Frequently Asked Questions
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How do you source your teas?
Sourcing teas can be easy or difficult. However, we choose the more difficult but more rewarding option of going to the farms where our teas are grown and meeting farmers and suppliers there ourselves. While flying there and sourcing ourselves may be more expensive, we cut any middlemen cost entirely, allowing us to still price our teas affordably.
This method also allows us to build valuable connections with small farmers and suppliers, meeting them right at the source and bringing the teas that they farm and produce to a wider market. If we don't travel to them, we would never be able to meet them and provide these teas for you to try.
Our responsibility however is still to you, the consumer. This means that we won't just go to the same farmers or suppliers each harvest season to buy their teas. Each year, we aim to meet new farmers and new suppliers who can provide us with even better teas. This means that our stock is ever changing, and our selection of teas will vary each year.
How do you select your teas?
Each tea we receive from farmers or partners that we work with in China and Taiwan goes through an extensive screening and tasting process. We first do a comparative taste test between similar teas and pick out the best one(s) out of the lot. After this, the huge pile of teas we originally receive dwindles down to just a few.
We then brew each selected tea individually in a Gongfu session, just like how we would with any other tea. After a few rounds of this, we select the best of the best not only in terms of quality but in terms of value as well.
We go into further detail on this process here.
Which tea should I buy?
Not all of the teas we stock will fit one's preferences or tastes, so how do you know which tea to buy?
You can take a look at each tea's description to get an idea of what each tea is like in the cup. We will also provide short tasting notes of each tea for your perusal.
Ultimately, the best way is to try the tea yourself. You can order our teas in sample sizes to try the tea out first. If you like it, you can always come back to buy more in larger sizes.
How do I brew your teas?
You've received your tea, but you're unsure of how to brew it?
We always recommend to brew our teas Gongfu style, with a higher leaf to water ratio. We feel that this is the best way to get the most out of our teas. However, you can brew in anyway you find most suited to you.
We provide a rough brewing guide in each tea's description. Note that this is just a suggestion based on our tastes and preferences, so we highly recommend you to try out different brewing parameters and experiment with different methods to find what's best for you.
I've ordered from your store. How do I know when my package arrives?
Once your order has been shipped out, we will send you your package tracking number, where you can use apps like Aftership or 17track to track your parcel all the way to your doorstep. Depending on where you are, shipping can take anywhere from 1-2 days up to 2 weeks or more.
There's an issue with my package. What do I do?
Refer to our Returns & Refunds Policy. If there's a specific issue you'd like us to address, feel free to contact us at info@sipscollection.com.
Does Sipscollection do wholesale?
We do some wholesale of the teas we have in stock for pantries. However, if you require a large amount (5kg+) of specialty tea, you can utilise our connections with tea farmers and partners in China and Taiwan. We can help you source teas for your restaurant, cafe, pantry, and more. Contact us at info@sipscollection.com with your request!
Are your teas organic?
Well, it's tough to truly say whether a tea is organic, especially since farmers who do follow organic practices may not have the funds or simply not have the need to get their farms certified. It is also worth noting that organic tea doesn't mean "better" tea. We source teas from high quality terroirs and regions, and from tea farmers who adhere to a high standard of farming and processing. They rarely use pesticides or fertilisers, and if they do, it is done so naturally. However, if the farmers that we source from do obtain or hold an organic certification, it will be noted under the tea information.