Hidden in the Himalayas, a rare gem awaits your discovery. Though a relative newcomer to the specialty tea scene, Nepalese tea has developed a devoted and passionate following amongst tea enthusiasts and aficionados. These devotees have discovered what you soon will -- a unique terroir combined with the sparkle of the people of Nepal themselves reveals found treasure in a cup. Join us as we discover Nepali tea.

This workshop will begin with a very brief overview of the development of tea and the tea industry in Taiwan. This will be followed by an examination of some of the principal cultivars grown in Taiwan and the major production areas within the country. The main part of the workshop will be devoted to a tasting of 6 of the principal teas of Taiwan: a Wenshan Bao Zhong, a Bai Hao (Oriental Beauty), a Dong Ding, a roasted gaoshan, an unroasted gaoshan and a Ruby Black (Hong Yu). Attendees will learn the historical context of Taiwanese tea, how to recognize the principal cultivars, what and where are the main production areas and the will taste a rang of Taiwan tea.

Tea is a snapshot of the environment and conditions in which it's grown. The agricultural techniques on the farm translate into different flavor profiles in the tea. In this workshop, taste and compare conventional, organic, and biodiverse teas and learn how cultivation styles can affect the taste, market price, and sustainability of tea.

What's it like to be a professional tea taster? In this hands-on class, get up close and personal with a challenging variety of teas and origins, while learning professional standards for brewing, tasting and describing tea. You'll gain a deeper understanding behind the complexity of tea sourcing, and what a professional taster looks for at the cupping table in terms of quality.

Always one of our most popular sessions at the NWTF, our cupping workshops are different every year and always sell out - so book early!
Session includes a cupping set for each attendee to take home to continue to practice their new cupping skills.

Chai has become a pillar of India's culture. Contemporary generations of Indian people embrace tea as a part of their country's rich history, but the culture of tea drinking in India is a modern phenomenon. In this presentation, learn about the indigenous tea culture of India and the modern mass culture of tea that has manifested itself into a customized masala blend for each household and satiating chai stalls throughout the streets of the country.

This tasting session is offered again Saturday in this workshop booth at these times:

• 11:30am to 12:00pm 
• 12:00pm to 12:30pm
• 12:30pm to 1:00pm

Silk Road Teas' session will introduce, discuss and taste rare, artisanal teas from China. These select teas are grown on small traditional farms, made each harvest season in very limited quantities & crafted to local customs in processing and taste profile. Presenting 3 varieties of "fresh" green, oolong and black teas, participants will have the opportunity to learn how high-grade artisanal teas are grown, skillfully crafted and processed creating some of the world's finest tasting teas. Each tea will be brewed using a traditional Chinese tea service of Gaiwan and small porcelain tasting cups.

This tea tasting is for the adventurous tea drinker!

We will be drinking an obscure and strange tea called Fu Zhuan aka Fu Brick. Fu Zhuan is fermented, pressed into bricks, and then encouraged to grow mold, called Jin Hua or Golden Flowers, to spread in the tea that adds a unique flavor.

**Teas in this tasting may have been in contact with wheat flour or gluten**

I was perfectly prepared for a life in tea because I had previously written a book about wine. Wine and tea are both agricultural products which at their best become works of art yet may be enjoyed even at their humblest. To come into existence, both of them require the hand of man, his understanding and skill, to join with the hand of God, His plant, weather and terroir. The only reason to produce either is that we humans like the way they make us feel: Felicitous Phenomena!

You will discover the parallels between wine and tea—in names, tastes, history, religious origins and symbolisms, and in human culture and use over the centuries. I wish to delineate the unexpected ways each beverage sheds light on the other, quite beyond Lord Byron’s contrast
“Tis a pity wine should be so deleterious
For tea and coffee leave us much more serious".

Assam is much more than an ordinary blending tea. With over 500 tea gardens in Assam, India, there are delicious dimensions to this tea yet many Assam fans have not had the opportunity to taste and compare a number of them at one time. Join us for a comparative tasting of seven different single-estate Assams and get better acquainted with this lovely robust tea. We'll also discuss and taste three popular breakfast blends that include Assam--English, Irish and Scottish--and what makes them unique.

Tea ceremony does not have to be complicated. Its goal is to brew a better cup for your party. In the workshop, you will learn how to prepare for the ceremony, how to choose your tea wares, and how to brew good cups of tea for you and your friends. At the end of the session, you will take a cheat sheet that you can use in your everyday tea ceremony.

The many different varieties of pu-erh tea can lead to confusion for many newcomers. There is no better way to learn about this world-renowned tea than to personally taste the varied flavor profiles of a raw and a ripe pu-erh, and a young and aged pu-erh.

This talk provides an overview of and updates on the University of California at Davis’s Global Tea Initiative for the Study of Tea Culture and Science (GTI, https://globaltea.ucdavis.edu/). It describes its mission, goals, and the steps already taken on the path to becoming the Global Tea Institute. A Q&A follows the talk. Questions and suggestions are welcome.

Korea is not very well known for the teas that it grows, and many tea drinkers have never tried a Korean tea. There is a reason for this as tea has had a long and troubled history in Korea. This convoluted relationship has led to the rise and dominance of grain and herbal based drinks in Korea. In this class we will examine the roles of tea and religion in Korea and how Camillia sinensis came to play second fiddle to herbals and medicinals. While we will try several true teas from Korea, we will also sample a number of herbal, fruit, and grain based teas.

General information about Japanese green tea and tea culture in Japan. You would learn how Japanese teas are different from others, how to brew Japanese teas, and how water temperature can change its flavor.

This tasting session is offered again Saturday in this workshop booth:

• 1:30pm to 2:00pm 

Join with Jeffrey McIntosh as he shares with you his personal experience in the tea industry in the past 10 years, visiting multiple tea mountains and tea growing regions, he will share with you his journey and knowledge about Pu-erh tea, how to differentiate safe and clean Pu-erh tea and what are the health benefits of Pu-erh tea. For a more in-depth understanding of Pu-erh, be sure to check out Jeffrey's workshop: Introduction to Pu-erh Tea.

This session will show participants just how easy it is to incorporate exciting teas into a familiar beverage, and also how to prepare syrups for serving homemade Italian sodas at home. Participants will also have the option to try a soda made from a selection of prepared syrups.

This session is offered again Saturday in this workshop booth at: 2:00am to 2:30pm

Grab your tea pot and come play with us! Everybody brews, everybody drinks tea! Or you are welcome to just watch and drink tea. Wu-Wo tea ceremony allows many participants to brew and share tea together at the same time. No experience necessary. If you would like to participate as a brewer, please watch the below video on the basics of the Wu-Wo ceremony and what to bring. Hot water will be provided.
Video: nwwuwotea.com: Basics of Wu-Wo

NOTE: This session will be held out in the Founder's Court outside if the weather permits. Check with the information desk for details.

If you’ve ever felt soothed by the warmth of a cup of tea, you have felt the power of what tea can do for your well being. In this workshop, learn how meditating with tea calms the mind, grounds the body, and connects us to our senses. We’ll explore what a tea meditation practice looks like, discussing details like setting up a space at home, scheduling, items you may wish to use, and appropriate teas to consider. This workshop includes both lecture and guided meditation exercises. Appropriate for aspiring, beginner or experienced meditation practitioners.
Please bring your own yoga mat if you want to do this session on the floor.

Veteran British tea taster Kevin Gascoyne, leads the group through an immersive tasting.  Exploring the flavor profiles and intimate details of a selection of rare and unusual teas, both contemporary and classic, from the Camellia Sinensis collection.
90 Minutes

Just as with all domestic plants, tea also has many different varieties bred by man, which we call cultivars. Each cultivar has its own genetic material that leads to unique flavors, aromas, color, and other characteristics, which can only be properly appreciated in single-cultivar teas. In this tasting, we will sample several cultivars of Japanese tea in 1st harvest, single-estate senchas to enjoy the characters of the various cultivars.

Discussion on the brief history of tea which includes how tea began in China and spread to Europe and America, The Boston Tea Party, Anna Maria Stanhope (The Duchess of Bedford), Queen Victoria’s role in taking tea, and more;

Instruction on styles of tea service such as High Tea, Afternoon Tea, Low Tea, The Elevenses and more;
Demonstration on enjoying an afternoon at a teahouse or a friend’s home which includes making an entrance, introducing yourself and others, information on wearing gloves, how to handshake properly, how to take your seat at the table, and knowledge of where to place your purse, briefcase, eyeglasses and eyeglass case;
Information on how to be a gracious hostess which includes invitation protocol, how to set a buffet tea table, how to set an intimate tea tray, and how to serve tea properly;

Demonstration of Continental and American dining, dessert dining with a fork and spoon, and dining with a cup and saucer.

Join tea experts Josephine Pan and Thomas Shu and learn why fine tea drinking is still not in American’s daily life? Why can’t you find fine tea selling over the counter, to American mainstream markets?
Do you just rely on teapots to brew your tea? Brewing tea only in teapots can limit you. They will show you how to expand your experience with fine tea and integrate tea more completely into your daily life. They will take you beyond just brewing teas in a teapot and introduce you to the advantages of brewing tea in your own Personal Tea Tasting Set (provided with your registration).
A new tz (Fine tea made Easy) concept, will also be discussed. Practice with hands-on personal tastings of 3 Taiwan Oolongs tz: Jade, Gold, Ruby. 
In addition,
Learn the basics of how to prepare for a tea party of your own which will include food pairing suggestions. Alternatives to just serving hot tea will be discussed, chilled tea vs iced tea. 
All attendees will leave with their own very useful Personal Tea Tasting Cupping Set to use to practice at home.

Participants will sample varying grades of chocolate along with a selection of teas as we explore the pairing of teas and chocolate to develop our own conclusions about agreeable combinations. There may even be chocolate treats for the adventurous.

Join me for a tasting of some exquisite, premium quality teas produced by small growers in Kenya.  Kenya has been a tea-producing country since 1903 and is most commonly known for everyday CTC tea, however the teas we'll taste defy the ordinary.

When Bruce Richardson isn’t talking about tea, he’s lecturing on his state’s signature beverage – Bourbon. Richardson is a graduate of the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Academy where he has made four appearances at Tea and Bourbon Designer Dinners hosted by the world-famous distillery. Students will experience how certain foods influence the way we taste both Bourbon and tea before they are led through a guided pairing experience. Participants will focus their tasting skills as they look for common flavor notes and influencers found in two of the world’s most fascinating beverages. Past audiences have included World Tea Expo, SIAL Shanghai, and the Chicago International Tea Festival.

Must be at least 21 years of age with photo ID to attend
90 Minutes

Hailing from the major tea producing region of Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, Konishi-san is a tea making genius. On his small 5-acre farm he produces some of the most spectacular teas and in this tasting workshop we will sample through several of them. We will gain insight into his process and what the life of a Japanese tea farmer is like as well as learning more about Japanese teas in general.

This tasting session is offered again Saturday in this workshop booth at:3:30pm to 4:00pm

While most of us believe that regular consumption of tea is good for one’s health, scientific data to support this idea is amazingly limited. This session will outline the complexities in conducting clinical studies on tea, the need for basic metabolic information, and the exciting new tea research published in the past few years. The aroma, warmth, and feeling in the mouth, gums, and throat after drinking good tea are wonderful. While challenging to quantify in a scientific paradigm, the enjoyment of tea is thousands of years old, and is something to be savored!

“Our goal is to focus on doing less of that which erodes us and more of that which sustains us.” – Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, Trauma Stewardship Institute.
In this workshop, we explore the science of how mindfulness reduces stress response - and why that’s so critical for our health – and how using tea in our meditation work can help us reconnect and relax in a very unique way. Includes guided meditation exercises with tea drinking, with the goal of creating a very adaptable, easy to follow daily practice.
Please bring your own yoga mat if you want to do this session on the floor.

The presentation will be a moderated panel discussion, with topics including policies on tea reviews, what they share with other bloggers, how writing about tea is unique, what their process is for researching articles, technical elements and challenges.

Whether puttering around in your garden or taking a walk through the woods, delicious plants are all around us! Come learn what delicious wonders are available in your everyday life, and how to create your own herbal teas!

Matcha has received a superfood spotlight, giving it a rise in popularity greater than any other tea since chai. However, with relatively little historical information recorded in English sources, there are a lot of "facts" floating around that are less than accurate. We will review the definition of matcha, its history, and health benefits, while dispelling several myths. Attendees will learn about matcha more deeply based on scientific research and modern industry practices, as well as how to avoid the pitfalls of misinformed marketing hype and progress-impeding purists.

During the event you will be tasting 5 unique tea cocktails, presented with few ideas to decorate them and you will leave with over 10 recipes of amazing tea cocktails.

Must be at least 21 years of age with photo ID to attend

We will cover a brief general intro of Phoenix Oolong, its difference from other oolong teas, and how to distinguish high quality Phoenix teas.

Celebrate 150 Years of US/Taiwan Tea Connection (1869 - 2019) -
Taiwan tea ambassador Thomas Shu will take you through each important moment and discuss how both countries have developed and shared their advances in food, wine and tea.
How the British tea merchants got the idea to sail Formosa Oolong directly from Taiwan to US.
In 1976, how the competition between California and French wines led to Light up Taiwan's single estate, single cultivar tea farms and inspired the Lugu Tea Contest for Taiwan Oolong.
Developments in the US and Taiwan continued with McDonald's Hamburger University, inspiring the Boba Colleges in Taiwan, bringing Boba Tea or Bubble Tea all over the World. 

He will finish, with a presentation of a 2019 World Class Tea Adventure - Laopi Tea Farm, a brand new approach of Technology, Ecology, and Food Safety producing tea.

High quality pu-erh tea possesses not only rich flavors, it is prized for the sensory experiences felt by its drinkers. In this guided tasting session, learn how to discern the texture, the subtlety, the complexity, the mouthfeel and the aftertaste (called "gan") of pu-erh tea.

Nature makes teas that that allow drinkers to connect with themselves and their environments. Modern farming practices seek to replace nature, but the old style of farming still exists if we pursue it. When sparrows become invisible in neighboring persimmon trees, it is time to spread open the reed mat. And when crows become invisible, it is time to cover with straw. Join me to hear what I've learned about growing tea in nature from other tea farmers in Japan. Learn how natural signals can be used in other tea growing areas, and how I use them on my farm on Hawaii island.

Explore the varieties of teaware used for brewing, drinking, and storing tea, from the origins of tea drinking in China in the 3rd century AD, it’s spread to other Eastern countries, and then onto the Western world starting in the 17th century AD. The class will include illustrations and hands-on examples of teaware through various times and cultures.

Tea might be your favorite drink, but it is a lot to take in. So many kinds of subtle styles of tastes and smells. And why there are so many kinds of colors of tea if they are all from the same kind of bush. Come to the session and learn the answers to all those questions.

In this session we will explore and discuss the many aspects of wine and tea culture while doing a series of tastings of Chinese tea. The goal is to delve into what makes these two beverages so unique in their ability to capture place, define culture, and unite agriculture with the humanities. Please be prepared to get philosophical.

Taiwan is proud of its famous Oolong and many other lesser known teas. Do you know why “Pao Chong” teas are wrapped in paper? How many “rollings” does Alisan High Mountain tea require? Why do Taiwan’s black teas grow near the Sun Moon Lake? Come and taste the most beloved teas of the most mountainous country in Asia and learn why they are so treasured by the Taiwanese people.

Note:This tea tasting will be repeated again Sunday 3:30pm-4:00pm in this booth.