2. JAS-eTea.com is your friendly neighborhood online tea store. Our Product Offerings Have Recently Expanded JAS-eTea now offers the following in addition to our regular premium teas:  loose leaf flavored teas  herbal teas and decaffeinated teas  chais (spiced tea in the style from India)  a selection of fine teas and herbals in pyramid sachets Our Premium Tea Lineup At JAS-eTea we still have over 300 premium teas and quality tea-related products available, as you can see by browsing our site and reading our customer reviews. These premium teas include:  a number of pu-erh teas (both raw and ripe varieties as well as máochá form)  premium oolong teas from China, Taiwan, and Thailand  many types of green teas, from the popular Longjing to more rare teas  rare and top quality white teas  exceptional Chinese black teas

3. At JAS-eTea we love tea. We sincerely appreciate your business and the feedback that you provide to help us to continually evolve to better meet your needs. You might be wondering: "Where did your company name come from and how do you pronounce it?" Well, "JAS" stands for Janice and Steve. My beautiful wife, Janice, is the love of my life and has been my partner in my life journey for more than 30 years. She is my soulmate and best friend. The eTea part of the name indicates the methodology for acquiring and selling the Tea: via the internet. When you say the name all together, it very naturally comes out sounding like "jazz-eTea dot com" which has a rather nice ring to it. After all, jazz is one of my favorite forms of music. We share our love of these teas with you and wish you all good health. Our Mission To promote the knowledge and awareness of fine teas and meet your expectations of what an exceptional tea vendor should be. Our Goals  To provide the finest service available. We firmly believe that service is paramount in any business endeavor. If you ever have a concern with our service, please give us feedback and let us know how we can improve.  To be your tea source of first resort. When you think of tea, we want you to think of JAS-eTea.com!

4. The best teawares will help you infuse our premium teas at their best. In fact, we recommend a gaiwan or steeping glass for many of our fine teas. Yixing teapots are another good option, but be sure to infuse only one type of tea in each pot since the porous clay is not sealed. Sipping your fine teas from small cups also helps you get the full flavors. And don't miss our aroma cups, especially good for oolongs where you will want to enjoy the fragrance of the leaves and the liquid as much as you will want to savor the taste. Also, don't miss our travel sets so you can enjoy our fine teas when you travel. They are great for hosting a tea tasting party in your home or a friend's, or even a public venue such as your local library. Share the joy!

5. General Information Different from black teas and green teas, pu-erh tea leaves are processed from large-leaf and dried Qingmao tea through a special fermentation. They are broad and brownish red in color. When preparing tea, a pleasantly mellow fragrance exudes. Pu-erh tea is in fact a rare health drink for all ages. Literature throughout Chinese history has highly praised the beverage. Wang Yu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Xuemin of the Qing Dynasty, and Cao Xueqin (author of 'Dream of the Red Mansion') had pu-erh tea mentioned in their works. Pu-erh tea has gained popularity among consumers in over 20 countries and regions after becoming available in international markets. It is available in compressed and bulk forms. (See our article “Pu-erh Tea Shapes”.) The compressed teas are well-known productions from various tea factories in Xiaguan, Menghai, and Kunming. Bulk tea features broad, stout and brownish red tea leaves and infuses brightly red liquid with a unique and mellow flavor. Dozens of Yunnan's tea factories produce bulk pu-erh tea that is sold abroad under numerous brand names.

6. Pu-erh tea has a number of spelling variations, but they are all the same tea: Pu'er tea, Puer tea, Pu er tea, or Bolay tea. All Pu-erh tea is made from a "large leaf" variety of the tea plant Camellia sinensis and named after the Pu-erh county located near Simao, Yunnan, China. Pu-erh tea at the highest classification level is broken down into raw/green (sheng) or ripened/cooked (shou). The difference between these two classes is based on the processing method. Sheng pu-erh is classified as a maturable green tea regardless of age, and the shou is known as a post-fermented tea due to the processing method. Unlike other teas that should ideally be consumed shortly after production, pu-erh can be drunk immediately or aged for many years; pu- erh teas are often now classified by year and region of production much like wine vintages. Sheng pu-erh will have a more astringent taste to the tea for a number of years until it begins to “show some age,” that is, the mellowing of the tea and the appearance of a more balanced profile. Pu-erh tea is available as loose leaf or as cakes of compacted tea. The city of Puer used to be the province’s primary tea market, and consequently the name “puer tea” was derived from the city name. (The city Simao in 2007 changed its name to Puer, and should not be confused with the ancient city).

7. There are four other basic styles of tea besides pu-erh: White Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea, and Black Tea. The big difference between each is mainly oxidation. However, time and method of harvest, where grown, method of processing, and tea plant cultivars result in a wide array of each style. Some also claim there is Yellow Tea (a minimally oxidized tea to take away some of the green tea grassiness) and Purple Tea (from a special cultivar developed in Africa). Further readings:  Types of Tea and the Role of Oxidation  Gongfu Tea Preparation - generic information  Tradition of Tea Culture in Thailand  Tea Harvesting and Production - Common Terminology  About Gaiwans  Darjeeling Tea Protected Origin Status

8. We like to bring you premium Chinese teas of the finest quality, mostly handmade, and processed by true tea masters. Our teas from Taiwan, Thailand, Darjeeling, and more are also top quality premium teas. Plus, we have added herbal teas, chais, flavored teas, and other favorites to our line-up. And we have some great teawares and books to help you get the most from those teas. We take pride in offering you the best prices. Our motto: “Great teas don't have to cost a fortune!” But in addition to those already great prices, we periodically offer teas for sale. Some vendors do it just to clear out old stock. We do it to give you the best deal. Check back here often for the latest. Now 15% off 2014 Green and White Teas with coupon code GreenWhiteTeaSale!