News

Happy Dragon Boat Festival!

June 18, 2018

Our friend, and go-to teaware vendor for over 20 years, knows that we are always looking for interesting styles of teaware. When he sent us photos of this pretty decorative teapot, crafted in the shape of a swimming fish, only weeks before Dragon Boat Festival, we instantly recognized the cultural significance. To help celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, we're offering you this special-edition teapot along with 75g of Tie Guan Yin Oolong tea for a limited time!

View full article →

Eco-Cha Tea Club: Light Roast Phoenix Village Oolong Tasting Notes

June 17, 2018

The truth is, our favorite batches of traditionally made Taiwanese Oolongs have come from this community of family owned farms in the foothills of Phoenix Mountain in Lugu Township. We've been told it's the soil, and the mid-elevation climate that is most conducive to making a traditionally made Oolong Tea. But in our own perception, it's the expertise that comes from generations of tea making that results in the character of tea that we love the most.

View full article →

Eco-Cha Tea Club: Light Roast Phoenix Village Oolong Tea

June 13, 2018

We recently visited Mr. Liu when we hosted a visitor from Italy who was keen on experiencing the local tea culture. Our guest was truly elated to be served tea by a true artisan of the trade. Mr. Liu served us three different teas that were all locally harvested this past spring. They varied only in their degree oxidation and roasting. And the one that was sufficiently oxidized, but only lightly roasted, immediately impressed us.

View full article →

Dragon Boat Festival Special Offer

June 10, 2018

A few weeks ago we came across something fantastic that we knew we had to offer to our customers as part of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival. We'll be announcing a special offer this Thursday (June 14th) first through our newsletter. So, if you haven't already signed up for our newsletter, sign up now here so you can get first dibs on this exciting item. If you sign up, you'll also get $5 off your first order. Not only is this item functional, and useful, it's sure to become a collectors item!

You can sign up for the newsletter at this link: http://eepurl.com/dvZs4L

View full article →

Sustainability and Responsible Farming—What Does it Entail?

June 09, 2018

Eco-Cha prides itself on sourcing tea in a responsible and sustainable way. There are lots of definitions and discussions on what this means exactly. These words can represent different things to different people. Here are some of the elements that we feel make a responsible farmer.

View full article →

How to Choose Unroasted Oolong Tea

June 08, 2018

Here's a simple guide that defines and categorizes Taiwan's unroasted Oolong Tea in a way that will help you find your "cup of tea".

View full article →

How to Cure a Gongfu (Yixing) Teapot

June 01, 2018 1 Comment

There are many ways to brew up your favorite loose leaf tea, but one of the most meditative and relaxing ways is using a clay gongfu (or “yixing”) teapot. These Chinese teapots allow you to brew seemingly endless pots of tea while chatting with family and friends. And the brewing method involved with using a gongfu teapot is considered to make the best-tasting tea. But, like any finely crafted tool or cooking utensil, there are some specific recommendations for preparing and caring for a brand new gongfu teapot. Check out our steps below on how to cure / season one before use.

View full article →

Traditional Dong Ding Oolong Tea master line up for a photo at a recent workshop to pass on traditional tea making skills and knowledge

Traditional Oolong Tea Making Workshop In Taiwan

May 28, 2018 1 Comment

Eco-Cha recently attended a Traditional Dong Ding Oolong Tea making workshop conducted by the (Taiwan) Lugu Farmers' Association Dong Ding Oolong Tea Competition judging team. Join us as some of the world's premier oolong tea makers and judges teach their craft to the next generation.

View full article →

How To Choose Loose Leaf Oolong Tea

May 25, 2018 1 Comment

It turns out that you can tell a lot by "judging" Oolong tea by it's appearance. Here's a quick list of things to look for when you are looking at dry Oolong tea leaves.

View full article →

Eco-Cha Tea Club: Eco-Farmed Dong Pian Jade Oolong Tea Tasting Notes

May 13, 2018

Our friend who is an organic tea farmer kept this batch separate from his normal practice of combining winter and spring harvests for his high grade produce for retail sale. We discovered that he still had a small amount of this harvest left when we visited his farmhouse a few months ago and inquired if he had any unique batches of tea to share. In classic local manner, he modestly replied that he had a batch of Dong Pian Tsui Yu that was harvested last January. Dong Pian in Chinese basically means late winter harvest, and Tsui Yu is a hybrid strain that is translated as Jade Oolong. We tasted it and were captivated by its character, and were delighted to be told that there was enough tea be shared with the Eco-Cha Tea Club!

View full article →

In Alishan tea competitions, the leaves are minimally roasted and maintain their lustrous marbled and deep green quality

How Alishan Oolong Tea Competitions Are Judged

May 11, 2018

Taiwan is one of the world's premier Oolong Tea producing regions. As such, tea makers in Taiwan are producing some of the best oolong tea in the world. Taiwan is also the home to tea competitions that makers from all over the island enter their best teas into. First prize at at the largest competitions goes for up to $10,000 USD for 600 grams.

View full article →

Eco-Cha Tea Club: Eco-Farmed Dong Pian Jade Oolong Tea

May 06, 2018

Shown above is the more recently planted section of a plot of Tsui Yu, aka Tai Cha #13, aka Jade Oolong. The crop that we are sharing with the Eco-Cha Tea Club this month was harvested in January, which makes it a relatively rare batch of tea in that it was harvested well after the winter harvest. In Taiwan, harvests that occur after December 21st are referred to as "Dong Pian", which is a name that connotes a new leaf growth that is stunted by the winter season. This late winter crop offers a distinctive character based on the slow growth of the new leaves on the tea trees.

View full article →