Floating Leaves Tea

This episode we get deep into 'reading' tea leaves, or watching very carefully to know what the leaves want from us as brewers. 

This episode we carry on from the previous stopping point : As we experiment with brewing new teas, how do we know if a flaw in the tea is coming from the tea or the brewing technique? So we took out some bowls to just soak the tea and let it brew itself!

In this episode we carry out an experiment comparing two brews that are exactly the same in all parameters except for the focus of our intention. We were absolutely floored by the results!

Shiuwen, John and Noah compare grades of porcelain in gongfu tea cups, and investigate what each cup does to a tea.

We're back! First episode in the new Tea Studio! We're starting with an easy experiment, but also a very useful one : tasting tea out of different materials like glass, mass produced ceramic mugs and porcelain etc. Join us and give it a try at home!

This is a little interim episode with no video component while John is away. We've been wanting to record a session with this tea for about a year now, and although we're very close to sold out of it now, we thought it would be fun to share our experience for those that have the tea already. It's the Nightshade White Tea. Harvested in 2020 it's already mellowed nicely with age. If we get another chance to buy a tea like this we'll jump on it, because this was an awesome session. If you got this one, let us know in the comments if you had similar or different impressions when you tasted it.

In this episode we explore how we go about setting our intention and adjusting for the tea in this ever changing moment.

This episode we explore ways to build understanding and express our vision of what a tea can be.

There's finally a tea in our lineup that we're using lower than boiling temperature water! Special Reserve Oriental Beauty. In this episode we talk about how we approach this tea and tell stories about our first encounters with it.

This episode was inspired by (1) John's question about how to make adjustments for different teas and (2) our experience of how to get the most out of our batch of Charcoal Dong Ding that was roasted in December of 2022.  Also, Noah is very excited to be back on the podcast again!

We find aged tea is one of the more difficult styles to brew well. In this episode we explore some techniques that help to show the best side of an aged tea.

We're back!! In the first episode of season three, Johnny and Shiuwen will be experimenting with the harnessing of intention to brew a better (or worse) pot of tea.

This episode we just sit back and drink an epic puer tea harvested from 1000 year old tea tree.

John's second time to switch places with Shiuwen and show off all his tea brewing techniques that we've been working on this whole season!

The long awaited follow up to 'Techniques for Identifying Stale Tea', this episode is all about the tools and techniques we use to push staleness out of an older tea.

Recently we've been talking a lot about the 'opening movement' of tea brewing: Pouring water into the pot and the many details contained therein that effect the final brew. This episode we delve into the less obvious 'middle movement', or waiting for the tea to be brewed. This may seem straightforward, and is easily overlooked because the brewer is not doing any active process to the tea. BUT, as our tea classes keep repeating ad nauseum, there are infinite details in every aspect of tea brewing.

This episode we compare two high mountain oolongs, one grown with agrochemicals and one from an organic tea garden. Shiuwen teaches John, and the listeners, the tricks for picking up on agrochemicals in your cup.

More on water flow. We learned last time on the Waterfall vs Whirlpool episode that the way you choose to pour water into a pot of tea changes the outcome. This time we are exploring more fine details on how to improve the quality of your water flow.

Today we talk about a tea tool that goes by many names : sharing pitcher, fairness cup, gongdao bei, cha hai. It is used with the best intentions, to make sure everyone is drinking the same taste at the same time. But is it necessary to brew a good pot of tea?   

When we talk about the parameters of tea brewing, it's not uncommon to think of water temperature, amount of tea and timing. But there is a hidden parameter that we all must execute to pull out a good cup of tea from the leaves, and that's the way we pour water into the pot. 

Most teas undergo an acclimation period after shipping, especially long distances (like when we get new products in from farmers and roasters in Taiwan). This quick episode John and Shiuwen taste a roasted oolong that is in jet lag mode.

In this episode, Noah shares some of his own charcoal roasted oolongs with John, and they compare the raw version with the finished product.

Shiuwen tells the story of how a new tea took some getting used to, and how she approaches unknown variables in tea brewing. We don't have any sample available for this episode, but we hope you'll practice these ideas when you next run into a new tea that doesn't make sense at first brew.

This episode John brewed a pot of tea for us! This is the first in a series of John brewing, on the other side of the table. To join the class and learn from these episodes, you can brew this tea (Dong Ding Traditional A, available on our website) and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience.

This episode is all about using smelling cups to explore more deeply into the scent. We also identify the meaning of Cha Qi, and how Cha Qi manifests in the scent.   To join the class and learn from these episodes, you can drink this exact tea and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. Find the teas on our website here => https://floatingleaves.us/cart/update?updates%5B39731915817167%5D=1&updates%5B39651322429647%5D=1

Oolong tea does not go bad, but it does go stale if stored improperly, or for a very long time. In this episode, we taste the same Tie Guanyin oolong tea, one stored properly and one improperly. John and Shiuwen identify the staleness of tea through drinking.   To join the class and learn from these episodes, please place an order and leave a comment to let us know you'd like some stale tea to practice with. Otherwise, if you have a bag of tea you've left open for quite some time you can also practice these techniques and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions.  

Oolong tea does not go bad, but it does go stale if stored improperly or for a very long time. In this episode, Shiuwen offers John a few techniques to smell from the dry leaf if a tea is stale.   To join the class and learn from these episodes, please place an order and leave a comment to let us know you'd like some stale tea to practice with. Otherwise, if you have a bag of tea you've left open for quite some time you can us that to practice these techniques and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions.

With higher grade teas, we are looking for more complexity in the scent. Not only how flavorful or how many notes it has, but also where the scent is felt in the body. This episode Shiuwen and John compare two oolongs to isolate the sensation of scent reaching deeper inside of the nostrils.   To join the class and learn from these episodes, you can drink this exact tea and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. Find the teas on our website here => https://floatingleaves.us/cart/update?updates%5B39651321872591%5D=1&updates%5B40287149392079%5D=1 The Tea : Nantou Four Seasons, Smooth Water Baozhong

This episode Shiuwen and John explore the third main parameter of tea brewing : timing. How long does the water need to sit on the leaves? #NoFear #MakeMistakes   To join the class and learn from these episodes, you can drink this exact tea and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. Find the teas on our website here => https://floatingleaves.us/cart/update?updates%5B39651320299727%5D=1 (Note : For this episode, any Taiwanese tea from our shop will get the point across.) The Tea : Ruby 18

This episode we soak four black teas to see if they 'break' or not. A good tea will still show a sense of structure and movement, even if it's brewed to the point of unpleasantness. We are using two of our own black teas and two tea bag teas.   To join the class and learn from these videos, you can drink these exact teas and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. If you buy these two teas, leave us a message in your order notes and we'll send the teabags for free ;) Find the teas on our website here => https://floatingleaves.us/cart/update?updates%5B39651320201423%5D=1&updates%5B39651320299727%5D=1   The Teas : Ruby 18, House Black, 2x Tea Bag from Grocery Store

This class we will be exploring different leaf-to-water ratios to see if there is really such a thing as proper recipes. To join the class and learn from these episodes, you can drink these exact teas and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. Find the tea on our website here => https://floatingleaves.us/cart/update?updates%5B39651321970895%5D=1 The Tea : Charcoal Dong Ding

In this tea class, Shiuwen guides John to notice the various places in the mouth and body where roasted oolong can produce unique sensations and textures. To join the class and learn from these episodes, you can drink these exact teas and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. These teas will be used in the next episode as well. Find the teas on our website here => https://floatingleaves.us/cart/update?updates%5B39651321970895%5D=1&updates%5B40528029647055%5D=1   The Teas : House Oolong Charcoal Dong Ding

Shiuwen offers a tea class on the ‘correct' brewing temperature for oolong tea. Is it ok to boil green oolong?   To join the class and learn from these videos, you can drink these exact teas and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. Find the teas on our website here https://floatingleaves.us/products/secret-garden-alishan-high-mountain   The Tea : Secret Garden Alishan High Mountain Oolong

Shiuwen of Floating Leaves offers a tea class on the defining characteristics that make green oolong more basic or more premium. Focus is on experiential learning. To join the class and learn from these episodes, you can drink these exact teas and answer Shiuwen's guiding questions from your own experience. Find the teas on our website here => https://floatingleaves.us/cart/39651321807055:1,41098440343759:1 The Teas : Jin Xuan Secret Garden Alishan High Mountain Oolong

Shiuwen invites special guests, some "random middle school boys", for a holiday special episode! T   his is also the last episode of our retroactively named Season 1. We will be taking a short break, and will see you again in 2022!   Find our teas : https://floatingleaves.com

Tea blogger Oolong Owl visits the shop for some strong pots of epic oolong.   Check Out Oolong Owl's Blog : https://oolongowl.com/   Tea Teas : Eight Roast Dong Ding Lala Shan Hong Shui Taman Shan 'Empress Dowager'

Long time tea friend of Floating Leaves, the infamous Steve, joins Shiuwen and Noah to drink some teas that struck us by surprise!   The Teas :   Sun Solstice Oolong   Charcoal Roast Ruby 18   Lalashan Hong Shui   Find our teas at https://floatingleaves.com

Shiuwen sits down to answer some of John's questions about tea tasting: What it means for a tea to be 'open' or, conversely, 'bound up'.    The Tea    1998 Iron Cask Aged Dong Ding (brewed 3X's)   Find our teas at https://floatingleaves.com  

Founder of Embrace the Moon School for Taichi and Qigong, Kim Ivy, joins Shiuwen for some potent teas.    Learn more about Kim's Taichi and Qigong dojo at https://embracethemoon.com/

Shiuwen chooses and shares two teas that represent her two friends Timothy and Lewis, Floating Leafers from the early days.   Find Timothy's work at https://timothysiciliano.com/   The Teas Wild Pinglin Baozhong Laughing Buddha (Yunnan High Mountain Oolong)

Fellow tea podcasters of Tea Talks join us for their first dive into Dong Ding plus other roasted oolong.   Check out Chris' podcast on Instagram @ckylum and find Caitlin @dishwench   The Teas :  House Oolong Charcoal Dong Ding 1998 Ripe Tuocha

Shiuwen invites our friend and budding tea connoisseur Matt for an oolong introduction.   Link to full video episode : https://youtu.be/3QabhFyAPsY   The Teas Competition Style Baozhong Dong Ding Traditional A

A great tea! This is an upcoming release, an oolong tea grown in the high mountain region of Wuliang Shan in Yunnan province (home of puer tea). We had a great session capped off with a brief conversation about tea brewing.

Excellent session with Milk and Honey oolong. Plus a conversation on water temperature and tea brewing.

Welcome to Floating Leaves, your local loofah emporium! Buy a loofah for your teapot, for your friends' teapots and even for your enemy's teapot. It's good for you!! *Also, Shiuwen wanted to make sure we made this correction : She did not give a liter of blood, but rather a PINT of blood.

We drank a delicious Eight Roast Dong Ding for the 16th anniversary of Floating Leaves which occurred on 8/8.

Last week we went back to visit an 'old friend', a tea that we've tasted many times and are just finding out new things about it. This time we visited a 'new friend', also a Furry Crab, and from the same farmer. This one is also fantastic! And we're looking forward to many more sessions with this tea. It is only available on the dot com site.

This session we tasted Furry Crab, an oolong we've been drinking for a while now, but one that is showing a new face in the last month or so.

This episode we tried out some of our new Yixing and Taiwanese Wood Fired teapots. We use Dong Ding Traditional A as a base and branch out depending on how the Dong Ding tastes.

This session we drank a new batch of Charcoal Dong Ding that I brought back from Taiwan. It was roasted in a special way to produce a very unique feel for Dong Ding tea. WE LOVE IT! We're going to be keeping aside some for ourselves to age. And after this session Shiuwen wants to keep even more!!

When I got back to the states Shiuwen told me I was brewing tea really strong! During my time in Taiwan I really changed up my brewing, and I think it tastes great. Today we drank the King of Teas, Charcoal Dong Ding, and it was strong enough to stand a spoon up in it.