‘Tea With Omar’: College Student Finds Comfort in Tea Ceremonies. Here Are Tips for the Perfect Cup

A Brown University junior has become one of the internet’s most beloved tea enthusiasts. Omar Hernandez-Tena, who goes by the moniker “Tea With Omar” on TikTok, studies electrical engineering at Brown and loves Chinese tea culture, particularly gongfu cha (tea with skill). Since midsummer, he’s been sharing his love almost every day with his followers. The 20-year-old starts nearly every video with a cheerful greeting — “Hi, everyone!” — then shows off the day’s tea selection. In a Sept. 20 video, it’s white moonlight tea, also known as Yue Guang Bai. He explains some of the tea’s attributes, including its “hairy” nature and fresh scent, with notes of grapes and lilac. With every sip he takes, you can see his stress melt away — and he passes the this feeling of calm on to the viewer. Hernandez-Tena typically shows the full, unedited tea-brewing process, from heating his cháhú (teapot) with hot water to pouring his first brew into his chápán (tea tray) and feeding his tea pet with leftover or rinse tea. “I started getting into this specific tea consumption method probably earlier this year,” Hernandez-Tena tells TODAY.com. “But in general, I’ve been drinking tea a long time.” And the student’s fanbase is growing steadily: He only started posting about his love of tea on July 30 and already boasts more than 172,000 followers. His fans appreciate his calming demeanor, with one commenting that he brings “peace into my life, like genuinely.” Hernandez-Tena says his online tea practice is getting him recognized on campus, which he calls “shocking,” but he’s trying to keep his priorities in check. “I call my dad a lot because my family’s been quite supportive,” he says. “He always reminds me that school is the most important thing, because at the end of the day, I’m here to get my college degree.” Tea With Omar’s Brewing Tips Hernandez-Tena has tips for those trying to get into their own tea practice: Small Businesses Over Big Stores “In general, I’m very pro-small business,” he says, adding that there are a lot of small tea businesses on the internet, but brick-and-mortar stores are the way to go. “In general, if you want something in person, I feel like that’s the best thing,” he says. “Just look up ‘loose-leaf tea stores near me.’” Tea Temperatures “It varies for all,” he says. Hernandez-Tena says to use the right temperature for the tea you have: Oolong tea needs a much lower temperature than black teas, which require boiling water to brew. Steep Your Tea Correctly Hernandez-Tena says it’s important to use the correct ratio of water to leaves, even if you’re just using a mug. “My general ratio for three grams of tea is eight ounces of water,” he says for loose-leaf tea. “That matters, because if you use too much water, it’s gonna taste not strong.” He also suggests brewing for at least three minutes. Not All Matcha Is Created Equal Hernandez-Tena often shares his love of matcha and suggests going into the store already knowing what you want. “They all say they’re ‘ceremonial grade,’ but that doesn’t really hold much value on the Japanese market,” he says. He suggests looking for a blend of first-harvest and second-harvest leaves in your matcha powder, as first-harvest-only powders can get pricey. “First-harvest leaves are the best ones because they took their time to grow, and they’re very complex and beautiful and delicate,” he says. “If you’re really fancy and you really want to get the best stuff, that’s when you would start looking into whether your matcha is single cultivar or not.” Fruity Chinese Teas Exist If you aren’t into floral or earthy flavors, Hernandez-Tena says many Chinese teas have more fruity notes you can try, from the peachy Da Hong Pao to the figgy Jing Jun Mei to white peony teas, which he says “tastes like grape” if you brew them correctly. Be Present — and Maybe Get a Tea Tray “I’m very active in this ceremony,” Hernandez-Tena says, pouring hot water over his lime-lemon tea pet. “The tea smells amazing, the tea tastes amazing and, actually, I love hearing the water move around the tea table,” he adds. “It’s reminding me a lot of the beauty of life and the little things we should really appreciate.” Tea Ceremonies Can Help With Mental Health “It’s really good for mental health,” he says. “There’s a lot of intention that I put into it when I do this, and it’s really good for my brain to just be engaged at that time.” “You know, sometimes I’m in the library all day doing random problem sets, and my brain reaches a point where I’m numb,” he adds. “But with tea, there’s no technology. There’s no physics. There’s no electrical engineering involved. It’s just me, the tea and my thoughts.”