Finn McGrath wants to create a more delicious tea-drinking culture in Canberra. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
When asked about Canberra’s tea-drinking culture, Waypoint Tea Co founder Finn McGrath sums it up pretty succinctly: “Canberrans go out for good coffee, but they stay home for good tea,” he told Region.
“My mum likes to call them ‘closet tea drinkers’. Lots of people have a cup of tea in the morning but don’t think much of it.”
The reason: many cafes don’t make a good cup of tea. Too often it’s a teabag in a metal teapot that leaks all over the table when you pour (you know the ones) and there’s little variety beyond the boxes of Twinings you can find at the supermarket.
So Finn started Waypoint Tea Co in 2019 to create a better alternative for tea drinkers in Canberra. After a pause during COVID, he’s been ramping up the operation and now sells his teas to cafes like Gang Gang and Bookplate and even to fine dining restaurants like Pilot and The Boat House.
He hand packs and labels the teas in Fyshwick and decided that he might as well open up a small retail offering to make the best use of the space at Dairy Road. The newly opened Waypoint Tea shop now has tasters available, and he’s hoping to use the space for events like ‘Tea 101’ and blending classes.
The shop is located in the Dairy Road Precinct. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
So, what’s the secret to brewing a good cup of tea?
“You need to start with good base ingredients, like a good loose-leaf tea. And then it’s all about time and temperature. A nice green tea, for example, needs water that is not quite boiling, and the delicate leaves only need a short time to brew.”
Finn admits he’s been known to leave a teabag in the mug for too long late at night when he’s working, but on the whole, he recommends loose-leaf tea as it’s a much nicer product.
“What you get in teabags is actually called dust or finings: it’s the offcuts and leftovers of the process that just get hidden in bags. You lose all the nuance of flavour.”
Waypoint Tea Co has a curated range of teas. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The Waypoint range of teas is concise but curated to maintain Finn’s high quality standards. His tea is sourced either directly from plantations or through trusted importers, and he aims for environmental sustainability.
Alongside offerings like breakfast and peppermint teas, Finn has also created a relaxing lavender-infused tea with his neighbours at Flow Yoga.
But the Masala Chai is a definite favourite in his range.
“A close friend of mine, who is Punjabi, wanted a masala chai for her wedding to serve and give as gifts. So I sat down with her Mum and Dad, and they shared some of their favourite teas with me, and I went away and blended some options. They picked the one they liked best: it’s very traditional and spice driven, with whole spices rather than powder or flavourings.”
“It’s a great option as the weather cools down.”
White tea is a lesser-known type of tea. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Perhaps it’s time we all took our cups of tea more seriously!
Find Waypoint Tea at B3.3, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick. They are open from 10 am to 2 pm Wednesday to Friday, or order online. Follow Waypoint Tea Co on Facebook or Instagram.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
