It started with a cup.
Most of us already make time for a cup. Paying it a little attention can make that time better.
That’s the idea behind Brew Sensei. We write about the things that change what ends up in your cup: water, temperature, time, and the way you put it all together. Enough explanation to help you brew with confidence. The kettle does not require a dissertation.
Then came the teahouse.
Alongside the brewing guides is an original world inspired by anime. At its center is Hoshi-jaya, a fictional teahouse run by Kinako, a former soldier who learned the craft from a tea master who later entrusted him with the shop.
His apprentice, Macha, chose brewing after a life as an assassin. She has a sharp eye, a dry wit, and reasons of her own for being there. The care they put into a cup gives the story its heart. Their patience with each other varies.
Kinako and Macha belong to the fiction. The brewing advice is written as Brew Sensei and grounded in research.
Meet KinakoFind your own good cup.
Steeped is our journal of practical tea, coffee and matcha guides. Read what helps, try it in your own kitchen, and keep what works for you. If you’d like a little of the teahouse around you, our original designs are in the shop.