LuYu Tea Museum

Silk Origins & Golden Ages

By , on March 22, 2010 in: Tribute Tea Tour

Our Green Tea Tour is underway and here are some photos that Tang Le sent me last night. They are in Changxing in Zhejiang province. Changxing is just south of Tai Lake about 1.5 hours west of Shanghai.

Austin drinking mao cha loose green puer tea in a village house.

Mediocritea

By , on March 2, 2010 in: Seven Cups News

I’ve just returned from a whirlwind trip to China. I was sent a ticket by a Chinese corporation that is thinking about opening a chain of retail tea shops. Their plan is to create a ‘tea beverage’ and they want a trustworthy supplier…

the piling segment of black puer tea production

The Safety of Chinese Teas

By , on December 29, 2009 in: Industry News

Recently I sent out a newsletter that had a picture of puer being fermented. Someone sent me an email that said that the photo was not appropriate for people who were already afraid about the safety of Chinese products.I can understand why that might be a perception commonly held…

NYT Tim Arango Oct. 5, 2009 article publication picture

Soon, Bloggers Must Give Full Disclosure

By , on October 7, 2009 in: Industry News

This is a ruling I’m glad to see. We have been on-line for 7 years, and we have seen a lot of things change. A lot of the changes have been great, but I haven’t seen an explosion in integrity. I have seen some awful things, like the websites that have been selling cheap oolong… // MORE

Traditional practice for Rock Wulong tea

Interviews on Rock Wulong Production

By , on August 24, 2009 in: How Tea is Produced, Videos

The Plucking & Zuo Qing Phase of Wulong Production This video was taken during a visit to Rock Wulong tea gardens. During the first part of the video, Zhuping is speaking with a tea picker who describes to her how the tea is picked and how the bushes are distinguished. The second portion of the… // MORE

An Ji Bai Cha mother bush

Anji Bai Cha – Famous Since the Tang dynasty

By , on July 28, 2009 in: Famous Chinese Teas, Videos

What’s in This Video In this video, Zhuping discusses the famous tea Anji Bai Cha. This has some history that spans several dynasties, although it is also rumored that some of its history can be attributed to marketing. The video introduces the portion of the tour done in 2009 where Seven Cups is given the… // MORE

Phoenix Mountain is the most famous place for producing Dan Cong wulong- Chaozhou City in Guangdong Province.

Zhuni Pots & A 4th Generation Chaozhou Potter

By , on July 15, 2009 in: Teaware & Accessories, Videos

This video features Master Wu, a fourth generation potter from Chaozhou. In it, he makes a Zhuni Pot using the traditional pottery wheel. This type of pot is excellent from brewing tea especially the beloved Dan Cong from this region. We currently do not carry any Zhuni pots from this region online, but we do… // MORE

China Daily featured photo for article Tempest over tea: What is the true Puer?

Tempest over tea: What is the true Puer?

By , on June 19, 2009 in: Industry News

Seven Cups is gearing up for another trip to Yunnan. The article “Tempest over tea: What is the true Puer?” from the China daily seems especially relevant. It talks about the first fallout from China’s new tea export laws.  We’re sure this is the beginning of many controversies to come since China is trying to… // MORE

Shi Feng Dragon Well - Master Weng Shang Yi

Shi Feng Long Jing – Dragon Well country

By , on March 27, 2009 in: Seven Cups News

We recently visited Hangzhou, which has become the modern national capital for trade groups and various governing bodies. Hangzhou is completely different than the bamboo forests we’ve been living in these past few days. It’s cosmopolitan and reminds us of France with tree-lined streets. In the morning, we watched Mr. Weng Shang Yi (Shi Feng… // MORE

China’s Tea Regions-Video Podcast

By , on January 27, 2009 in: Videos

Welcome to our first video podcast of the new year with Andrea Serrano and Zhuping Hodge, tea master and owner of Seven Cups. We are excited to resume our weekly podcast and are always looking for new topics. Over the next month we will bring you pictures and information about specific tea growing regions (ie… // MORE

Tea on a tray

National Standard of Puer Tea Put into Practice

By , on December 2, 2008 in: Industry News

On a Beijing Review article China has set a standard for Chinese puer production that limits the use of the word puer to it’s native growing areas. This standard includes Kunming even though tea is not grown in the Kunming area. I’m not sure how meaningful this standard is in relationship to the domestic market, but… // MORE

Image from The National Newspaper

Article by Karen Attwood of The National Newspaper

By , on October 20, 2008 in: Industry News

Peacefulness through a bowl of tea Peacefulness through tea! This from Abu Dhabi. This is a great story. It is interesting to note that the Islamic countries consume 25% of the world’s tea. Below is the image and article by Karen Attwood taken directly from the website for The National Newspaper.   ABU DHABI // When Hounsai… // MORE

黄片 Huang Pian _preview

News From China

By , on June 16, 2008 in: Industry News

Reporting from our Changxing Office in Zhejiang I’m writing from our recently opened office in Changxing, in Zhejiang. Changxing just a short drive away from Guzhu Mountain where Luyu supervised tea production for the Tang emperor, while he composed the first book about tea, while he lived and died in nearby Huzhou. This area is… // MORE

How to Brew Tea Using a Gaiwan

Bi Luo Chun (Spring Green Spiral)

By , on May 16, 2008 in: Famous Chinese Teas, Videos

A Ming Dynasty Tribute Tea Name and Origin Bi Luo Chun began sometime around the end of the Ming dynasty about four to five hundred years ago. It is believed that it become a tribute tea closer to the beginning of the Qing dynasty. The earliest spring buds are chosen for this tea. These buds… // MORE

The Business of Tea | How Seven Cups Buys Their Tea

By , on April 11, 2008 in: Videos

Welcome to our weekly video podcast with Andrea Serrano and Austin Hodge, owner of Seven Cups. Look for more video podcasts with Austin entitled “The Business of Tea” Today’s topic: The Business of Tea- “How We Buy Our Tea” -organic, traditionally made and high quality Thank you all for your comments regarding our video podcasts.… // MORE

Gong Fu Tea Ceremony with Keiko

By , on March 24, 2008 in: Teaware & Accessories, Videos

Welcome to our weekly video podcast with Andrea Serrano and special guest Keiko Naito, manager of Seven Cups teahouse, demonstrating gong fu tea ceremony. Today’s topic: Gong Fu-Oolong Tea Ceremony (short version) Thank you all for your comments regarding our video podcasts. We would like to create future podcasts on topics you all are interested… // MORE

Traditional Matcha service

History of Matcha | How to Make Matcha

By , on March 14, 2008 in: How To Brew Tea, Videos

What’s In this Video We briefly cover the historical background of matcha, its qualities, and how to brew it. If you are seeking more in-depth instruction for making matcha, please visit the Brewing Guidelines section of our Shade-grown Matcha page. A Little On Matcha Matcha tea is finely ground or pulverized powder of processed green tea… // MORE

black tea videocast

All About Black Tea

By , on January 18, 2008 in: Famous Chinese Teas, Videos

In this video, Zhuping reviews the different types of black tea as well as an overall historical background for the teas. Most black teas will break down into one of the following categories: Lapsang; Qimen or Keemun; or Yunnan. At the end of the 17th century in Tong Mu village located in the Wuyi Mountains… // MORE