Teacuration

Teacuration is the practice of selecting, organizing, and presenting teas or information about teas for a specific audience or purpose. The term blends tea culture with the idea of curation, and is used in contemporary tea communities and commerce to describe intentional, curated exposure to tea varieties, flavor profiles, and brewing practices.

Practices span both physical and digital realms. Physical teacuration occurs in tea shops, tasting rooms, and private collections where teas are chosen to form flights, shelves, or seasonal menus. Digital teacuration appears in curated tea lists, newsletters, social media threads, blogs, and video channels that assemble recommendations, reviews, and brewing notes around themes such as terroir, processing method, or price tier. In both domains, teacuration aims to guide consumption and deepen appreciation.

Methods commonly include defining criteria for inclusion (origin, cultivar, processing, sustainability), organizing teas by theme or flavor family, conducting tastings, recording sensory notes, and providing brewing parameters and provenance. Curation may emphasize discovery (showcasing lesser-known producers), education (explain processing and terroir), or accessibility (clear tasting notes for newcomers).

Teacuration intersects with but is distinct from general tea criticism and collecting. It can support producers and small farms, help consumers navigate a crowded market, and contribute to tea culture by articulating shared vocabularies and tasting ideas. Challenges include the subjective nature of flavor, potential biases in selections, sustainability considerations, and the need for transparent sourcing.

Related topics include curatorial practices and tea appreciation.