Who needs tea and sympathy? I find tea, plus a few generous slugs of gin, will more surely soothe whatever weighs on one’s mind. Hannah Dupree has opened Storm in a Teacup in ode to the drink that is second in global popularity only to water. Her offering spans white, green, black and oolong teas sourced (often direct from the producer) from as far flung places as Kenya, Hawaii and naturally India and China as well as Australia. She likens tea to wine in character and variety and pleads with anyone who thinks green tea is bitter to try a cup properly brewed.

Storm in a Teacup is a tea shop and cafe but I’m obviously concerned in it’s other life as a bar. As brewing the perfect cup of tea requires more delicacy than simply boiling water, so too does imparting tea flavours into cocktails. Here they are adept at both. Storm in a Teacup’s JG&T (jasmine tea gin and tonic) is a revelation and should be essential classic drinking at every summer soiree. The also have a very drinkable Teatini on the menu which features a Korean green tea, Armagnac and gold leaf for which I am a sucker; I maintain it should be called a Marteani though.

For your own private masterclass from Hannah on the history of tea, how to make and brew varieties plus how tea fits into cocktails listen on (please excuse the audio quality in parts; it wasn’t originally intended to be published but I found the session too fascinating to resist!):

https://drinkmelbourne.com.au/wp-content/uploads/audio/Voice.mp3

Storm in a Teacup can be found at 48a Smith Street, Collingwood.