Category Archives: Tea Education

The Road to Stockholm – the bridge between water and tea

As I am gearing up to make my way to Stockholm, Sweden to attend the Fine Water Summit, I am putting my finishing touches onto my presentation. I will be highlighting opportunities between the tea industry and the fine water industry and hopefully open avenues and amplify the message for both industries.

What I admire the most about both industries is the passion people have for their product. I have now met many people around the world who have the great ability to tell a story about wonderful high-quality loose-leaf teas and fine waters. Both communities are filled with an extraordinary drive to show the public a side that will add value to their day to day lives. Both the water and the tea communities are filled with giving people who will go out of their way to connect you to their product.

Myanmar

Myanmar has a diversified tea culture. Tea is everywhere. During meals in tea shops, in tea breaks during the day, it is present in many shapes and forms. Often you find simple Chinese green tea, but often Myanmar people will enjoy their tea with milk and sugar. Everybody has their own preference: stronger, sweeter, lighter, not so sweet. It is in the moment a culture of purified water, something I am gearing up to speak further about. Slowly I am seeing that people are mindful of their choices and try to incorporate one of the few brands of spring water which are available.

In a country with a lot of people having little or no income, it’s no easy task to use spring water, but the trend is positive. People are starting to see the need for proper hydration and the need for minerals in their daily fluid intake. I see the start of people becoming aware of the advantages of certain brands and most importantly, the differences in taste. It is my goal to shine a more prominent spotlight onto water and tea and pull them out from the back of the menu to become more front and center in a dining experience.

Tea plantation on the hill near Pindaya, Myanmar

If you are a manager at a workshop, a restaurant chef in a fine restaurant, a teacher in a busy school or a student in a university, water and tea play an important role your life. Many people appreciate these beverages and select their favorite brands or type as they bring them joy and happiness into their often demanding and busy lives. Some people however take these liquids for granted. They accept an average taste as the norm, without knowing what taste, flavor and aroma water and tea are capable of. They are happy to down a glass of tap water to quench their thirst quickly. They dunk a cheap tea bag into a cup of lukewarm water and are happy with the tea-like taste in their cup.

The journey

That is the journey that fascinates me. To connect amazing products to amazing people, who deserve better then just a cheap tea bag or tap water. We all work hard and look for the best possible life, a life full of happiness, joy and fulfillment. Affordable luxury can be had simply by upgrading the tea quality to a loose-leaf tea or by selecting a nice spring or mineral water. We just need to reach out and invest a little to gain big. If relatively simple products such as tea or water can make a difference, how can we achieve this?

Over the past months I have faced the challenging task to bring that message to the public, one person at a time. I found it a victory of the day, when I convinced a shopper in a supermarket in Myanmar to try a spring water rather then the purified water. During my stay I enjoyed in-depth talks with restaurant owners to find avenues for them to fine waters as profit centers for their restaurants and to add another layer to their story. I treasure the talks with water brand owners who want to seek further reach of their product in the global market. I sense, that we are on the way of opening up the fine water industry to a larger segment of the public.

Sommelier

As a sommelier, I aim to add value by exploring interesting ways of connecting tea and water. I explore the different taste structures and present my readers with a small token of information which might get people thinking. Many people do not think about paying attention to their tea water. They are not aware of the possibilities to amplify the taste experience of their beverage.

Many people think, that ‘water just tastes like water’. It is my mission and objective to find the different layers and provide you with a sense of exploration and become more mindful when we taste. How do I describe the taste of water? What difference does that make? What are the products which can change by using different waters in tea? How important are water and tea for my wellness and health?

These are questions I plan to tackle in Stockholm in a few days. I am looking forward to immersing myself in discussions with the champions of the fine water industry and find inspiration in their work and presentations. And I hope I can add a little bit of value to what I am sure will be a fantastic event.

I will certainly bring you a recap of the fine water summit on my blog in the coming days.

Watch this space and stay thirsty!

A Different Kind of Sommelier

When I heard about Marc Almert being voted the best Sommelier in the world by ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale), I was first of all happy. Happy, that a fellow German has won this title and that there is hope (half-jokingly), that my German taste buds have some genetic advantage in the world of tasting.

Once the happiness settled in and I congratulated Marc, one of my old questions came back to me: Why is it always wine that is associated with the word Sommelier? As a tea and water sommelier, how do I compare?

It also brings back a point I was advocating for over the past years, that we sommeliers would benefit from collaborating. Let me first be clear for the people which already have started to type comments: in Sommelier terms, wine will always play a major role, there is no question that wine plays a dominant role when it comes to fine beverages in the restaurant world.

But let us ponder an additional question for one moment: how can sommeliers, wine, water, tea or even olive oil or chocolate sommeliers benefit from collaborating with each other? Can the customer experience be enhanced by having a heightened experience as a product from Sommeliers getting along with each other?

Sommeliers from different areas do not need to be in competition with each other. I do not think there needs to be a conversation on which field produces the best sommelier. There is no need to look up or down, as respect for each other’s accomplishments will all move us in the right direction. Each specialist, who is passionate about his or her area can contribute to the table experience and add value to what ultimately the customer will benefit from.

@MartinRiese has successfully demonstrated that water sommeliers add significant value and bring water forward as a significant revenue center for the restaurant. Sommeliers like Martin make water entertaining and important for people to notice. The fine water industry is at the beginning of a new beverage revolution where the conversation on fine water will enter front and center.

How about that certificate?

I agree, that a 4-day summer course, where you are presented with a “Sommelier” certificate will not make you an expert. A one-year Tea Sommelier course which brings you to the ability blind taste tea and determine the year and even the tea plantation does. A hands on, intensive course over 3 months with the fine water academy and the expert guidance from Martin Riese and Michael Masha certainly will.

I remember the summers when my family went off to the beach to relax and I would stay for 8 hours in the kitchen to taste and describe different teas. I remember long weekends of water tastings to develop a palette for water flavors and textures. Tasting is an essential skill for sommeliers and it takes a long time to develop enough confidence to develop a good skill level. Certified Sommeliers in the tea and water industry with credible institutions are passionate individuals who want to make a difference in the world and lead the way to a higher level of spirit and sophistication in their industry.

What is a Sommelier?

If you google ‘Sommelier’ most likely the words ‘Wine waiter’ or ‘Wine steward’ will pop up on the top of the list. Ads for sophisticated wine schools and expensive wine classes will be offered. Other beverages will not appear until far, far down the list and rarely in the context of Sommelier.

Sommelier history

King Philippe V of France first recognized the job of sommelier as a formal profession in the fourteenth century when a ‘sommelier’ was a court official charged with the transportation of supplies. The word came from the Middle French – a ‘saumalier’ was a pack animal driver, derived from the word ‘sauma,’ referring to either the pack animal or the packsaddle. In King Phillipe’s day, the job of sommelier involved keeping the provisions of the royal house well-stocked. It also involved taking nibbles of perishable foods and sips of perishable wines to ensure that they were still edible and had not been poisoned. A wise sommelier would need to take careful stock of the popularity of the nobleman or monarch he chose to serve if he wished to preserve his health!

The modern version of a Sommelier

As a dual Tea and Water Sommelier, certified by the World Tea Academy and the Fine Water Academy, I am enjoying my ability to learn and educate in two different yet equally passionate industries. I made it my mission to be a bridge ambassador, who can connect the world of tea and water and identify opportunities for the hospitality industry. I am working with brand owners to develop strategies and ways to get the public more excited and more educated about incredible products the industry has to offer.

Everybody has a different preference and a different flavor and taste profile. Sommeliers taste hundreds of different products to be able to recommend an option to a customer which they would enjoy. Some people might like sparkling water, some might like a still water, some a green tea and some an oolong tea. We all have a different set of taste buds with which we are enjoying the world and it is the opportunity of sommeliers to find that magic match. Sommeliers can spark interest and highlight the benefits of high-quality products to enhance the customer experience.

A night to remember

I had a wonderful collaboration experience in November 2018. During a networking event for my current job, I met the Olive Oil Sommelier Benedetta in Italy, who conducted an Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Tasting. I learned new things and most of all I could sense her passion to give people more information about Olive Oil and Vinegar, in order for them to improve their choices and their experience selecting the right oil in the future.

For me that is the essential point: A sommelier has the ability to spark an inspiration in people and show them a side of a beverage they have not seen before and what will make their experience better and more enjoyable.

Each island of the beverage industry produces experts who have a passion and developed a way of presenting their knowledge to people who do not think about beverages in such an extensive way.

As a water and tea sommelier I have the good fortune to be certified in two wonderful industries. What connects these industries is the passion to make their beverage more visible and more exiting to the public.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that Sommeliers from different industries should collaborate more and exchanging perspectives and ideas that will benefit us all. I would love to see a cross industry network of Sommeliers to present their ideas to each other.

I am looking forward to the Fine Water Summit in Stockholm in a few weeks where I will talk about the bridge between Water and Tea and the opportunities for both industries. I am looking forward to exchange ideas with the best of the best in the fine water industry in looking towards new trends for the future.

Looking forward to sharing my insights from the summit here on this blog.

Until then, Stay thirsty!

5 quick changes before Valentines Day that will make your life better

The internet is full of articles about making your life stronger and better. Companies will try to sell you stuff which you don’t need or will promise you a short cut to an easier life. We are disappointed when they do not live up to their promise and sink further into despair.

The following five tips are from my own life, they are proven and have done amazing things for me. And most importantly they will not cost you a fortune, some of them are even free, and will improve your live in significant and long lasting ways. We are looking for big changes but sometimes the best improvements are right under our nose.

Hydration

The game changer. One of the areas that will have the biggest impact on your life. Chances are that you drink water once you are thirsty or you have a beverage with your meal. You don’t think about water on a constant basis, even though you consist of 70% water. We focus on so many things in our life but we ignore the most important aspect of our body because we believe it is working and does not need much attention. Many meetings and places I go to, I am the only one carrying around a water bottle with me. If you are one of the few people who bring (hopefully reusable) water bottle, you are ahead of the game. Just by sipping water through the day you support your body and your brain in many functions, you provide the oil for your engine. Try the 8 x 8 rule, 8 glasses of 8z per day, easy to remember. After a few weeks of sipping water on a constant basis, you will not even notice it anymore, sip on autopilot and your body will be up and running.

While many people reach for the faucet in the morning, you can kick start your day in a much better way. Drink a glass of fine mineral water first thing in the morning and you tell your day that you mean business. Your body will receive a jump start portion of minerals to fire up all vitals. Your organs and metabolism will thank you. You can even add a spritz of lemon to the water for an extra boost of vitamin C.

Fine Water at Dinner

The conversationalist. With most people using water from the tab, using water for dinner becomes uninspiring, dull and boring. By having an interesting, exotic and unique mineral water at your dinner table will enhance your experience, you can add something special to your evening at small cost. We will have the opportunity to talk about where the water comes from with our family, dream about an exotic location at a rain forest or mountain area. We will experience a unique taste from a different part of the world. Life is all about special moments and creating unique experiences, even during a normal, routine work day. The more you can enhance your normal day and make it special, the more value the day will have to you and your mood will increase. Life for me is to create a growing mosaic of meaningful moments.

With valentines day around the corner, you can make your dinner special by ordering a wonderful bottle of fine still or sparkling water along side your food. Impress your date with stories about where the water came from, the romantic environment of a rain forest or mountain stream. Water is life and it is good sometimes to dream.

Fine Water Tea

The enhancer. Most people make their tea with tab water. You work hard, you invest everything you got into your life,you purchased an amazing high quality loose leaf tea, you deserve the best cup of tea possible. Using the right water for making your tea will bring out the best flavor and your taste buds will thank you for that. Tea water is a vessel to bring our the best in tea as the tea master has intended. Use high quality spring water for tea water. I know it will be a bit more pricey then running it from the filter or tab, but you deserve a good cup of tea and not just an average one. Look at the label. Select a water with a super low TDS level (below 50 if possible) and a ph level of 7. Any other water will not give you the best possible experience. A water with a high mineral level will interfere with the minerals in the tea itself and the ideal taste will be off.

Life is too short to drink a bad tea.

Tea of the day

Diversity. We are living in times where diversity and cultural connections are more important than ever and that’s good. Diversity will make us stronger and we can only learn more from each other. The most interesting thing about tea is the thousands of different types and blends and mixes which are available around the planet. We could drink a different tea for the rest of our lives and just have experienced a fraction of what is available. And new types are coming onto the market every day. Sommeliers are here to identify the best solution for you. You like a certain taste. You might like it more fruity, more sweet, more milky or like me ultra pure. Make it a habit to include a new tea every day, learn about different tastes, research the tea, ask sommeliers more about a certain tea type. I am here to help you to make the best out of your day and make your day special.

Fine Water and Friends

The socializer. Water and tea are great platforms to share new experiences with friends and family. Next time you go to a restaurant, see what waters or teas are on the menu. Ask the waiter what they have. You can share this new experience with your friends and you can impress your family with your knowledge about a certain water or tea. Like any knowledge there is so much around us which we have not experienced yet, which is just waiting for to be explored.

You can gift that knowledge. You can gift a special someone in your life with a water 101 course at the fine water academy to learn more about water.

I hope these tips have send a spark of inspiration your way and make you think about trying one of these tips out for yourself. They are small ideas and changes but can have a big impact on your life.

Stay thirsty.

How to smash your day with water and tea at your side.

We all want to get the most out of our day. You want to be full of energy, conquer your goals and be successful. We are constantly on a quest to find the best inspirational solutions to get us trough the day. Sometimes the best solutions are where we least expect them – right in front of our nose.

To master the challenges of the day we need loads of energy, inspiration, good mood and grit to stand our grounds in the complex world we are living in.

Millions of dollars are spent each month on bigger and better things to make us grow. Sometimes it is simply what we call affordable luxury, a small token with high purpose which will have the biggest impact on our life.

We normally treat water to quench our thirst, many do not see water as an indulgence to make our day. This is when fine water comes into the picture.

Start the day

To start the day with a fine water which suites our taste, may it be with bubbles or without, will set our mood into the right direction. Knowing more about where the water came from, picturing the clear mountain stream or the snow capped mountain will enhance our spirit. We can choose a water from a tropical paradise or from a stream nearby, the possibilities are endless. The important element is that we bring meaning into our present moment, rather then just opening up the faucet and get some tab water.

In the past years I made it a joyful practice every morning to pick out one tea a day and drink at the office, re-steeping a high quality loose leaf tea which keeps on giving. This year I am going one step further. I am selecting several teas and matching them to my energy and mood level throughout the day. I found one more habit loop which can make me more productive and brings more joy to my day.

Having tea and fine water in my life is something I am always grateful for and which I am trying to appreciate on a daily basis.

Fine Water

Fine Water gives me the ability to fine tune my hydration needs and to make sure that I take in the right level of minerals needed for my daily growth. My zero-calorie drink habit forces me to search for the most desirable taste and flavor paired with the satisfaction that I am fully in charge of my calorie intake.

Select a Tea to fit your mood

My tea selection in the first half of the day is normally more mellow – white and green teas are the order of the day. I still enjoy the ritual in the morning to fill up empty cotton tea bags with my favorite high quality loose leaf tea. It brings me so much joy to check in with my mood for that day and select the perfect match. Some days I select a Japanese Sencha or a Dragonwell tea from China. Other days I will go for a Anji Ba cha or a Yin Zen. For the afternoon normally I pick a strong black tea. I tend to lose some of my energy in the afternoon, so I am in need of a pick-me-up. I normally tend to pick a strong second flush Darjeeling tea or a traditional Earl Grey. It has made a big difference in the dynamics and productivity in the afternoon.

For me the tea and water experience is a complete package. Try to explore the terroir of a fine water and tea, research the source of a water, look at the TDS and mineral levels to better understand what to expect from a certain fine water.

Research the terroir of a tea, where it comes from , what the desired taste should be and how it should be brewed. Select a cup or mug which connects with you. All these elements combined set the foundation for a great beverage experience. When the fine water or tea hits your taste buds, it will build on this knowledge and the experience becomes so much more rich.

These are the simple pleasures, the affordable luxuries which can positively enhance your day. We are living in a complex world surrounded by challenges, but you have the ability to control and positively impact your day with these little habits and procedures. When your focus zooms away from the noise which is around us and we focus on the joyful moments and environments which we have created, our lives will improve and our mood will change for the better.

Stay Thirsty!

We All Want The Same Thing From Taste -Zero Calorie Drinks

One habit I’ve gained from my zero calorie drink habit is to find creative ways in finding satisfying tastes and flavors. Just because I have elected not to consume calories in my drinks does not mean I do not want to have fun and find excitement in my life. By contrast, it has challenged me to find new ways to fulfill that need. I love the fact that I can better control my calorie intake and my overall diet.

A few suggestions and tips if you would like to try something similar

I realized that we are all the same when it comes to what we want from our drink selections. Yet the result and the outcomes of our desires are vastly different and can be either good or bad for your health. I am trying to nudge you down the path of a more healthy diet in 2019.

We all look for a taste that excites our taste buds. Sadly in today’s world we are sometimes just ‘downing’ our food and drinks without paying attention to how they taste to us. I guess if it does taste not bad, it must be good.

What makes us taste differently?

For a sommelier this becomes the eternal question. Sure, it would be simpler if we all liked a few tastes – a few products on the market – done. But having this infinite diversity of tastes and cultures is what makes our job as sommelier so special, so unique. We try to guide you in finding your personal product which matches your taste. We all have a different amount of taste buds with different intensity and yes, the tasting map is still a myth.

Yet there is so much more to tasting, and being mindful about it will enhance the quality of our life. I am able now to find great taste in water thanks to the education of the Fine Water Academy. I am able to select different teas based on my mood or the time of the day to enhance that time of the day and to bring more energy to the day.

Short cuts

Sometimes we are keen to find short cuts. That is not only true for tastes but also for other areas in life. When we drink a soft drink we like the taste combined with the sugar rush that kicks in immediately after the first sip. We like the little buzz we get after the first cocktail or alcoholic drink together with the taste.

Imagine a world where you do not have that sugar kick or buzz but experience the world as it is. Drinks that do not put your system into insulin lock down or shut down your brain cells. Living a sober and on the extreme side, zero calorie drink life has done more for me than I could have ever imagined. Gone are the days of hangovers or bad stomach aches due to ‘something’ I drank the night before.

As I started to combine my drink diet with better nutrition, mindfulness and fitness, something magical happened. I started to dream bigger dreams, achieve higher goals and feel better about myself. I am able to reach for the stars and grab them with only the sky being the limit. I gave up something small but gained a much better and fulfilled life.

The taste of water

The taste of water continues to fascinate me. I am travelling around the globe with open eyes, experiencing the world more in a more mindful way and discovering things I could have not imagined before. I see globalization not as a threat but as an opportunity to grow and expand in my abilities every day. And I am achieving that with feeling good about myself. A major part is due to my perspective on life and my relationship to taste.

15067806 – dripping heart over the water

I continue to explore the relationship between water and food. Since my studies with the fine water academy and my eye opening visit to the water library, I am continuing to explore matching and contrasting pairs of water and food. My all time favorite is Vichy Catalan and dark chocolate. This is an amazing example of how two different components that taste great individually, can create a flavor symphony together. If you have access to this water and dark chocolate, try it. You will not be disappointed. Also, the podcast of Martin Riese has great episodes on food and water as well of course the amazing fine water facebook site.

Just yesterday I tried one of my favorite flavor experiments and I would highly recommend it to you. I brewed a cup of Earl Grey from a standard supermarket tea bag and a cup of high quality Earl Grey made from a high quality loose leaf tea.

Flat vs Flavorful

The different is staggering. The standard tea bag tea will taste flat, but if you are used to this taste you will not notice the difference. Its like flying business class for the first time. Once you experience that it is hard to go back to economy.

A high quality loose leaf tea will come in dimensions. You will have a great entrance of the tea. It will swirl around and leave your taste buds nourished and excited. Great teas will stay in your memory and will make a taste impression for a long time to come.

The same goes for water. If you taste tap water it will be an OK experience, but once you compare it with a high quality fine water from an amazing source you do not want to go back. There are waters that will leave you longing for more which you will remember years after you first tasted them.

One such water for me is Cotorella from Italy. It is something about the stage between the mouth feel as it is swirling around and the finish. It leaves you wanting to take another sip.

So with that go out and explore the great waters and teas this world has to offer and hopefully they will bring a little bit of joy into your life.

Stay Thirsty!

Restarting the Man With a Mug Blog -80 Pounds Lighter!

It has been a while since my last blog post, which has mainly to do with my emergency response job at the World Food Programme here in Myanmar. Our response to battling hunger in this country is complex and requires dedicated effort and lots of time in remote locations.

In the back of my mind I continued to think about the blog and how it can add value to the tea community. And when I saw an article in a local paper, that a German tea company has placed a large order for Myanmar tea… I knew I had to start sharing my stories about this wonderful tea country again.

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30 Minutes of Tea Liberation

I often reflect back to the beginning of my tea studies.

Here I was in my kitchen in Rome, Italy, holding a thermometer in one hand and a tea timer in the other hand, nervously anticipating the right mix to get the optimal brew.

Fast forward now to my kitchen in Yangon, Myanmar, were I grab some tea leaves and throw it into hot water to get a wonderful cup of tea.

In a way the past year has liberated me from following the instructions on the box and use scientific instruments to make tea.

However the one area where I never felt liberated is how I always experienced buying tea.

In most shops a nice tea salesperson would carefully open a tin box based on my request and would allow me to have a careful glimpse into the box. In good stores they might let me smell the tea from a safe distance.

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How to Let Go of Your Tea Bag

(and explore a new dimension…)

Many people around the world who love tea every day engage in the same ritual.

Grab a tea bag from a box, drop it into a cup and pour hot water over it. Wait until there is some uniform color appearing in the cup and pour some more ingredients into it like sugar, milk or a slice of lemon. Then take a sip and hope that this mixture will not be terrible.

Or sit in a plane and after the meal service the flight attendant will come around announcing the arrival of the tea (or coffee) to be poured into your little plastic cup.

And many of us who are attending a conference or workshop, grab a teabag from a ‘selection’ box and hope for the best.

This is the daily reality, mostly in the western world, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a beverage you made for yourself, you like it, it comforts you, and so of course that’s good for you.

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How to Choose Your Tea – A Guide On Finding the Best Tea

How should I choose my tea and how can I trust that I am getting what I am paying for?

One thing is for sure: if you buy tea bags from the supermarket aisle from a big name brand, you will get exactly the same thing: small bits of tea dust or fannings which will turn the color of the water brown and will taste like the same thing over and over. For some that is what they prefer, but I am reaching out to you on this one! There is another, far more amazing world out there of high quality loose leaf teas!

Yes, you have to be adventurous and you have to trust someone that they will sell you something that is of good quality, comes from the area they are advertising, and is free from pesticides or other items which are not good for your body. So which way to go?

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How to Make Tea Without Hot Water – Cold Brew

What is Cold Brew?
I have been receiving some queries from my tea friends on how to properly cold brew tea.

Personally I am a big fan of this tea brewing method as it gives you a unique tasting experience and you get to know a different, relaxed side of your favorite tea.

When you brew tea hot, over 400 different components are released into the water and some of them are released quicker at higher temperature. You will have noticed that if you brew a hot tea at a too high temperature or for too long it becomes bitter. Not so with cold brew tea, which will be more mellow, more balanced and sweeter as the high temperature components are less dominant.

Cold brewing gives you a whole new range of preparing tea. But you will need patience, as this is not your quick tea bag dunk for 2 minutes. Good cold brew tea will take several hours, if not even overnight to release the wonderful magic that is cold brew tea.
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