Tea on New Years 2024

With the New Year here, all of us at Kettl are feeling the rested after a period of much needed (and well deserved) rest. Me personally , I always feel reflective this time of year and filled with gratitude for a fruitful and intense 2024. The hard work of our team, the incredible partnerships new and old, and of course - new teas from all over Japan. I thought rather than just reflect in my head I would create a post recapping some of my favorite moments from last year. Looking back is a wonderful way to see the future.

Fuyu No Hana Iced

January, 2024

In January we launched a new concept - Kettl Studio. Kettl studio is a physical space - a building block to showcase the many threads interwoven into Kettl: community, hospitality, partnerships, ceramic appreciation, education. As a by appointment space, we could make each gathering special and carve out a calm respite both from the city - but also from our bustling Greenpoint store. I feel as Kettl continues to grow, keeping ourselves feeling inspired is the surest way to delight our customers. And it is no secret that I love inviting folks into a quiet space for tea and story telling. This year we hope to further develop the events at Kettl Studio.

You can learn more about Kettl Studio and follow along with upcoming events here.

Kettl Studio

Tea released in January: Fuyu No Hana Shincha. One of our favorite seasonal Senchas from Fukuoka. A charming tea that is a burst of freshness in the short, cold days of early winter. Fuyu no Hana translates as Winter Flower and is gently dried with traditional Japanese charcoal imparting a gently toasted note. A lovely tea perfect for a meaningful everyday

February, 2024

In February Minami and I headed to Japan in search of ceramics and spent a week in Mashiko - an important epicenter of craft culture. We spent a wonderful afternoon with artist Kei Ishikawa and explored his body of work at his home deep in the countryside. Drinking tea and coffee together in front of a fire while it snowed outside was a lovely reminder of the power of the seasons to create incredible settings to enjoy tea. We will be releasing Ishikawa san’s work early this year - primarily tea cups and some assorted homewares. We are thrilled to bring a new artist into our offering list.

Kei Ishikawa, ceramcist

Tea released in February: Ogura House Milled Matcha - I chose the February 2024 Mill Club offering to celebrate a sense of history. Blended by a 10th-degree chashi, Koyama san is the defacto authority on Uji Matcha, and his guidance was appreciated in the choosing of this tea. This ultra creamy Matcha was a lovely letter from Uji and as classic a Matcha as we have had on our list.

March, 2024

March was a busy month with a new release of wood fired ceramics of Kettl co-owner Minami Mangan. These stunning works were wood fired in upstate New York. Minami assisted with the firing and we were all stunned at how many truly remarkable pieces were pulled from the Kiln.

Detail of Minami Mangan’s wood fired tea bowl

I was honored to launch the first Chef Series tea pairing dinner with master kaiseki Chef (Formerly of Kajitsu) Abe Hiroki. We did a 6 course pairing of his beautiful vegan temple cuisine and an array of teas - roasted, steamed, whisked and ice brewed. It was a true high water mark for me personally and I was so proud of Minami who created each and every dish used to serve the meal.

With Chef Abe Hiroki during out first Chef Series Dinner

Tea released in March: We launched three at once in our Kiwami Collection subscription. A quarterly subscription of our most exclusive teas, forever unavailable anywhere else. Our Kiwami Collection was created as a testament to our deep connection with Japan's most revered tea makers—relationships developed over the last decade of working at origin which allow us to find and secure teas that never leave the shores of Japan. We change the offerings every 3 months.

Find out more about the Kiwami Club Here

April 2024

In April, with the help of the team, we launched our Continuing Education series. Each month we pick a topic to go deeper into and invite our staff to join for mini lecture - often accompanies by a tasting session. Offering this type of professional development is important for me and was born from the hard work and input from many folks on our team - with a few coming from the coffee world where this is more popular. I am happy to say we haven’t missed a month since its inception.

Continuing Education Meeting with our Team

Caleb, Minami and I headed to Japan for sourcing in Mid April. Our focus was Kyushu were we spent two weeks meeting with new producers. Our CEO Caleb, who is at the heart of everything we do at Kettl, not only visited the producers and participated in meetings, he documented much of it through his camera. See some of his select images here.

Kettl CEO, Caleb Ferguson in Kagoshima

Our GM Jacob developed one of several mocktails in April including my favorite - our Sparkling White peach Shiso Matcha. Highly aromatic and just plain delicious, this was on the menu for most of spring. So proud of all the hard work Jacob has done to develop such a forward thinking selection of drinks.

Our Sparkling White Peach and Shiso Matcha Soda developed by Jacob Morgan

Tea we launched in April: Quite literally the first Shincha made available in the USA in 2024- we launched our Hatsutsumi Shincha on April 24th. This is a year in and year out favorite. Rich, luscious and absolutely bursting with aromatics.

May 2024

While Caleb, Minami and I were in Japan - our head of education Armando launched a series of new classes (including “Matcha of Fukuoka” and “Making the perfect matcha latte” and maintained a break neck pace of presenting roughly 10 classes a week. His incredible drive and commitment to his students has inspired us all at Kettl to keep pushing and showed me personally the power of a team and watching him unlock his super powers has been just amazing.

Armando Martinez, head of education at Kettl

After returning from Japan, Caleb, Minami myself and our GM of Operations Miles headed to Mexico City for an incredible tea pairing event with Chef Elena Reygadas of Rosetta. This was a true dream of mine as Chef Elena and her team run one of the most hospitable and delicious restaurants in the world. We did two turns of some of the most unique and inspired pairings I have done in my career. The pace was blistering and I had so much fun running and gunning with our team. It was literally all hands on deck and we made it happen.

Zach and Chef Elena Reygadas in Mexico City for our tea pairing dinner at Rosetta

Teas Launched in May - We launched over 12 unique teas including Shincha from 6 prefectures.

June 2024

Back in NYC, we focused on new product releases. We continued a hurried pace and launched more than a 10 new teas in June. We also released our new Aluminum Vacuum tea caddies. These aircraft grade aluminum caddies are a marvel and something we just fell in love with and had to share. Those who have handled them can attest to the satisfaction of the lid sliding over the body of the caddy with just 1/80th of an inch impedance.

Our new machined vacuum caddy

Our head of Wholsale Lee also had a banner June - which was once considered “slow for tea”. They were able to welcome in and train over 10 new accounts in June alone. An incredible feat.

Teas released in June: Koju Oolong - Perhaps the most ethereal Oolong we have ever released. Koju is a remarkable hand-picked oolong from the mountains of Shizuoka. Made from a very rare cultivar, Koju, this wilted and oxidized tea has strong notes of sweet fruit and citrus with a soft floral finish.Being hand-picked, the annual output is very low and we are honored to share this extremely limited and beautiful example of high mountain Japanese oolong.

July 2024

In July we launched new ceramics firm Soto Ceramics, new color ways for our Kinto x Kettl Tumblers, a new version of Houjicha Soft serve in our cafe and…Zach saw a bear in NJ. Big month.

Houjicha soft serve

We also came together as a team to celebrate with both a team dinner at rule of Thirds and a dance party / karaoke session in our warehouse. July was a pretty great month.

Team Dinner at Rule of Thirds

Tea launched in July: Tokyo Mugicha - our newest botanical from the heart of Tokyo. Mugicha is a caffeine-free tea made from roasted barley, enjoyed daily throughout Japan, especially as an iced beverage in the sweltering summer months. Due to its widespread popularity, most of the Mugicha consumed within the country is produced cheaply from inferior-quality barley. We've sourced our Mugicha from Kawahara Seifun who hand roast domestic Japanese Rokujo Barley directly in Tokyo. The result of this intentional sourcing and preparation is a deep and rich brew that shines when prepared cold but is versatile and refined enough to brew up hot in the cooler seasons. We expect this to be a Kettl staple for years to come.

August 2024

In august we successfully completed our second Chef Series dinner with the amazing Neal Harden of abcV. Again, our focus was on vegetables and tea. And with summer in full swing the produce was at peak flavor and chef and his team brought in an inspired 6 courses that I worked hard to showcase. While the studio space a bit warm, guests laughed and chatted until long after the last dessert was dropped. I am grateful for the inspiration from both chef and his team and the amazing guests.

Chef Series #2 - Neal Harden of abcV

Shortly after, I set off for Japan with our director of operations - Christopher. Our focus was making sure he spent some time with our Japan team. We had just moved offices and his input on the layout of the new packing room, office and so forth proved helpful for everyone. Spending time with the team in Japan is always super fun - it’s so encouraging to see their focus and attention to detail. We couldn’t do what we do in NYC without them.

New Warehouse in Fukuoka, Office with team, Christopher - Kettl Director of Operations

Tea launched in August: Shinki Yamashita Kyomidori Gyokuro. This tea represents an ultra-small lot offering from the famed producer, Shinki Yamashita of Kyotanabe, Uji, made from the rare Kyomidori cultivar. Yamashita san is meticulous in both his garden management and leaf processing, overseeing every step along the way. Kyomidori Gyokuro offers layers of deep, refined umami with a unique sweetness reminiscent of sweet summer corn. We are honored to be the sole supplier of Yamashita san’s outside of Japan and cherish the chance to share some of the finest tea being crafted anywhere.

September 2024

September saw the launch of our online brewing guides. We wanted to create a single source for how to brew each and every type of Japanese tea. Each tea has a step by step brew guide ensuring you get the best out of your investment. We shot the entire guide in house in one day - again, thanks to our amazing team.

Sencha Brew Guide Photo Still

September was also a big month for our sweets. We collaborated with pastry chef Masaki Takahashi of Michelin starred restaurant Yuu to create two unique Choux Cream (cream puffs). We landed on Houjicha and Matcha and both offerings use two kinds of tea - Yanagi Houjicha and Shirakawa Houjicha powder as well as both Kiyona and Hukuju Matcha. The result: Insanely decadent with out being overly sweet and intense flavors of Japanese tea. Mission accomplished. These sweets are now available on weekends in our Greenpoint cafe.

Pastry Chef Masaki Takahashi of Restaurant Yuu

Tea released in September: Gokase Fuushun Oolong and Gokase Minamisayaka Oolong. Two teas from an astounding tea maker in Gokase, Miyazaki - Minamisayaka and Fuushun are two rare cultivars developed in the 1990s specifically for the terroir of Miyazaki, but they have seen little cultivation in recent years. ⁠

October 2024

October was a month of partner support. We spent time with some of our longtime whole sale partners. I made a day trip to help train the staff at Blue Hill at Stone Barns on the basics of Matcha. Their program is inspiring and we have had the honor to support their tea program for the past two years. Whisking lattes and talking about composting is pretty much a perfect afternoon in my book.

Training at Blue Hill at Stone Barns

October also brought the gargantuan honor of being asked to supply teas to the legendary Le Bernardin helmed by the super chef Eric Ripert. After presenting a selection of our catalog in a tasting with chef Ripert, Somm Aldo Sohm, and the dining staff, we were thrilled to put our Miyabi Sencha, Yame Black, Hokkaido White Mint and Nagano soba cha on the Le Bernardin menu. This opportunity was truly one of the most thrilling in my career and something I personally very proud of and grateful for.

At Le Bernardin with Chef Eric Ripert for the launch of their new tea program

Tea released in October 2024: Fuujun Matcha from Hiroshi Kobayashi. Hiroshi Kobayashi has a reputation that precedes him—he is one of the only Level 10 Chashi (master tea blender) in all of Japan. He serves as the head of the Shogyokuen tea company, which has been operating in the Kyotanabe area since 1827, and is known for developing some of the most beautiful blended matcha and sencha to come out of the area, and out of the country at large.

Fuujun is a truly special matcha that showcases Kobayashi san's unparalleled prowess at blending pinnacle grade teas to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Remarkably rich, smooth, and fresh, Fuujun is a matcha of unparalleled quality.

November 2024

In November, Lee, Caleb and I traveled to Rotterdam for an 2 day intensive training with our client and importer A matter of concrete. AMOC is roasting and supplying a beautiful selection of coffee from celebrated producers to their clients all over Europe. They are now handling our teas. We went to meet their customers and provide training and insight into how to best prepare and serve each tea. It was a fun chance to meet new folks - many who had little experience with Japanese tea - and hopefully inspire them to continue learning more.

Matcha presentation in Rotterdam with our GM of wholesale, Lee

November also saw Minami and I head to Japan for a “tour” of sorts with our friends Yoshiyuki and Nobara Shimizu. We first met in Kanazawa for a 2 nights collaboration with chef Kishida of Kuragekumoninaruhi - a beautiful Thai restaurant. The pairing was a blast and Shimizu San and I even roasted Houjicha together in front of the guests.

Kettl x Kuragekumoninaruhi dinner with Yoshiyuki and Nobara Shimizu in Kanazawa Japan

Next we visited Suimontei in Nara for two more nights of collaboration - this time with Kaiseki cuisine. Listening to the chef, owner and Shimizu San talk was better than any class you could take on Japanese food, hospitality and aesthetics. That type of real orally-transmitted information is hard to come by and it thrills me to be able to learn from the best. I am forever grateful for everyone who attended the pairings and supported us.

Kettl x Suimontei dinner with Yoshiyuki and Nobara Shimizu in Nara, Japan

Teas released in November: Sashima Oolong and Black Tea. The Kimura family cultivates these teas in Sashima, producing oolong and wakoucha expressions that showcase the exotic profile of unique cultivars.

December 2024

With a made dash to the end of the year, we spent December with our heads down preparing for the holiday rush. Our staff member Miles recently moved to Japan and helped coordinate between offices to make sure we had what we needed where we needed it. Additionally we launched small collection (that sold out immediately) of copper ware from one of our favorite artisans Yuma Nakamura. Yumi Nakamura was born in Saitama in 1981 and majored in interior design at the Musashino University of Art. She lived for three years in Tokoname, in the Aichi prefecture, where she encountered and drew inspiration from the diverse regional craftwork. She returned to Tokyo in 2008, where she first began exploring metalwork while also working at a design studio. In 2012, she moved to Nara and set up her workshop, devoting herself full-time to the craft of metalwork. The beautiful shapes that she forms by burning, tapping, and launching a single metal plate belie the simple tools of their making. Her pieces become more attractive with use and, over time, will show the influence of the user’s hand. We aim to have more work from her soon.

Kettle by master artisan Yumi Nakamura

Mid month we released a beautiful collection of Kombucha with our friends Unified Ferments - whom in our humble opinion make some of the most compelling tea based drinks currently available. The collaboration was intense and tailed 3 bottles - Kukicha, Houjicha and Soba cha - that showcase the depth and sophistication of the teas thmeselves while breathing something new into them. It is thrilling to have had it all come together.

Kettl x Unified Ferments Colloboration Kombucha Lineup: Soba, Houjicha and Kukicha

To finish the month we ran three consecutive weekends of our holiday fair at our Kettl Studio. The idea was to feature new craft and lifestyle items hand picked by our team. This year we had everything from leather slippers, cast iron cookware, new incense and much more. Having guests attend and interact with products was fun to see.

What a wonderful way to end the year.

Tea released in December 2024: Kiyona Matcha 40g - A stone milled single-source matcha produced in Kyoto Prefecture utilizing a blend of Samidori, Asahi, Uji Hikari, and Yabukita. Kiyona is sweet and nutty with a perfectly balanced umami and intense jade hue, showcasing everything we love about Uji Matcha while presenting something entirely unique. The profile of this matcha allows for usucha preparation while pairing beautifully with milk and nut milks, making it an unrivaled versatile offering. Zach Mangan originally sourced this matcha for a limited project but couldn't resist the opportunity to add it to our catalog. For lovers of our Hukuju Matcha, this selection cannot be missed.

2024 was a year of our team and I am so thrilled to see each and everyone of them developing and pushing themselves, each other and the company forward. I am incredibly proud of the work they are doing from the cafe to warehouse and beyond.

Thanks to you all as well for your continued support - it means the world.

-Zach