Tea and Coffee Week stirs appreciation of kombucha, chocolate, and more

When plant biologist and tea entrepreneur Elias Majid founded Michigan's  Tea and Coffee Week back in 2015, it was envisioned as a way to give local communities a chance to really see what the area's few tea shops had to offer. Majid, an owner of one of those few tea shops, set up eight events, such as tastings, educational seminars, and 101 classes.


In three short years, the schedule has grown to include 25 events, welcoming new locations from such companies as Dessert Oasis, New Order, and Ashe. The scope of the fest's vision has now expanded to include Michigan roasters, kombucha brewers, and chocolatiers.

This year's iteration, which kicked off yesterday, continues with all sorts of eye-opening events. Tonight, at Ypsi's Thumb Roast Coffee, experts will offer advice on making the perfect cup of coffee at home, covering brewing methods, water temperatures, grinds, and more. Also tonight, at Ann Arbor's Arbor Teas, Nancy Biehn of Sweet Gem Confections will lead a workshop on producing tea-infused truffles.

And that's just tonight! Upcoming events will zoom in on kombucha cocktails paired with small plates, tea and yoga, Korean tea, coffee cocktails, custom roasting, and more. To see the rest of the week's event's, click here.