Help Centre / F.A.Q.

Help Centre / F.A.Q.

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General Questions

  • How to Use Green Tea Powder?
    Powdered green tea is made from whole leaf green tea (just ground into a super fine powder), but drinking it is an entirely different process. In addition, green tea powder can be used in all sorts of other culinary applications, such as cakes, smoothies, ice cream, milkshakes, lattes, etc. To enjoy a traditional powdered green tea beverage, just add 1 teaspoon of green tea powder to 2 to 4 ounces of hot water(180° F (80° C) in a small bowl. Then stir it until a nice head of froth develops. And then enjoy!
  • What is the history of tea culture in Korea?
    Modern Korean tea culture dates back to a 2,000 year old rich ceremonial tea heritage that has caught the devotion of tea drinkers, philosophers and poets. Tea-drinking in Korea focuses not only on the taste sensations but incorporates an accompanying appreciation of the purification of the mind, spirit and body. In AD 48, Queen Suro of the Garak kingdom brought tea seeds from India and planted them in Baekgol mountain located in the city of Gimhae (what is now Changwon City), where to this day, places with names connected with tea still remain; the nearby Mt. Jiri is still well known to be a place where the best tea is grown
  • Where is the green tea producing country in Korea?
    The best-known tea production regions in Korea are Boseong in Jeonllanam-do, Jeju Island and Hadong in Gyeongsangnam-do, each of which annually holds a green tea festival.
    Hadong with Jiri Mountain and Boseong are located in the temperate southernmost region of the Korean peninsula, nestled on mountain slopes near the ocean and Jeju is a sub-tropical volcanic island off the southern coast. Jiri Mountain is the birthplace of Korean tea cultivation. Today the forests surrounding Mt. Jiri are graced by thousands of wild growing tea plants. Boseong has been a tea producing region of Korea since the Japanese Occupation (the first commercial tea plantation was established by the Japanese in 1939). Their tea fields are covered in a sea of fog until sunrise, with only the surrounding mountain peaks emerging through the mist. Watered by the morning dew, the camellia sinensus leaves are plucked by hand in the late spring and summer, then hand roasted in a wok and dried. This process is repeated nine times, according to the traditional method handed down through the generations. Jeju Island, off the Korean south coast, is a volcanic island dominated by Halla Mountain, a volcano 1,950m (6,400') high. The volcanic soil and sub-tropical climate make this island an ideal location for tea growing. The fastest growing region of tea production in Korea today, Jeju Island tea plantations are dominated by Seoul-based conglomerates who have established huge tea operations based on automation, machine picking and Japanese steaming methods. These highly commercial operations have been aggressive in exporting their product and as a result, Jeju Island green teas are the most commonly available and the most well known to American tea drinkers.
  • How is ‘Malcha’ different from ‘powdered green tea’?
    The two are essentially the same – green tea leaves ground down to powder form. All malcha is powdered green tea, BUT not all powdered green tea is malcha. Any type of green tea that is ground up can be qualified as ‘powdered green tea’. The green tea can be sun-grown, shade-grown, steamed, pan-fired, etc. As long as it is ground up into powder form, it can be called ‘powdered green tea’. In order to qualify as ‘Malcha’, it MUST follow these rules: (1) The green tea must be ‘Yeoncha’ (碾茶 – ‘tencha’ in Japanese). Yeoncha is made of tea leaves that are shade-grown (partially or fully), steamed and dried (some may roll or chop the leaves to make it easier to grind). (2) The Yeoncha must be ground to a fine powder with a stone mill.
  • How does this affect the tea?
    All tea leaves are made up of the same components. Where and how they are grown and processed will change the level of each component within the tea leaf. Tea leaves grown in shade for longer periods of time will have higher levels of chlorophyll and amino acids. This is why shade-grown teas will be brighter green in color. Increasing the length of time of shading will also increase the level of caffeine, as well as the level of theanine. Theanine is the component in green tea that is responsible for the sweet, savory flavor. Teas that have a higher content of theanine will have a sweeter flavor, and are considered to be of higher grades. Exposure to sunlight will increase the level of vitamin C, as well as the level of tannins. Tannins are the components in green tea (same as in wine) that is responsible for the smooth texture, as well the astringent, bitter taste. It is also one of the main components that fight cancer. Sun grown teas will generally have a more full-bodied flavor.
  • What does ‘shade-grown’ mean?
    Some shading is naturally provided by surrounding mountains and/or dew or fog from the ocean. Some loose leaf green teas and all malcha require the leaves to be at least partially shade grown. In order to control the amount of sunlight that the tea leaves are exposed to, this step is usually done manually. A large net is placed over the tea field to control the amount of sun/shade that the leaves are exposed to. The degree of shading and period of time before harvesting will vary depending on the farmer/company. Hankook Tea’s malcha (ceremonial grade powdered green tea – photo below) is shaded for approximately 2 weeks before harvesting.
  • What is ‘shade-grown’ tea?
    In the world of tea, especially when it comes to describing green tea and powdered green tea, the term “shade-grown” is often used to describe the environment in which the tea leaves were grown.
  • HOW TO TRACK YOUR ORDER?
    To track your order please click on the following link: Track My Order For additional assistance please contact us by email,  or call us directly at (770) 634-1593 We are available Monday-Friday from 10AM-5PM EST.

Returns & Excahnges

  • WHAT IS YOUR RETURN ADDRESS?
    Please send your pre-paid, insured package to: Tasteoftea.com E-Commerce Returns
    • 1378 Legrand Cir, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, United States
    *Packages must be shipped pre-paid. We cannot accept C.O.D. deliveries.
  • WHAT IS TASTES OF TEA.COM’S RETURN POLICY?

SHIPPING

  • WHAT IF MY PACKAGE IS RETURNED TO SHIPPER?
    Occasionally packages are returned to us as undeliverable. When the carrier returns an undeliverable package to us, we issue a full refund. We are unable to re-ship orders that are returned to us as undeliverable without speaking to the customer. If you would still like the items that were purchased please contact us by phone at (770) 634-1593 Monday-Friday from 10AM-5PM EST by email.
  • IS MY PACKAGE LOST OR MISSING?
    We apologize that you have not received your order. To report a missing package, please contact our customer service department at (770) 634-1593 Monday-Friday from 10AM-5PM EST. We look forward to resolving this issue for you as soon as possible.
  • WHEN IS MY ORDER SHIPPED?
    Orders placed during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST) are typically processed and shipped within 24-48 business hours. Once an order has processed, delivery time depends on the chosen shipping method. After your order has been processed and shipped you will receive a shipping confirmation that contains the tracking details. Orders shipped via FedEx SmartPost will arrive via US Postal Service.
  • HOW TO TRACK YOUR ORDER?
    To track your order please click on the following link: Track My Order For additional assistance please contact us by email,  or call us directly at (770) 634-1593 We are available Monday-Friday from 10AM-5PM EST.