Ceremonial Grade

Miles Cramer shares his background in the tea industry and his time at Dobra Tea in Asheville. He recounts his recent trip to Japan, where he explored the history of Japanese tea and visited historic tea gardens. His new venture, Smiles Tea, puts tea education in the foreground, sharing experiences and connecting drinkers with the producers who made their tea. Smiles Tea: • Website: https://smiles-tea.square.site/ • Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/smiles_tea Austin's Tea Sourcing • Website: ⁠www.austinstea.com⁠ • Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/austinsteasourcing⁠ • Tik Tok: ⁠www.tiktok.com/@austinsteasourcing⁠ • Email: [email protected] Use code LISTENER for 15% off tea and teaware at Austin's Tea. 00:00:00 The Asheville Tea Scene and Dobra Tea 00:36:43 Visiting Historic Tea Gardens in Japan 00:42:26 Creating Lasting Memories Through Travel 00:48:25 Tea Education and the Launch of Smiles Tea 01:03:18 The Practice of Tea Meditation 01:11:48 Next Destination? South Korea

Stéphane Erler has been blogging since 2004. His blog, Teamasters, has been a consistent source of inspiration, knowledge, and musings about tea. In this wide-ranging conversation, recorded at Lin Gardens in New Taipei City, Taiwan, we discuss his beginnings, tea storage, the origin of gong fu cha and how it differs from most contemporary practice, and how the market has changed over the decades. We also drink a lot of tea. Find Stéphane Erler at: • Website: http://teamasters.blogspot.com/ • Instagram: www.instagram.com/stephane_erler Austin's Tea Sourcing • Website: www.austinstea.com • Instagram: www.instagram.com/austinsteasourcing • Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@austinsteasourcing • Email: [email protected] Use code LISTENER for 15% off tea and teaware at Austin's Tea. 00:00 Introduction and Background 02:20 Experimentation and Testing in Tea Making 04:16 The Impact of Storage on Tea Flavor 14:18 Changing Trends in the Tea Market 23:14 Gong Fu Cha or Cha Yi? 29:05 Sourcing Tea Directly from Farmers 33:53 Health Benefits of Tea

Matthew Mauger is the co-author of Empire of Tea: The Asian Leaf that Conquered the World, which offers a cultural history of tea centered in British culture and society. In this conversation, he discusses the significant transformations of tea consumption in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. He also talks about the dramatic journey of tea from China to becoming a staple in British society, including the evolution of tea grading and its disappearance from the market today. Find Matthew Mauger at: • Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthew_mauger • Book: Amazon Austin's Tea Sourcing • Website: ⁠www.austinstea.com⁠ • Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/austinsteasourcing⁠ • Tik Tok: ⁠www.tiktok.com/@austinsteasourcing⁠ • Email: [email protected] Use code LISTENER for 15% off tea and teaware at Austin's Tea. Chapters 00:00 Tea as a Symbol of Britishness 07:07 Tea as a Popular Commodity 10:52 Negotiating with Merchants in Chinese Ports 13:55 The Auctioning of Tea in Britain 20:30 Introduction to Tea Ships in the UK 23:31 The East India Company's Tea Auctions 27:12 Sensory Evaluation 30:22 Restrictions in Modern-Day Tea Competitions 34:39 Exploring the Types of Tea 38:56 Exploring Tea Grading Systems 42:15 Exploring the Cultural History of Tea 43:03 The Importance of Responsible Sourcing 43:18 Diverse Ways of Drinking and Interacting with Tea 44:31 Advice for Learning About Tea 44:55 The History and Branding of Tea 45:08 Dominant Forces in the Tea Industry 45:48 Tea History Books to Read