Beyond the Leaf

Welcome to Beyond the Leaf, the TeaSource blog.

Tea is more than a beverage—it's a story of people, places, tradition, and craftsmanship. Here you'll find tea education, thoughtful discussion, steeping guides, recipes, tasting notes, tea travel, sourcing stories, industry insights, and updates from the TeaSource team.

Whether you're just beginning your loose leaf tea journey or have been enjoying specialty tea for years, Beyond the Leaf is a place to deepen your knowledge, discover new teas, and explore the world behind every cup. Drawing on decades of experience sourcing and tasting exceptional teas, we share practical advice, firsthand experiences, and a passion for tea that we hope inspires your next cup.

All
Being Humbled

I actually like the experience of being humbled (this probably has to do with being raised Catholic) especially when this experience results from working with someone who knows a lot... Read More

Arrival of 1st 2015 tea, and it’s incredible !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring produces the highest grade and most sought after white teas; but what about a spring INDIAN white tea? We have the first 2015 Indian white tea and it might... Read More

Tea Masters Series II: Tasting Darjeeling

TeaSource is proud to sponsor the TEA MASTERS series. TeaSource will host world renowned tea growers, tea brokers, tea tasters, and tea authorities as part of this ongoing series. We... Read More

Sometimes I Have the Best Job in the World…

Recently I had the privilege of hosting three guests from the Otsuka Green Tea Co. of Shizuoka, Japan. It was a very short, very fun visit. The best part of... Read More

Steeped in Generations: The Doke Tea Estate

The Doke Tea Estate The tea plant is native to India, but the Indian tea industry began when thousands of tea seeds were smuggled out of China in the 1840’s.... Read More

We’re Drowning in New Teas

This is the time of year when our big shipments of teas arrive by sea from China, India, and Sri Lanka. Remember, tea is an agricultural crop and, for the... Read More

Hanging out with a Rock Star!

Shop Ms. Zhang's tea collection HERE. I don’t think of myself as a tea master, I’m just a long-time student of tea. But I get to hang out with tea... Read More

Get Your Dark On

Dark tea is unique because it is the only deliberately aged tea that undergoes a secondary fermentation process. Because of this additional step, it contains an active micro-organism called Golden... Read More

Geeking Out: CONvergence

CON was very fun this year, lots of good costumes, theme rooms, and theme cocktails! TeaSource provided tea for the convention and I gave a Geek Tea Presentation. We had... Read More

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Iced tea is the stuff of summer. Everybody knows that. Sweet tea, tea cocktails, tea infused beer, and even tea with ice cream all come to mind as tasty ways to beat... Read More

Talk with a Tea Master

We, at TeaSource, are thrilled to have Ms. Zhang Liumei, one of the founders of Yiqingyuan and one of our great resources in China, in Minneapolis this week.  Ms. Zhang... Read More

Going Out for Drinks: Coffee Fest in St. Louis

  The Gateway Arch as seen across a downtown traffic jam   Over the last weekend of May, the World Tea and Coffee Fest descended on Long Beach, CA and... Read More

97-108 of 141 articles