What's Happening at Vessel
Following the Way of Tea
A guided sit through the philosophy and ritual of tea as a contemplative practice: presence, intention, and the discipline behind stillness. This class is for those who wish to understand what makes tea a way, or a path. We'll explore how teaware echoes the practice itself.
This sit will be offered twice:
📍 Living Tea, Boulder, CO — August 28th, 1:30pm–3:00pm
📍 Oasis, Denver, CO — September 3rd, 2:00pm–3:30pm
Starting a Tea Practice
A gentle entry point for anyone curious about sitting with tea but unsure where to begin. No experience or vocabulary required, just curiosity and a willingness to slow down. We'll explore how to start discovering different genres of tea and developing a vocabulary for what you're tasting, so newcomers leave with a starting point for both tea and clay.
This class will be offered twice:
📍 Living Tea, Boulder, CO — August 28th, 4:00pm–5:30pm
📍 Oasis, Denver, CO — September 3rd, 5:00pm–6:30pm
Tea Tasting: Classes of Tea
A guided tasting across green, oolong, red, and puerh, built around understanding how these categories differ and why. Best for people who want to taste with intention and ask questions about process and origin. This sit also opens into a conversation about how vessel pairing shapes each style.
This tasting will be offered twice:
📍 Living Tea, Boulder, CO — August 29th, 9:00am–10:30am
📍 Oasis, Denver, CO — September 4th, 9:00am–10:30am
The 5 Elements and Tea
A structured sit exploring tea through the lens of the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood, and how each shows up in the leaf, the brew, and the vessel. This is for people drawn to a framework for understanding tea more deeply, not casual conversation. Ceramics will be discussed as part of elemental consideration, and rare Vault teas are included in the tasting.
This sit will be offered twice:
📍 Living Tea, Boulder, CO — August 29th, 11:30am–1:00pm
📍 Oasis, Denver, CO — September 4th, 11:30am–1:00pm
Gongfu Cha: The Craft of Fine Tea
A close look at gongfu brewing for people who want to refine their technique, not just enjoy the tea. We'll walk through a basic outline of gongfu brewing and how to recognize when gongfu is the most appropriate approach to appreciating a fine tea, along with how teaware impacts the brew, using rare Vault teas.
This class will be offered twice:
📍 Living Tea, Boulder, CO — August 29th, 2:30pm–4:00pm
📍 Oasis, Denver, CO — September 4th, 2:30pm–4:00pm
Methods of Brewing and How to Choose
A philosophical introduction to the different methods of brewing tea, exploring when different methods are employed and why. This is not a hands-on exploration of each method, but an introduction to the concept of different brewing methods with elemental considerations. We'll walk through leaves in a bowl, sidehandle, gongfu, and boiled tea, with a brief overview of each.
This class will be offered twice:
📍 Living Tea, Boulder, CO — August 30th, 9:00am–10:30am
📍 Oasis, Denver, CO — September 5th, 9:00am–10:30am
Rare Aged Puerh
An exploration and enjoyment of rare aged puerh from the Vault, guided by someone who knows its provenance and history. This is for serious drinkers and collectors looking for depth and access, not an introduction to tea. We'll discuss what makes these teas special, with the entire lineup for this sit drawn from the Vault.
This sit will be offered twice:
📍 Living Tea, Boulder, CO — August 30th, 2:30pm–4:00pm
📍 Oasis, Denver, CO — September 5th, 11:30am–1:00pm
Vessel: Open to the Public · Free
Drop in to sip tea, ask questions, talk shop, or purchase tea to take home. No agenda, just an open door. Browse the ceramics and rare Vault teas on display, and take your time with whatever catches your eye. Ticket holders get priority access for purchasing wares and limited teas during these windows.
Boulder, CO (Living Tea)
📍 August 28th, 6:00pm–7:30pm
📍 August 29th, 4:30pm–6:00pm
📍 August 30th, 11:00am–1:00pm
📍 August 30th, 4:30pm–7:00pm
Denver, CO (Oasis)
📍 September 4th, 4:30pm–6:30pm
📍 September 5th, 2:30pm–6:00pm
Free and open
