Sunday, May 17, 2020

TeaBuy Korea 2020 Simplified

Morning Crane Tea's

TeaBuyTM Korea 2020

Simplified


Morning Crane Tea is an Educational Tea Service and as such we try to educate.  That means often using terms that are not familiar to all who which to order our teas or simply get confused by them. This often includes knowledgeable tea connoisseurs who are vary familiar with both Chinese and Japanese terms but not Korean. Some folk simply want to order some teas. So here is your opportunity - in what I hope will be simple terms.


Cooperative Producers


Dong Cheon Tea

Ha Il-Nam

Dong Cheon Tea

 (Jeongcha Style Green)


These teas are produced Jeongcha Style i.e. first plunged into boiling water before pan-roasting.  Dong Cheon Tea is the first company whose teas I offered. That is the reason I'm celebrating by lowering their prices to 2010 prices. These teas like all of our teas are from hand-plucked and organically grown leaves from deep rooted bushes. 



Green Teas (Nokcha)

Note: These are 2010 Prices For You Today

                      Woojeon                  50g               $POR

                      MuwiSejak              50g               $25.00

                      Sejak                       50g               $20.00

                      Jungjak                   50g               $15.00

                      Daejak                    50g               $10.00

                      Yipcha                    50g                 $5.00


Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha)

               DC Dancha                    50g               $22.00                    



Don't confuse DC Dancha that refers to 'red' tea with the ancient Korean tea type also called "Dancha" that we are introducing as a new offering today. They are both delicious but different teas.   

 

Nong Johap

Tea Union of Jangguncha

Gimhae, Korea




Chung Jong Woo

Jangguncha Yeong

(Highest Rank Tea)



Their green tteokeumcha is wonderful and their balhyocha is one of my favorites. Their teas sell very quickly in Korea but they reserve a few bags for us. Will you claim yours? 



Pan Roasted Green Tea (Tteokeumcha)

Tteokeumcha             30g          $44.00



Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha)

JD Balhyocha            30g          $33.00



 

Artisan Tea Producers

Jahacha Dawan

(Violet Sunset Tea)




Jeong Jae Yeon

Jahacha Dawan

(Violet Sunset Tea)

(ban balhyocha - hwangcha - Korean yellow tea.
or is it a wan-jeon balhyocha a hongcha? Korean red tea?)



Jeong Jae Yeon's Halmonicha or "grandmother tea" has become the most posted about Korean balhyocha on the internet for good reason. This is truly a grandmother's tea and a great example of authentic traditional Korean balhyocha - delicious.



Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha )

(2010 Celebration Prices)

Halmonicha           40g               $16.00



The review link for this tea is from the first taste by independent reviewers of this tea. It has gone on to be reviewed many other times and in other languages. AT the time of this review there was still some confusion about Chibnese yellow tea and Korean 'yellow tea' or hwangcha. We had not yet adopted the name Halmonicha or Grandmother tea.

 

Halmonicha         300g             $98.00

Halmonicha is bulk packed in a 300+g bags.

The actual weight is approximately between 320g and 360g



Dosim Dawan




Oh Si-Young and son Oh Jae Hong

Dosim Dawan

Tteokeum-cha (pan roasted green) and 

Wan Jeon Balhyocha - hongcha- red tea



Dosim Dawan, a father and Son team, can not only boast about their delicious teas but also boast that they own some of the oldest most deep rooted tea bushes in Korea - including the 1000 year old millennium tea tree. Korean tea connoisseurs believe these older bushes provide the most tender and flavorful buds and their deep roots encourage the development of the most cha-qi. I recently received several emails thanking me for their So-ip-cha. Don’t ignore their really wonderful green teas that have also received great reviews.  Dosim Dawan is a tea tour favorite stop.

Pan Roasted Green Tea (Tteokeumcha)

 

Sejak                       50g               $28.50

Jungjak                   50g               $19.50

Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha)

So-ip-cha                50g               $28.00

So-ip = Small Leaf

Dae-ip-cha              50g               $14.00

Dae-ip = Large Leaf





Yejeon Dawan



Kim Yu Ja and son Jeon Ju Hyun

Yejeon Dawan



This is truly a "stand out from the crowd tea producer."

  

Pan Roasted Green Tea (Tteokeumcha)

Woojeon                 40g               $45.00

Sejak                       40g               $22.00



Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha)

wan jeon balhyocha - hongcha - Korean red tea



Junggan-ipcha        40g               $25.00

juggan-ip = Medium Leaf





SOA Dawan



Kim Se Jin

SOA Dawan



There are many artisan tea producer in Boseong and some of the most famous and romantic tea fields are found there.  But we look for more than beautiful bushes and international advertising. After some search, we selected SOA to be our one Boseong representatives.



Pan Roasted Green Tea (Tteokeumcha)

Woojeon                40g               $30.00

Gogucha*                 40g               $24.00

Plucked April 20: 

*I have changed the Anglicization of this term to correspond with the Korean Government


Sejak                      40g               $18.00

Jungjak                  40g               $12.00



 Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha)

ban balhyocha - hwangcha- Korean yellow tea

Balhyocha SD       40g               $18.00



Butdangol Dawan




Kim Jong Yeol

Butdangol Dawan

(Forever Existing Temple Tea)

To learn more about Master Kim click here.



Did you click that link? You should! Master Kim is one of the most acclaimed tea producers in Korea. While I obviously have not tried his Woojeon this year, the early spring in Korea is similar to the last 2 years when Master Kim said he produced his finest teas. The teas produced by Kim Jong Yeol truly live up to their outstanding reputation.

Note: In 2019 Master Kim Jong Yeol was awarded the "Best Tteokeumcha" award at the Hadong Tea Festival. Typically that equates to the best.  



Pan Roasted Green Tea (Tteokeumcha)

1. Butdangol Woojeon        50g     $POR

Butdangol = A Place for Buddha

Plucked: April ? – 20



2. Chungiljem Sejak           50g     $35.00

Chungiljem = Above the Crowd

Plucked: April 25 – 30



3. Koom                                 50g     $30.00

Koom = Dream

Plucked: May 1 – 6 a later Sejak



 Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha)

wan jeon balhyocha - hongcha - Korean red tea

1a. Woojeon Balhyo (name pending)  50g     $100.00

Woojeon Balhyo = (name pending)

Plucked: Before April 20th 

1. Sebyukhangki                        50g     $35.00

Sebyukhangki = The Fragrance of Dawn

Plucked: April 25th - May 5th

2. Hongiljeom (a hongcha)       50g     $30.00

Hongiljeom = Excellence in the Crowd

Plucked: May 5th - May 15th

 (Previously named Buttea)

3. Noeulhangki ( a hwangcha)  50g     $30.00

Noeulhangki = The Scent of Sunset

Plucked: May 6th - May 25th



Blends

Nokcha or Balhyocha with Tisanes (herbals)

       1. Nokcha w Persimmon Leaves   50g     $30.00

       2. Balhyocha w Ginger                  50g     $30.00

 

Note: This is the one producer who gives me his precise plucking dates. Balhyocha producers prefer various leaves for a variety of reasons. An early or later pluck has no bearing on the tea quality but it does influence the flavor. That is why plucking dates are seldom used with balhyocha teas. The above plucking dates are from 2017. 


Temple Tea


Daeheungsa



Monk Wol Woo

Daeheungsa

Haenam, Korea



This is the temple that was the home of the famous ChoUi Korea's great historic Tea Master.  The tea comes from large older tea bushes is hand plucked from these deep-rooted bushes and hand made in the tteokeumcha or buchocha (roasted) traditional manner. When we visit Daeheungsa on our tea tours we hike up the mountain to Cho Ui's hermitage Ilchi-am where some of his famous poems were written and where the same fresh spring water that Cho-Ui used to make his famous teas still runs. Their teas sell fast but they reserve a few bags especially for our clients. Claim yours and you will not be disappointed. Recently two tea connoisseurs expressed how great this tea is.

  

Pan Roasted Green Tea (Tteokeumcha)



 Special Tteokeumcha             50g           $58.00 

Special Tteokeumcha             25g           $30.00



Dancha & Tisane

Please see our Blog Post on this Mysterious Tea Dancha 

Maewoldang Dawan 

Shin Mog

Maewoldang Dawan

Namwon, Korea

Dancha



Note: There are two types of Dancha both are priced the same.  SM Dancha A, that my tea partner Minhyeong Lee continues to rave about is a sweet lighter low ox % cross between green tea and a hwangcha that matures as it ages. The other SM Dancha B perhaps the one you were wondering about is a deep flavored wan-jeon balhyocha that matures into a hubalhyocha. What does that mean? Ans: A Red Tea that becomes a Black Tea

    

 Please designate Goryeo SM Dancha "A" or "B"

Dancha A is a compressed Green tea that ages into an oxidized tea

 

SM Dancha A          100g              $150.00

SM Dancha A          350g              $500.00

SM Dancha A          900g            $1250.00



Please designate Goryeo SM Dancha "A" or "B"

Dancha B is a compressed Oxidized tea that ages into a 

Post Fermented Tea

 

SM Dancha B          100g              $150.00

SM Dancha B          350g              $500.00

SM Dancha B          900g            $1250.00



This is authentic Korean Goryeo Dynasty Style Dancha, produced using historic processes, made by a true master.

Visit the beginning of a special post on Master Shin Mog. HERE.


   Lady Hadong



Lady Hadong

Hadong, Korea

(Note: Many of Lady Hadong teas are packed in onggi jars. Each jar weights approximately 400g or 500g. 500g is about 1lb 2oz.  Onggi Jars are the jar of choice for storing all sorts of teas. We are still in discussion with Lady Hadong as she is busy most of the days producing teas.) 

Korean White Tea      30g                  $30.00



 Please designate Goryeo LH Dancha "A" or "B"

Dancha A is a compressed Green tea that ages into an oxidized tea

 

LH Dancha A          100g              $150.00

 

Dancha B is a compressed Oxidized tea that ages into a 

Post Fermented Tea

LH Dancha B          100g              $150.00



Tisane Teas - Herbal Tea

                     Magnolia bud            40g               $40.00

                     Omija*                      100g             $60.00

                     Chrysanthemum        20g               $50.00 

                     Beet                         200g               $30.00



Note: Tisane Teas were developed for health purposes. You may be allergic or have a health condition that these teas may help or possibly hurt. Please research your tisane selections before purchasing. The Korean term "Omija" is also called *schisandra chinensis. These are not camellia sinensis teas.  



Please help us. What Herbal teas are you looking for?

Lady Hadong makes many tisane teas. We are creating a post on her and her many teas. What are you looking for?
Note: Lady Hadong's tisane teas are made at different times of the year including Autumn. We decided to offer a special Lady Hadong tisane tea offering in October. If she has any of her other teas available then we may add them to that offer. Watch for it.


Not Just Ddeokcha

(aka Tteokcha and Doncha)

Park Jeom Ja is the only single artisan producer whose ddeokcha we have offered. She produces her green teas the traditional Jeongcha style including 9 quick immersions of tealeaves into boiling water followed by 9 hand roastings using the same processes used by the famous Myungwon Studio. She has discounted her teas for us and we are passing on that discount to you.


Myungwon Studio
 

Park Jeom Ja

Myungwon Studio 

Gangjin, Korea



GreenTea (Nokcha) Jeongcha Style

 

  PJJ Woojeon               40g               $55.00   

                    PJJ Sejak                     50g               $45.00



Oxidized Tea (Balhyocha)

                     PJJ Balhyocha           40g               $35.00



Ddeokcha 

                  PJJ Ddeokcha            10 coin            $60.00



Ms Park is the President of the Myungwon Cultural Foundation group in Jeollanamdo and as such has a great following in that area of Korea. She usually sells out completely. This year she is reserving some teas for us - for you. 

The Myungwon Cultural Foundation, headed by the renowned tea master Chae Won-Hwa, is quite famous in Korea for reviving the Korean tea ceremony and training many Korean tea masters.  It is extremely difficult read "impossible" for us to get teas made by Chae Won-Hwa. However here are teas made using the same Jeongcha style of immersing the leaves into biling water and following with kneading between each immersion - each nine times.

Ms Park represents the long and important tradition of individual artisans who work not only to produce ddeokcha and other teas but also helps to promote it to the world.

Discovering Ddeokcha may be one of the most interesting Korean tea adventures, and that adventure can become much deeper and adventuresome than you might imagine.



To Order or Contact me Click HERE


Special Important Notes:

We at Morning Crane Tea are proud of our contribution to Korean Tea over the last 14 years.

I have received comments from several of my clients who have told me I am undercharging our prices for the quality of the teas we offer.  That they would say so is in itself amazing to me. Thank you. If you would like to contribute a little to our work to help keep us afloat, you may do so and it would be appreciated. 

We at Morning Crane Tea are proud to represent each of our producers to the wider World of Tea.



All prices are plus shipping. 

That means shipping from Korea to me and shipping from us to you. 

To Order or Contact me Click HERE



Note: Typically, clients order their teas and receive a preliminary invoice. We will not know full shipping costs until a box is packed. This means we do not add shipping costs until later. It also means that you can add to your order until one week before we ask for your shipping payment.

We have been trying to anticipate the exact shipping costs from Korea so that we can charge you up front.  However, shipping costs have ranged from about .02¢ per g to .08¢ per g.  Should I charge the .08¢?

Please Read This Important Information!

Note: When purchasing teas in our TeaBuy Korea you are placing a special order.  Since we are not a regular tea company, we cannot return funds once the teas have been purchased from the producer. If there is a shipping error and the teas are returned to me, I will pay for the return shipment to you but I cannot refund your purchase or shipment money. Placing your order is your acknowledgement that you understand this policy. Thanks for understanding.

You may also want to read the post An Introduction to TeaBuy Korea  it contains considerable information about picking dates and our company.  Click HERE to go there.
You may also like to read our post on Korean oxidized teas or balhyochas. Chick HERE to go there. 

When we offer TeaBuy Korea, it is a Group Buy. That means that in some cases (not all) the producer offers us a small discount on their normal tea prices. Our clients order their teas at different times. So a customer ordering in April, just after we announce our TeaBuy, must wait much longer than someone who orders in early June. The risk is that the early June clients may discover the tea he or she selects are sold out. We ship most teas from Korea to me in the same box(s) where I must repack them to send to you. That saves you considerably on shipping costs. Some orders can't be packed and shipped direct in Korea because we do not have a proper packing facility there. However, depending on where you live we can send some of those teas directly to you from Korea if they don't need to be repacked. We have sold our teas to clients in 28 different countries. However, one or two or even a few different clients from each country does not mean we have a financially strong enterprise.

Those of you returning to TeaBuy Korea will note that some of our tea prices have increased slightly from two years ago. Morning Crane Tea is a tea service. It has never been a profitable business. In fact it simply grew out of a personal need to educate the Western world about quality Korean tea and Korean tea ware. The best Korean teas were not available for tasting, so I had to offer them. During the 14 or so years I have been offering these teas there has never been a profit to speak of.  Expenditures have increased for the advertising part of Morning Crane Tea. As an example, my educational web presence costs surpasses by far any profit I make from our TeaBuy.

In spite of this, I continue to offer some teas at my cost and because of COVID-19 have reduced the prices of many other teas for 2020. If you have been particularly hit financially by this virus, please contact me in private and we will discuss how we may be able to help you to continue to have some Korean teas.
We have been attempting to launch a new Morning Crane Tea website so I am not planning on stopping this tea service. That decision to stop or continue is really up to you and the other members of the Morning Crane Tea Family by your support.

When I began fourteen years ago, there was little talk about Korean teas. Few Korean teas were available on the Western market.  While Morning Crane Tea may have had a little to do with the current interest in Korean teas, few tea shops or wholesale tea outlets buy from me. In many cases they went to Korean producers based largely on price. I don't want to imply that other Korean teas are bad, but we have made a concerted effort over our years of research to bring you some of the best teas made in Korea at the most reasonable prices. We are able to access teas from nearly every tea company in Korea. We are looking for more tea shops and wholesale tea suppliers so please send them our way. Thank you for your continuing support and trust.
One other note. For those of you who have "subscribed" on this site, my apologies. I am having difficulty accessing your information. I am not ignoring you. I'm just technologically illiterate - but trying to learn.  

When you order Morning Crane Tea or Teaware, you become a member of the Morning Crane Tea Family. Thank You for your trust and patience.