Birch

Birch

$45.00

Birch

$45.00

Birch

An elegant beauty from the woods of New England

$45.00

These matte beauties that resemble thin birch trees, were thrown for us by the amazing David Ernster, fired in his wood kiln at his home studio in New Hampshire.

Dimensions: 3.875" tall, 2.875" diameter. 

Capacity: ~11oz. / 0.3L

Made in the mountains of Newbury, New Hampshire. 

Care: Hand wash, please.

PLEASE NOTE: because each piece is truly one of a kind, expect variations in color and shape.

*Ships only to US and Canada; 

Free shipping for all orders (US only)

Breakaway Promise

We stand behind our teas and teaware, and want you to be not just satisfied with them, but thrilled. If for any reason you're not, just let us know and we'll do our best to make it right.

  • 5 stars: 7 (88%)
  • 4 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 1 (13%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
M
MK i.C.
Beautiful but does not stand the test of time

This is a truly beautiful tea mug, and I was so happy to receive it - it felt lovely in the hand and was delightful to look at, and beautiful with my matcha in it. Unfortunately, after about 3-1/2 years, it now has two chips along the rim, and not from being dropped. They just each appeared, one at a time, over time with me not knowing how it happened. Unlike any of the other (7!) ceramic mugs/bowls that I have bought from Breakaway - even the ones I’ve had much longer than this one. (I’m not hard on my drinking vessels, I still have two completely intact mugs that I use regularly, that my mother bought me when I moved into my first apartment 41 years ago!) Given the cost, I would not recommend it for this reason.

J
Julie V.

I have loved learning about Matcha and it many benefits and how to enjoy these benefits daily. Break away Matcha teaches you about what matcha is and was it is not. In my journey I have realized you need to know what Matcha is and how to be discerning as there is alot out there that pretends to be matcha and is not what Break Away sells. Educate yourself and treat your self to one of the oldest medicines in the world!

F
FRANTIC
My new favorite matcha cup

Drinking my morning matcha (Blend 93) is such a pleasure, part ritual & part necessity and I always look forward to when this cup comes up in my rotation. I have several ceramics from this site to choose from. The picture can't do this mug justice. The outside is rough like actual bark while the inside is smooth and dark, a wonderful contrast to the jade green of my latte - just the right combo to make each sip a pleasure to the palate and the eye!

M
Miyo K.
rustic refinement

I am fond of this drinking vessel - it's rough bark like exterior is satisfying to look at and hold, and the smooth interior offers an appealing contrast and is easy to clean. One reviewer commented that they wished it were signed. My mug has a sealed imprint which is the mark of the potter. It was a splurge to buy this, but as it is the only one like it that I have, I always know which mug is mine. Would like some more rounded "tea bowl" options as well. Nice work, though.

M
Melinda
So lovely!

I love every single thing about these tumblers. They're beautiful, they feel great in the hand, they're the perfect size--and they always make me think of New Hampshire, where I spent most of my life and which I still love dearly. They're all around fabulous.

R
Richard
A reminder to center yourself in nature

My tumbler looks quite different from the one in the picture. I had looked at it previously and received it as a gift. It's a nice way to ground myself in the matcha experience every morning. For those of us that are in the city, it's an amazing way to start the day. Beautiful and unique piece.

J
Joan C.
Birch cup

I really like this cup. It keeps my matcha warm. I do wish the potter signed it, if it was possible, that is!

S
Shopify
Birch Charger

I love this charger! Not only is it a unique design but it is just the right design and shape to whip up some incredible matcha crema!

Your Questions Answered

Mainly because the farmers and processors care so much; their processes take longer, require more steps, and are just harder. They’re pretty obsessed with producing Japan’s tastiest and healthiest matcha, and we don’t mind paying them well for the extraordinary product they produce. Rarity comes into it as well -- some blends, especially the named blends (Kamakura, Rikyu, Jizo, Hikari, Satoshi, and Daphne) have extremely limited production. These teas are hard to produce.

No. No sugar, additives, or any other nonsense. It’s 100% extraordinary green tea leaves, ground up into a fine powder.

Location on the tea plant, mainly. Hyperpremium is the baby leaves; we only use the newest growth. Imagine baby vegetables, baby herbs, microgreens. They haven’t had much time to develop much molecular complexity, so there are no bitter or astringent notes, just clean, chlorophyll-packed umami.

Leaves used for coldbrew are slightly older, and have a little more biocomplexity to them. That complexity does add some bitterness and astringency, but it’s undetectable when prepared with ice water, so it tastes rich and creamy. Yields are tiny for the hyperpremium, and yields are bigger with coldbrew (the leaves themselves weigh more, and are larger, hence bigger yields).

This term has lost most of its meaning. Because there is no governing body of any type that monitors/controls what can be labeled ceremonial, anyone can -- and does -- use this moniker to connote quality, even though much of the “ceremonial” matcha on the marketplace is in fact barely culinary -- much of it could be better described as “industrial.”

Moreover, many tea ceremonies in Japan notoriously serve sub-par matcha. In the end, many of the ceremonies aren’t really about tea at all, they’re about choreography and pedigree. Sometimes the teas are tasty, but more often they’re oxidized and bitter and astringent; hallmarks of culinary (or worse) matcha.

Some people insist on organic (generally for good reasons), so we searched hard for years and finally found what we feel is the tastiest and best organic matcha in the domestic Japanese market. However, our conventionally grown matcha is utterly safe, and it tends to taste better because its umami/amino acid structure is more pronounced.

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