Aqua Chen

We invite you to taste, learn, and explore together with Aqua Chen @aquaphd , a tea specialist and design professor from Taiwan with over 20 years of teaching experience. She is also a certified instructor at the Tea Research Station of the Ministry of Agriculture in Taiwan, bringing together deep cultural and process knowledge, exquisite brewing skills, and a passionate dedication to sharing Taiwanese tea culture. Through her collaborations with numerous teahouses in the Bay Area, she is committed to connecting people with Taiwan’s tea-producing regions, tea masters, and traditional culture through experiential, hands-on learning. Welcome aboard our tea-tasting and learning journey! *All six courses are 3-hour sessions and together form a complete series. *You may take each course individually at your own pace. *Completing the full series qualifies you for Taiwan tea certification. *Space is limited and all bookings are non-refundable. *Each course usually has a fee of $120, but with this pilot series, each course has a reduced fee of $60 (discounted 50%). *Each course meets on a Friday from 11am-2pm. See full schedule below. ****we are SOLD OUT on all dates, stay tuned for future dates in March! Course 1: 12/12 Tasting Teas from Taiwan's Major Tea-Growing Regions Course 2: 12/19 Teas vs. Cultivars and Seasons Course 3: 1/9/2026 Teas v.s. Processing Method Course 4: 1/16/2026 Sensory Evaluation Practice Course 5: 1/23/2026 Flavor Wheel of Taiwan Specialty Tea Course 6: 1/30/2026 Techniques to Brewing Taiwan Tea and Tea Ceremony Check our bio for more info & sign-up link 🔗🌿 #teaclass #taiwanteaclass #teacourse

Saturday 4/25 · 1–4pm Taiwan Tea Course – Techniques of Brewing & Tea Ceremony 🌿 A hands-on class where each person brews for another, exploring both technique and the subtle influence of teaware. Same leaves, different vessels—completely different experience. We slow down to practice noticing: how shape, material, and intention shift what’s in the cup. Not chasing a “correct answer,” but learning to compare, sense, and deepen awareness. Teaware becomes part of the conversation—guiding how tea expresses itself. Part of our Tea Core path if you’d like to go deeper, or simply a meaningful Saturday of sipping, learning & sharing. If you’ve been curious, join us 🍃 Registration link in bio! #teancefinetea #teaclass #taiwantea #teaeducation #Tawianteacore

Tomorrow I’ll be back at Teance Fine Tea, teaching tea again 🌿 This time, we’re not just tasting—we’re exploring how different teaware shapes the tea itself. Same leaves, different vessels… completely different experience. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about something very simple: we don’t really “taste” tea—we taste through our own perception. And that perception can be gently trained. In class, we slow down and practice this— not chasing a “correct answer,” but learning how to notice, compare, and become more aware of what’s actually happening in the cup. The teaware becomes part of that process. It’s not just tools—it’s a way to understand how form, material, and intention influence what we experience. These Tea Core courses are also part of a structured path if you want to go deeper, but honestly… it’s just a meaningful way to spend a Saturday. If you’ve been curious, you’re welcome to join us 🍃 🔗 /taiwan-tea-core-courses-saturday.html?id=117032847

Just completed the full Taiwan tea course at @teance_fine_teas I’ve always loved drinking tea, but having an actual guide, structure, and tastings alongside other tea enthusiasts made a huge difference — it gave me words and vocabulary for things I had trouble describing before. The final class stepped away from the class materials on production and tasting notes. Instead it focused instead on tea ceremony itself, the ritual and aesthetic of how to serve tea and share it with others. This wraps up the class portion, but I’m excited to eventually make it to Taiwan to get further certified and keep going on my tea journey. Huge thanks to @aquaphd for putting this course together and making it available

Most people think tea flavor comes from roasting or processing. But the story actually begins with the tea plant itself. In today’s class, we explored tea cultivars—the different varieties of tea plants that create distinctive aromas and flavors in the cup. Just like grape varieties in wine, different tea cultivars create completely different tea experiences. In this class we taste 10+ Taiwanese teas and learn how cultivar, terroir, and craft shape the final flavor. ✨ No prior tea knowledge needed ✨ Just curiosity and a love of good tea If you’re curious about Taiwanese tea culture, join us. 🔗 Register here: /taiwan-tea-core-courses-saturday.htm #TeaCultivar #TaiwaneseTea #TeaEducation #TeaTasting #OolongTea #BerkeleyEvents #TeaClass #TeaCulture #TeaLearning #TaiwanTea

Tea is not only about the taste, it is also about the culture imagination.

Recently, something meaningful happened that I’d love to share 😊 I’ve been invited to teach a Taiwanese tea class at a West contra costa adult school—and they even included a short instructor profile about me in their Admissions Brochure. To me, this isn’t just a class, but a journey of sharing Taiwanese culture with others. I’ve always believed that tea is more than just a drink. It’s a way to slow down, to connect, and to experience the beauty of a culture. And when tea meets ceramics—the connection from earth, to vessel, to tea—there’s something deeply grounding and inspiring about the whole experience. Maybe it took me some time, but it feels real: After 50, I finally feel like I’m truly living in what I love—and becoming more myself than ever. 🌿 If you’d like to learn more about Taiwanese tea? Feel free to DM me or leave a comment—let’s have a cup of tea. 🍵

Taiwan Tea Core Courses, an educational course series led by Aqua Chen, is back with dates in March and April! Friday classes start this week on 3/6, and Saturday classes start on 3/21. 🌿 Aqua is a certified Taiwanese tea specialist and design professor with 20+ years of teaching experience. She is also a certified instructor at the Tea Research Station of the Ministry of Agriculture in Taiwan, and she is offering this series with the intention of connecting people with Taiwan's tea-producing regions, tea masters, and traditional culture through experiential, hands-on learning. This spring, Aqua is offering the Taiwan Tea Core Course series on Fridays from 11am-2pm and Saturdays from 1-4pm. Each series entails six courses of three hours each. Each course can be taken on its own, or you can sign up for all six courses which can contribute to tea certification through Taiwan's Tea and Beverage Research Station (TBRS). Because this is a newly-taught series, Aqua is offering each course at a discounted price of $80. 🌻 Examples of what the classes will include: tea tasting with observation and comparison, lecture on tea regions and tea cultivars in Taiwan, exploring the flavor wheel, and tea brewing techniques. 💦 Check out our bio link for more information and registration! #teancefineteas #taiwantea #taiwanteacore #teaeducation

Taiwan Tea Core Courses, an educational course series led by Aqua Chen, is back with dates in March and April! Friday classes start this week on 3/6, and Saturday classes start on 3/21. 🌿 Aqua is a certified Taiwanese tea specialist and design professor with 20+ years of teaching experience. She is also a certified instructor at the Tea Research Station of the Ministry of Agriculture in Taiwan, and she is offering this series with the intention of connecting people with Taiwan's tea-producing regions, tea masters, and traditional culture through experiential, hands-on learning. This spring, Aqua is offering the Taiwan Tea Core Course series on Fridays from 11am-2pm and Saturdays from 1-4pm. Each series entails six courses of three hours each. Each course can be taken on its own, or you can sign up for all six courses which can contribute to tea certification through Taiwan's Tea and Beverage Research Station (TBRS). Because this is a newly-taught series, Aqua is offering each course at a discounted price of $80. 🌻 Examples of what the classes will include: tea tasting with observation and comparison, lecture on tea regions and tea cultivars in Taiwan, exploring the flavor wheel, and tea brewing techniques. 💦 Check out our bio link for more information and registration! #teancefineteas #taiwantea #taiwanteacore #teaeducation #teaclass

☕️ Friday Tea Class @ Teance Fine Tea Every Friday from 11:00 AM–2:00 PM, we gather at Teance Fine Tea to slow down, taste, and explore the depth of Taiwanese tea. Last week, we tasted 10 distinctive Taiwanese teas, discovering how origin and craftsmanship shape aroma and flavor. This Friday’s class will focus on tea cultivars and harvest seasons—training your palate to recognize how varietals and seasonal picking influence taste, texture, and fragrance through guided sensory practice. If you’re curious about Taiwanese tea or looking to deepen your tasting skills, you’re warmly welcome to join us 🌿 ✨ Limited spots available — registration encouraged. 📍 Teance Fine Tea 🕚 Fridays | 11:00 AM–2:00 PM #TaiwanTea #TeaEducation #TeaTasting #TeaClass #LooseLeafTea #TeaCulture #LearnAboutTea #TeaLovers #TeanceFineTea

Last Friday was our first of six Taiwan Tea Core courses taught by @aquaphd . We learned about the different tea-growing regions in Taiwan and which teas are typically grown where, and why. We got to taste 10 Taiwanese teas, from Bi Luo Chun green tea to Red Oolong and Ruby 18 red/black tea, and we got to practice brewing competition style. ⏳️ Thank you Aqua for an informative and fun, experiential time together! Next class is tomorrow, Friday 12/19 from 11am-2pm, and there are still a couple slots open. Through guided tastings, comparative analysis, and discussion, we'll be learning about different cultivars, and how terroir and harvest season affects tea. ☁️ The course series continues on January 9th if you are unable to come tomorrow and are interested in joining then. Since it's a pilot series, each class is discounted at 50% off. Check out our bio link for more info & registration ➡️ #teancefineteas #taiwantea #teaeducation #teatasting

From now on, I’ll be spending my Fridays, 11am–2pm, immersed in tea—tasting, brewing, talking, and slowing down together. This is one of those joys in my life: sharing tea not just as a drink, but as a way to learn, and to thrive. I’m grateful for the space, the leaves, and the people who choose to sit at the table. If you’re around on a Friday and curious about tea, you know where to find me 🍃我的茶課在Teance Fine Teas開張囉⋯⋯ 英文上課的喔