For the Love of Tea

The founder of Hemlock & Key is committed to making tea more accessible.

A fresh cup of loose leaf tea can be an otherworldly experience. One that not only pleases the palate, but captures the spirit of different cultures and destinations – a fascinating journey that Hemlock & Key strives to bring to all.

A Richmond loose leaf tea purveyor, Hemlock & Key was founded by Josh Schneider in 2021. The shop offers over 40 selections and is on a mission to break the perception that tea is a drink designed only for haut monde.

Schneider, who has experience in the food industry, has built relationships with numerous tea estates and farms over the years allowing him to source some of the finest available. These providers often reach out with samples of new flushes which Schneider regularly tests and then carefully weighs the pros and cons of, especially the flavor profile.

“I try to find those that have the most defined flavor essence of a region,” he says. “For instance, Assam comes from the Assam region of India and different estates have different soils, altitudes and climates that can drastically affect flavor.”

Image provided by Hemlock & Key.

The chosen are then left completely pure, like hojicha or formosa oolong, or used to concoct an in-house blend. Schneider will experiment with combinations of fruits, herbs and flowers to craft unique mixtures, like the fruity Angel’s Fall or spicy Sugar and Spite.

Perhaps one of Hemlock & Key’s most iconic offerings though is the Richmond Breakfast blend, one of Schneider’s favorites. The full-bodied selection is a mixture of Assam, Yunnan and Lapsang souchong black teas that create smokey, pine undertones. “I wanted to encapsulate Richmond mornings as a whole,” he says. “When I think of Richmond I think of something out of an old ‘80s Folgers commercial where people are off to steel mills, there’s steam coming off of the river and a sunrise. I want to capture that industrial feeling.”

Schneider’s journey into tea began years ago when his grandmother first acquainted him with the drink. “Back then it was simply Lipton traditional bagged tea that would steep too long and need honey, sugar or lemon to improve it,” he says.

It wasn’t until years later that one of his best friends introduced loose leaf tea. “It felt so different, as though something clicked,” he says. “It was a new level of zen.”

For Schneider, blending tea has become an incredible coping mechanism for stress and grounds him. “It self engages the five senses,” he says. “To see the leaves dance in the water, smell the aroma of rose petals and mint, hear the water rushing over the leaves in a cup – it captures the soul.”

Image provided by Hemlock & Key.

When Schneider isn’t busy with tea, he can be found bartending at My Noodle & Bar. But even here the passion for tea still lingers. “I try my hand with tea blends and cocktails and have found ways to convert teas to alcoholic cocktails and cocktails to tea blends,” he says. “I find inspiration in either one.”

Hemlock & Key teas can be purchased online or ordered for city delivery for a miniscule fee. One might also catch them at a local indoor market, like Fallout’s Black Market, or at a Richmond carrier, like Riverbend Roastery and Sefton Coffee. You might have also tasted Hemlock & Key without even realizing it. Shagbark sometimes uses them in their cocktails and Gothic bakery Honey Baked Bee has made cakes with the shop’s Earl Grey.

Hemlock & Key doesn’t have a physical storefront yet so its teas are safely kept in a local business’s kitchen to ensure items stay sanitary and are kept in prime condition. But this arrangement might not be for long. Schneider has been heavily saving to purchase a building and is actively looking for one. If anything, a shop in Church Hill would be a dream. “I love the atmosphere there,” he says.

But for now, Schneider continues investigating, experimenting and working to spread a love of tea to all. “I want to deconstruct this elitist, exclusive club around tea and make it something people can access without having to sink into a new hobby,” he says. “I’m not trying to build a grandiose lifestyle. I just want enough to take care of people and to give back to the community.”

To learn more, visit the Hemlock & Key website where you can sign up for a monthly newsletter. 

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