cake and I love all kind of sweet treats, so what is your favorite? :)

Hi all. I've got an old dresser of mine that I'm planning to repurpose for tea and tea supplies storage. Has anyone else done this? If so, any tips? Thanks!

Anybody else a fan?

Really good green tea. It has a hint of sweetness aftertaste imo

And this stuff is cheap because it is a side product that people don't typically want. The discarded stalks and pieces of leaf of gyokuro that is over 100 or 150 yen a gram can sell for as little as 10 yen a gram.

Thats a 90% discount for a different part of the leaf. The same leaf that was cultivated, harvested and processed the same way as the expensive leaf.

Yes, it is not "the same". The flavour is more rough, may last fewer infusions, but if you know it comes from the good leaves, it will be insanely good. No astringency and overall the same notes of the gyokuro.

A gyokuro or sencha at that price point will give you supermarket quality stuff. Karigane from a tea producer shop will give you something much much better.

It is also less finicky to brew if you are feeling lazy. And, you can roast it and make your own decent quality hojicha if you feel like it.

Do any of you in the United States remember when Pure Leaf, perhaps to get in on the Teavana market, released its own brand of Loose Leaf Gunpowder Green Tea from Indonesia and sold in supermarkets?

Do you guys know where I can source or get good quality Gunpowder Green Tea with a deep rich flavor and floral finish/aftertaste? Like what brands or vendors? I miss this so much ...

I typically use Gunpowder Green as a base for a 10g Tea blend I make. I use 6 g of Gunpowder green, 1.5 g of Maofeng green, 1.5 g of Longjing green, 1.5 g Biluochun, 1.5 g vietnamese high mountain green (I guess a Sheng like green), then a small sprinkle of Shoumei White tea leaves. All of this brewed with 200 mL of 175 g water gongfu style for 20 s adding 5 for each new steep.

Thanks for reading this

Ok I'm not new to tea. But I wanna be more serious about it. I like drinking tea very much and I want some people to help me with what I should get to upgrade my tea game. I really tea and I want some help

Also some recommendations for tea would be nice. Thank you guys.

I wanted to get myself a tea advent calendar each year to serve as an activity to expand my horizons when it comes to tea! Like I know my basics but I want to get more familiar with different regions and global traditions. It looked like the Inoki Bathhouse advent did that but also I don’t entirely trust that company. Are there any other similar calendars? Preferably ones that include information on where each tea is from and how it was grown / processed.

Been attempting to make good tea for a few months now, but it always turns out bad. Thick syrupy or just bitter and tastes off.

I’m currently using a recipe of cha tra mue which is:

3 Tbsp Thai tea
1 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp evaporated milk
1 tbsp white granulated sugar

If anyone has good recipes please let me know

As a gift I was given a tin of commemorative tea created for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. I liked it very much and ordered more. After the stock ran out I reached out and they said it was custom and limited. I’m not asking any of you for what it was- but have any of you hit on the perfect blend to suggest? Like half Assam, quarter Darjeeling, quarter Kenya… that type of thing.

chinese vendor gave me this as a gift i dont know what tea is this or how do i prepare it, i dont own a gonfu set i only have a teapot and a french press

“Improving in aroma with age” is often regarded as a defining quality and a key selling point of aged teas such as Pu-erh and white tea, as well as aged tangerine peel (chenpi). But do you know where this expression comes from?

As early as 1562, during the Ming Dynasty, people had already discovered that “aged tea tastes better.” However, this observation did not specifically refer to Pu-erh tea, but to Gantong tea from Dali, Yunnan, as Pu-erh tea had not yet developed into a complete tea production system at that time. Some online bloggers attribute the concept of “the older, the more fragrant” to ancient Chinese scholars, but this is actually a misunderstanding.

The earliest known written record of the improvement in tea quality through ageing dates back to 1562, the 42nd year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty. In the Dali Prefecture Gazetteer (Dali Fuzhi), Li Yuanyang wrote:

“The tea trees of Diancang Mountain grow to a height of two zhang. Their properties and flavour are no less than those of Yangxian tea. The longer the tea is stored, the better its flavour becomes.”

This is the earliest written record in Chinese tea history stating that tea improves in flavour through long-term storage.

The tea described in this record was Gantong tea from Dali, rather than Pu-erh tea as defined today. Gantong tea was named after Gantong Temple, located at the foot of Shengying Peak on Cangshan Mountain in Dali. Tea cultivation around the temple began as early as the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdom periods, making Gantong tea one of Yunnan’s earliest recorded local famous teas.

Gantong tea became widely known largely because of Xu Xiake. In 1639, Xu visited Gantong Temple and recorded in his Travel Diaries in Yunnan (Dianyou Riji) that the tea trees in the temple were “three to four zhang tall.” He also praised the tea, saying that “its flavour was quite good.”

During the Qing Dynasty, Yu Huai gave Gantong tea an even higher evaluation in his Tea Garden (Chayuan), describing it as “sweet, fragrant, delicate and white, ranking first among Yunnan teas.”

This indicates that Gantong tea was made from Yunnan large-leaf tea varieties and that its processing methods were similar to those of traditional Pu-erh tea.

The traditional processing method of Gantong tea was similar to that of baked green tea. After production was restored in modern times, tender shoots consisting of one bud and one leaf, or one bud and two newly opened leaves, were harvested. The processing steps included fixation (sha qing), rolling, initial baking, secondary rolling, shaping, preliminary firing and final firing.

The key processing technique lies in the combination of baking and rolling. This method leaves room for subsequent transformation during ageing.

People in the Ming Dynasty had only observed that tea could improve in flavour through long-term storage. They had not developed a processing theory specifically for Pu-erh tea, nor had they explained the mechanisms of tea ageing.

Throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a general understanding that aged Pu-erh tea could be consumed and that older tea was milder in character. However, the expression “the older, the more fragrant” had never appeared.

Nevertheless, the historical significance of these early records cannot be denied. At the very least, they demonstrate that Gantong tea made from Yunnan large-leaf tea varieties could become better in flavour after long-term storage. This is the historical origin of what is now described as “the older, the more fragrant.”

The processing of fermented Pu-erh tea in Yunnan began in the early 1970s, when Kunming Tea Factory and Menghai Tea Factory started experimental production. After several years of research and development, the processing techniques were largely standardised.

In 1979, Yunnan Province formulated the Provisional Regulations on Pu-erh Tea Manufacturing Techniques, which were subsequently introduced across state-owned tea factories throughout the province.

These provisional regulations defined the quality characteristics of Yunnan Pu-erh tea in terms of becoming more fragrant with age. The main statement was as follows:

“Pu-erh tea gradually develops its distinctive colour, aroma and flavour through the slow post-fermentation transformation of polyphenolic compounds in tea leaves, exhibiting the characteristic style of becoming more fragrant with age.”

Therefore, the original development of the processing techniques, the production system and the definition of the tea category associated with Pu-erh tea’s characteristic of “the older, the more fragrant” should be attributed to Yunnan’s official tea manufacturing system in 1979, particularly the four major state-owned tea factories: Menghai, Kunming, Xiaguan and Pu’er.

The First Public Use of the Expression “The Older, the More Fragrant” ，1984 is The Earliest Written Use in China。

Many people mistakenly believe that Deng Shihai originated the concept. However, historical records indicate otherwise.

In 1984, Wang Shuwen, a tea professional from Yunnan, published an article in A Collection of Yunnan Arts and Crafts (Yunnan Gongyi Meishupin Huicui), formally using the complete expression “Pu-erh tea becomes more fragrant with age” in writing for the first time.

Wang Shuwen explained:“Through consultations with experienced tea professionals and tea experts, together with more than ten years of my own experience and understanding, I came to believe that Pu-erh tea is different from other types of tea.”

In Wang’s view, black tea and green tea need to be stored in sealed containers at low temperatures to preserve their original aromas and flavours. Pu-erh tea, however, requires natural fermentation.

“Pu-erh tea becomes more fragrant with age. The longer it is aged, the better its quality and the greater its health benefits.”Wang Shuwen then began writing articles to formally promote the concept that “Pu-erh tea becomes more fragrant with age.”

From 1984 onwards, he published numerous articles in media outlets both within and outside Yunnan Province.In 1988, he published an article in China Export Commodities, a publication based in Hong Kong, simultaneously presenting the concept in Chinese, English and Japanese.He also continued to promote this concept on various occasions.

In 1993, at an academic symposium on Pu-erh tea, Deng Shihai elevated the concept of “the older, the more fragrant” into a core value theory of Pu-erh tea and systematically promoted it to a wider audience.

His contribution lay in popularising, developing and commercially defining the concept, rather than originating it. This is a historical fact that professionals working in tea culture should not overlook.

Deng Shihai was not the first person to propose that Pu-erh tea becomes more fragrant with age. Rather, he was the person who applied the concept of “the older, the more fragrant” specifically to the introduction, promotion and marketing of Pu-erh tea.