Extreme ChaXi – Taiwan Coast

What could be more extreme than making ChaXi on a rocky outcropping jutting into the ocean as typhoon driven waves crash violently against the rocks next to you and the rain pounds down with drops the size of hail (seriously, it started hailing as soon as we got back on

The White Knight – An Every Day Hero

Sometimes, people for no reason but to be helpful and kind, go far out of their way to help others; this is one of those times. As I alluded to in this post, Pat and I got (very) lost on the small section of our ride from Banciao to SanXia,

Extreme ChaXi – Taiwan Mountain Side

Doing ChaXi is one thing; doing it on the side of a mountain in the rain off your motorcycle is quite another. This is Extreme ChaXi. Welcome to the game. For this High Mountain Chaxi (at ~1300M) I brewed an ALiShan GaoShan from April 2011. Good stuff! Brewing outside (on

Operation Escape to Nantou

As great as Taipei is (kinda-sorta-sometimes-maybe) Pat and I needed to escape, and what better way to do that than a motorcycle ride over the river and through the mountains in search of tea fields, fresh air, and a sense of adventure? We set off with nothing but the clothes

Do you miss the surprises?

Looks like Pat and I are rolling with our VIP friends from Korea and Japan. Is that Wisteria tea house? Oh yes. Things are about to get crazy.

Miss-identification of Tea

So, as I alluded to a few posts ago, I feel that after ~5 years of studying tea I can trust my taste buds; but as I mentioned in that very same post, I still make mistakes. Part of our education while studying with Teaparker in Taiwan is identifying samples;

ChaShan?

one more step, up the mountain, in search of tea.

Rolling with Aaron Fisher

Aaron is a force of nature. Somewhere between setting up Global Tea Hut (very worth joining), his artistic endeavors (very worth having), and publishing The Leaf (about to restart!), he has found time to write and edit for Art of Tea Magazine, give presentations in Russia and the good ol’

An education in Ceramics

Studying with Teaparker is quite the education; he has us identifying teas we didn’t know exist, and anytime he takes a cup or teapot off the shelf it could be Tang Dynasty or modern trash and we have under a minute to determine what were holding (when we’re

Dancing with Landlord

I guess a night out with your landlord is a right of passage or something…