Sunday Tea Journey

A Guided Experience with Fine Chinese Teas Join us Sunday morning for a tea gathering (茶會) featuring fine Chinese teas alongside flowers and herbs—a place to slow down, awaken the senses, connect with others through tea, and begin the week with clarity and intention. Chinese tea is remarkably diverse, ranging from fragrant oolongs and delicate white teas to deeply fermented and aged teas that can develop remarkable depth and character over many years. Like wine, tea can express its place of origin, season, craftsmanship, and age. Drawing from the tradition of Gongfu Tea, small vessels and repeated infusions allow a tea to reveal itself gradually—its aroma, texture, flavor, and character unfolding from one pour to the next. With nearly 15 years of experience studying and sharing tea, Kursten Brewer will guide each gathering through a selection from Jade Frog’s tea library—chosen in response to the season, the people around the table, and the unfolding rhythm of the morning. Along the way, Kursten will share the stories and qualities of each tea and demonstrate how preparation—from water temperature and infusion time to teaware and brewing technique—can reveal entirely different expressions within the same leaf. More than a tasting, tea becomes an invitation to discovery—both within the tea and within ourselves. Through aroma, warmth, texture, flavor, and breath, gonfu tea is a practice of awareness and contemplation—a space to slow down, listen, connect, and come home to ourselves, and from that place, to meet one another. 以茶會友 — meeting friends through tea. Kursten Brewer is the founder of Jade Frog Tea, a Hawaiʻi-based online tea shop serving a global community, alongside private tea experiences, classes, and Gene Keys contemplation. With nearly 15 years of experience studying, brewing, collecting, and sharing tea, Kursten has served tea at festivals, retreats, and contemplative gatherings around the world. His work weaves together Gongfu Tea, Gene Keys, Buddhism, meditation, and the Art of Contemplation, shaped deeply by his transformative journey through Stage IV cancer. Today, he shares tea as a practice of presence, connection, and a deeper appreciation for authenticity and beauty.