Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Tea Talk @ Shakeng Tea Club on 8/13/2016


Shakeng Tea Club organized by Norman Shu. A good opportunity for local tea professionals to meet regularly and also to have chance that everyone can cup and review various samples that brought by attendants.  Each meeting has set a theme, and will invite guest speaker to do the presentation. Not only for members to sharpen tea expertise together, also a networking to built around the tea trade.  The tea club's routine venue is at the historical and beautiful Shakeng Tea Manufactory in Henshan, Hsinchu, Taiwan.

 

I admire and salute to Norman and his team, and I know how much efforts they've put in this club. The set up and clean up before and after each event requires passionate love in our tea industry that carries on from the family.  My father, no doubt is the No.1 fan of this Shakeng Tea Club.

 


Original schedule is set to have its 20th meeting on 9/3/2016.  Since there are so many tea friends cannot make it to participate my afternoon workshop at Lantia1918, due to the limited capacity. Thus an additional 8/13 morning meet-up was proposed by a few members.  I am aware that Norman made his announcement on 8/11 and very soon registration filled up within such a short notice.
Here we are at the Shakeng Tea Club, and I am very honored to be invited to be the guest speaker for this "Special" meet-up.  I am also shocked that many of these friends are actually my facebook friends and we get to meet in person finally.  What a small world!  How I love this tea business! 


I have also led a cupping of 7 Taiwan Oolongs after my talk on "How to re-define Taiwan Tea and plan for its international marketing."
 
Please enjoy the photos of this special event.  (*Thanks to Yu-Hsiou, Jiun-Tsai, Mr. Shen-Ming Shen and Ms. Vivi Wen. the best volunteers!)


Friday, August 19, 2016

CommuniTea @ Lantia1918.com on 8/13/2016

1) Finally, it is event time...

Glad to have a sold out crowd to come to Lantia1918.com for this tea event.  

2.) Tea-One Tasting on 7 Taiwan Oolongs is officially on...


Step by step, to learn how to harmonize the '3 T' - the right amount of Tea, the right Temperature of water, and the right steeping Time.  These 7 volunteers are my best partners and we have an outstanding audience that participate the tasting class closely all along!  Enjoy the action!

3.) Self Introduction time...


After the tasting class, time to introduce our volunteers and also each participants. I am grateful to have such a wonderful venue offered by Lantia group, and the event organizer, Teatalk Academy. Well, the most important people are all the friends and volunteers, without everyone there, it is meaningless.  Meet these people!

4.) Super Serving Crew:

I usually rely on my better half, Josephine to take care of tea serving during my leading the tea tasting class.  On 8/13, I am much obliged to the Lantia Staff, also a few fellow tea colleagues that Tommy has arranged.  They are Super!

5.) Mission is achieved.

Sincerely hope the simple guideline for making a good cup of tea has passed on to many tea lovers. Also the art, the culture and the tea fun will be fermented here after. Bravo Lantia!

Due to the limited capacity,  there are videos recorded by Lantia for Facebook Live on this event:


Tea-One Tasting… the opening:
Step by step, hands on making your own tea and knowing about it.
Knowing the 7 Beauties…
 




     





Tuesday, August 2, 2016

CommuniTea of 813 Lantia

I will be in Taiwan to scout for our 2016 TOST (*oh yes, Josephine and I always want to add some 'exciting' to our schedule...), and meet with talented entrepreneurs of a few interesting new tea rooms, tea stores and tea bars in Taiwan... Something new is steeping there and some ideas are cooking... It usually takes about 20 years, that we regard as one generation, after the Boba tea (or bubble tea) boomed out of Taiwan, I am 'smelling' and sensing a new trend will soon be setting. This time, it will be for real Oolong taste, and will be 'Ready to Serve' (*sorry, not RTD)... It is about Serving, and it is what our Specialty Tea industry has been waiting for.
During this home returning trip - I will be back to Tai3Route, where used to be Taiwan's most important Tao-Chu-Miao tea district, and I will give a talk and tea tasting at a gorgeous place, www.Lantia1918.com, on 8/13 (Saturday) for an event that organized by TEATALK ACADEMY....

 This will be the first of many more JT & Tea's CommuniTea events in Taiwan.  We will have a Tea-One Horizontal Tasting workshop that talk and taste about 7 Taiwan Oolongs, also well recognized as "7 Beauties".  Much obliged to our Event Organizer: Teatalk Academy and Venue Host: www.Lantia1918.com