Seven Cups Denver Tea House

March Puer of the Month

greg — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Jing Gu 520 Shu Zhuan is a classic example of a skillfully made black Puer. Delicate young leaves yield a deep red tea liquor with a smooth, full-bodied taste. We here at the teahouse have been anxious to try this one for months. Stop in for a pot any time in March to experience this special tea not usually available on our menu.

March Tea Tastings

greg — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:44:35 +0000

March 5: Yellows. Mo Gan Huang Ya (Yellow Buds) and Meng Ding Huang Ya. We start the month with two of our three yellow teas. Meng Ding Huang Ya comes from Sichuan province in the west and has a lightly sweet flavor with a rich, velvety texture, while Mo Gan Huang Ya grows in the east, near Hangzhou, and is a little more similar to green tea. In this tasting we will discuss what makes a yellow tea so unique.

March 12: Whites. Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) & Shou Mei. Next we will try to different kinds of white teas. Whereas Bai Mu Dan is made with a bud and a leaf, Shou Mei is all leaves, including some rather large leaves.

March 19: Rock Oolongs. Shui Jin Gui (Golden Water Turtle) Light and Medium Roast. Rock oolongs are traditionally roasted over a charcoal fire in order to finish them and stop the oxidation process, a step that adds a wonderful toastiness to their complex flavor. For this tasting we will focus on one particular type of Rock Oolong and try two different levels of roasting, a medium and light roast, so we may discover what a difference the level of roasting can make on a tea.

March 26: Blacks. Imperial Lapsang Souchong (light smoke) and Premium Keemun. Finally we end with two rich black teas. The Imperial Lapsang Souchong is only lightly smoked over a pine wood fire, giving it more nuance and subtlety than the strong smoke version. And the Premium Keemun is wonderful for those looking for a taste similar to English or Irish Breakfast teas.

March Speaker Series: The Circle in Chinese Culture and Philosophical Thought

greg — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:42:58 +0000

The circle formed a kind of circle culture in Ancient China. It represents satisfaction and harmony. It is also the traditional symbol of the Chinese concept of yin and yang, a fundamental aspect of Chinese Daoism and Chinese thought. It demonstrates the Chinese cognitive style of “to put oneself in the place of another,” and “to think and proceed from outward appearance to inner essence.” In this talk, Gan Changyin will demonstrate the many ways that the circle represents Chinese philosophy and thought and how it has influenced scores of Chinese intellects for centuries.

Gan Changyin is the director of the Confucius Institute at the Community College of Denver and has been a professor at the Chongqing Three Gorges University in China.

Come join us on Wednesday, March 17th, from 7 to 8 p.m. for this informative talk. As always, this talk is free. These talks are filling up quickly, so please come early to get a seat and a pot of tea.

Chinese New Year!

greg — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:15:00 +0000

The Year of the Tiger begins this Sunday, February 14^th (yes, it’s also Valentine’s Day). To celebrate, we are going to play some games, or actually one game: majiang! We have begun playing majiang (mahjongg) on Thursday nights, but we thought we would play it this once on a Sunday as well. Come anytime on Sunday the 14th between 3 and 6 p.m. to play. Beginners are welcome, as we will be providing the sets and instructions for everyone. The cost to play is $2, but we will be donating that $2 to the Red Cross to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

In addition, we will be holding a raffle for a number of goodies both from the teahouse and from other businesses in the area. All proceeds from the raffle will also be donated to help the earthquake victims.

You can also find out what the Year of the Tiger means for you, whether it be riches and fame, love and success, or….. something not quite as nice.

We look forward to ringing in the new year with you. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Puer of the Month: You Le Mountain Ancient Tree

greg — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:09:28 +0000

You Le Mountain Ancient Tree is a 2005 Green Puer Cake made only from leaves picked from the trees of the famous You Le Mountain. Leaves from this region naturally ferment faster, making this lightly sweet raw Puer an excellent candidate for aging. We just tasted this for the first time, and we think it is superb! Stop in for a pot any time in February to experience this special tea not usually available on our menu.

February Tea Tastings

greg — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:56:10 +0000

5th: Big White Tea Bush. Today we will sample two teas whose leaves come from the same bush. Bai Mu Dan is a midgrade white with a fuller flavor than some of it’s higher end counterparts and Silver Dragon Pearls is a midgrade Jasmine with a headier flavor than a standard Jasmine pearl.

12th: Green and Puer of the Month. Yin Gou Mei, or Silver Fish-hook Eyebrow is a robust green tea with a deep jade color and heavy fragrance. Our Puer of the Month, You Le Ancient Tree, is a green or uncooked puer with a soft aftertaste and a high fragrance.

19th: Complex Blacks. Come and test your palate this week with two of the more complex black teas, Dian Hong Jin Ya or Golden Buds and Spring Dawn Keemun. Both are sweeter teas with hints of flavors that may be familiar.

26th: Toasty Green Oolongs. Taiwan and the An Xi region of Fujian province are known for producing rolled oolongs that are less oxidized; that is, closer to a green than a black. Qilaishan Long Wu and Old Style Tie Guan Yin are two of these teas, but with a more roasted flavor than other green oolongs.

February Speaker Series: A Photographic Journey Through China

greg — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:55:16 +0000

Mike Holtby is an inveterate traveler who has been to two dozen countries. A serious photographer since 1968, Holtby’s work has been featured in magazines, calendars, books, and galleries around the Denver area. On Wednesday, February 17th at 7 PM he will join us here at Seven Cups to present two slideshows of his work in China, with an emphasis on the lives of the people he encountered. Please come and enjoy this fascinating tour through the camera lens for free.

Puer of the Month: Jing Mai Gao Shan Shu Bing

greg — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 22:07:13 +0000

Continuing our recent tradition of breaking up a seldom served puer cake, our January puer is Jing Mai Gao Shan Shu Bing. This is a black, or cooked, puer made with a number of rich golden buds. The mao cha for this tea is a special blend to create a rich smooth taste and a high fragrance. What makes it really special though, is the ability to infuse the leaves many more times than most black puers without loosing flavor. Stop in for a pot any time this month to experience this special tea not usually available on our menu.

Majiang Nights Are Finally Here!

greg — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:28:58 +0000

Yes it’s true; Majiang nights are finally beginning! Every Thursday, starting January 7^th, from 6 to 8 PM you can come in for a pot of tea and a friendly game of Majiang with fellow tea-drinkers. This ancient Chinese game is similar to Gin Rummy and is played in teahouses throughout China. Although it’s traditionally a gambling game, no bets are required. It’s only $2 to play, in addition to your tea and anything else you might like to order. Beginners are welcome, as we will instruct you. We look forward to seeing you there!

January Speaker Series: The Erhoopla Ensemble!

greg — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:05:40 +0000

For the return of the speaker series in the New Year, Greg is bringing us a special treat. Brian Mullins and Mike Fitzmaurice, ” the Erhoopla Ensemble” will perform a variety of traditional Chinese tunes, and some of their original compositions for two Erhus, or Erhu and Ruan or Baritone Ukulele, with the occasional American Jazz tune performed on Chinese instruments, thrown in for spice. We here at Seven Cups are very excited to see these two talented musicians perform. Please join us in welcoming them Wednesday January 20^th at 7 PM. As they are professional musicians working for a living, we will be passing the hat to help pay for their time and tunes. But it is still free to attend.