Exploring Craft Tea with Song Tea & Ceramics
Recently, we welcomed Peter Luong of Song Tea & Ceramics to our Ferndale cafe for a private staff training following his return from origin in Taiwan and China.
Song Tea & Ceramics has long been the tea partner across our cafes, and this training gave our team the opportunity to spend time understanding the work, craftsmanship, and decision-making behind the teas we serve every day.
Throughout the afternoon, Peter walked us through the foundations of tea production. Exploring the differences between green, white, oolong, and red teas, and how oxidation, roasting, elevation, climate, and timing all shape the final cup.
Teas currently featured in our cafes, including Shan Lin Xi Winter Sprout (featured in our seasonal Spring Sprout drink) and April 27th Gold & Amber, were brewed and discussed throughout the session.
What stood out most was the amount of patience involved in producing tea at a high level. Peter shared how many of Song’s teas are intentionally allowed to oxidize deep into the night before being heat set, allowing the leaves to develop greater fruit character, texture, and complexity. The process is deeply hands-on and incredibly responsive to weather, harvest timing, and environmental conditions.
He also shared stories from this year’s harvest season, navigating rain delays, changing elevations, overnight production sessions, and the realities of sourcing and producing tea with intention. Much like coffee, tea is an agricultural product shaped both by terroir and by the people making decisions at every stage of the process.
For our team, the training was a reminder that the products we serve carry an immense amount of work long before they ever reach the cafe. We’re grateful to Peter and Song Tea & Ceramics for sharing their knowledge, perspective, and craft with us.
Watch the full training as Peter Luong, Founder of Song Tea & Ceramics shares insight into tea production, oxidation, sourcing, and the craftsmanship behind the teas we serve across our cafes.
