In 1941, Prasit Pumchusri started one of the first tea plantations in Thailand on a plot of land covering 1,200 acres, nestled in the mountains of Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai. Tea plantation and cultivation was then promoted among the Lahu hill tribes as well as local Thais living in the area and more than 200 families took part during the initial stages. In 1967, this tea plantation was named Raming Tea, after the former name of Ping River.
Over the years, Raming Tea has become the pride of the family with every member taking part in it. Today, Raming Tea is still a family-run business and has develop into one of the country’s biggest tea producers, using both manufactured as well as hand-selected techniques. Their tea selection includes more than forty different products, from organic green tea to organic black tea, oolong, jasmine green tea, black loose tea, plus herbal teas, infusions, craft teas and limited editions. It is all about exceptional aroma and flavour!
Eighty years later, the family is taking one more step ahead by promoting tea knowledge to tea lovers from around the world with Asian School of Tea - Thailand. It is the first school of this kind in the country with Wongduan Wangviwat being training partner for Thailand. Asian School of Tea - Thailand aims at promoting interest and knowledge about the heritage of tea in Chiang Mai and in South East Asia.
In association with Global Indian Foundation, Asian School of Tea contributes towards the formation of worldwide class tea lovers. They offer a variety of training courses helping learners to evolve from a regular tea drinker to a tea connoisseur.
Want to impress your friends with very niche tea know-ledge next time you offer to make the tea around? Or would you like to start a tea business and wishes to make a living out of your passion? Asian School of Tea-Thailand is the right answer! They offer Tea Connoisseur Courses, Tea Sommelier programs as well as Tea Tasting & Blending Master classes.
Part of their training takes place in town, at Raming Tea House, in an elegant colonial style two storey teak building dating back to 1915. The other part of the program is conducted at the Raming Tea plantation, facing the most scenic views of Northern Thailand.
Classes at the school are perfect for both beginners and professionals. The Tea Connoisseur Program is a 2-day course, carefully designed for students to learn about the basics of tea. It includes the fundamentals, the history and the origins of tea production. This course also teaches about the oxidation and fermentation processes, the terminology used by tea connoisseurs, and the different types of brewing (western, Chinese and Japanese). The course includes many tea tastings from different terroirs.
The Tea Sommelier Program is a well-structured training course, addressing the fundamentals of all things tea, similar to the education given to a professional wine steward. It is a 4-day training programme, conducted at the tea plantation, and provides comprehensive knowledge about conventional teas (Camellia sinensis). Students will trek along the tea garden trails and discover all about the different terroirs. They will also learn about tea production, methodology and tea terminologies, taste, grade, quality, brewing (hot and cold) and have an idea about blending and packaging.
And because the art of blending is essential for making tea more enjoyable, Asian School of Tea - Thailand has designed a special course to teach any tea lover how to select the right ingredients and mix them in the correct proportions to create their own customised blend. This course is Tea Tasting & Blending Master Class. Students will learn about the art of tea making for business and how to create signature tea recipes.
If you are a tea lover but just want to have a 2-hours introduction, enrol in their Fine Teas 101 course which takes place at Raming Tea House’s second floor, which is Asian School of Tea - Thailand based. This course includes a brief history and the basics of growing Camellia Sinensis (tea plant), an introduction to the different types of tea and their health benefits. Also, participants are taught about how to brew and taste the different teas and given information on how to package and store the tealeaves correctly. This class can also be stretched to two days with a visit and overnight at Raming Tea plantation up in the mountain of Doi Chiang Dao.
Training courses are conducted in Thai and in English and sessions are scheduled as follows until the end of the year:
Different workshops also take place every month, schedules can be found on the institute’s website.
The appreciation of tea begins in its preparation. It continues on the eye, evolves on the nose and only finally manifests on the tongue. Discover Raming Tea’s product and learn all about this magical drink at Asian School of Tea - Thailand.
ASIAN SCHOOL OF TEA-THAILAND :
158-162 Thapae Road, Chang Moi, Muang, Chiang Mai 50300
Tel. 086-430 3165, 093-134 3341
www.facebook.com/asianschoolofteathailand
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www.asianschooloftea.org
