Tea Culture: Does It Mean Great Tea?

This post was inspired by a phrase I came across on Instagram: “…experience the tea culture.” It made me reflect on something my teacher, a tea master in Beijing, once said—a simple truth that has stayed with me.

Tea culture is everywhere, woven into the lives of people around the world. But does experiencing tea culture always mean experiencing great tea? It’s a question worth asking, even if it’s a bit controversial. Take it with a grain of salt—or maybe a truckload.

Let’s start here in Indonesia. We have Es Teh Manis—black tea steeped long and strong, sweetened generously with sugar. The sugar balances the sharp tannins from oversteeping—without it, most would find the tea too harsh to drink. Add ice to dilute it, and you’ve got a cooling staple of tropical life. It’s undeniably part of our culture. But is it really about the tea? Or the sweetness and the comfort it brings on a hot day?

In China, tea culture takes many forms. There’s the iconic sight of grandpas sipping Longjing from oversized glass mugs. The leaves steep freely in hot water, refilled again and again until the flavor fades—or turns astringent. It’s not about precision or chasing perfection. It’s tea as a companion, a quiet backdrop to games of Mahjong or cards. Tea as life’s rhythm.

Travel to Chaozhou, and the mood shifts. Gongfu tea here is precise and deliberate: a small pot, a lot of leaves, and no pitchers. Brewed strong and fast, it’s poured immediately into tiny cups to be shared. This style demands skill and attention—it’s tea brewing as performance, but also as hospitality. Is it about the tea’s quality? Or the art of connection?

In Beijing, tea culture leans toward jasmine and osmanthus-scented teas, with grades spanning from everyday to extraordinary. At the opera, patrons sip budget-friendly jasmine tea, while wealthier drinkers enjoy premium versions in private settings. Tea culture thrives here, but it’s shaped by class and accessibility. It’s less about the tea itself, more about how it fits into the moment.

Then there are teas transformed by milk, sugar, spices, and more. India’s chai, Mongolia’s salted milk tea, the UK’s tea-with-milk tradition, Tibet’s butter tea—all are rich and meaningful parts of their respective cultures. Yet again, we must ask: does the culture of drinking tea necessarily reflect the tea itself?

This is where my teacher’s lesson comes in: tea culture is vast and beautiful, but it doesn’t always equate to great tea. Culture often prioritizes tradition, accessibility, or function—values that don’t always align with what makes tea exceptional. The best teas are grown with care, processed with skill, and brewed with thoughtfulness. They exist in a realm beyond habit or ritual, where every detail is intentional.

That’s not to dismiss tea culture. It’s something to admire and explore, a gateway to understanding tea’s role in our lives. But culture and quality are not the same. They intersect in fascinating ways, yet they remain distinct. By seeing this clearly, we can appreciate both for what they are—without expecting one to guarantee the other.