Tea Talk

Why Your Choice of Water is Crucial for a Good Cup of Tea

Posted by Dani Noto on Feb 08, 2021

The other day, a customer asked me while sipping on a freshly brewed cup of her favorite tea, "Dani, why does the same tea tastes so much better when I drink it here than when I brew it at home?" Several reasons came immediately to my mind. The quality of the tea certainly plays an important role, as does the amount of tea you use, the brewing temperature, and the steeping time. Often overlooked, though, is the quality of your water. If your tea has a sharp or metallic taste, you may have hard water, which means that your water's...

Brewing the Perfect Cup

Posted by Tony Noto on Jul 16, 2020

If you don't like the taste of tea, it's probably because you haven't had it prepared correctly. A one-size-fits-all method won't get you the perfect cup of tea, but following these five simple steps will. We explain why water, weight, temperature, time and equipment are crucial to brewing the perfect cup of tea.

Tags: black tea, Blog, Education, filtered water, green tea, herbal tea, oolong tea, perfect cup, perfect cup of tea, perfect cup tea spoon, proper equipment, steeping time, Tea, tea drinkers, tea strainer/infuser, Tea Talk, temperature, Uptown Tea Shop, water, white tea

Tea that isn't tea

Posted by Tony Noto on Jul 01, 2020

Some of the teas we drink are not really teas at all. Just because something is steeped in boiling water doesn't mean it's actually a tea, although we call them teas. Sound confusing? Uptown Tea Shop takes the confusion out of tisanes (herbals, fruit, Rooibos and Maté), and explains why these caffeine-free, healthy and holistic brews should be in your cupboard.

Tags: ayurveda, ayurvedic medicine, Blog, caffeine, caffeine-free, camellia sinensis, camomile, Education, fruit tea, herbal tea, hibiscus, liquor, peppermint, red bush tea, red tea, rooibos, Tea, tea drinkers, Tea Talk, tisane, tisanes, turmeric, Uptown Tea Shop, Waxhaw, yerba mate

Five Types of Tea

Posted by Tony Noto on Jun 24, 2020

All tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but there is a reason they are different. Uptown Tea Shop explores the five types of tea: White tea, Green tea, Oolong tea, Black tea, and Pu'erh tea, and how they are produced. In the process, you'll get a mini chemistry lesson about oxidation at no extra charge.

Tags: black tea, Blog, camellia sinensis, Chinese tea, Education, green tea, Japanese tea, liquor, oolong tea, oxidation, post-fermented tea, Pu'erh tea, retail tea store, Tea, tea drinkers, tea growing, tea harvesting, Tea Talk, Uptown Tea Shop, Waxhaw, white tea, withering

Tea 101 - The Basics

Posted by Tony Noto on Jun 17, 2020

Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world. Though very popular, many don't know what tea actually is, how and where it's grown, or what's inside. This tea primer from Uptown Tea Shop will answer those questions and more. It's the perfect first step in one's tea journey and what every tea drinker should know.

Tags: Blog, caffeine, camellia sinensis, Education, essential oil, hand-picked, hand-plucked, polyphenols, Tea, tea drinkers, tea growing, tea harvesting, Tea Talk, Uptown Tea Shop, what is tea