The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea

by Michael Harney

Read Michael Harney's posts on the Penguin Blog.

The country’s leading connoisseur presents a comprehensive guide for developing your tea palate .

The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea transforms tea drinkers into tea experts. Written by one of the country’s leading tea professionals, The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea is an illuminating resource for tea drinkers interested in developing and refining their palate as well as their understanding of the complex agricultural, historical, and cultural significance of tea.

Drawing on his singular experience, Michael Harney masterly explores the full range of teas, revealing how each tea is distinctive, with a taste that derives from a precise combination of cultivation and production techniques, and influenced by the geography as well as its history. These lively profiles of diverse tea varieties—from delicate white tea to aged black puerh tea—include brewing instructions and vivid descriptions of the beverage scent, taste, and appearance; everything you need to become a connoisseur.

Tea has long been popular in the United States, but only recently have Americans treated this nuanced beverage with a deeper curiosity, more refined approach, and wider appetite. The Wall Street Journal reports that total U.S. tea sales are nearly four times what they were in 1990, and this growing population of discriminate consumers will celebrate the new vocabulary provided in The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea .

Unique in scope, candor, and accessibility, The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea will quickly become the classic reference and staple in the library of every serious tea drinker.

Genres: Tea, Nonfiction, Food, Cookbooks, Cooking, Reference, Beverages

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Michael Harney has been travelling the world tasting teas for 20 years. He is the buyer and blender at Harney & Sons Tea.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Desiree Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book - both attractive and informative.
Walks you through all you need to know to thoroughly enjoy tea as an experience, not just a beverage.
I can't wait to start my own tasting journey!

[Paul Haan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pandemic has turned our household into rather regular observers of afternoon tea time. At first we dabbled around, trying teas with catchy names and affordable price points. Over time, we have sought to increase our knowledge and ability to select teas that appeal to a wide range of palates - my wife likes teas with adjuncts like jasmine and Earl Gray, my daughter likes full bodied teas from which she can make chai, my son likes black teas and is an East Frisian junkie, and I’m a bit more eclectic, preferring Chinese greens and blacks, as well as oolongs.

Mike Harney’s systematic way of categorizing and explaining teas in this book has helped make order of how I understand and enjoy tea. By breaking down geographical, production, and historical distinctions, he has greatly expanded my knowledge and understanding of how to enjoy teas. This new knowledge will certainly help guide my future explorations of tea, making it more systematic and fruitful rather than random and forgetful.

The book is written in a clear and straightforward manner. Should there be further versions of this book published, I believe photographs of the teas featured would be helpful and would welcome further expansion of the varieties of teas featured, keeping within the existing structure of the book. A handsomely illustrated version could be very attractive as a gift for tea lovers.

This is a solid and instructive introduction to decoding the many ways in which orthodox teas have evolved to the wonder they are today.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not gonna lie... I'm a flavored tea kind of person. Harney & Sons' Boston is my current addiction. Michael Harney's book has inspired me to be a bit more adventurous - to seek out pure tea and discover the pleasure of it. I've got my sights on a couple Chinese black teas, as well as oolongs. While this isn't meant to be a comprehensive look at pure tea, it covers a range of teas, light to dark, discussing how each is made and the subtle nuances of each. It invites you to develop a discerning palate for tea. Well written!

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today's tea themed page turner is The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea by Michael Harney...yes, it is that Harney & Sons, so in all honesty you know that the book is going to be good. I am going to start out by saying this might be my favorite stand alone guide to tasting tea. It is wonderful as a go to refresher for experienced sippers and a fantastic intro to those new to the art of tasting tea.

The best part of this book, the part that makes me check it out from the library time and time again (really the fact that it is not in my collection yet is a bit criminal) is the overwhelmingly casual approach to tea. There are so many instances of the author telling you 'there are no wrong answers' 'everyone tastes differently' 'everyone can be a tea taster' that it practically makes me giddy. It goes along with my philosophy of tea being fun, approachable, and art. I had this philosophy before I read the book and seeing such a well respected tea expert have the same philosophy as me certainly makes me happy.

The book begins with a typical (and maybe the best ever) introduction of the author and the subject matter. After that we get a brief and very thorough explanation on how to taste tea, and from that we go straight into the teas. Each tea section is divided into types of tea, starting with the White Teas, it starts with a brief overall discussion on the group of tea (for example the White Tea section mentions Tricomes or tea fuzzies and some flavor notes you might run into.)

Each tea is given its own handy little table which includes the tea's name (and a translation when applicable) brewing parameters, a description on the dry leaves, a description of the tea's liquid (liquor) the aroma, body, and lastly the flavor. Some of flavor notes are a bit giggle worthy, like lemon taffy, sulfur, raspberry jam, and cotton candy. I have no room to talk of course, being a person who uses rather whimsical sounding aroma and taste descriptions. That is the great thing about tea, it reminds each individual of something new and exciting, so where I smell spicebush you might smell gingersnaps, it helps us reflect on our personal experiences. A person with more experiences with tasting tons of foods could find more similarities there, a person who spends way too much time out in nature could find similarities there.

Lastly the book closes with a pretty nifty appendix collection of tea menus for tea tasting, grouping teas by flavor profiles, like floral teas, smoky teas, and chocolaty teas. After that there is a description of the various processing tea leaves go through 'from tree to tea.' Next we get a brief history of tea, and it is very short, but full of useful tidbits, my favorite being the dispelling of the myth that the British originally thought that leaves were harvested by monkeys. Lastly there is a small list of tea sources and why they were picked as some of the best.

The only bad thing (if that really) that I have to say about this book is the lack of pictures. I am very much so a visual learner and very much so need pictures when I am learning something new. Luckily we live in a digital age, so I suggest reading this book with the internet open so you can look at pictures of the teas listed in this book.

On my Tea Blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blog...

[H James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book on tea that I have read, so much of the information was new to me. Generally the organization is clear and helpful, although it is sometimes difficult to tell if the specific teas Mr Harney has selected were chosen because they are exemplary of their region or because they are unique. His descriptions of the teas are lively and aside from his overdependence on the words 'lovely' and 'charming', the prose is crisp and pleasant. He handles issues of British colonialism with respect for the colonized people and gives due credit for the many innovations that were developed after the departure of the British.

The copy I borrowed was a first printing and was printed with two inks: an typical black and a metallic yellow. The latter made tables, maps, and drop capitals difficult or impossible to read in certain lighting conditions where the metallic ink became all but invisible. I'm not sure if later printings have stuck with this (unwelcome) extravagance, but a more traditional ink would have been preferable.

[Alexander Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very good primer on culinary aspects of hot tea of the "true tea" variety. My major reasoning behind giving this book 3 stars is that there are several other better, more complete books out there at a competitive price to this one.

Unless you are particular to Harney and Son's tea, I would suggest getting the second edition of the New Tea Companion. It includes pictures of what the tea should look like in addition to a more inclusive tea selection than this particular book.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I browsed through this rather than reading it.
This handsome book would look great on your, er, teatable, and it's the sort of book that's fun to pick up every once in awhile in a spare moment -- say, while you're waiting for your tea to steep.
Since Harney & Sons sells tea, this guide naturally steers you in that direction. But I found it's applicable to similar teas that can be purchased from other importers.
What's missing: A glossary.

[Avenue Olive · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually bought two copies of this book, one for my tea buddy,we love trying/tasting new teas and attending tea tasting events. We feel that this is a great reference to understand and explore not only about the flavor and the subtle nuances but to understand diversity of teas , and how all the elements in nature that influence each of its character. A great accompaniment to enhance your tea experience.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While reading about tea is not as good as drinking it this book comes close. Harney gives a great introduction of how he got in the tea business and learned the trade. Then he describes the joys of drinking and what to expect by type. I've visited the Connecticut store and it was a joy - the tea is even better. if you love tea you will enjoy this book.

[Tim Nowotny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think in terms of tea books this is the perfect one. It not so much explains tea for you but sets you on a journey and eagerly play the part of a guide there. I looked into tea corners I have never thought of looking and still had the context to appreciate.

[Radhika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decided to read this book to learn more about teas and Harney did just that. He did a great job of explaining the history and different types of teas; black, green, oolongs in great detail as well as the locations that all the teas are from.

This book is not meant to be finished in one sitting (although you definitely can, at the risk of information overload), I think it's the type you come back to when you want to learn a little tidbit of new stuff. I wish I had a physical version of this book as I think it would make a great coffee-table book (or tea-table in this case lol).

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unsure about this book because some of my friends are always drinking Harney & Sons flavored teas and I can't stand them. This book is great! I already knew some of the information, but I still learned a lot and put some more teas on my wishlist. It also helped me put a name to what I don't like about some teas: florals and high astringency.

[Greg Hartle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent Primer on Tea

Here’s your guidebook for everything tea by a world class expert who writes for the layman. You can feel Michael’s joy as he takes you on a tea expidetition from the most common to the most rare pure teas. Enjoy this book and enjoy your tea tasting adventure

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting!

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overview on some of the finer kinds of tea; as a fan of H&S teas, this was interesting (they had teas I have bought before) but not as thorough as some of the tea books I have read.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

so well written - makes me want to try them all in the order given - in fact, I think I will!

[Alexis Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tea-riffic introduction to the world of tea drinking and making.

[Tim Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun to read about various types of tea! Wish I was drinking them while reading the book.

[Mabisu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved learning more about something that takes so much of my time (and money). The way the book flows is really good and it really makes you appreciate tea more.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

first began drinking tea when I was in England in the early 1970's. Here in the United States it was difficult to find anything but Lipton's tea in tea bags at the local grocery store. Now tea is experiencing trememdous growth in this country. In fact, according to this book, tea sales are four times greater today than they were in 1990. Harney and Sons is one of the premier tea sellers and blenders in the US. This book helps the reader to explore over fifty pure teas that a tea connoisseur should know. If you like tea, grab a cup and this book and start exploring

[Tish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid tasting guide with gorgeous and thoughtful descriptors for dozens of major cultivars. He thinks most Chinese green teas taste like grilled leeks or grilled endives, I'll have to look out for that next time I taste my Bi Luo Chun.

Unfortunately, for this to be a good coffee-table book it needs pictures of the tea leaves and liquors, which one would think Mr Harney could obtain easily, given that he, you know, runs a tea business.

[Rebecca Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another 'must have' book on the topic of tea, written by one of the top importers of tea to the US. Lore, brewing tips, and information about tea and enjoying it, and all kinds of nifty tidbits. Very much recommended!

For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_T...

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed this from Dianna for the week and found a book about the harvesting and production of the world's finest whole-leaf teas to make for an uncommonly soothing vacation read. I feel much better informed about types of tea and motivated to sample a bit more widely.

[Iglen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book for someone who wants to know more then basic things about teas and more importantly good teas. Even though it is not a thriller and filled up with facts which may be dull for someone it is short enough and well written enough to get through.

[Marcella Bongiovanni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume per veri appassionati con le note di assaggio per diversi tipi di tè. Non da leggere ma da consultare. Se non avete la possibilità di seguire un corso di tea tasting, questo libro si offre come una valida alternativa.

[Sue Jenkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting read, I did not read every word, rather skimmed around the book. There is lots of interesting information about tea. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in teas and their differences and similarities.

[Elizabeth]

A wonderful book I received as a gift. The presentation and fonts are really quite handsome. I'm looking forward to learning more about tea!

[Lynda M]

I love tea! and I drink several types of tea daily. I want to learn as much of the history of this wonderful drink as I can and also learn to brew and drink it properly.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a gift I received because I enjoy tea more than coffee. I began reading it but went from reading to skimming. I appreciated the information, but it is more of a coffeetable book.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really read this so much as skim, but the information was great and presented very nicely. A very good guide for those who want to know more about tea.