At Mandala Tea, we view our business as a practice of connection rather than just a series of transactions. We want to keep our teas accessible because we believe that a moment of peace over a warm cup shouldn't be a luxury.
The Rochester Post Bulletin reached out in order to talk with Garret about Mandala Tea. What a joy it was to be interviewed and get good press about the world’s second most consumed beverage!
A lovely poem written by tea scholar Lu Tong in the 9th century. Seven Cups of Tea lovingly encapsulates the deeper happenings in just one simple tea session. Enjoy!
When brewing tea, water temperature matters. Is there a way to determine temp when we’ve no thermometer handy? There sure is and we’re here to tell you about it!
Wanting to share the tea experience without the caffeine? We get it. More people are looking for an evening/nighttime replacement for their beloved tea without the buzz. We’ve got you.
Pu’er tea is often confusing for newcomers. They may have had an earthy, dark ripe tea and assume that is what all pu’er is like. It is not. As a matter of fact, the raw style is the original pu’er tea and the two types differ significantly. Let’s explore what makes a tea a ripe or a raw pu’er.
It’s a big subject and so many variables come into play and ripe and raw, as you know, are also two different animals as is the decision to blend or do single leaves. Let’s see if I can just free-form this on the keyboard and make any sense.
What a difference that one week made as I allowed more of the post-pressing moisture to dissipate. The fullness of flavor began to return and the aroma deepened. A month later, even better.
Here’s a fun exercise to add to your tea time soon. As you sip, take a look at the tea flavor wheel in this post and see if you find what you are tasting. Are there any flavors not present on the wheel that are on your tongue?
