Heads up, tea enthusiasts, ’cause we’re about to spill the tea on the biggest edition of the Singapore Tea Festival yet. Returning for the third time this month at the bright and shiny Jewel Changi Airport, the three-day event by global tea marketplace teapasar brings in more than 50 tea, food, and lifestyle brands. That includes five new-to-Singapore labels and seven international names, alongside 16 masterclasses for those interested in learning more about the brew world.
Oh, and this time, bubble tea fans are welcome too, as the festival features Woobbee’s pei pa kao (cough medicine) milk tea and drinks like oolong milk tea or matcha latte cooler by TenRen’s Tea. Fossa Chocolate and Pekoe & Imp get on board the tea train as well, collaborating on tea chocolate bars in flavors like oolong, hongcha and, er, “duckshit” (yes, it’s actually the name of a tea.)
While we’re on the subject of the unconventional, natural skincare brand oasis:skin has teamed up with teapasar to infuse tea leaves into their solid shampoos and conditioners. So yeah, tea aficionados can essentially drink, eat, and luxuriate in your favorite blend.
Organizer teapasar is also launching a portable ProfilePrint this year, allowing for the technology to recommend foods to go with your tea preference, with its scanner that identifies quality, taste profile, and origins based on “metabolomic fingerprint and machine-learning algorithms.” Jargon aside, the gadget can basically recognize the type of tea and its country or region of origin, so customers can figure out if they’re sipping on authentic tea or misrepresented ones. Smart, huh.
New to the festival, Arinobu Tea hails from Japan with its traditional brews, Chariteas from the US brings in blends like flowery oolong, Malaysia’s Fulleaf Tea Store packs its green teas and brown rice teas direct from the farm, and the UK’s Pukka teas come in chamomile, mint, and turmeric variations.
Meanwhile, offerings from local brands include Botana & Tea’s herbal options like saffron tea, Brew-In Tea’s single origin ones from top tea estates across the globe, Craft Tea Fox and its Japanese matcha and hojicha beverages, The Tea Crafters’ signature rose lychee concoction, and cold brew teas by Zestyleaf.
For snacks to nibble on as you stroll from booth to booth, stop by HeyHah Chips for crunchy bites made from fruits and veggies, Kele for pineapple tarts, The Edible Co for healthy tidbits, and Nut Culture for plant-based nut butters and nut-based vegan cheeses.
Teaware and accessories are also available for you to bring home, with ceramic goods by Oh!leaf, porcelain thermal flasks from Swanz, and illustrated products by Troops on Print to check out.
If you’ve got an entire day to spare, sign up for a workshop or two to brush up on your tea knowledge. Classes include Arinobu Tea’s introduction to Japanese tea, basic kombucha making by Fizzicle, an exploration of oolong by Parchmen & Co, and Fulleaf’s tea-infused food recipes. Plus, you can stay on for competitions like the Australian Tea Masters Cup and a kombucha brew-off on Saturday.
FIND IT:
Singapore Tea Festival is on from July 19-21; Fri 2pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm at B1 Atrium, Jewel Changi Airport.
Free for public; VIP tickets $35.
MRT: Changi Airport
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