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Shui Jin Gui + Whiskey
Shui Jin Gui yancha boasts chocolate, orange, and mineral rock profiles. Complimented by the spice and oak richness of a whiskey, I experience fruit-forward and depth unknown before. How I made this: Brew 8g/100mL of Shui Jin Gui gong fu style (I encourage you to play with other rock teas as well) for roughly 3…
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Mental Slumber: Dream Scene Smuggler
It’s time for more sheng puer, and the 50/50 blend of tea materials from He Beng, Yunnan, China, and Guo Gan, Myanmar, is an intriguing experience on paper alone. Enter Dream Scene Smuggler; A 200-300-year-old gushu from Mei Leaf that is a treat to sip alone and share with friends! Not only does the tea…
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In The Land of The Thunderbolt: Rohini First Flush
In the land of the thunderbolt, one feels as though they can touch the sky. Damp and heavy, the humidity is constant while fog moves in. Lightning streaks across the sky, and in minutes the heavens open, and showers act as a commencement for the change of seasons. Soon the sun shines brightly and you…
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Horizontal Tasting: Cultivar 21 White + Benifuki White
When it comes to white tea, I’m always ready for a cup. With its processing largely transparent and the classifications based on picking, there’s an ebb and flow to discerning quality that’s exciting. The careful balance the producer must traverse to effectively manage humidity and temperature during drying provides ample information when tasting the finished…
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STEAP’D with Friends Tasting Session: Balance
This month we strove to come together as a community with a sense of balance and a feeling of grounded vulnerability. With very honest discussions and openness, the session for myself was extremely reaffirming as many of the tea enthusiasts and professionals within have now known each other for nearly a year. Just like last…
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STEAP’D With Friends Tasting Session: Sheng Pu’erh
The third STEAP’D With Friends Tasting Session and first for 2020 has us drinking raw pu’erh! Sheng pu’erh is always an enjoyable tea for me, though I must be careful to not drink it on an empty stomach! For those new and unfamiliar, these sessions are a chance for many gong fu cha lovers to…
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Traveling With Gong Fu Cha In Mind
While my work mainly keeps me in the great city of Chicago, I occasionally find myself on business trips throughout the country for a week or two at a time. As I strive to maintain a consistent gong fu brewing practice, I’ve found it necessary to keep tea’s solace with me from state to state.…
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10 Memorable Teas from 2019
As the year wraps up I cannot help but extend gratitude to everyone that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, sharing tea with, and engaging in discussion within this community. I’ve learned so much not only about tea, but also in regards to myself within the world of the leaf. Whether it’s a profound tea-drunk…
STEAP'D 