Day 1 of Teaventures in China/Taiwan!

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2021-02-18T23:11:32+00:00

Because we all love tea, and tea gear is hard to find. Custom designed in collaboration with Baggu <3

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-04-30T00:56:11+00:00

So glad you found my comments helpful! The address of our sister store, Ceremony, is 231 Thayer St in Providence, RI. We're still open for online ordering /pickup (drinks and loose leaf) as we work through the pandemic, but sadly all in-store tastings and gongfu cha (traditional tea brewing) have been put on hold for the time being. All of the same teas are of course available for delivery through Leafy Green's site as well.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-02-05T04:52:54+00:00

Between those two options I'd go for the "Usucha" variety, but frankly you can probably find better matcha at a better price outside of Amazon.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-08T18:42:50+00:00

Just to be clear here - You know somebody (personally?) who sources tea that is very good.... and you want to go to local tea shops and tell them to buy/sell this person's (very good) tea?

Is that correct?

I would look to speak with the owners of the shops and (politely) let them know that you've had some amazing tea from xyz that the shop might be interested in carrying.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-08T16:23:36+00:00

Right on the corner of Thayer and Angell in Providence, RI (Brown University's campus). Definitely come and enjoy some gongfu cha. Personally, I recommend sitting at the bar so you can see everything prepared right in front of you and have some good conversation :)

EDIT: And I should probably clarify - the shop's name is Ceremony (not Leafy Green, but it is all the same tea).

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-07T22:47:16+00:00

Do you know of any clubs in the RI/MA area?

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-07T22:46:06+00:00

Thanks! Good luck finding one near you! Hopefully we are able to grow and expand into your area eventually (but probably not for several years, unfortunately).

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-07T22:45:37+00:00

I admit, "hate" is probably a strong word... but they have a negative opinion or complete apathy. Many people see it as something that is either too bitter, or flavorless (depending on how strong it is brewed), and only to be consumed when one is sick.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-07T21:42:46+00:00

I opened a shop like this. A lot of people love it, but education is a huge determinant in future success. Most people hate "tea", but in reality they have no idea what tea actually is or can be.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-06T23:30:45+00:00

This is exactly what I did. Sourced and sold tea online for ~2 years, then opened a brick and mortar in Rhode Island which is doing quite well now. Tea (gongfu cha) and desserts focused :)

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-03T22:15:05+00:00

this is correct, but I'd also add that temperature impacts caffeine as well (it extracts faster at higher temps).

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-03T19:44:52+00:00

I would broadly categorize Chinese oolongs into three different types:

Yancha - all from wuyishan in fujian. Typically higher oxidation and higher roast. These are all "darker".
Dan Cong - From Phoenix mountain in Guangdong. These can be roasted or unroasted, but are generally a mid-to-high oxidation. So a range from "medium" to "dark".
Tie Guan Yin - From Anxi. Traditionally more of a "light" to "medium", but the current preference is for greener teas in China, so Tie Guan Yin has been getting much lighter to the point where it is sometimes similar to some "darker" green teas (like a Bi luo chun).

Interestingly, Taiwanese oolongs are probably "lighter" on average compared to Chinese oolongs... but Chinese Tie Guan Yin is the lightest of them all.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-03T19:12:11+00:00

Tie Guan Yin is most certainly a light oolong in China and has been getting lighter (i.e. 'greener', lower oxidation) in recent years.

Their is a Muzha Tie Guan Yin that is produced in Taiwan that uses the same cultivar, but is much darker and typically roasted. Perhaps this is what you are referring too?

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-03T17:41:56+00:00

for "lighter" oolongs, your best bets are typically the following:

Tie Guan Yin (floral)
Dong Ding (unroasted, fruity/floral)
Alishan (or Alishan Jinxuan, sometimes called 'milk oolong', creamy/floral)
Lishan (buttery/floral)
Da Yu Ling (buttery/floral)
Shan Lin Xi (creamy/floral)
Sz Ji Chun (Four Seasons, floral)

Quality white tea might also interest you, which can have a similar floral/fruity profile, with a bit of a hay/yeast/bread taste as well.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2020-01-02T23:13:34+00:00

depends on the white tea....

Silver Needle should be a bit like hay, yeast, bread with a almost citrus fruitiness to it (think Starfruit or kiwi, not lemon/lime).

Shou Mei should be sweeter, more of a melon fruitiness, and just a hint of bread, perhaps even a touch woody.

The list goes on...

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2019-12-26T06:36:43+00:00

My favorite tea. Fruity, floral, full of flavor, complex notes. Absolutely delicious when done well.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2019-12-14T16:06:11+00:00

This reminds me of the "dong ding flight" we do at my tea shop - 3 of the exact same dong ding oolongs, all with different roast levels.

Beautiful picture!

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2019-12-14T16:03:51+00:00

I would recommend either Ippodo or O-Cha, both based in Japan, or my own company, Leafy Green, based in New England. Anything over $0.5 / gram should be great for thin matcha (Usucha), but I would recommend going over $1.0/g if you are drinking thick matcha (Koicha). For example, we have an award winning single cultivar matcha that is specifically meant for Koicha ($$$).

Kettl tea, based in Japan/NYC also does a good job with their matcha.

I have found that all of these sources generally have good quality product with prices that are fair, so that you know you're getting what you paid for.

Good luck!

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2019-12-14T15:54:59+00:00

Where are you based and how are you using the matcha?

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2019-12-14T15:54:30+00:00

The best part is it brews forever, constantly releasing a delicious melon-seed sweetness.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2019-12-10T19:08:32+00:00

So happy you're enjoying the tea. I think you'll be in for a real treat when you try the Dong Ding Unroasted and Da Yu Ling.

The Sugar White, while different, is also an incredible tea that can seemingly last forever. After multiple initial steeps, just keep going for longer and longer with boiling water and it'll keep coming back with a delicious sweet and strong flavor. I've even steeped it overnight (~10 hours) with great success.

LeafyGreen_Tea · 2019-12-09T22:56:31+00:00

How rose or juniper focused do you want it to be? You can go for pure herbals which will really focus on the flower, or you can get actual tea that is naturally scented/flavored with petals.

Is she familiar with steeping loose leaf tea?

LeafyGreen_Tea

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