Great Lakes Tea

Tea Catalog


Tea Ceremony Tray 

What is "Kung Fu" Tea?

Kung Fu (Gōng Fu) means "with skill". Brewing in the Gōng Fu style is to make your tea with care and attentiveness, brewing at lower temperatures and for specific amounts of time in order to enjoy higher quality tea.

Can I take these teas home?

All of our loose leaf teas are available in airtight packaging from 1oz to 1lb. Greater volumes available upon request for wholesale or catering.

How much do I need?

1oz = 15 days of daily brews. When brewing generously, one tenth of an ounce is enough for a table to share for 7-10 steeps, or enough to last 1-2 hours.

1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Recommendations


Available To-Go

Special, limited selection of teas available in to-go cups.

Blue People - Oolong Blend - Invigorating, Energizing, Powdered Ginseng
Pearl Jasmine - Delicate White Tea - Aromatic, Floral
Black Lychee - Bold Black Tea - Strong, Sweet, Steamed Lychee
Siberian Rose - Light Floral Tea - Soothing, Floral
Genmaicha - Toasted Green Tea - Citrus, Toasted Rice
House Puer - Aged Puer - Rich, Earthy, Smooth
Red Jacket - Toasted Oolong - Dark, Smoky

Starter Picks

Most Popular

Blue People - Subtly sweet, energizing, and invigorating oolong infused with finely powdered ginseng.
Sticky Rice - Bold but relaxing flavor with a lovely, soothing aroma of sweet sticky rice.

Caffeine Free

Hibiscus - Vibrant, intense floral tea with strong, slightly acidic finish and a distinct tang.
Siberian Rose - Subtle aromatic tea made from the fresh, unfurled buds of a siberian rose bush.

Coffee Lovers

House Puer - An aged tea favored by coffee drinkers for it's distinct, bold flavor. Aged 15yrs.
Red Jacket - Toasted, smoky oolong with a rich finish and a strong, woody flavor.

Green Tea Lovers

Jade Spring - Fresh, leafy green with notes of nuttiness. Similar to: Gunpowder Green.
Genmaicha - Traditional Japanese blend of green tea and toasted rice grains.

English Tea Lovers

Earl Grey - Traditional English blend with notes of malt, bergamot, and floral fruitiness.
Yellow Sweet - Vibrant, brassy tea with a pleasant and astringent flavor.
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Angel Green

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

An herbal that is less bitter, more leafy, and vibrant green when brewed.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Grass
  3. Fresh Cut Grass
  4. Sweet
  5. Orchid

Baby Chrysanthemum

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Delicate, yellow flower buds. Mild floral flavor, and subtle aroma.

  1. Floral
  2. Sweet
  3. Honey

Hibiscus

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Intense, tangy tea with vibrant red color. Edible petals, steeps 20+ times.

  1. Black Currant
  2. Citrus Zest
  3. Floral
  4. Orange Blossom

Honeysuckle

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Versatile herbal. Detoxifying, caffeine-free, and subtle. Ideal for bedtime.

  1. Floral
  2. Honeysuckle
  3. Vegetal
  4. Straw
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Osmanthus

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Tiny, fragrant yellow flower. Enhances flavors when mixed in other teas.

  1. Floral
  2. Dandelion
  3. Sweet
  4. Malt
  5. Fruity
  6. Apricot

Siberian Rose

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Whole rose buds, flavorful, non-caffeinated, perfect relaxing bedtime tea.

  1. Floral
  2. Rose

Stevia Leaves

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Whole Stevia leaves, naturally sweet. Perfect, natural sugar replacement.

  1. Sweet
  2. Straw
  3. Grass
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Jasmine King

Rare | Loose Leaf | $$$

Silver Needle base with intense jasmine flavor. For seasoned palates.

  1. Floral
  2. Jasmine
  3. Honeysuckle
  4. Sweet

Pearl Jasmine

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

House favorite! Delicate flavor, floral aroma, perfect for any time of day.

  1. Floral
  2. Jasmine
  3. Sweet
  4. Vegetal

Silver Needle

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

A true blood 银针 white tea. Extremely subtle, yet equally complex flavor.

  1. Floral
  2. Rose
  3. Sweet
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Aroma Green

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Fresh, grassy aroma. Delicate, subtly sweet, mild aftertaste, vibrant color.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Grass
  3. Spinach
  4. Nutty
  5. Roasted Nuts
  6. Salt

Dragon Well

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Royally selected tea. Historically more expensive than gold by the gram.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Straw
  3. Nutty
  4. Roasted Nuts
  5. Grass
  6. Sweet
  7. Salt

Genmaicha

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Green tea with toasted brown rice, Chinese blend with Japanese roots.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Grass
  3. Toast
  4. Earthy
  5. Rice

Iron Goddess

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Oolong with floral aroma and leafy, metallic flavor; popular at Dim Sum.

1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Jade Spring

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Hand-rolled leaves, fresh, leafy flavor, formerly named: 'scary fragrance'.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Grass
  3. Spinach
  4. Nutty
  5. Roasted Nuts
  6. Salt

Supreme Aroma Green

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

High grade Maojian green with fresh, grassy aroma. Subtle sweetness and depth.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Grass
  3. Spinach
  4. Nutty
  5. Roasted Nuts
  6. Salt

Westlake Dragon Well

Rare | Loose Leaf | $$$

High grade Dragon Well. Strong complexity. Excellent for seasoned drinkers.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Straw
  3. Nutty
  4. Roasted Nuts
  5. Grass
  6. Sweet
  7. Salt
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Aged Oolong

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Iron Goddess base, rich flavor, aged like a fine Puer.

  1. Floral
  2. Vegetal
  3. Nutty
  4. Roasted Nuts
  5. Fruity
  6. Earthy

Blue People

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Drink like an Emperor: oolong and ginseng blend, once reserved for royalty.

  1. Nutty
  2. Roasted Nuts
  3. Sweet
  4. Candy
  5. Vegetal

Champagne Oolong

Rare | Loose Leaf | $$$

A unique Taiwanese Oolong dubbed "Oriental Beauty" by the late Queen Elizabeth.

  1. Honey
  2. Fruity
  3. Floral

Dong Ding Oolong

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Uniquely nutty Taiwanese oolong, compressed leaves expand intensely.

  1. Nutty
  2. Roasted Nuts
  3. Malt
  4. Vegetal
  5. Straw
  6. Earthy
  7. Salt
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

High Mountain

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Floral Taiwanese tea with a flavor profile similar to Iron Goddess.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Grass
  3. Nutty
  4. Floral
  5. Mineral

Lishan Oolong

Rare | Loose Leaf | $$$

Fresh Taiwanese oolong with minimal processing. Green tea-like taste.

  1. Vegetal
  2. Spinach
  3. Floral
  4. Grass
  5. Nutty
  6. Roasted Nuts

Milk Oolong

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Naturally milky, buttery flavor. No additives, just pure tea leaves.

  1. Floral
  2. Vegetal
  3. Fresh Cut Grass
  4. Mineral
  5. Metallic
  6. Buttery

Monkey King

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Leafy, metallic, floral tea similar to Iron Goddess.

  1. Floral
  2. Vegetal
  3. Fresh Cut Grass
  4. Mineral
  5. Metallic
  6. Buttery
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Red Jacket

Rare | Loose Leaf | $$$

Rock Oolong from Fujian with a rich, smoky flavor and inspiring origin story.

  1. Toast
  2. Smoke
  3. Roasted Nuts
  4. Fruity
  5. Mineral
  6. Floral
  7. Orchid
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Black Lychee

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Natural steamed lychee flavor. Exceptionally pleasant aroma.

  1. Lychee
  2. Sweet
  3. Malt
  4. Cocoa
  5. Floral
  6. Fruity

Earl Grey

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Floral, tasty, soothing tea with a rich history and a refined bergamot touch.

  1. Citrus Zest
  2. Sweet
  3. Malt
  4. Floral
  5. Cocoa
  6. Smoke
  7. Fruity

Keemun Red

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

A familiar flavor often used as the base for modern blends and milk teas.

  1. Malt
  2. Floral
  3. Cocoa
  4. Smoke
  5. Sweet
  6. Fruity

Supreme Yellow Sweet

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Yunnan Red tea with golden tips. Vibrant, complex, subtly sweet, aromatic.

  1. Malt
  2. Cocoa
  3. Sweet
  4. Honey
  5. Apricot
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Yellow Sweet

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Yunnan Red Tea with vibrant brass color, slightly astringent, great for daily drinking.

  1. Malt
  2. Cocoa
  3. Sweet
  4. Honey
  5. Clove
  6. Apricot
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Aged Puer

Rare | Loose Leaf | $$$

Rich, earthy 18-year-old puer reminiscent of wetland forests, rain, and soil.

  1. Earthy
  2. Wet Rock
  3. Wet Earth

House Puer

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Rich, earthy flavor, aids digestion, boosts metabolism, curbs hunger.

  1. Earthy
  2. Wet Earth
  3. Wet Rocks

Loose Puer (Cooked)

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

A "gateway" puer aged for 8 years with a rich, mature flavor.

  1. Earthy
  2. Wet Earth
  3. Wet Rock
  4. Ocean Air

Loose Puer (Raw)

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

14 year old standard bearer, hard-to-obtain raw puer with a backstory.

  1. Earthy
  2. Vegetal
  3. Straw
  4. Barnyard
  5. Wet Earth
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Mandarin Puer

House Premium | Loose Leaf | $

Citrus infused cooked puer aged in dried mandarin peels for flavor.

  1. Citrus
  2. Green Wood
  3. Orange
  4. Forest Floor

Sticky Rice Puer (Cooked)

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Fragrant Puer infused with sticky rice flavor using rice paddy cuttings.

  1. Earthy
  2. Rice
  3. Sweet
  4. Fragrant

Sticky Rice Puer (Raw)

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Fragrant Puer infused with sticky rice flavor using rice paddy cuttings.

  1. Earthy
  2. Rice
  3. Sweet
  4. Fragrant

Wild Puer

Limited | Loose Leaf | $$

Lively, woodsy puer with earthy tones. Wild and unique.

  1. Earthy
  2. Wet Earth
  3. Forest Floor
  4. Musty
  5. Moss
  6. Peat
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

Fairy's Mark

Rare | Cake | $$$

天仙號 - Immortal’s Mark | Type: Raw | Year: 1995

$900 / cake

Moonveil

Rare | Cake | $$$

月光白 - White Moonlight | Type: Raw | Year: 2014

$95 / cake

Royal Gift

Rare | Cake | $$$

宫廷贡饼 - Imperial Gift | Type: Cooked | Year: 2013

$95 / cake

Seventh Son

Rare | Cake | $$$

云南七子 - Yunnan’s Seventh Son | Type: Cooked | Year: 2008

$80 / cake
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes
Great Lakes Tea

The Arbor King

Rare | Cake | $$$

乔木王 - The Arbor King | Type: Cooked | Year: 2000

$240 / cake

The Old Order

Rare | Cake | $$$

老班章 - The Old Order | Type: Raw | Year: 2013

$320 / cake

Yggdrasil

Rare | Cake | $$$

古茶树 - Ancient Tea Tree | Type: Cooked | Year: 2009

$90 / cake
1406 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL
Herbal
White
Green
Oolong
Red
Puer
Cakes