Defining Tea Through Terroir & Craftsmanship
A community-driven framework to evaluate, recognize, and elevate American-grown tea.
———————————- A Shared Effort, Rooted in the Land ———————————
From Community to Ecosystem
The U.S. tea community has grown through shared knowledge, conversation, and connection. As tea cultivation expands across diverse regions, we are beginning to evolve from a membership-based community into a functional ecosystem—one that supports how tea is grown, evaluated, experienced, and ultimately shared.
🌱 Grow
Tea is cultivated across diverse regions, shaped by land, climate, and practice.
🧪 Evaluate
Tea is observed through a consistent framework grounded in craftsmanship and terroir.
🤝 Connect
Tea is experienced in real settings, creating pathways between growers and tea shops.
This is a living system where tea moves—from field to cup—through observation, experience, and connection.
———————————– A shared understanding is where it begins ——————————–
Why It Matters
As tea cultivation expands across the United States, differences in climate, soil, and practice begin to shape distinct expressions of tea. Without a shared way to observe and describe these differences, much of that character remains difficult to recognize or communicate.
🌱 Clarity
A consistent framework helps describe tea in a way that is understandable and comparable across regions.
🏅 Recognition
Thoughtful evaluation allows quality and craftsmanship to be seen and acknowledged over time.
🤝 Connection
Shared understanding creates pathways between growers, tea shops, and those who experience the tea.
A shared way of seeing allows tea to be understood more clearly, and appreciated more fully.
——————— From evaluation to recognition, and from recognition to connection ——————-
What We Do
A shared framework that brings clarity to evaluation and connection to the people behind the tea.
🧪 Structured Evaluation
Tea is assessed through a consistent protocol using standardized brewing and shared criteria.🏷️ Blind Tasting & Review
Samples are presented without origin to ensure unbiased observation before identity is revealed.🤝 Reveal & Direct Connection
After evaluation, teas are reconnected to their origin, enabling direct relationships between growers and tea shops.
———— A consistent process allows each tea to be understood on its own terms ———–
The Evaluation Process
Each tea follows a structured path from submission to evaluation and to connection. The process is designed to ensure consistency, fairness, and a clear understanding of how each tea expresses its origin and craftsmanship.
🧾 Submission
Tea is submitted with basic information and optional brewing instructions, then assigned a sample code and directed to a regional evaluation hub.
📦 Preparation
Samples are received, stored under consistent conditions, and prepared using a standardized brewing method to ensure comparability.
🧪 Evaluation
A core panel conducts structured evaluation, while additional tasters contribute sensory impressions during hosted sessions.
All samples are presented blind at this stage.
The identity of each tea will be revealed after evaluation and reconnect between growers and tea shops.
———– Guided by experience, bring clarity to how tea is seen and understood ———–
Our Panel
Evaluation is guided by a group of growers, practitioners, and contributors who share experience across different regions and approaches to tea.
The panel brings both practical knowledge and careful observation to the process, helping ensure that each tea is assessed with consistency and context.
Panel members conduct structured evaluation using a shared protocol and standardized brewing method.
Their role is to establish a clear and consistent baseline for each tea before broader sensory impressions are considered.
The panel does not seek to rank or compare tea in isolation, but to understand how each tea expresses its origin, processing, and intent.
Panel members may receive an honorarium in recognition of their time and expertise. Compensation is not tied to evaluation outcomes.
——————— A shared system, shaped by participation —————
Be Part of This Effort
Whether you are a grower, a tea shop, or simply interested in the evolving landscape of American tea, there is a place to participate. Join us in building a shared understanding of tea shaped by land, craft, and experience.
——————- A private industry program, not a government certification ——————-
Does not replace
Food safety • Labeling • Pesticides use• Organic standards