Within the early 2010s, when Madhu Sharoff lived within the Bay Space, selfmade chai was his final occasion trick. “My pals would say, ‘Let’s have a chai occasion.’ And the subsequent factor I knew, there have been 15 or 17 individuals coming over,” Sharoff says. Wanting to share Indian chai tradition with rising crowds of pals and acquaintances, he would arrive at individuals’s homes with snacks and tea-making provides. “After some time, I needed to begin delegating among the menu as a result of the pastry costs have been including up,” he provides, laughing.
These gatherings impressed Sharoff to discovered Kimbala Chai, an organization whose chai concentrates and ready-to-drink drinks are offered on-line and in grocery shops nationwide, in 2019. “The great thing about tea is it’s very versatile. You’ll be able to have it with so many issues,” Sharoff says. “You’ll be able to change the way you serve it and what you serve with it relying on the event, the group, and different issues.”
Tea events are inclusive, too. Whether or not you’re desirous about booze-free comfortable hour alternate options, otherwise you’re a longtime tea fanatic with particular choices to share, tea invitations everybody to the occasion.
Right here’s all the pieces to find out about the right way to throw a tea occasion.
Set the Schedule
One of many advantages of a contemporary tea occasion is it will possibly happen at any time of day. “Most individuals consider comfortable hour as an after-work occasion,” says Cathy Unusual, Entire Meals’ ambassador of meals tradition. “However, since tasting tea has no restrictions on time of day, this opens up many alternatives for when or the right way to host a tea occasion.”
For those who plan to serve varieties that include lots of caffeine, akin to oolong or matcha, your visitors may desire an earlier hour. In that case, your tea occasion could be a noon affair or various to weekend brunch.
If caffeine isn’t a priority, host your tea events within the late afternoon or early night. “Lots of people don’t drink alcohol anymore,” says Veronika Vogler, cofounder of Bardo Tea in Portland, Oregon, one among Imbibe’s 75 Locations to Watch in 2025. “Tea is such a pleasant approach to nonetheless have group and nonetheless really feel such as you’re going out.”
Select Your Format
Which teas you serve and the way you put together them could be as easy or complicated as you want. Brew a big pot of 1 kind of tea and ask your folks for his or her impressions, or just let the dialog wander and the tea communicate for itself.
When Sharoff hosted chai events, he normally opted for the latter method. “You may make chai rapidly after which sit down and drink,” he says. “Chai is simply the companion that helps the conversations open up.”
For those who’d desire a extra structured tasting, pattern an array of sorts aspect by aspect or in succession. “I’d advocate serving three teas most to have the ability to distinguish flavors,” says Unusual, akin to Earl Gray alongside a jasmine or different inexperienced tea plus a flavored possibility. “If the group you’re internet hosting is already very acquainted with completely different kinds of tea, you possibly can strive tasting teas from completely different international locations for a enjoyable, beyond-the-basics style take a look at.”
Alternatively, make tea the principle occasion and arrange a gongfu cha-style tasting. A centuries-old Chinese language follow, gongfu cha demonstrates how tea evolves because it steeps. “The drinkers have a small pot that they pack their tea leaves into,” explains Volger. “Utilizing boiling water, [you] infuse the pot with brief steeps, beginning at round 15 seconds and including time to every steep thereafter for 8 to 12 steeps, relying on the tea.”
The title gongfu cha roughly interprets to “making tea with ability,” and it’s an immersive approach to expertise tea. “You’ll be able to see the leaf open and develop in taste,” says Vogler. “Every cup is completely different, in order that type of journey could be enjoyable for a bunch of pals to have with one or two teas.”
Whichever method you select, deal with your tea with care. “The important thing to internet hosting a tea occasion is that water temperature must be proper and the steeping needs to be timed completely in order to not over extract and create bitterness,” says Unusual. “I like to recommend utilizing an infuser if the tea is free.”
Plan the Menu
For informal tea events, pair your tea with no matter snacks or dishes you may get away for brunch or aperitif hour, akin to pastries, crudité, or blended nuts.
“In India, lots of people serve chai with namkeen, that are salty snacks,” says Sharoff. His Californian crew tended to go for baked items as a substitute, particularly when the chai events have been held earlier within the day.
For those who actually need to lean into the theme, serve dishes that use tea as an ingredient, like Nik Sharma’s apple marsala chai cake, Rahanna Bisseret Martinez’ oolong tea flan, or Philip Khoury’s Earl Gray loaf cake.
Hold an Open Thoughts
Like tasting wine, or perfecting your martini, it takes time to search out your favourite teas. For those who don’t like each cup you brew, that’s helpful info and a part of the journey.
“It’s a must to determine what you want, and the tea will inform you over time how you need to brew it and drink it,” says Vogler. “At Bardo, we all the time say that we needed to drink lots of unhealthy tea in our lives to get to the nice tea! Tea takes time.”
