Tea Notes

On Change, Tea Education, and the Work That Follows

By Kym Cooper. Posted January 03, 2026

A reflection on how tea education at The Steepery evolved over time, and how East Forged became a practical, scalable focus within my tea work.

A Q&A with Joyce Maina - Myanmar Tea

By Kym Cooper. Posted September 14, 2024

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of attending an origin tasting session at the World Tea Expo, hosted by the remarkable Joyce Maina, who was there to present the Myanmar Tea Producers Association (MTA). If you’re familiar with the tea world, you’ll know it’s a close-knit community, so it’s no surprise that I was introduced to Joyce through my incredibly well-connected co-founder at East Forged, Tania Stacey. Tania truly has her finger on the pulse of the best in tea. 😉 Meeting Joyce in person was an absolute honor. Her deep knowledge of tea and her passionate work in...

Artisanal Farm to cup Tea tasting notes

What's in the tea leaves for The Steepery Tea Co. in 2023 🐰

By Kym Cooper. Posted January 31, 2023

Happy New Year! I have been using the festive break to really think about how I can continue to provide value and serve this amazing tea community that has been building through The Steepery Tea Co. Your curiosity and interest in pure leaf tea continues to grow and it really energises me. I loved seeing your faces at the @brisbaneteafestival - it was an absolute delight. Thanks for stopping by, saying hello, buying from me, asking questions, introducing yourself to me after so many online interactions and just showing up and supporting my efforts to grow tea in Brisbane. It...

A glass teapot with unfurled Yumewakaba tea leaves

Japanese Withered Tea...a new favourite!

By Kym Cooper. Posted September 19, 2022

Let me tell you a little bit of what I have learned about Japanese withered teas and in particular the delightful new entry into my tea catalogue, Yumewakaba. Let me start here, a quote from the producer, Mr Shmizu. “…there is no need to be as “same“ as Taiwanese tea. We explore our own originality to improve the depth of Yumewakaba withering tea in its own right.”

Green Tea Japan

Tea cup full of liquid and a white teapot on a round timber serving tray

Where to enjoy a quality cup of leaf tea in Brisbane

By Kym Cooper. Posted February 28, 2022

It is hard to find a cafe or restaurant in Brisbane 🇦🇺 to enjoy a quality cup of leaf tea. Many of us 'tea drinkers' reserve tea drinking for the home as we have been conditioned by so many poor and low value tea experiences out - bad tea or bad service, quite often both. There are very few dedicated venues in Brisbane that specialise in tea but if you look around you will find some gems that serve a small selection of quality leaf tea very well. With the exception of Lücha (definitely go and take a look at...

Tea Notes

On Change, Tea Education, and the Work That Follows

A Q&A with Joyce Maina - Myanmar Tea

What's in the tea leaves for The Steepery Tea Co. in 2023 🐰

Japanese Withered Tea...a new favourite!

Where to enjoy a quality cup of leaf tea in Brisbane

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