International Tea Day at Yugen Tea Bar

Got a thing for a good cuppa tea? The folks at South Yarra's contemporary tea bar Yugen sure do; which is why they're celebrating International Tea Day (May 21) with not just one event, but a whole swag of them.

If tea is your cup of…well, tea…you won't want to miss this program of workshops and tasting events paying tribute to the world's most widely consumed bev.

On Wednesday, May 18, Yugen's expert sommeliers will share their passion via a 90-minute Tea 101 session ($75), complete with tastings, sweet treat pairings from the pastry chefs and take-home goodies.

On Thursday, May 19, you can celebrate two great loves at the Tea and Cheese Pairing, hosted in collaboration with Maker & Monger ($85). If rice-based booze is your thing, head along to the May 20 Tea and Sake Pairing, where you'll dive into the origins and intricacies of both drinks under the guidance of sake specialist Simone Maynard ($85).

And on Saturday, May 21, Yugen is teaming up with Kyneton's Animus Distillery for a full-blown tea-matched feast ($150), which'll see you sit down to a six-course spread, with each dish paired carefully with either a fine tea or a signature cocktail made on Animus' Tea Gin.

By Sean McDonald

Images: Sean McDonald and H. Trumble