Experience Authentic Chinese Tea - A Journey of Mindfulness and Tradition

Introduction

At A Moment of Tea, we invite you to discover the profound world of Chinese tea—a tradition that spans millennia and offers more than just a beverage, but a pathway to presence and mindfulness. Our journey began in 2014 when our founder Joanne experienced a transformative tea session in Beijing. A single cup of green tea left a lingering sweetness that remained with her for two days, sparking a passion that would change her life's direction.

This serendipitous encounter led Joanne to intensive study under revered tea masters, including the founder of Lian Yu School, where she immersed herself in the rich history, complex grading systems, and artisanal crafting techniques that define genuine Chinese tea. Today, we proudly bring this knowledge and these exceptional teas to Australia, offering you a connection to one of the world's oldest refined tea cultures.

Discover the world of Chinese tea through its nearly 3,000-year history, six distinct categories, and mindful brewing practices that transform ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences.

The Rich Heritage of Chinese Tea

Chinese tea cultivation dates back nearly 3,000 years, representing one of humanity's oldest relationships with plants. This ancient practice has evolved into a sophisticated art form that reflects China's diverse landscapes, climates, and cultural philosophies.

The Six Tea Categories

Traditional Chinese tea classification recognizes six main categories, each representing different processing methods and resulting in distinctive flavour profiles:

1. White Tea (白茶): The least processed category, known for its delicate sweetness and subtle complexity
2. Green Tea (绿茶): Unoxidized leaves that preserve the fresh, vegetal character of the tea plant
3. Yellow Tea (黄茶): A rare category similar to green tea but with an additional yellowing step that removes grassy notes
4. Oolong Tea (乌龙茶): Partially oxidized teas that span a remarkable range from light and floral to dark and roasted
5. Black Tea (红茶): Fully oxidized leaves that create rich, robust brews with sweet, malty notes
6. Dark Tea (黑茶): Known in China as post-fermented tea like pu-erh, differs from Black Tea (红茶), which refers to fully oxidized teas like Lapsang Souchong.

Tea Botany and Regional Character

Chinese tea plants are primarily divided into two botanical varieties: the small-leaf Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, common in eastern China, and the large-leaf Camellia sinensis var. assamica, prevalent in Yunnan. These botanical differences, combined with regional terroir, create distinctive tea characters:

Yunnan Province: Home to ancient tea forests with trees hundreds of years old, producing bold, earthy pu-erh and gold-tipped black teas with honey and malt notes

Fujian Province: A diverse tea region offering exquisite white teas, floral oolongs, and distinctive black teas like Lapsang Souchong

Zhejiang Province: Famous for the prestigious Dragon Well (Longjing) green tea with its distinctive flat leaves and chestnut-like sweetness

Anhui Province: Celebrated for Huangshan Maofeng green tea and unique yellow teas like Huoshan Huangya

The Philosophy of Tea

Beyond its botanical classifications, Chinese tea embodies philosophical principles from Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The legendary tea sage Lu Yu wrote in his 8th-century classic "The Tea Classic" (茶经) that tea drinking cultivates harmony between humans and nature.

This philosophy continues today in the concept of "cha dao" (茶道) or "the way of tea"—a practice that emphasizes presence and the appreciation of simple beauty. When we drink tea with full attention, each sip becomes a moment of connection to both nature and ourselves.

Our Premium Chinese Tea Collection

Our carefully curated collection represents the finest examples from each tea category, sourced directly from artisanal producers who maintain traditional crafting methods. Each tea in our selection tells a story of terroir, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage.

White Tea

White teas showcase the natural essence of the tea leaf with minimal processing. Our collection includes:

Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen): Consisting purely of downy buds, this tea offers delicate notes of honeydew and fresh hay. Our 2018 vintage demonstrates how these subtle flavours develop complexity with time.

White Peony (Bai Mu Dan): A harmonious blend of buds and young leaves creating a fuller-bodied infusion with notes of sweet flowers and fresh fruit.

2012 Aged White Tea (Lao Bai Cha): This cake is a modern innovation inspired by pu-erh aging techniques, transforming the traditionally loose-leaf white tea into a compressed form that develops deep honey sweetness, distinct woodiness, and a smooth, velvety texture over time.

White teas invite contemplation through their subtlety, rewarding those who slow down to notice their gentle complexity.

Green Tea

Our green tea collection features China's finest unoxidized teas, each preserving the fresh vitality of newly harvested leaves:

Dragon Well (Longjing): China's most renowned green tea, pan-fired by hand to create flat, sword-shaped leaves with a distinctive chestnut sweetness and refreshing finish. Best brewed at 80°C for optimal flavor extraction.

Jasmine Dragon Pearls: Delicate green tea leaves hand-rolled into tight pearls and scented multiple times with fresh jasmine blossoms. These pearls unfurl beautifully when steeped, releasing a captivating floral aroma balanced by a sweet, smooth base tea.

Green teas connect us to spring's renewal and vitality, offering clarity and freshness that clears the mind and lifts the spirit.

Oolong Tea

Oolong teas occupy the vast territory between green and black teas, offering remarkable diversity and complexity:

Alishan High Mountain: Grown at elevations above 1,300 meters in Taiwan's misty mountains, this lightly oxidized oolong offers pronounced floral notes, buttery mouthfeel, and a sweet, lingering finish that evolves across multiple infusions.

Dong Ding: A traditional Taiwanese oolong with a moderate roast that balances orchid-like floral with warming notes of honey, toasted grains, and a distinctive "rock sugar" sweetness.

Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe): A famous Wuyi rock oolong from Fujian, offering deep mineral notes, roasted fruit sweetness, and a distinctive "yan yun" (rock rhyme) that reflects its unique terroir. Legend says this tea once cured an emperor's mother, earning it the imperial tribute name.

Oolongs reward patient attention with evolving flavours across multiple steepings—a perfect companion for extended moments of reflection.

Black Tea

Our black teas showcase the rich diversity within this fully oxidized category:

Lapsang Souchong Original Smoked: The classic pine-smoked black tea from Wuyi mountains, offering pronounced woodsmoke aromas balanced by a surprisingly sweet, smooth body with lingering fruit notes.

Lapsang Souchong Floral: A rare unsmoked version that reveals the exceptional quality of the base tea, with honey sweetness, subtle orchid notes, and remarkable clarity—a completely different experience from its smoked counterpart.

Black teas ground us in tradition while providing comforting strength and fullness—perfect for moments of transition in the day.

Dark Tea (Post-Fermented)

Our dark tea selection focuses on pu-erh from Yunnan Province, available in several forms:

Ripe Pu-erh Cake: Compressed aged tea that undergoes controlled fermentation, developing smooth, earthy richness with notes of dark wood, moss, and sweet dates.

Mandarin Pu-erh: Ripe pu-erh aged inside whole dried mandarins, creating a harmonious blend of earth, wood, and bright citrus notes—demonstrating the Chinese principle of balance between opposing elements.

Raw Pu-erh Ancient Tree: Tea from centuries-old trees that offers remarkable complexity, with bright fruit notes, honeyed sweetness, pleasant bitterness, and a distinctive "hui gan" (returning sweetness) that lingers in the throat.

Dark teas connect us to time itself, teaching patience as they transform over years and decades.

The Mindful Benefits of Chinese Tea

Chinese tea offers benefits that extend far beyond its pleasant taste, affecting both body and mind in profound ways when approached with presence.

Physical Wellbeing

Chinese tea has been recognized for centuries in traditional medicine for its health-supporting properties:

• Rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that support cellular health
• Contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes calm alertness when combined with caffeine
• Supports healthy digestion, particularly pu-erh and oolong varieties
• Provides hydration while offering plant compounds not found in water alone

Different tea types offer varying benefits: green teas are known for their high catechin content, while aged white and dark teas contain unique compounds developed through oxidation and fermentation.

Mental Clarity and Presence

Perhaps the most significant benefit of Chinese tea comes through its capacity to foster attentiveness:

• The moderate caffeine and L-theanine combination creates a state of "relaxed alertness" ideal for meditation and focused attention
• The ritual of preparation creates a natural pause in the day
• The complex sensory experience of brewing and tasting tea anchors awareness in the present moment
• The practice of brewing multiple infusions encourages slowing down and observing how flavours evolve

Creating Moments of Pause

In traditional Chinese culture, tea drinking is not merely consumption but a practice that creates space for reflection and connection. Even in our busy modern lives, preparing and enjoying a cup of Chinese tea can become a pocket of tranquillity—a brief but meaningful retreat from constant activity.

As the Zen saying goes: "Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves—slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future."

What Makes A Moment of Tea Different

Our approach to Chinese tea is distinctive in several important ways:

Direct Sourcing and Relationships

We travel annually to China's tea regions to build lasting relationships with skilled tea crafters. By eliminating middlemen, we ensure both fair compensation to producers and exceptional quality for our customers. Each tea in our collection has a direct connection to the people and places that created it.

Education and Experience

Knowledge deepens appreciation. We don't simply sell tea—we share the story, context, and methods that make these teas special. Through our blog, brewing guides, and in-person workshops at our Hobart Tea Bar, we help you discover the full depth of Chinese tea culture.

Tea as a Practice of Presence

We believe tea is more than a beverage; it's a vehicle for cultivating awareness. Our founder Joanne's background informs how we select, present, and brew our teas. Each selection in our collection offers not just flavours but an opportunity to pause, notice, and appreciate—turning an ordinary moment into something meaningful.

Tasmania's Influence

Born in Tasmania, we cherish its calm and serenity, which mirrors the poetic ambience of Chinese literati enjoying tea amidst mountains and rivers. This island perspective brings a fresh approach to traditional tea appreciation that resonates with Australian tea lovers.

Creating Your Perfect Tea Moment

Brewing Chinese tea is both an art and a practice—one that rewards attention but doesn't require years of training to begin enjoying.

Essential Brewing Guidelines

Different tea categories require specific approaches to reveal their best qualities:

• White Tea: 85-90°C water, 3-5 minute steeping (Western style) or 30-second initial steep (gongfu style)
• Green Tea:
  • Dragon Well: 80°C for optimal flavor extraction
  • Jasmine Pearls: 85°C to balance jasmine aroma and tea base
• Oolong Tea: 90-95°C water, 3-minute steeping (Western) or 25-40 second steeps (gongfu)
• Black Tea: 90-95°C water, 3-4 minute steeping (Western) or 15-30 second steeps (gongfu)
• Dark Tea: 95-100°C water, 3-5 minute steeping (Western) or 10-20 second steeps after rinse (gongfu)

Each tea in our collection includes specific brewing instructions tailored to bring out its unique character.

Water, Vessel, and Attention

While brewing parameters provide a foundation, three elements dramatically influence your tea experience:

• Water quality: Clean, fresh water with appropriate mineral content forms the foundation of good tea
• Appropriate teaware: The material and shape of your brewing vessel affect heat retention and extraction
• Mindful attention: The most important ingredient is your presence—noticing aroma, colour, taste, and mouthfeel

Simplified Gongfu Brewing

Traditional gongfu brewing uses a high leaf-to-water ratio with short steep to explore how tea flavours evolve. While full formal ceremonies can be elaborate, we advocate a simplified approach accessible to everyone:

1. Use about 5g of tea in a small pot (100-150ml)
2. Warm the pot and "awaken" the leaves with a quick rinse
3. Start with very short steeps (10-30 seconds depending on the tea type)
4. Increase steeping time gradually with subsequent infusions
5. Notice how the tea changes across multiple steepings

This method allows you to experience the full range of flavours and aromas that quality Chinese tea offers—a journey through the tea rather than a single destination.

Creating a Daily Tea Ritual

Incorporating Chinese tea into your life doesn't require elaborate setups or extensive time commitments. Even five minutes of focused tea preparation and enjoyment can become a meaningful ritual:

• Select a regular time when you can pause without distraction
• Assemble simple but pleasing teaware that brings you joy
• Follow a consistent preparation process that becomes familiar
• Give full attention to each steep of making and drinking tea
• Notice the effect this brief pause has on your day

Whether in the early morning stillness, as an afternoon reset, or an evening wind-down, these small moments accumulate into a practice that enhances well-being and presence.

Begin Your Chinese Tea Journey

Exploring Chinese tea is a lifelong adventure—one that grows more rewarding as your experience deepens. Here's how to start:

Exploring by Preference

Your existing taste preferences can guide your initial exploration:

• If you enjoy subtle, fresh flavours: Begin with white teas or green teas
• If you appreciate floral aromas and complexity: Explore light oolongs
• If you enjoy bold, rich flavours: Start with black teas or darker oolongs
• If you're drawn to earthy, unusual tastes: Venture into pu-erh territory

Our sampler sets and individual samples are designed to help you discover your preferences without committing to larger quantities.

Learning Through Experience

Tea knowledge comes primarily through the cup rather than the page. We encourage:

• Tasting different teas side by side to notice distinctions
• Brewing the same tea multiple ways to understand its range
• Keeping brief notes about teas that particularly move you
• Sharing tea with others to exchange perspectives

Join Our Tea Community

Tea has always created community, and we invite you to join ours:

• Visit our Tea Bar in Hobart to experience guided tastings
• Attend our seasonal workshops to deepen your brewing skills
• Follow us on Instagram for brewing tips and new tea announcements
• Sign up for our newsletter to learn about special releases and events

Start Your Tea Journey Today

Whether you're drawn to the vibrant freshness of spring green teas, the complex depth of oolongs, or the earthy wisdom of aged pu-erh, there's a vast world of Chinese tea waiting for you to explore.

Start your tea journey today—explore our sampler sets or visit our Hobart Tea Bar for a guided tasting experience that will transform how you think about tea.