NEW ISSUE 14 OF EIGHTY DEGREES TEA MAGAZINE
Presenting Issue 14!
It's about culture, creativity, and connection.
If you are an ESTA member, you can win a free copy by answering the following question:
What’s the name of the roasted Japanese green tea?
Send your answer to hello@specialityteaeurope.com
The first correct answer is the winner.
This issue dives into specialty tea’s fascinating journey from ancient traditions to fresh, contemporary creativity. Discover how tea inspires and shapes cultures around the globe, bridging past, present, and future.
Trace matcha’s incredible evolution from sacred ritual to a creative catalyst enjoyed worldwide. Explore Egypt’s vibrant herbal infusions, revealing cultural continuity in each brew. Journey through Brazil, where tea empowers artistic expression and challenges social norms, offering resilience and hope in the face of prejudice.
Step quietly into Sichuan’s teahouses, where the subtle beauty of daily life unfolds through every cup, reflecting a profound cultural richness in simplicity. Appreciate antique teaware—each cup, bowl, and pot a storyteller, connecting you to centuries of tradition.
Finally, celebrate tea’s emerging role in fine dining, where it takes its place alongside wines and spirits, transforming culinary experiences into innovative and sophisticated adventures.
Experience tea as never before, celebrating its timeless power to unite, inspire, and captivate.
If you’re new here and want the complete collection, go for a discounted bundle — more tea stories, more discoveries, more delight. Perfect for exploring solo or sharing with a fellow tea enthusiast.
— Martin, founder of Eighty Degrees
What’s inside?
From her home in São Paulo, Erika Kobayashi weaves together art, tea, and mindfulness, challenging prejudice and finding her own path in a bustling megacity. In this interview, she shares how tea became her compass and how she hopes to bring moments of calm to a chaotic world.
Tea in fine dining still too often feels like an afterthought — a weak ending to an otherwise memorable meal. At Feld, Jake Potashnick wanted to change that. His approach doesn’t just elevate tea; it reflects his broader food philosophy, which values balance, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of the provenance of every ingredient.
Vibrant, umami-rich, and deeply rooted in tradition, matcha is more than just powdered green tea — it’s a drink with a rich history and evolving cultural significance. David Lavecchia takes us on a historical journey, tracing matcha’s origins and exploring how its production, preparation, and perception have transformed over time.
On the sloped streets of Chongqing today, somewhere between the riverbank and the mountaintop, hot pot and eagle tea come together to mingle the spicy with the aromatic. Not only do they marry the river to the mountain, but the yang of a fiery hot pot’s broth is perfectly balanced by the yin of eagle tea’s cooling brew.
t – THE MAGAZINE FOR TEA CULTURE
t– The Magazine for Tea Culture is an independent journalistic project, dedicated to telling the stories around the most enjoyable and culturally significant drink in the world. It is directed at common tea drinkers as well as members of the tea community, both professionals and enthusiasts.
Two years ago, T-Magazine began as a small, independent, German-language grassroots project. This year, having grown enough, they went international by launching their first issue in English in March.
T-Magazine is now available in both German and English. Look out for their second International Edition, coming at the end of September.
ESTA members can get a discount for the International Edition. Get the discount code HERE
T-Magazine would also be available for any interviews or shared messages
LEVELLING UP COFFEE AND TEA
Annabel Kalmar
ESTA recently participated in a podcast delivered by Coffee House Magazine entitled Levelling Up Coffee and Tea. Annabel Kalmar of Tea Rebellion and David Veal debated with some coffee people the importance and significance of adding speciality tea to the menus of coffee shops.
You can listen to the podcast on you favourite platform or click below:
On Spotify HERE
On Apple Podcast HERE
On Acast HERE
You can also read the highlights of this debate in the Coffee House Magazine issue 145, which is freely available for ESTA members on the Members Portal
For media enquiries, please contact: hello@specialityteaeurope.com