It's getting nice out, really nice out.  The smells of spring are in the air, the mornings are perfectly sunny, and the nights are warm and prime for strolling.  And while the early morning remains pleasantly cool, by midday a hot cup of tea doesn't always sound like most refreshing option.  So the other day, during my morning session, I decided to make iced tea a new way…

I started off in the morning after breakfast and some light reading, and found an old bag of Huang Zhi Xiang Phoenix Oolong to brew as the sun's rays began to creep in through the windows of my front balcony.  As the kettle came to a boil and I warmed my gaiwan, I brewed the tea and decanted it into my pouring vessel.  But instead of drinking it all at once, I simply poured a small cup for myself and then the rest into a glass bottle I usually use for water.

After a long 10 or 12 sessions of just one cup per brew, I had a full glass bottle of golden oolong ready to cool.  After I finished my last cup, I put the glass bottled oolong in the fridge.  After some errands, a run, and a little more reading I remembered the delicious elixir I had waiting for me.  I had some writing to do, and it was such a beautiful day that I sat out on my balcony, brought out the iced goodness, and sipped it slowly as I began to write.  The concentrated kung fu brewing made the tea flavorful without being too overpowering, and the fact that it wasn't diluted with ice kept it tasting pure and unaltered.  The perfect type of tea for a hot spring day.

Camping is the perfect time to brew tea.  Being out in nature, in the cool mountain air of Sequoia everything just felt right.  It was ideal for improvised guerilla pouring sessions among rocks smoothed by the nearby running water, or back at camp in the early morning or just before the sun set.

We brought cups, a gaiwan, pouring vessel and a jet boil to brew some cooked puer.  The earthiness of the dark, aged tea complemented the natural environment and clear mountain air.  We skirted off of the trail and down some boulders to a flat rock near a river's edge.  The grime had collected on our bodies from the previous day's hiking and so we de-shirted and stuck our heads under the water and let the water boil.  We collected fresh river water and after the Jetboil was ready, gathered around the gaiwan for an outdoor teasesh.

The sun beat down on us as we talked and sipped our tea.  The flowing water was relaxing, and I began to forget about everything back in the civilized world as I laid back and took in the rays from the sun.  Occasionally I would sit up and sip on my tea before lying back down and listening to the forest sounds all around me.

Disconnecting is an essential part of the tea ceremony.  And there's no better place to disconnect than in nature.  It allows us to truly forget about all our worldly problems and appreciate the beauty of nature and life around us.  And if only for a little bit, it helps us rediscover ourselves.  But this is nothing new; Jack Kerouac said it best when he wrote, "you always want a good cup of hot tea under those cold stars."

Not all iced tea is created equal.  There are a few different ways of making iced tea, but one of the quickest is over ice.  Sure, you could brew sun tea and then cool it down in the fridge, but sometimes you want your tea cold and fast.

In order to satisfy this need, brew your tea up however you normally would.  Lately I've been brewing working man's style, and sometimes I'll have a good brew going when the day takes a turn from cloudy and cool to bright and warm.  That's when I pour some out into a cup and let it cool down for a bit.

The more time you can allow the tea to cool, the less you'll have to eventually water it down with ice.  So once you can't help it anymore, drop in a couple of cubes of frozen water and enjoy!  Rou Gui on the rocks is my favorite at the moment, but you can't go wrong with a good shu puer.

Things have been getting busier lately, and so when I get a chance to have a mindful, focused teasesh alone it makes it all the more special.  This is especially true when it comes to those early morning sessions when everything falls into place and I have a glorious hour or so to myself to brew some strong puer.

There's something beautiful about  the morning; the birth of the day, filled with endless potential and possibility.  I brew strong tea and do nothing else.  No computer, no book, and ideally no one else to distract me.  Ideas flow in and out as ideas tend to do when alone, and I begin to visualize what the day may bring.

I choose sheng puer because of its strong qi and creativity-inducing qualities.  I'll often times find myself staring off out a window or at the early rays of sunshine that come in from my balcony as I let all of my worries fade away into non-existence.  My morning ritual always brings me back to center, making me realize that whatever I may be stressing over really isn't worth my time, that life is beautiful and simple (like tea) and that sometimes all you need is a good cup and some time alone.

Stay Happy,

M

My first love - that is to say the first tea I fell in love with - was a lightly oxidized Tie Guan Yin.  It was light and fresh without being too weak, vegetal without being too grassy, and buttery in all the right ways.  Since then, I've expanded my Tie Guan Yin range and settled on a great everyday oolong: Tie Guan Yin mild oxidation.

I always like to throw in a sample of this affordable gem in with the orders of first-time customers.  I think it serves as a great introductory oolong without carrying a hefty price tag.  Mostly because it's pretty easy to brew, but also for educational purposes.  Especially when compared to the light variety, Tie Guan Yin mild serves as a great example of how the oxidation process can affect a tea's character.      

Unlike it's younger sister (and my first love), this more oxidized variety of Tie Guan Yin has nuttier notes with a bit more body to it.  There's also a very subtle spice to it in the finish, right on the border between nutty and bitter.  It's a fine line to walk, but quite rewarding when you get it just right.

Sip slowly friends...