Have You Ever Been to a Tea Tasting?

If you've never had the good fortune to attend a tea tasting event, it's something you should put on your fun to-do list.

I totally enjoy attending and participating in tea tasting events. I'm sure you're thinking, well, she can taste all the tea in her store, why would she want to go to another tea tasting event. The short answer is I LOVE tea, and there are so many different types and varieties that I don't think I'll ever run out of new teas to try. And I get to learn from the best in the industry.

A tasting event is the best way to try a selection of teas or specific varieties of teas that maybe you wouldn't try on your own. The presenter discusses each tea selection one at a time. You get a chance to see and smell the tea before it's brewed. Then brewing practices are discussed, and which brewing method is preferred. While the tea is steeping, you learn all about the tea, its origin, and how it's harvested and processed. Then the fun part, you get to taste the tea. The best way to taste the tea is off of a spoon or to "slurp," something your mom would tell you not to do. But it is the best way to add air to the process allowing full flavor.

I also love to learn. All the presenters I've ever had the pleasure to hear from have been fabulous. They've imparted so much knowledge, and it's fun to see what tea choices they like.

I can tell you from experience everyone's palate is different. What one person may like, another may not. In fact, at one recent tea tasting event, we sampled 7 different varieties and flavors of tea. It was fun to see who liked which teas and who didn't care for them. My friend did an awesome job presenting the teas. Unfortunately, I didn't care for some of his tea choices, but he loved them. Still, I learned valuable information and had fun. I also learned which teas I would enjoy drinking going forward.

At Uptown Tea Shop, we will do more Tea Tasting events, but tailor them to what you would like to sample.

If you're new to tea, I'd suggest a beginner tea tasting which will allow you to sample a black, oolong, green, white, rooibos, and herbal.

If you've been drinking tea for a while and want to sample more specific types, we can do that too. Suppose you've been primarily drinking black teas but want to get more into green teas. In that case, we could set up a tea tasting with only green tea varieties.

Have you ever tasted oolong? Maybe that's a variety you'd like to explore.

How about Rooibos? Lots of great flavors there.

Or maybe you'd like to do a combo of herbal and fruit teas?

Are you an Earl Grey fan? I carry 5 different flavors of Earl Grey, one of them being a green tea.

This is the perfect way to sample them side by side. It's also a great way to test out milk and sweeteners in your tea. Some teas taste best with a dab of cream and a hint of honey or sugar, or you may prefer them alla naturale. Or, maybe you've tried certain kinds of teas in the past but haven't enjoyed them as you expected. Perhaps it's how you prepared your tea. Let us show you the proper way to brew each type. It makes all the difference between a good cup and one you don't enjoy. And life's too short to drink bad tea.

How does it work? We can set up a private tea tasting for 4 or more people. Call us with a few dates that would work for your group, and we'll make it happen.

So, grab a few friends, family members, or co-workers and come sample the tea. I can guarantee you will be surprised at how many choices there are and how many new teas you'll fall in love with.

We're looking forward to seeing you at one of our tea tasting experiences.